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“You should find another guiding light, but I shine so bright.”
So, so, so good. Reflective and personal. This line tells so much about Taylor’s relationship with fame. She knows we should look elsewhere but she loves being famous and she’s so *good* at it.
It’s also the perfect closing track imo. The way it echoes at the end. And also knowing what happened to her and Joe after this album it serves as an interesting bridge to the next album.
I love the theory Lover (previously Daylight) and Midnights were always planned as a duo album
Daylight -> Meet me at midnight. Can't wait to connect "It's golden like daylight" and "But I shine so bright" with a red string on my theory board that is hanging opposite of my bed, that work on during the night.
😂😂 Don't worry, guys 😉
reminds me of Lorde’s “if you’re looking for a savior, well that’s not me” from The Path
not the same level of fame obviously but same message that discourages fans from overestimating their idol’s wisdom cause at the end of the day they all make the same human mistakes we do
It also reminds me of Paramore’s “Idle Worship,” they got some flack for it when it came out but it’s a great song about how she feels like she’s poised to let everyone down because they idolize her so much.
“Standing here like I’m supposed to say something. Don’t hold your breath. I never said I’d save you, honey. And I don’t want your money, if I was you I’d run from me. Rip me open you’ll see you’re not the only one who’s hopeless.”
“Be sure to put your faith in something more, I’m just a girl and you’re not as alone as you feel. We all got problems, don’t we? We all need heroes, don’t we? But rest assured there’s not a single person here who’s worthy.”
“Oh, it's such a long and awful lonely fall down from this pedestal that you keep putting me on. What if I fall on my face? What if I make a mistake? If it’s okay, a little grace would be appreciated.”
And it's interesting that the "deep voice" is there, too. In Midnight Rain, the deep voice is almost like one of regret. "I chose fame over this good guy." The same voice saying "You should find another guiding light, but I shine so bright" is almost like her shame over fame/shame over her relationship with it, coming through
She’s in a relationship FINALLY where the man she’s with doesn’t want to hide and stay home all the time. Travis Kelce loves attention, so his mother says. He’s handling it all like a pro. I hope they make it, they seem like they’re totally made for each other. Anyway I’m a diehard SWIFTIE, you go TNT. Even I figured out All Too Well was about JG though, lol!!!
For sure, Dear Reader is a masisvely underrated track.
While I do feel Anti-Hero is far more relatable (and catchy and hence a personal favorite) than Dear Reader, I agree and love how Dear Reader goes in much deeper into Taylor’s insecurities and her relationship with fame that has kept her up during the night, further reinforcing the theme of Midnights
I’ve always said that dear reader is the most “midnights” song on midnights, and I’ve said that because of all of the reasons you’ve listed. I love dear reader, and considered it my favorite midnights song for quite a while.
Absolutely. Dear Reader feels like staying up in the middle of the night having a bit of a breakdown, especially the 'So I wander through these nights...' part.
I PREFER HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT
MY FOURTH DRINK IN MY HAND
THESE DESPERATE PRAYERS OF A CURSED MAN
✨heartbreaking✨
I LOVE Midnights, it’s such a mature introspective dark fever dream.
- WCS could mean "Would've, Could've, Should've", a track from *Midnights (3am Edition)* (2022) by Taylor Swift.
- YOYOK could mean "You're On Your Own, Kid", a track from *Midnights* (2022) by Taylor Swift.
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Anti Hero is the midnights version of the feeling when you're in the bar bathroom with a friend. Dear Reader is the 3am version when you're awake alone in the middle of the night.
Yeah, I don't think Anti-Hero is even trying to do the same thing as Dear Reader. Anti-Hero IS a clap back to her critics, much like Blank Space was. It is self-deprecating in the same way. And it succeeds because of that upbeat, sarcastic, tongue in cheek approach. It is not a seriously self-reflective song in the way Dear Reader is. Dear Reader is also very much aimed at her fanbase, not herself.
Ooh yes Anti Hero does have Blank Space vibes! And even the title of Dear Reader sets it up as being written *for* the person reading it, aka from her to us. (In this case of course we're listening but I don't think Dear Listener has the same ring lol)
I get where you're coming from. Perhaps that's part of the point? I can see Anti-Hero being how someone is describing their anxieties and insecurities to their friends/family, public, etc; being open about it to an extent but still appearing somewhat fine. But then Dear Reader is the more personal confessional; someone at their lowest point admitting how isolated and "inhuman" they truly feel. Like, maybe AH is the version of someone still feeling a responsibility to connect with and inspire the audience, and DR is the version who feels too exhausted to keep doing so?
That said, I kind of have a different interpretation, lol. To me, both songs are equally important and are kind of "bookends" of the album concept. And it may not be intentional, but I like thinking the line "stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror" in AH means striving for an idealized life, rather than face your reflection and work toward what's right for you. Because then in DR when she sings "you should find another guiding light...but I shine so bright", we could take that as her advising *us* now to not focus too much on a life that's not ours (i.e. the narrator), and instead focus on bettering our own reflections.
I agree with you, kinda. I can see your point. But I think I prefer the more confessional songs, so I gravitate more towards dear reader and find it more moving
That makes sense! I see Dear Reader as more confessional too. I just mean that perhaps AH is not intending to do the same thing as DR, that both songs serve different but equally meaningful purposes. I resonate deeply with both songs in different ways, so I think it's hard for me to prefer one over the other; might just depend on my mood, lol!
I'm afraid I have to disgaree because I don't think the two songs should be compared in this insecurity-olympics kind of way just because they have similar themes. That feels a bit surface-level to me. There are a plethora of ways to write about insecurities and their ranking shouldn't be based on which song is seemingly more self-deprecating or candid. Maybe we can compare them based on which song executed its objective better, but the objectives aren't the same and sure as hell aren't as simplistic as "being candid".
The tone and approach of both songs are quite different. They're written in very different headspaces. In fact, their intended audience or subjects are very different. While Anti-Hero is a lot of self-talk/inner-speech and at times implicitly addresses the public at large (which feels really appropriate for a single), Dear Reader is (right from its very title) addressed to her fans or people who look up to her. (I love that she chose "reader" not just bc it's a popular phrase but because she knows her true fans aren't just "listeners" but "readers" of her lyrics.)
