I fell so deeply in love with Folklore that I don’t feel like I spent enough time listening to Lover. Naturally, there were certain songs that stayed in my repertoire, but some dropped off too quickly. So I’m glad that the upcoming tour made me dive back into. One month away! Also, Live From Paris was great for these songs. Wish the crowd was not so prominent in it though.

18. It’s Nice To Have A Friend. I don’t dislike this song. When I listen to it, it’s nice enough. I like things about it when I listen to it, but it doesn’t really stand out to me as memorable. It’s not one I think I’d ever actively listen to unless it came on through shuffle.  

17. Paper Rings. Paper Rings is a very fun song. Definitely a get-up and dance song. It’s cute and happy and bubbly. Not exactly my Taylor cup of tea, but it’s fun. I think it doesn’t showcase her brilliance with songwriting or her singing as well as others in her catalog, but it’s fun.

16. I Think He Knows. This one has a similar vibe as Paper Rings, but I like this one better. This one is musically better than Paper Rings, both lyrically and musically. The chorus isn’t my favorite, which is why this one gets knocked down a bit. But I like the verses on this one.

15.  I Forgot That You Existed. This one is musically and lyrically similar as the prior two in my book. I think this is the best of the trio. It’s catchy and memorable. I think musically and lyrically it’s the best of the trio.

The next four are all pretty close for me in rankings. They might differ simply depending on the day. There are things I like about all four of these and things I dislike about all four. But they are definitely all bops and catchy and prone to getting stuck in my head.

14. London Boy. London Boy is a fun song. And like I said, super catchy. I think it also demonstrates her ability to flip phrases and weave simple phrases together.

13. Me! This song is probably one of the most controversial in her catalog. People really dislike this one. I like it! Is it deep? Not really. Is it profound? No. Am I glad she got rid of the “spelling is fun”—yes. But she wanted a “I’m awesome” light-hearted song. And that’s what this is. I won’t knock it. And I will admit Freya Ridings BBC Radio1version of this slays!

12. Death By A Thousand Cuts. This one is yep, you guessed it catchy. I enjoy the lyricism here. This one and the next one are probably tied. I don’t love the beginning of this one, but I do love a lot of it. If you’re going for lyricism, this one edges out #11. If you’re going for a bop, #11 edges out this. They are close. This is the song I also ranked very high in the album, and then dropped it as I actually dove in. The acoustic version from Live from Paris is better than the studio version I think. That version would probably rate higher.

11. You Need To Calm Down. This song is just a bop. It’s catchy, memorable, and fun to sing along to. It’s just fun. Yes, there are a few instances where the lyrics were forced, but I enjoy this one.  

10. False God. I am sure that I am one of the few people to rank this song this high. But I love it. That sax! It’s a very sultry song, and I enjoy it. Does it invoke religious imagery in ways some may not like? Oh definitely. But again I enjoy it.

9. Lover. I like the version with just Taylor best, but any version is probably ranked here. The swampy feel of this one is interesting and unique.

8. Cruel Summer. And now for the song, I’m sure many think I have ranked too low. I can see why this one is ranked so high by many, and I did originally have it higher. But I think she has better. It’s catchy and memorable. And it’s a fan favorite for a reason.

7. Daylight. I probably rank this one so highly because I value lyricism. I think this one has beautiful lyrics and poignant ones. I also relate to this one, and so of course, that bumps it up for me. I also like the message to this one.

6. Afterglow. My comments on this one are very similar to Daylight. I like it for the same reasons—beautiful, poignant lyrics and ones that I relate to. I like the music on this one slightly more than Daylight. But these two are very close to me.

5. The Archer. I originally ranked this one lower because I played it so much when it first came out and we were waiting for the album that I don’t listen to it as much anymore. It’s a track five song—so of course, it’s good. I like the lyricism here. One of the few where I like studio better than Live from Paris.

4. The Man. A feminist rage song! So of course, I’m here for it. I have blasted this song more than I care to admit. It features prominently on my “feminist” playlist. What?!? Not everybody has a feminist rage playlist?!? I worked in professional roles with lots of people who caused me to blast this. It is always one that I will turn up the volume on. Another one where I like the studio version better than Live from Paris.

3. Miss Americana And The Heartbreak Prince. This was my early favorite and top song from this album. I’m still not entirely sure third is right, except then I listen to the other two and go yeah it’s probably three. There are a lot of feminist themes to this one too, so yeah, shocker that I like it. I love the symbolism here. It’s brilliantly written.

2. Soon You’ll Get Better. If you know you know. I can’t listen to this one very often because it makes me cry and remember things I’d rather not think of that often. But she captures this feeling and moment so brilliantly. It’s perfect. And yeah, it was the hardest one for me to rate. I don’t listen often, but yep number two. She said she’d never perform it live because it’s too emotional, but she did as part of the Covid-19 concert. And yes watching it just now made me cry again.

1. Cornelia Street. This one is a bit of a shocker to me. I was a late adapter and fan of this song. She is also the sole writer on this one, which is shocking in today’s day and age. I also really like the Live from Paris version. I always love acoustic Taylor.