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The Ghost of Taylor Swift

I have had this theory rattling in my head for awhile. Basically I can see Taylor singing from the perspective of a ghost that can’t crossover to the afterlife wandering the halls of her former life waiting to be laid to rest and move on.

The story began in reputation when she died (“the old taylor can’t come to the phone right now cuz she’s dead”).

Then her cover art from Lover

And this is where it gets tricky. I believe Lover comes AFTER folklore and evermore. The album cover art for Lover looks like taylor is in the clouds of heaven looking down. Like she died on reputation now she’s in heaven.

However, I believe the pandemic “wrecked her plans” for Lover so she wrote two albums that tell the story of a ghost trapped between worlds in purgatory if you will. And the album cover art for folklore drives this point home.

She is looking up almost like she is trying to figure out how to get up there.

For the time being im just going to go through the story as I see it on folklore and maybe return to evermore at future time.

We get Peter Pan themes in cardigan and seven. Peter Pan is essentially a story of death and the afterlife.

“Peter losing Wendy”

“And I've been meaning to tell you/ I think your house is haunted/ Your dad is always mad and that must be why/ And I think you should come live with/ Me and we can be pirates”

Then we have the history lesson with LGAD and learn that she bought the property. She told the story of Rebekah in the past tense and when she talks about herself she says “I had a marvelous time” she remains in the past tense.

Then comes exile. I think Bon Iver’s part is a ghost watching Taylor with someone else. And the ghost is trapped in this world where it is forced to watch her like it’s torture reliving this day.

“I think I've seen this film before/ And I didn't like the ending/ You're not my homeland anymore...Now I'm in exile seein' you out”

Then the most explicit, the funeral/wake song, my tears ricochet. The whole song feels like Taylor is a ghost at her own funeral walking around watching all the people mourn the life she left behind.

“And I can go anywhere I want/ Anywhere I want, just not home”

Then mirrorball is this dreamscape view of who she has become this hollow version of her true self. Even though she is dead the world still sees her and she’s holding onto being seen even if it’s just mirroring. This song actually reminded me of the sun dying. We know that because of how far away the sun is from earth it would take like a little over 8mins for us to know it went out and in that time the sun shines its brightest. Again like Taylor is already dead but she’s going to shine her brightest before she goes out just for her fans.

“Hush/ I know they said the end is near/ But I'm still on my tallest tiptoes/ Spinning in my highest heels, love/ Shining just for you”

Then we have seven which I discussed a bit above but I’ll go into it a little further. She’s looking back to when she was still alive and was able to be herself. She reached her peak and had the choice to jump but she didn’t and the swing came back down with her bum still perched on the seat. Now she’s stuck.

“I hit my peak at seven feet/ In the swing/ Over the creek/ I was too scared to jump in”

“Please picture me/ In the weeds/ Before I learned civility/ I used to scream ferociously/ Any time I wanted”

Then in august we have Taylor again in this dreamscape. Taylor is saying “I can see us” like again she is looking from the outside in on her life and this relationship. This outside perspective where she’s a ghost reflecting and relishing in these moments in her life trying to figure out why she’s still wondering around this in between earthly plane.

Then this is me trying feels like her facing the dark side of her life. The song feels like her taking a turn and looking at her role in the low moment of her life and how she could’ve said more and been better. The second verse takes an outside perspective again looking back on what was happening in her head. Jumping back to exile “I never learned to read your mind” now in this is me trying Taylor is actually trying to verbalize what was going through her mind to her lover (the only person who can see the true her). “And maybe I don't quite know what to say/ But I'm here in your doorway.” Also the concept of being tortured with memories comes up again “You're a flashback in a film reel/ On the one screen in my town” like she’s trapped in this place where she is needs to fix this mess but she is still as a ghost and can’t do anything to stop it.

Illicit affairs is a song about her looking back on her life carrying on an affair with her lover. Loving her person in secret was okay for awhile But she learned that at a certain point you’ll want more and you can’t have it. She sings about living a double life. But what happens when you want to join the two but you can’t. Some part of you has to die. Thus creating a ghost.

Invisible string again feels like a dreamscape of what her life could be as ghost taylor comes to the realization that her life is tied to her lover and this is what she needs to fix in order to make it to her heaven.

“Hell was the journey but it brought me heaven”

Mad woman is ghost Taylor turning her anger towards the person/people who brought her to this hell.

“Wanting me dead has really brought you two together”

Epiphany feels like another dreamscape where taylor is pulled to other points in time. Definitely an interlude that seems to give perspective outside of her world but also touches her world. Specifically, being trapped in the moments between life and death. Those moments where you are watching someone’s life leave their eyes. The interlude of dying.

Betty in this world could be ghost taylor going back and asking for a second chance with her lover. It could be a flashback it could be the same film from this is me trying and exile. It’s the same story being told different ways. Right now is the last time I can dream about what happens when you see my face again.

Peace is Ghost taylor almost giving up. And trying to resolve to her afterlife in this purgatory in the woods and in a moment of solitude deciding what to do next. And ghost taylor asking if this would be enough. Would it be enough if I could never give you peace. If I never rest. If I haunted these woods forever. Would you be okay with just my ghost. What if I can’t get out is that okay.

Hoax gives reiterates peace in the sadness of its over. I don’t think this is a fight I can win. So ghost taylor fell into a desolate place realizing just how alone she really was in this purgatory. But staying there because she can’t leave the way she came and she doesn’t want to leave without her only one.

“My sleepless night/ My win-less fight/ This has frozen my ground.”

The lakes is ghost taylor realizing that her goal is to get out but she won’t do it until she can do it the way she wants with her person while she’s still trapped on the other side. But she knows killing her lover to do it is not the way. Almost like a battle cry she realizes that this is a fight for her life not for her lover’s death. (Ivy reference)

This is 💯 just my theory or story.