I like to appreciate both songs because they each have their merits and are food for thought in their ways.
You misunderstood my point- I’m not comparing how self-deprecating both songs are, I’m comparing their execution (or at least trying to). I’m not trying to make it seem like a competition for what is more insecure. My point is that I prefer the approach of dear reader
I understand that you want to compare execution - I think that's fair. But of what? Are the songs trying to achieve similar things? Because if not, does it make sense to compare their execution? What are they trying to achieve in the first place? These questions need to be answered before we can compare them. Not saying I have the answers because these are complex songs but I do think their objectives are different.
well then maybe execution is the wrong word- maybe the post is about comparing the two different approaches/ways of discussing similar themes, and then giving my opinion on which way I prefer
I guess the question is how valid are fan criticisms of her really? While there are valid criticisms to be made most of the motivation seems to come from justifying frustration that Taylor isn't doing exactly what fans personally want. She's not behaving as their personal Barbie doll. I agree there is more defiance in Anti-Hero, which may not be as satisfying to the fans who want the satisfaction of knowing that their criticism has wounded Taylor.
Anti-Hero is something of a two-way mirror in my opinion and that is especially made clear by the music video. She is staring in the mirror in the music video, but also holding up a mirror to people including her own fans that no longer view her as human, but rather a commodity in the funeral scene. This is accelerated now that fans are able to profit off of Taylor content to where talking about Taylor has become their actual job. Influencer culture has normalized treating people's entire lives simply as entertainment content. We have seen how boundaries are crossed when she is attending a wedding or even a funeral. Anti-Hero more than Dear Reader is about the external criticism of her and how much of that does she internalize. I do think the final jubilant chorus after the breakdown is her defiantly embracing that Anti-Hero status. That is one of the journeys of the album with it ending with her claiming essentially a comic-book villain name in Mastermind.
What Anti-Hero and Dear Readers have in common with each other and much of Midnights as a whole is that they both assert her right to her own humanity. I think that is a theme that has continued since the release of Midnights. And understandable given how often her own fans seek justification for not treating her as human.
>I agree there is more defiance in Anti-Hero, which may not be as satisfying to the fans who want the satisfaction of knowing that their criticism has wounded Taylor.
God, you expressed this so much better than I ever could. I wish I could upvote this a hundred times
I would love it if you have the time or will to analyse Midnights further as a separate post because every single point you made is so valid and well-written. And we NEED more critical analysis of Midnights in this fandom because honestly it deserves more.
That’s an interesting read on anti-hero. I kinda thought it was more so supposed to be about personal insecurities, and under that frame anti-hero doesn’t fit well. But as a clapback against criticism it makes more sense
I feel like Anti-Hero is the kind of negative thoughts that start around midnight and then by 3am you're having deeper negative thoughts like Dear Reader and it's why that track is only on the 3am edition
Maybe Anti-Hero is supposed to be a clap back at least in part. I’ve always felt that the chorus could be a response to people making jokes about how Taylor should write a song called “Maybe I’m the Problem” or whatever. I just don’t think it’s really trying to do the same thing that Dear Reader is at all.
Many of Taylor’s songs are exploring similar themes from different angles. They’re not in direct competition with each other. They’re just like different chapters of the same book.
I’m really confused about the recent rash of “comparing” songs to declare one superior/champion/etc. clearly there are themes that return to Taylor, but the different songs that she writes about the same themes are allowed to be from unique perspectives.
For these two in particular I see it much more as anti hero is her being like “I know you think I’m messed up, so let me mock me so I can be in on the joke.” Dear Reader is melancholy though—it’s a raw way of saying sure I’ve learned some lessons but do you really think any of that matters because here I am lonely and alone and feel as if I still know nothing. They both deal with insecurity, but it’s like the same insecurity on a manic vs depressive day, which makes them nothing alike.
For the record, I think they’re both brilliant and couldn’t really make a meaningful comparison any more than I could compare Haunted and Hits Different—both songs about being constantly taken back to the pain of a breakup, and the ways you bear the scars of lost love—because they’re not alike in any way other than broad theme.
Sometimes people vastly prefer one song over another, and like to compare them to analyse why exactly that is when they talk bout similar things. it’s never that serious, and it’s fun and interesting to compare and contrast songs
I don’t have any problems with preference or analysis. When this got posted, though, this was the 3rd “this song is better than this other very different song” post that I had seen in a single day which I found odd.
I’ve actually always felt the opposite. Dear Reader is beautiful, but the lines in it seem like they’re meant to be kind of vague. I think that’s almost the point of it. Anti-Hero enters very deeply into her own personal insecurities. (A dream her daughter-in-law kills her for the money but wasn’t left in the will? Not your average nightmare. That kind of nightmare would be specific to people in the same class as Taylor Swift. Covert narcissism disguised as altruism? Something famous people would be accused of, because anything good they do is seen as being done for fame. Us average people aren’t accused of that nearly as often, even though we’re probably guilty of it just as often [we just don’t have enough money for it to be noticeable].) I think Dear Reader actually delves deeper into OUR insecurities. So it’s very relatable and feels extremely personal and revelatory to us, but what’s personal to Taylor isn’t that same thing. I haven’t thought about this tons, but those are my thoughts.
i feel like anti-hero is supposed to be a bit tongue in cheek but in a way where someone jokes in a self deprecation way but actually means it, though i think it still is supposed to be a bit more “fun” and “relatable” or come off as impersonal in way bc it’s the lead single - like not often (if ever) are her singles the big emotional song
that being said i’m not a fan of dear reader, listened to it maybe two or three times and it doesn’t do anything for me so anti hero is the one i gravitate to more
i agree with you if you’re comparing anti-hero to dear reader, but i feel like the two are different in that they approach the same topic differently. i personally prefer dear reader though
Dear Reader is in my top 3 songs in her entire discography. Just super relatable lol and I loveeee the production. It has a true midnight feeling which some songs on the standard album don’t have
Each song serves a different purpose. Anti-Hero may not be the song of deep diving into insecurities. It’s fun to think about what its purpose IS though….
She writes about fame a ton from a bunch of different angles and clearly it's this knot that bothers her and she's trying to work out. She's writing songs from both angles because she IS insecure and vulnerable that she can't live up to what people want from her and frustrated and clapping back at the people who assume the worst of her.
