Beth GarrabrantTaylor Swift's first surprise album of 2020, folklore, is nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards later this month, and now she's deconstructing one of her favorite lyrics on the album in the new issue of People.
The lyric in question is "She had a marvelous time ruining everything," and it appears in the folklore standout "The Last Great American Dynasty." That song, and the lyric, are both about Rebekah Harkness, the real-life heiress who previously owned Taylor's mansion in Rhode Island. Back in the day, Harkness was the talk of the town because of her eccentric and flamboyant lifestyle.
"I'm really proud of [that lyric]…because it's about what happens when women step out of their cages and run," Taylor tells People. "It can be a real pearl-clutching moment for society when a woman owns her desires and wildness."
She adds, "I love the idea that the woman in question would be too joyful in her freedom to even care that she's ruffling feathers, raising eyebrows or becoming the talk of the town — the idea that she decided there were marvelous times to be had, and that was more important."
Having released not one but two acclaimed albums while in quarantine last year — the other being evermore — Taylor tells People that she may continue that way of working even when the pandemic is over.
"You can write songs without traveling or being in the same space as another collaborator," she marvels. "You can tell your fans about what you made without going on an international promo tour. These are options I didn't explore before and I'm glad that I know they exist now."
Taylor states, "In the future I will always explore that option…If I can do it myself, I will."
By Andrea Dresdale
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