Taylor Swift’s Midnights was released last week, and obviously, it’s already breaking all kinds of records. It broke the record for the most Spotify streams in a single day. The album is already the best-selling album of the year, sorry to Beyonce, Adele and Harry Styles. Even I took some time to listen to the album, or as much as I could bear. Like, I’m not part of the Snake Fam whatsoever, but I genuinely think that Taylor has some bops. I enjoyed several songs from Folklore, although I never really got into evermore. Midnights seems to aim to have the more lowkey energy of Folklore, with some of the pop sensibilities of Lover. One of the songs stuck out to me: “Vigilante Sh-t.” The message of the song is: I’m coming for my enemies and I’m helping women hunt for their enemies. Here’s the song:
Spiritually, this feels like the sister track to Reputation’s “I Did Something Bad,” which, in my opinion, was one of the few good songs on Reputation. The lyrics have caused a lot of Snake Conspiracy Theorists to wonder just who Taylor is referencing, especially with “She needed cold, hard proof, so I gave her some/She had the envelope, where you think she got it from?/Now she gets the house, gets the kids, gets the pride/Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife.” I also wonder about: “While he was doin’ lines and crossin’ all of mine/Someone told his white-collar crimes to the FBI.”
Some fans insist that at least some of these lyrics are referencing Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. My opinion: Taylor still hates both Kim AND Kanye pretty equally, so no, she’s not giving “proof” to Kim, although Taylor would absolutely turn Kanye over to the FBI. Now, other Swifities suggest that Taylor is referencing Scooter Braun’s now-ex-wife Yael Cohen. Cohen filed for divorce from Scooter last year, and the divorce was finalized recently. Cohen got a $20 million settlement and he has to pay $60K a month in child support. Yeah… Scooter’s net worth is in the hundreds of millions of dollars. I’m sure Yael had dirt on Scooter, but I have my doubts as to whether Taylor provided that dirt. I don’t know. It’s interesting though.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Taylor Swift’s social media.
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- The 2022 MTV VMAs-Arrivals Featuring: Taylor Swift Where: Newark, New Jersey, United States When: 28 Aug 2022 Credit: JOHN NACION/startraksphoto.com/Cover Images
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- The 2022 MTV VMAs-Arrivals Featuring: Taylor Swift Where: Newark, New Jersey, United States When: 28 Aug 2022 Credit: JOHN NACION/startraksphoto.com/Cover Images
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- MTV Video Music Awards 2022 held at the Prudential Center. Featuring: Taylor Swift Where: Newark, New Jersey, United States When: 29 Aug 2022 Credit: Doug Peters/EMPICS/PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held at the Prudential Center. Featuring: Taylor Swift Where: Newark, New Jersey, United States When: 28 Aug 2022 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images
Nah, I think it’s about Karlie.
I think at this point Kim and Kanye are low hanging fruit to her and this song (and also Karma) are 1000% Scooter Braun
Yes, “crossing all of mine” has to reference SB & the way he sold her original recordings out from under her.
I would enjoy the idea of Taylor out here ratting out shitty husbands quite a bit lol. Maybe it’s one we don’t know about, although her and Kim banding together against YE might break the internet.
As for the album, I enjoyed Anti-Hero, Snow on the Beach, Vigilante Shit, Maroon, Bejeweled, and Mastermind quite a bit, so I guess I’m a fan of this one-I like it better thank folklore, where my only fave was Exile. Bigger than the Whole Sky was a hard pass for me-definitely feels like a miscarriage song, and that’s a trigger from hell for me personally. I got about halfway through one listen and noped right tf out, with the full on ugly cry.
I just listened and it brought tears to my eyes. I’m so sorry for your loss and wish you happiness and peace.
Off topic, I know, but exactly how tall is she? Just my curiosity going off on it’s own tangent like always:
Here’s MY brain:
That’s some shade right there, oof, I wonder how tall she is, how many cats does she have now? maybe I should listen to her songs, wait is that David Bowie singing Starman? oh gotta fold the laundry and on and on
5’11” ish, plus 4″-5″ heels, so she’s rocking around 6’3″ to 6’4″. Tall!
Thanks!!!!
She has claimed 5’11, but celebheights has her just above 5’9. That site is basically devoted to debunking false height claims and I think it’s more accurate.
@Kebbie
Either way she’s MUCH taller than myself who has to use a step ladder to reach the top row of kitchen cabinets 😁
I know that “blind item reveal” is part of the Taylor Swift fame machine, but I took this more as a statement about how crappy dudes can’t hide behind their wives anymore. Women have more options now, and more powerful friends.
I agree. Not every song has to be about a specific, real life situation. Maybe she just had day dreams of busting up some jerks marriage and put that in a song.
It’s an interesting progression. Because the story starts several years ago. When the initial controversy happened Yael was basically Scooter’s attack dog where she made a raging post about Taylor, while Scooter kept his hands clean. Then two years ago on Folklore song Mad Woman Taylor basically told the world Scooter was an unfaithful husband and Yael should be pissed at him for that instead of defending her husband in the same only slightly veiled way as Vigilante Shit.