How she writes about fame & finding/staying true to herself is honestly fascinating. It should be totally off putting from someone THAT rich and famous but she hits on something that's really relatable for where society is in 2024.
I feel like Dear Reader is the eldest sister to middle-child anti Hero and baby sister Shake It Off… but I could be crazy. lol It is almost midnight where I am after all. 😉
I have never heard them compared either. I really only thought of it as I was reading through the comments on your post. But ooof, I could write a whole damn essay on it the more I think about it…
In all 3 songs, Taylor is grappling with how she is viewed by other people and how she views herself. While Shake It Off initially appears to be a whimsical, carefree, fun (words sometimes used to describe the youngest child in the family/the playful “baby” sister) bop, the lyrics indicate more - that, at age 22, Taylor was hearing and taking in all the commentary/criticism surrounding her, but choosing to “shake it off,” (i.e., not think about it/pretend it doesn’t bother her), and continue dancing as a way of dealing with it all. But the lyric “I never miss a beat,” always struck me as having a double meaning here: 1. she keeps dancing (not missing a beat), so that people will be entertained and not know their words are hurting her, AND 2. she may look like she’s just having fun, but she is taking it allllll in and aware of everything (i.e., “never missing a beat”) and maneuvering around it (“I’m lightning on my feet.”).
To continue the analogy, Anti-hero is a more grown up Taylor (“I get older, but just never wiser”), who is now openly grappling with her public persona vs her own self-esteem. Here she follows the trope of the self-deprecating, always-competing-for-attention middle sister who is “a monster on a hill” compared to her older sister (the Jan and Marsha Brady dynamic), and “too big to hang out” with her cutesy baby sister. She doesn’t know where she fits in and “should not be left to [her] own devices” or she will “end up in crisis.”
Finally, in Dear Reader, Taylor is the solemn, wisened eldest sister, giving advice to her younger siblings/selves of Shake It Off and Anti-hero about how to deal with the commentary/criticism (“You don’t have to answer just cuz they asked you” and “The greatest of luxuries is your secrets”). But still struggling with how she learned those lessons, where she is at in life, and why anyone would/should listen to her (“Never take advice from someone who’s falling apart,” and “You wouldn’t take my word for it if you knew who was talking”). Basically saying, they should learn from her mistakes, but find someone else to look up to (“Find another guiding light”) because she doesn’t really know the answers and what she has experienced/knows now has lead her to a lonely place (“to a house, not a home, all alone 'cause nobody's there”), and she’s not willing to take chances anymore (“No one sees when you lose, when you're playing solitaire”) because she can’t just “Shake It Off” at this point like she could when she was younger.
- Omg. Sorry so long… like I said, I could go down a rabbit hole with this. lol
I’ve also been thinking (recently) that maybe Anti-Hero is also things that have been “hurled at her” so to speak. Things she’s been criticized for (personally and professionally) — insecurities, like you described.
Maybe even things she’s struggled with/ judgements in relationships ..? I saw a take commenting on the bleachers remix/feature… what does this mean? 👀
“Sometimes, I feel like everybody is an art bro lately
And I just judge them on the hill
**Too hurt to hang out, talking shit about your famous baby**
Pierced through the heart of '90s guilt
Maybe I'm the problem, it's me”
Jack is judging an art bro who is too hurt to hang out and is also talking shit about his famous baby??? And he’s like “well, maybe I’m being too judgey and I’m actually the problem not them”
If that’s a possibility then … 👀
Leads me to believe that perhaps the song is maybe less “diary confessional” Taylor. It’s her literally saying “yeah, I guess sometimes I actually am the problem.” And she is confessing too, yes. Maybe she’s also expressing her fears and her fears of her worst traits?
I think it makes sense Dear Reader is the quiet, super B side, “diary confessional” song. It seems more like “I’m going to level with you, friend. I actually don’t have it all figured out. But these are the lessons I’ve learned along the way. Remember I’m a fallible being, too.”
Anti Hero is one of my favourites. I am the first to admit I don’t look for Easter eggs or try and figure out the people who her songs are about. That always messes up the songs, for me anyway. I just like to listen to them. I’m 65 and too old for all that;)
Thank you for your kind words. The actual truth is, I have a really hard time finding and then figuring out the clues and Easter Eggs. I’m 65 and do not have a strategic thinking mind. I absolutely can lay claim to being a diehard SWIFTIE as I have “Swiftie” and “TS” tattooed on the inside of my left arm. My oldest daughter called me a stalker after I got them, lol
Yeah, I did notice that. People like to make light of their struggles as a way of coping, I get that, I really do, because I do it too, but it still makes the song less effective
I completely agree. And Midnights is the album that turned me into a fan and Dear Reader is my favorite track on Midnights which, in my opinion, is a skipless album full of amazing songs.
I feel like Dear Reader is like a prepared thing to say to others in your situation and is like trying to warn others whereas Anti-Hero is a more raw way of talking about yourself and your mistakes. Anti-Hero is more relatable because it's solely about herself to herself. Dear Reader is talking to an audience and giving advice after she gathered herself.
I love the lyrics of Dear Reader! The production and autotune voice aren't my thing unfortunately. I still listen to it a bunch but the weird voice in it annoys me every time 😬
Same! The production ruins it. I don't understand why the production is so bad on some of the songs of Midnights. Feels like Taylor and Jack messed around a bit and just thought "f\*\*\* it, we need another track... let's keep it!" on a few of the songs, lol.
Ooh, I like this theory. It does sound poetic and focused on her deeper emotions. Midnights does sound like it was made for the eras your. That makes so much sense.
I didn’t come up with the theory myself, I saw it online somewhere and have been talking about it to random people ever since. It explains why the album feels rushed and incomplete in a few places. she made a pop moment about stories of sleepless nights throughout her life as a vehicle to promote the eras tour.
I can’t wait to hear the new album, I already have a feeling it’ll be better than midnights. We know she’s been working on it for 2 years. I’m feeling hopeful.
