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and isn't it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?

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FOLKLORE ALBUM THEORY

I am pretty sure this album is about her and Joe’s relationship and the love triangle she noted was the one she was in with Joe, herself and Tom during summer 2016. Discussed below in chronological order of songs:

CARDIGAN

I believe this song is about their relationship from Joe's perspective (he is Betty in this whole thing). I think him and Taylor became friends/were talking all summer ever since the MET gala, but then he was blindsided by her. I think maybe he thought it was romantic but she wasn't sure what it was going to be and he felt led on when she was seen with Tom on the tabloids. There are lyrics in this song about "you'd come back to me" because he knew she was going to come back from Tom to Joe! And that he really had liked her from the beginning because he knew she would haunt him for a while. There are lyrics from two songs that align with this:

Call it What You Want (which is likely about Joe) lyrics:

CIWYW: "Starry eyes sparkin' up my darkest night". Cardigan: "You drew stars around my scars".

Two stars references, and both relating to going through hard times/healing each other. Taylor likely got emotional support from Joe all summer long during the whole very public Kanye/Kim thing

CIWYW: "High above the whole scene", Cardigan: "Your heartbeat on the High Line/ Once in twenty lifetimes, I"

There are numerous references to the number 20 in songs likely about Joe (not sure significance of this unless they are getting married August 7 2020 lol), and when you're on the High line in New York in certain areas you can see over the city, hence the high above the whole scene thing. Her and Joe also spent quite a bit of time in NYC together

Cornelia Street (also likely about Joe) lyrics:

Cornelia Street: "As if the street lights pointed in an arrowhead / Leading us home". Cardigan: "Dancin' in your Levi's/Drunk under a streetlight, I".

She mentions dancing under a street light so I feel this is a connection

Cornelia Street: "But then you called, showed your hand/ I turned around before I hit the tunnel/ Sat on the roof, you and I". Cardigan: "'Cause I knew you/ Steppin' on the last train/ Marked me like a bloodstain, I".

What if Taylor left and Joe thought she went onto the train (subway tunnel?) but she DIDN'T because she turned around! but Joe didn't know and thought she left on the train!!!!!

Also as a side note, both "Cardigan" and "Cornelia" have 8 letters and start with a C (significant? maybe?)

AUGUST

I believe this is Tom's perspective of things during the summer. There were tabloid rumours that he thought she was "the one" and wanted to propose. This song is about being very infatuated with someone but they weren't yours to lose, aka they were with you but invested in someone else. Maybe Tom realized this near the end of their relationship, which ended in September, and August isn't far off from that

Lyrics from this song that support:

"Salt air, and the rust on your door/ I never needed anything more"

Their first tabloid/public appearance really was when they spent the weekend at Taylors Rhode Island home, which is, you guessed it, on the ocean with SALT AIR

"Back when we were still changin' for the better/ Wanting was enough/ For me, it was enough"

I think Taylor went through a lot that summer (the whole Kanye thing, Calvin and her breakup, etc) and what do you do when you go through hard times? You change for the better because you are learning. For Tom it was enough to just be growing together and wanting her, he didn't think there needed to be more than just very clearly wanting her (esp given how public he made their relationship). He felt all he had to do was want her and that everything would work out fine.

"Canceled plans just in case you'd call"

Just saying... anytime I was super infatuated by someone I would cancel my plans because the only thing I wanted to do was spend time with them... Based on his PDA with her I think he was very infatuated with her

ILLICIT AFFAIRS

This one is about being with Joe (either seeing him or emotionally cheating) while being with Tom. This song lines up best with Cruel Summer & CIWYW. There are a few photos of her wearing the necklace in this photo while with Tom, and the necklace looks A LOT like a J to me!

Lyrics from Call it What You Want

"Walking with his head down/ I'm the one he's walking to". Lyric from Illicit Affairs: "Make sure nobody sees you leave/ Hood over your head, keep your eyes down"

Again, CIWYW is likely about Joe and the two similar lyrics make me think Joe and her were seeing each other but had to keep their cover because she was in a very public relationship with Tom. Joe would see her but have to keep visits under the radar by keeping his eyes down and hidden

"I want to wear his initial/ On a chain round my neck, chain round my neck/ Not because he owns me/ But 'cause he really knows me"

Cue that little tidbit above about the necklace... she was with Tom, but wore a necklace with his initial not because he owned her (because she was with Tom at the time), but because he really knew her (and Tom didn't!!).

