Casual Taylor fans may not have bothered with this song as it was never released as a single. Yet, on a lesser album, Enchanted may have been the lead single.
At 5.52 min this is not your typical 4 min pop song. The fact that Taylor wrote this entire album by herself shows up in her unwillingness to be constrained by such mundane trivialities. And the album is all the better for it.
The verse starts off with a slow build. The production is sparse, underscoring the intimacy of the situation, described as ‘lonely’ and ‘tired’. Both on a sonic and lyrical level, the artist is not forcing your attention. Rather, she is shyly inviting you in, but only if you care to listen. This mirrors the universal feeling of the rush of new love, the fear of its fragility and having your guard up.
She transitions to a pre-chorus where the idea of the song pops up for the first time. However, despite it being 0.50 seconds, she does not plunge into the chorus. Rather, she teases you by bringing in another verse. Perhaps like the protagonist she fears scaring you away and so is ‘testing the water’ first so to speak?
It is only after another verse and pre-chorus when she dives into the chorus and boy does she jump in headfirst. The loud, cinematic and melodic chorus sits in direct contrast with the verses, paralleling the contrast between how you are acting around someone you fancy and the internal mess of emotions inside.
The second verse now moves to her being alone and reliving the emotions. There is a sense of urgency exhibited by the octave jump when she describes ‘pacing back and forth’. This time she is alone. She is not scared of letting her emotions full swing. And so they come out in the second chorus. Twice.
I have talked about Taylor’s penchant for overdramatic bridges before and probably will again. The speed and anxiety of this bridge sonically matches the feelings. The fear, the hope, the anxiety, the inability to sleep. Will he or won’t he? After her panic attack dies out she quietens down again and silently begs. But the emotions are still there and crescendo to the final, and most powerful chorus.
Is this a song you can just listen to while studying? Probably not. Is this a song you should stop studying and pay attention to? A hundred times, yes.
9.5/10
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