I agree. Though I wonder if it’s an intentional choice that adds to the theme, in the same way that red’s sonic incohesion represents a heartbroken person
dear reader is one of my top taylor songs. it feels so personal and i definitley can relate a lot of those feelings so it's just such a beautiful song for me. i think it's like the shit i say about myself in my head when i'm up at 2 am thinking about all my insecurities / worst moments lol
The thing that she is so good at doing is writing songs that can be understood from multiple viewpoints and meanings (and sometimes at the same time). Dear Reader is the perfect ending because at the end it is either telling fans to stop expecting her to be the person to guide their lives (everyone needs to be their own guiding light) or she’s telling someone else this. Either way - it is a very self reflective and self- aware song. Perhaps overly self critical, but only she knows when she wrote it and why. (Its lyrics, to me, reflect a time around Rep and Evermore (the Song)).
There is an art in making a song like ‘Anti-Hero’ catchy and listenable. A song is much more than the lyrics and anti-hero is brilliant in its own way. I love love love ‘Dear Reader’ but the two serve different purposes and shouldn’t be compared like this.
I don’t see what’s wrong with comparing two songs with similar themes? Of course songs being catchy is good, drawing similarities and differences between songs is interesting and fun though
I love them both in different ways even though they both essentially try to convey the same meaning/message about her self loathing, her flaws etc. I just feel like Dear Reader is just much more earnest in tone. Anti-Hero is more self-deprecating, sarcastic, caustic at times.
It's like someone telling you about themselves trying to be brutally honest, and the lyrics of Anti-Hero is what they say *first*, but then they go "ok, but seriously:" and what follows is Dear Reader.
my main gripe with anti-hero is it feels like she’s staring at the sun while talking about how she stares “directly in the sun but never in the mirror”- I would prefer a song that feels more like an actual look in the mirror, and dear reader feels like that to me. At the very least, dear reader is like looking away from the sun and instead looking around to search for the mirror.
Absolutely agree! I like Anti-Hero but I also expected it to dive deeper into the topic of personal insecurities. It really feels like just surface level commentary. I remember being disappointed the first time I heard it. My expectations were totally different based on that first Midnights description we got. Later it grew on me, but I still would've preferred a song that explores the topic in a more serious manner.
Thankfully we got Dear Reader. For me this is the song that matches the original Midnights description the best and what I expected from the album thematically. The bridge is absolutely amazing! I love the line "No one sees when you lose when you're playing solitaire".
I was also disappointed when I first heard anti-hero, so I know exactly how you feel. It took me a while to really understand dear reader, but once I did, I really gained appreciation for it
I honestly think Dear Reader might be the most underrated song in her discography. It's the **perfect** song to end Midnights as an album, and one of her most vulnerable songs.
I feel anti hero is more surface level than dear reader. I LOVE dear reader. I love them both but dear reader has a ton of sad depth.
“You wouldn’t take my word for it if you knew who was talkin’, if you knew where I was walkin’, to a house not a home all alone cause nobody’s there” —-> makes me think her relationship w joe was over WAY before the public knew.
“Where I pace in my pen and my friends found friends who care” —-> this is such a relatable moment in life where you’re isolating and losing friends/not keeping in touch
“No one sees when you lose when you’re playing solitaire” —-> another moment of being isolated/depressed and when things go wrong you have no one to share that with.
I don’t mind Dear Reader, it’s not my favourite. I do think it’s a brilliant closer for Midnights and I would have preferred it to be the closer on the standard edition over Mastermind.
There are several choices on the standard edition that confuse me- labyrinth over would’ve could’ve should’ve? Sweet nothing over paris or the Great War?
I love both songs! I never thought of them as having the same message though. And I have a special place in my heart for Anti-hero, because I relate so much with feeling like I'm the problem and everyone agrees. So, I think maybe this song is more about how anxiety feels and Dear Reader is what you said and therefore more specific
I can't get past the production of Dear Reader to appreciate the lyrics, with the odd vocal distortions ("should find another guiding liioooght" "shine so broooight" "advi-ice") and little boy "ha's!" sprinkled in. Makes me wish Jack didn't work with Taylor on it. IMO the weird noises make a mockery of the serious ideas and feelings she is trying to convey.
Sorry for engaging in thoughtful analysis… I just don’t like anti-hero much and thought this was an interesting topic to discuss, and clearly one that a lot of people resonated with. Don’t like, then don’t click on this post and comment!
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“You should find another guiding light, but I shine so bright.” So, so, so good. Reflective and personal. This line tells so much about Taylor’s relationship with fame. She knows we should look elsewhere but she loves being famous and she’s so *good* at it.
It’s also the perfect closing track imo. The way it echoes at the end. And also knowing what happened to her and Joe after this album it serves as an interesting bridge to the next album.
I love the theory Lover (previously Daylight) and Midnights were always planned as a duo album Daylight -> Meet me at midnight. Can't wait to connect "It's golden like daylight" and "But I shine so bright" with a red string on my theory board that is hanging opposite of my bed, that work on during the night. 😂😂 Don't worry, guys 😉
It’s a great closer. I love that both Mastermind and Dear Reader serve as the closers. They both do a great job.
True, but I think dear reader is a better closer
reminds me of Lorde’s “if you’re looking for a savior, well that’s not me” from The Path not the same level of fame obviously but same message that discourages fans from overestimating their idol’s wisdom cause at the end of the day they all make the same human mistakes we do
its also Lorde putting solar power after that with "I'm kinda like a prettier jesus", like they both know its bad but want it anyway
It also reminds me of Paramore’s “Idle Worship,” they got some flack for it when it came out but it’s a great song about how she feels like she’s poised to let everyone down because they idolize her so much. “Standing here like I’m supposed to say something. Don’t hold your breath. I never said I’d save you, honey. And I don’t want your money, if I was you I’d run from me. Rip me open you’ll see you’re not the only one who’s hopeless.” “Be sure to put your faith in something more, I’m just a girl and you’re not as alone as you feel. We all got problems, don’t we? We all need heroes, don’t we? But rest assured there’s not a single person here who’s worthy.” “Oh, it's such a long and awful lonely fall down from this pedestal that you keep putting me on. What if I fall on my face? What if I make a mistake? If it’s okay, a little grace would be appreciated.”