Cruel Summer:

"I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you/ And I, snuck in through the garden gate"

Taylor was secretly seeing Joe while being with Tom, hence sneaking around. She didn't want to keep their friendship and/or relationship a secret just to keep him

BETTY

So this is where it all comes together (THE GRANDE FINALE IF YOU WILL) Taylor and Tom are done, Taylor had spent the summer with Joe (either as a friend or more) and with Tom. This is where it all breaks down and Taylor pleas for Joe to be with her and to forgive her, after her "summer fling" with Tom. This one pulls a lot of lyric references from other songs on Rep & Lover.

From Cornelia Street: "Jacket 'round my shoulders is yours". Betty: "Standing in your cardigan/ Kissin' in my car again/ Stopped at a streetlight"

So there is another lyric about streetlights, which shows up in Cornelia Street and Betty. In CS she talks about wearing his jacket, in Betty she talks about wearing his sweater again

"I was walking home on broken cobblestones/ Just thinking of you when she pulled up like/ A figment of my worst intentions/ She said/ "James, get in, let's drive"/ Those days turned into nights/ Slept next to her, but/ I dreamt of you all summer long"

This is the big one... so there is reference to cobblestones in Cornelia Street, and broken cobblestones could be reference to the public backlash from dancing with Tom at the MET. And then Tom rolled up in a Getaway Car and, to her worst intentions, initiating a relationship or some sort which turned into more, but she dreamt of Joe all summer long while because she was still talking to him all summer

In Cruel Summer, "And I, snuck in through the garden gate/ Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh)" and in Betty she sings"Or lead me to the garden?/ In the garden, would you trust me/ If I told you it was just a summer thing?".

Taylor was seeing Joe all summer, even though she was with Tom. She snuck in every night to seal her fate (being with Joe!) and she is pleading to Joe that her relationship with Tom was nothing but a summer fling

Also, referring to going into a garden is a very British thing

In Betty she sings" I'm only seventeen, I don't know anything/ But I know I miss you"

In 2016 Taylor was 27. Add 10 to 17 and well, you get 27. I believe there were also tabloids out that would call her dumb, which I think she makes reference to in Blank Space as well(?)

In Betty: "You heard the rumors from Inez/ You can't believe a word she says/ Most times, but this time it was true"

There was a post somewhere in here that i can't find right now that said Inez was the internet which totally makes sense! If Taylor was talking to Joe but then she was seen with Tom on the tabloids!? brilliant

CIWYW: "I recall late November, holdin' my breath/ Slowly I said, "You don't need to save me/ But would you run away with me?""

Her and Joe officially got together in Fall 2016 and in Betty she sings: "Betty, I'm here on your doorstep/ And I planned it out for weeks now/ But it's finally sinkin' in".

Idk about you but when I am nervous and have been thinking of saying something for a while I pull myself together and say it slowly and calmly... I think she showed up to plea for him to be with her!

In Betty" Betty, I won't make assumptions/ About why you switched your homeroom, but/ I think it's 'cause of me"

Was Joe ever living in NYC? I can't find anything about it since he lives a very low profile life, but they sure did spend a lot of time in NYC together at the beginning of their relationship... I think this lyric would refer to Joe moving away from NYC bc of Taylor

And to wrap it all up ... Delicate from Rep is ABOUT HOW SHE WAS WITH TOM, ENDED THINGS WITH HIM AND WAS WITH JOE BUT EVERYTHING WAS DELICATE SINCE THEY HAD SUCH A ROCKY START!!! FOLKLORE IS LITERALLY HER LOVE STORY WITH JOE, EXPLAINED FROM THE BEGINNING AND SUPPORTED WITH HER PAST 2 ALBUMS & TIES INTO ALL THE SONGS ABOUT JOE!!!

@taylorswift​ @taylornation​ @taylornotices​

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In isolation my imagination has run wild and this album is the result, a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness. Picking up a pen was my way of escaping into fantasy, history, and memory. I’ve told these stories to the best of my ability with all the love, wonder, and whimsy they deserve. Now it’s up to you to pass them down. folklore is out now.

📷: Beth Garrabrant

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Eddies Gone North

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Nest House

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