Taylor Swift Arrives With A Chilling Bonus Track ‘The Lakes’

Taylor Swift just treated fans to a bonus track off her latest album, “Folklore”. Titled, ‘The Lakes‘, this tune is a whispering of many stories and yearnings. 

Tied together with a ghostly acoustic guitar riff and Swift’s husky melodies, ‘The Lakes’ is a moody treat for all. Perhaps what stands out the most about the track is its bridge. The young star’s lulling runs settle over a melancholic violin piece. This soulful tune was written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff, the latter in fact, had a large part to play in all the tracks sitting on the star’s album. 

‘The Lakes’ Draws A Melancholic Picture

Now, coming to the songwriting, it certainly is the defining factor of ‘The Lakes’. Much like the troubled poets of the Romantic era, Swift’s lyrics speak of a muse, a longing for love and constant scrutiny under the public eye. Her lines also show us a build up of grief, as Taylor hopes to find a safe haven in England’s Windermere peaks. A space where she can bid goodbye to all troubles she faced in the industry and yearn for simpler matters, like love and relationships. Perhaps a glance at the lyrics will allow for a better understanding:

Take me to the Lakes where all the poets went to die
I don’t belong and, my beloved, neither do you
Those Windermere peaks look like a perfect place to cry
I’m setting off, but not without my muse

Bridge
I want auroras and sad prose
I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet
‘Cause I haven’t moved in years

‘The Lakes’ will find a warm spot on the eight different deluxe versions of the album – which is sure to unearth more gems like this one. In the meantime, Swift continues to bask at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 with “Folklore”. And gauging by its monumental victory, perhaps the charts will soon open their doors for ‘The Lakes’ as well. 

By: Nina Karun