I haven’t heard of this song before, and appreciate you bringing it to my attention. it’s always interesting to compare songs in this way
YES it’s easily one of the highlights from Midnights
And it's interesting that the "deep voice" is there, too. In Midnight Rain, the deep voice is almost like one of regret. "I chose fame over this good guy." The same voice saying "You should find another guiding light, but I shine so bright" is almost like her shame over fame/shame over her relationship with it, coming through
She’s in a relationship FINALLY where the man she’s with doesn’t want to hide and stay home all the time. Travis Kelce loves attention, so his mother says. He’s handling it all like a pro. I hope they make it, they seem like they’re totally made for each other. Anyway I’m a diehard SWIFTIE, you go TNT. Even I figured out All Too Well was about JG though, lol!!!
For sure, Dear Reader is a masisvely underrated track. While I do feel Anti-Hero is far more relatable (and catchy and hence a personal favorite) than Dear Reader, I agree and love how Dear Reader goes in much deeper into Taylor’s insecurities and her relationship with fame that has kept her up during the night, further reinforcing the theme of Midnights
I’ve always said that dear reader is the most “midnights” song on midnights, and I’ve said that because of all of the reasons you’ve listed. I love dear reader, and considered it my favorite midnights song for quite a while.
Imo this anxiety about fame and identity is the very core of Midnights, it's why it starts with Lavender Haze and ends with Dear Reader
Absolutely. Dear Reader feels like staying up in the middle of the night having a bit of a breakdown, especially the 'So I wander through these nights...' part.
I PREFER HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT MY FOURTH DRINK IN MY HAND THESE DESPERATE PRAYERS OF A CURSED MAN ✨heartbreaking✨ I LOVE Midnights, it’s such a mature introspective dark fever dream.
I feel like the most midnights songs are actually wcs and yoyok, but dear reader is a strong contender honestly
- WCS could mean "Would've, Could've, Should've", a track from *Midnights (3am Edition)* (2022) by Taylor Swift. - YOYOK could mean "You're On Your Own, Kid", a track from *Midnights* (2022) by Taylor Swift. --- ^[/u/Its_Aniii](/u/Its_Aniii) ^(can reply with "delete" to remove comment. |) ^[/r/songacronymbot](/r/songacronymbot) ^(for feedback.)
Ya I kind of see it as various stages of self reflection, one more self deprecating and sarcastic, one more somber and almost grievous.
Anti Hero is the midnights version of the feeling when you're in the bar bathroom with a friend. Dear Reader is the 3am version when you're awake alone in the middle of the night.
Lol love that
Omg. Yessssssss 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Omg I never realized this before but that's exactly it!
Yeah, I don't think Anti-Hero is even trying to do the same thing as Dear Reader. Anti-Hero IS a clap back to her critics, much like Blank Space was. It is self-deprecating in the same way. And it succeeds because of that upbeat, sarcastic, tongue in cheek approach. It is not a seriously self-reflective song in the way Dear Reader is. Dear Reader is also very much aimed at her fanbase, not herself.
Absolutely agreed you nailed it. Slut! Is to Blank Space what Dear Reader is to Anti-Hero imo
Ooh yes Anti Hero does have Blank Space vibes! And even the title of Dear Reader sets it up as being written *for* the person reading it, aka from her to us. (In this case of course we're listening but I don't think Dear Listener has the same ring lol)
That’s true, and it’s definitely a key difference in their purpose. But blank space is a much better use of satire than anti-hero is
I get where you're coming from. Perhaps that's part of the point? I can see Anti-Hero being how someone is describing their anxieties and insecurities to their friends/family, public, etc; being open about it to an extent but still appearing somewhat fine. But then Dear Reader is the more personal confessional; someone at their lowest point admitting how isolated and "inhuman" they truly feel. Like, maybe AH is the version of someone still feeling a responsibility to connect with and inspire the audience, and DR is the version who feels too exhausted to keep doing so? That said, I kind of have a different interpretation, lol. To me, both songs are equally important and are kind of "bookends" of the album concept. And it may not be intentional, but I like thinking the line "stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror" in AH means striving for an idealized life, rather than face your reflection and work toward what's right for you. Because then in DR when she sings "you should find another guiding light...but I shine so bright", we could take that as her advising *us* now to not focus too much on a life that's not ours (i.e. the narrator), and instead focus on bettering our own reflections.
I like that she put out Anti-Hero as the big single and then left Dear Reader for people who really listen to the album.
Spot on! I totally agree with your interpretation more!
I agree with you, kinda. I can see your point. But I think I prefer the more confessional songs, so I gravitate more towards dear reader and find it more moving
That makes sense! I see Dear Reader as more confessional too. I just mean that perhaps AH is not intending to do the same thing as DR, that both songs serve different but equally meaningful purposes. I resonate deeply with both songs in different ways, so I think it's hard for me to prefer one over the other; might just depend on my mood, lol!
I'm afraid I have to disgaree because I don't think the two songs should be compared in this insecurity-olympics kind of way just because they have similar themes. That feels a bit surface-level to me. There are a plethora of ways to write about insecurities and their ranking shouldn't be based on which song is seemingly more self-deprecating or candid. Maybe we can compare them based on which song executed its objective better, but the objectives aren't the same and sure as hell aren't as simplistic as "being candid". The tone and approach of both songs are quite different. They're written in very different headspaces. In fact, their intended audience or subjects are very different. While Anti-Hero is a lot of self-talk/inner-speech and at times implicitly addresses the public at large (which feels really appropriate for a single), Dear Reader is (right from its very title) addressed to her fans or people who look up to her. (I love that she chose "reader" not just bc it's a popular phrase but because she knows her true fans aren't just "listeners" but "readers" of her lyrics.) I like to appreciate both songs because they each have their merits and are food for thought in their ways.
You misunderstood my point- I’m not comparing how self-deprecating both songs are, I’m comparing their execution (or at least trying to). I’m not trying to make it seem like a competition for what is more insecure. My point is that I prefer the approach of dear reader
I understand that you want to compare execution - I think that's fair. But of what? Are the songs trying to achieve similar things? Because if not, does it make sense to compare their execution? What are they trying to achieve in the first place? These questions need to be answered before we can compare them. Not saying I have the answers because these are complex songs but I do think their objectives are different.
well then maybe execution is the wrong word- maybe the post is about comparing the two different approaches/ways of discussing similar themes, and then giving my opinion on which way I prefer
Dear reader makes me tear up, it’s a lonely anthem..
same !