Then the wild thing that happened is months later rumors finally leaked about Scooter’s infidelity among other personal issues and there was the divorce filing. And there have been some lawsuits against him too over business stuff. So Vigilante shit matches both of those things.
More than likely Taylor has never had any contact with Yael and this was just her late night revenge fantasy, but I don’t think she minds using the song to seed even just a little paranoia in Scooter’s mind.
Nice theory, but Scooter filed for divorce from his wife, not the other way around.
eh, my ex husband ‘filed for divorce’ from me as well — I moved out six months earlier and it took took that long to work out we were never going back. It was weirdly important to him to be the one that ‘filed’ and I didn’t want to pay the filing fee (we didn’t get attorneys) and so I let him.
” although Taylor would absolutely turn Kanye over to the FBI.”
Why did I chuckle out loud over this?? The way both parties used each other for publicity is embarrassing.
Anyway, I’m not a Swifty or a Snake famer or anything either, but she does have some bops. I quite liked Lavender Haze and Maroon actually made me emotional. The Carly Rae Jepsen album dropped Friday too and it is so very good.
If it is about Scooter, or ending any actual marriage, then what about the kids? Their lives just blew up permanently. I know, it’s the cheaters fault. But sending proof means she had an active part in destroying a family. Maybe they would have made it until the kids turned 18 and they could have had normal childhoods. It’s sickening to think someone would brag about being the key piece in breaking up a family.
have you read any of the royals posts around here? We are ALL about blowing up families.
Side note: staying for the children doesn’t guarantee a happy or normal childhood, kids know when parents aren’t right.
If she sent proof of cheating that led to a higher financial settlement for the parent with primary custody, she helped. She didn’t convince the wife to leave, she didn’t make the cheater cheat.
But I’m team “I don’t take all her songs literally.”
I think it’s very much a dream of revenge and not a playbook of what actually happened. The whole concept of the album is the things you think about when you have depression-fueled insomnia and can’t sleep. It’s not meant to be taken 100 percent literally, but unfortunately her own fans have problems with this concept.
Agree. This is the crazy stuff that goes out your brain in the middle of a toss and turn night. A “what if” song. Good lyrics though.
I like this take on it. I think some of the things are probably real, but this makes a lot of sense!
Yup. This is a concept album about midnight thoughts that keep her up at night. A revenge fantasy is a theme but not a real story of events.
@emily – perfectly said! I’m going to use your description the next time I discuss the album with someone.
And that’s why I’m kind of annoyed at the people who are like “another John Mayer song??? Get over him!” Dude, she’s over him. She either wrote the song a long time ago or she’s reflecting on a darker moment in her past (both keeping with the theme of her album as you described it). Both are perfectly reasonable things to do.
That’s the song that latched onto me the most. The John Mayer sequel. What a great song. She can write about whatever she wants. It’s ridiculous to try to police people’s creativity like that. (as a songwriter myself, it’s such an emotional thing) I did find that her sound since Lover has been very Lorde-centric. She really is a fan of Lorde and she works with Antonoff who produced lorde’s album (which is incredible) and I see so much crossover. Taylor never used to sing this way and play with minor notes and low monotonous melodies. I love them, but I see the Lorde influence.
Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve (The John Mayer song) is my favorite on the album. Such good lyrics and it’s so powerful. She can sing about whatever she wants, but I like the songs like this versus say, Gorgeous, where she’s acting vapid and silly.
I read it as some kind of echo to “No Body, No Crime”. I really liked that one, and I really like “Vigilante Sh-t”.
Adele’s album was actually released in 2021 and it was the top selling album of that year. Nevertheless, Taylor’s album had a bigger debut.
Adele’s album disappointed me — I felt like she blew her wad on the original single and the rest never quite coalesced for me. I’m not through Midnight yet but it is already significantly better IMO.
I agree. I listened to the album once. One time. And haven’t played it again. I was pretty disappointed. I wish I had just streamed it, but I was anticipating lots to re-listening since my 7 year old loves her. Nope, it’s not one we listen to at all.
I was underwhelmed by it. I didn’t dislike it, but I haven’t really returned to it more than once or twice to listen, which is not how I was with her other albums. I hope whatever she does next grabs me more.
This is one of my top favorites of the album and I feel like it could go alongside No Body, No Crime. I don’t really know who it’s about, but I enjoy picturing what the music video will be like. Maybe a trenchcoat and heels? I think it would be fun.
How do you title a song “Vigilante Shit” but never actually speak the word “shit”? C’mon, Taylor.
Are you just listening to the clean version? Cause she says it several times… like it’s in the chorus….
I know I sure like that couch. 70’s inspired velvet. I love it.
@Squints
My Aunt had that couch. Different color but very velvet feeling. Whether it was REAL velvet I don’t know but NOBODY was allowed to go near it with food or drink, god himself wouldn’t even be allowed, so maybe real velvet? 🤷
Her video clips seem to have a Stranger Things vibe
It sounds like a late night revenge fantasy, I surely hope someone who actually did that sort of thing wouldn’t blow up the wife’s spot in an internationally acclaimed album later. Frankly even causing speculation that she might have is pretty tacky.
This has a real Lana Del Ray vibe to it.