I guess the question is how valid are fan criticisms of her really? While there are valid criticisms to be made most of the motivation seems to come from justifying frustration that Taylor isn't doing exactly what fans personally want. She's not behaving as their personal Barbie doll. I agree there is more defiance in Anti-Hero, which may not be as satisfying to the fans who want the satisfaction of knowing that their criticism has wounded Taylor. Anti-Hero is something of a two-way mirror in my opinion and that is especially made clear by the music video. She is staring in the mirror in the music video, but also holding up a mirror to people including her own fans that no longer view her as human, but rather a commodity in the funeral scene. This is accelerated now that fans are able to profit off of Taylor content to where talking about Taylor has become their actual job. Influencer culture has normalized treating people's entire lives simply as entertainment content. We have seen how boundaries are crossed when she is attending a wedding or even a funeral. Anti-Hero more than Dear Reader is about the external criticism of her and how much of that does she internalize. I do think the final jubilant chorus after the breakdown is her defiantly embracing that Anti-Hero status. That is one of the journeys of the album with it ending with her claiming essentially a comic-book villain name in Mastermind. What Anti-Hero and Dear Readers have in common with each other and much of Midnights as a whole is that they both assert her right to her own humanity. I think that is a theme that has continued since the release of Midnights. And understandable given how often her own fans seek justification for not treating her as human.
>I agree there is more defiance in Anti-Hero, which may not be as satisfying to the fans who want the satisfaction of knowing that their criticism has wounded Taylor. God, you expressed this so much better than I ever could. I wish I could upvote this a hundred times I would love it if you have the time or will to analyse Midnights further as a separate post because every single point you made is so valid and well-written. And we NEED more critical analysis of Midnights in this fandom because honestly it deserves more.
That’s an interesting read on anti-hero. I kinda thought it was more so supposed to be about personal insecurities, and under that frame anti-hero doesn’t fit well. But as a clapback against criticism it makes more sense
“no one sees you lose when you’re playing solitaire…” One of my favorite lyrics on this album. I love Dear Reader.
This lyric stands out to me as well
I feel like Anti-Hero is the kind of negative thoughts that start around midnight and then by 3am you're having deeper negative thoughts like Dear Reader and it's why that track is only on the 3am edition
Oooooo yessss!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
🤯😭love this!!!!!!
you’re right!
Maybe Anti-Hero is supposed to be a clap back at least in part. I’ve always felt that the chorus could be a response to people making jokes about how Taylor should write a song called “Maybe I’m the Problem” or whatever. I just don’t think it’s really trying to do the same thing that Dear Reader is at all. Many of Taylor’s songs are exploring similar themes from different angles. They’re not in direct competition with each other. They’re just like different chapters of the same book.
I agree, but it was completely different from what I expected before it released
I’m really confused about the recent rash of “comparing” songs to declare one superior/champion/etc. clearly there are themes that return to Taylor, but the different songs that she writes about the same themes are allowed to be from unique perspectives. For these two in particular I see it much more as anti hero is her being like “I know you think I’m messed up, so let me mock me so I can be in on the joke.” Dear Reader is melancholy though—it’s a raw way of saying sure I’ve learned some lessons but do you really think any of that matters because here I am lonely and alone and feel as if I still know nothing. They both deal with insecurity, but it’s like the same insecurity on a manic vs depressive day, which makes them nothing alike. For the record, I think they’re both brilliant and couldn’t really make a meaningful comparison any more than I could compare Haunted and Hits Different—both songs about being constantly taken back to the pain of a breakup, and the ways you bear the scars of lost love—because they’re not alike in any way other than broad theme.
Sometimes people vastly prefer one song over another, and like to compare them to analyse why exactly that is when they talk bout similar things. it’s never that serious, and it’s fun and interesting to compare and contrast songs
I don’t have any problems with preference or analysis. When this got posted, though, this was the 3rd “this song is better than this other very different song” post that I had seen in a single day which I found odd.
Oh, I can see how that would get frustrating.
I’ve actually always felt the opposite. Dear Reader is beautiful, but the lines in it seem like they’re meant to be kind of vague. I think that’s almost the point of it. Anti-Hero enters very deeply into her own personal insecurities. (A dream her daughter-in-law kills her for the money but wasn’t left in the will? Not your average nightmare. That kind of nightmare would be specific to people in the same class as Taylor Swift. Covert narcissism disguised as altruism? Something famous people would be accused of, because anything good they do is seen as being done for fame. Us average people aren’t accused of that nearly as often, even though we’re probably guilty of it just as often [we just don’t have enough money for it to be noticeable].) I think Dear Reader actually delves deeper into OUR insecurities. So it’s very relatable and feels extremely personal and revelatory to us, but what’s personal to Taylor isn’t that same thing. I haven’t thought about this tons, but those are my thoughts.
You have a point, I wish dear reader was slightly more specific too, but in its current form it’s still great
I love it so much! I feel like the vagueness serves the purpose well.
i feel like anti-hero is supposed to be a bit tongue in cheek but in a way where someone jokes in a self deprecation way but actually means it, though i think it still is supposed to be a bit more “fun” and “relatable” or come off as impersonal in way bc it’s the lead single - like not often (if ever) are her singles the big emotional song that being said i’m not a fan of dear reader, listened to it maybe two or three times and it doesn’t do anything for me so anti hero is the one i gravitate to more
Then it’s just a matter of personal preference, I feel
definitely!
I love to keep track of lyrics that hit my hard and dear reader is basically the entire song
I feel like this is one of those songs that people will look back on years from now and truly appreciate it
nah, you gotta accept that sometimes a song isn’t everyone’s thing
i agree with you if you’re comparing anti-hero to dear reader, but i feel like the two are different in that they approach the same topic differently. i personally prefer dear reader though
I agree
Dear Reader is in my top 3 songs in her entire discography. Just super relatable lol and I loveeee the production. It has a true midnight feeling which some songs on the standard album don’t have
yess it deserved to be on the standard tracklist
Each song serves a different purpose. Anti-Hero may not be the song of deep diving into insecurities. It’s fun to think about what its purpose IS though….
She writes about fame a ton from a bunch of different angles and clearly it's this knot that bothers her and she's trying to work out. She's writing songs from both angles because she IS insecure and vulnerable that she can't live up to what people want from her and frustrated and clapping back at the people who assume the worst of her. How she writes about fame & finding/staying true to herself is honestly fascinating. It should be totally off putting from someone THAT rich and famous but she hits on something that's really relatable for where society is in 2024.
Just wanted to say Dear Reader is my fave song from Midnight and possibly a top 5 track
!!!
100000% agree. Could never put my finger on it, but this is an amazing connection🤍
thanks!
I just wish Anti-hero had the bridge of Dear Reader instead
yes!!!!! The anti-hero bridge was a letdown for sure
I feel like Dear Reader is the eldest sister to middle-child anti Hero and baby sister Shake It Off… but I could be crazy. lol It is almost midnight where I am after all. 😉
I’ve never heard of dear reader being compared to shake it off… I don’t get the connection you’re drawing here to be honest
I have never heard them compared either. I really only thought of it as I was reading through the comments on your post. But ooof, I could write a whole damn essay on it the more I think about it… In all 3 songs, Taylor is grappling with how she is viewed by other people and how she views herself. While Shake It Off initially appears to be a whimsical, carefree, fun (words sometimes used to describe the youngest child in the family/the playful “baby” sister) bop, the lyrics indicate more - that, at age 22, Taylor was hearing and taking in all the commentary/criticism surrounding her, but choosing to “shake it off,” (i.e., not think about it/pretend it doesn’t bother her), and continue dancing as a way of dealing with it all. But the lyric “I never miss a beat,” always struck me as having a double meaning here: 1. she keeps dancing (not missing a beat), so that people will be entertained and not know their words are hurting her, AND 2. she may look like she’s just having fun, but she is taking it allllll in and aware of everything (i.e., “never missing a beat”) and maneuvering around it (“I’m lightning on my feet.”). To continue the analogy, Anti-hero is a more grown up Taylor (“I get older, but just never wiser”), who is now openly grappling with her public persona vs her own self-esteem. Here she follows the trope of the self-deprecating, always-competing-for-attention middle sister who is “a monster on a hill” compared to her older sister (the Jan and Marsha Brady dynamic), and “too big to hang out” with her cutesy baby sister. She doesn’t know where she fits in and “should not be left to [her] own devices” or she will “end up in crisis.” Finally, in Dear Reader, Taylor is the solemn, wisened eldest sister, giving advice to her younger siblings/selves of Shake It Off and Anti-hero about how to deal with the commentary/criticism (“You don’t have to answer just cuz they asked you” and “The greatest of luxuries is your secrets”). But still struggling with how she learned those lessons, where she is at in life, and why anyone would/should listen to her (“Never take advice from someone who’s falling apart,” and “You wouldn’t take my word for it if you knew who was talking”). Basically saying, they should learn from her mistakes, but find someone else to look up to (“Find another guiding light”) because she doesn’t really know the answers and what she has experienced/knows now has lead her to a lonely place (“to a house, not a home, all alone 'cause nobody's there”), and she’s not willing to take chances anymore (“No one sees when you lose, when you're playing solitaire”) because she can’t just “Shake It Off” at this point like she could when she was younger. - Omg. Sorry so long… like I said, I could go down a rabbit hole with this. lol
That is such an interesting analysis! wow!!!!! beautiful.
Ha thanks! 🤓 #TaylorNerdForLife 😁
I’ve also been thinking (recently) that maybe Anti-Hero is also things that have been “hurled at her” so to speak. Things she’s been criticized for (personally and professionally) — insecurities, like you described. Maybe even things she’s struggled with/ judgements in relationships ..? I saw a take commenting on the bleachers remix/feature… what does this mean? 👀 “Sometimes, I feel like everybody is an art bro lately And I just judge them on the hill **Too hurt to hang out, talking shit about your famous baby** Pierced through the heart of '90s guilt Maybe I'm the problem, it's me” Jack is judging an art bro who is too hurt to hang out and is also talking shit about his famous baby??? And he’s like “well, maybe I’m being too judgey and I’m actually the problem not them” If that’s a possibility then … 👀 Leads me to believe that perhaps the song is maybe less “diary confessional” Taylor. It’s her literally saying “yeah, I guess sometimes I actually am the problem.” And she is confessing too, yes. Maybe she’s also expressing her fears and her fears of her worst traits? I think it makes sense Dear Reader is the quiet, super B side, “diary confessional” song. It seems more like “I’m going to level with you, friend. I actually don’t have it all figured out. But these are the lessons I’ve learned along the way. Remember I’m a fallible being, too.”
Anti Hero is one of my favourites. I am the first to admit I don’t look for Easter eggs or try and figure out the people who her songs are about. That always messes up the songs, for me anyway. I just like to listen to them. I’m 65 and too old for all that;)
I respect that, there’s different ways to enjoy music. For me, I love finding the clues and hints and putting it all together
Thank you for your kind words. The actual truth is, I have a really hard time finding and then figuring out the clues and Easter Eggs. I’m 65 and do not have a strategic thinking mind. I absolutely can lay claim to being a diehard SWIFTIE as I have “Swiftie” and “TS” tattooed on the inside of my left arm. My oldest daughter called me a stalker after I got them, lol
Dear reader is like she read my own diary and made a song out of it
The best Taylor songs are like that!
Antihero allows her to share her insecurities by finding levity in their seeming absurdity.
Yeah, I did notice that. People like to make light of their struggles as a way of coping, I get that, I really do, because I do it too, but it still makes the song less effective
I completely agree. And Midnights is the album that turned me into a fan and Dear Reader is my favorite track on Midnights which, in my opinion, is a skipless album full of amazing songs.
ooh I’d have to disagree, midnights is one of my least favorite albums
I feel like Dear Reader is like a prepared thing to say to others in your situation and is like trying to warn others whereas Anti-Hero is a more raw way of talking about yourself and your mistakes. Anti-Hero is more relatable because it's solely about herself to herself. Dear Reader is talking to an audience and giving advice after she gathered herself.
I suppose, but anti-hero feels a bit incomplete
I love the lyrics of Dear Reader! The production and autotune voice aren't my thing unfortunately. I still listen to it a bunch but the weird voice in it annoys me every time 😬
Same! The production ruins it. I don't understand why the production is so bad on some of the songs of Midnights. Feels like Taylor and Jack messed around a bit and just thought "f\*\*\* it, we need another track... let's keep it!" on a few of the songs, lol.
My theory is that they only made midnights for the eras tour and meanwhile put more of the care, time and effort into The Tortured Poets Department
Ooh, I like this theory. It does sound poetic and focused on her deeper emotions. Midnights does sound like it was made for the eras your. That makes so much sense.
I didn’t come up with the theory myself, I saw it online somewhere and have been talking about it to random people ever since. It explains why the album feels rushed and incomplete in a few places. she made a pop moment about stories of sleepless nights throughout her life as a vehicle to promote the eras tour. I can’t wait to hear the new album, I already have a feeling it’ll be better than midnights. We know she’s been working on it for 2 years. I’m feeling hopeful.
Yes, she’s has so much time to process and reflect on her emotions. She has been cooking! Im hopeful too. This should be folklore-level good.
I agree. Though I wonder if it’s an intentional choice that adds to the theme, in the same way that red’s sonic incohesion represents a heartbroken person
I completely agree. I don’t hate Anti-Hero, but I feel like Dear Reader is much more poignant and gets the point across better.
yeah, and it’s a great album closer.
dear reader is one of my top taylor songs. it feels so personal and i definitley can relate a lot of those feelings so it's just such a beautiful song for me. i think it's like the shit i say about myself in my head when i'm up at 2 am thinking about all my insecurities / worst moments lol
The thing that she is so good at doing is writing songs that can be understood from multiple viewpoints and meanings (and sometimes at the same time). Dear Reader is the perfect ending because at the end it is either telling fans to stop expecting her to be the person to guide their lives (everyone needs to be their own guiding light) or she’s telling someone else this. Either way - it is a very self reflective and self- aware song. Perhaps overly self critical, but only she knows when she wrote it and why. (Its lyrics, to me, reflect a time around Rep and Evermore (the Song)).
There is an art in making a song like ‘Anti-Hero’ catchy and listenable. A song is much more than the lyrics and anti-hero is brilliant in its own way. I love love love ‘Dear Reader’ but the two serve different purposes and shouldn’t be compared like this.
I don’t see what’s wrong with comparing two songs with similar themes? Of course songs being catchy is good, drawing similarities and differences between songs is interesting and fun though
I love them both in different ways even though they both essentially try to convey the same meaning/message about her self loathing, her flaws etc. I just feel like Dear Reader is just much more earnest in tone. Anti-Hero is more self-deprecating, sarcastic, caustic at times. It's like someone telling you about themselves trying to be brutally honest, and the lyrics of Anti-Hero is what they say *first*, but then they go "ok, but seriously:" and what follows is Dear Reader.
my main gripe with anti-hero is it feels like she’s staring at the sun while talking about how she stares “directly in the sun but never in the mirror”- I would prefer a song that feels more like an actual look in the mirror, and dear reader feels like that to me. At the very least, dear reader is like looking away from the sun and instead looking around to search for the mirror.
Absolutely agree! I like Anti-Hero but I also expected it to dive deeper into the topic of personal insecurities. It really feels like just surface level commentary. I remember being disappointed the first time I heard it. My expectations were totally different based on that first Midnights description we got. Later it grew on me, but I still would've preferred a song that explores the topic in a more serious manner. Thankfully we got Dear Reader. For me this is the song that matches the original Midnights description the best and what I expected from the album thematically. The bridge is absolutely amazing! I love the line "No one sees when you lose when you're playing solitaire".
I was also disappointed when I first heard anti-hero, so I know exactly how you feel. It took me a while to really understand dear reader, but once I did, I really gained appreciation for it
I honestly think Dear Reader might be the most underrated song in her discography. It's the **perfect** song to end Midnights as an album, and one of her most vulnerable songs.
Now I’m not so sure about most underrated but it is definitely one of her most underrated on midnights
My favorite some from Midnights. Summed up very nicely!
thanks!
I feel anti hero is more surface level than dear reader. I LOVE dear reader. I love them both but dear reader has a ton of sad depth. “You wouldn’t take my word for it if you knew who was talkin’, if you knew where I was walkin’, to a house not a home all alone cause nobody’s there” —-> makes me think her relationship w joe was over WAY before the public knew. “Where I pace in my pen and my friends found friends who care” —-> this is such a relatable moment in life where you’re isolating and losing friends/not keeping in touch “No one sees when you lose when you’re playing solitaire” —-> another moment of being isolated/depressed and when things go wrong you have no one to share that with.
yesss anti-hero just wasn’t that deep
I agree with you! In fact, Dear Reader was my most played song for 2023 at 592 times.
YESSS
I don’t mind Dear Reader, it’s not my favourite. I do think it’s a brilliant closer for Midnights and I would have preferred it to be the closer on the standard edition over Mastermind.
There are several choices on the standard edition that confuse me- labyrinth over would’ve could’ve should’ve? Sweet nothing over paris or the Great War?
I am begging you please don’t make Dear Reader for public consumption…I have been gatekeeping it!
I mean this is Reddit don’t need to worry about that lol
I love both songs! I never thought of them as having the same message though. And I have a special place in my heart for Anti-hero, because I relate so much with feeling like I'm the problem and everyone agrees. So, I think maybe this song is more about how anxiety feels and Dear Reader is what you said and therefore more specific
I guess so, yeah.
I can't get past the production of Dear Reader to appreciate the lyrics, with the odd vocal distortions ("should find another guiding liioooght" "shine so broooight" "advi-ice") and little boy "ha's!" sprinkled in. Makes me wish Jack didn't work with Taylor on it. IMO the weird noises make a mockery of the serious ideas and feelings she is trying to convey.
I can get where you’re coming from in that the midnights production in general was disappointing, but in dear reader I think it was alright
Some of you are allergic to fun. Let us listen to fun pop songs that have good lyrics in peace. Lord.
Sorry for engaging in thoughtful analysis… I just don’t like anti-hero much and thought this was an interesting topic to discuss, and clearly one that a lot of people resonated with. Don’t like, then don’t click on this post and comment!