‘The Archer’ — Taylor Swift’s Bullseye
She’s back, and for real this time
Now, it’s been quite a while since I’ve written here. A combination of exams, personal stress, and the impeccably timed arrival of writer’s block meant that I was in no position to write an article of any sort. With all that out of the way, I was searching for my comeback vehicle (for the 20 odd people that actually take an interest in reading my work) and, lucky for me, Taylor Swift is back.
Now, I could’ve chosen to write about any of her previous singles ME! and You Need To Calm Down. However, personally, none of those songs really fuelled me to look closer at them. They were songs that handed their message, or lack thereof, to their listeners on a silver spoon. They were generic, which is something Taylor Swift is most certainly not. Her entire discography has always had a purpose. It’s always been specific. Whether it be about a person, a relationship, or an emotion.
I actually had a draft article titled ‘ME! — The underwhelming comeback of pop’s greatest writer’ in the works a few weeks back. However, as I brainstormed over it, I realized that the title pretty much summed it up. Underwhelming. None of these songs brought anything new to the table. Remember, this is her big follow up to an era that was defined by the now iconic statement, ‘The old Taylor is dead’. A sappy, childish song about being unique and a cliched, political beat that, like every other politically charged pop song, did little to actually help the cause and portrayed a false and stereotyped narrative, were the only things Swift had to offer, until now.
Track 5 is notorious among the Swiftie community for its ability to break hearts on its first try. It’s also consistently ranked as one of Swift’s strongest track from her past albums. Delicate was one of the best songs off Reputation and All Too Well remains one of the best-written songs of the decade. So when The Archer was announced as track 5 off Lover, it had a high set of standards to meet. It also shouldered the expectations that ME! and You Need To Calm Down failed to meet. I was quite hesitant to give it a listen, given my experience with the previous singles.
However, I am happy to report that The Archer is, unequivocally, a spectacular work of songwriting.
The Archer, like many of her other songs, is about being in a relationship.
It’s selling point is the fact that the relationships that The Archer addresses are not limited to romantic ones. They include everything, from the professional relationships she’s had, the most notable one being her tiff with Scooter Braun, to her platonic friendships, like her infamous ‘squad’, and with other celebrities like the Kardashians, Kanye, and Katy. In fact, for all intents and purposes, The Archer is aimed at those people. Sure, it applies to a romantic relationship as well, but its true impact can only be recognized when contextualized with the aforementioned names.
This is best seen in the chorus of the song, where she sings,
I’ve been the archer, I’ve been the prey
Who could ever leave me, darling
But who could stay?
Everybody likes to be near Taylor Swift. Being associated with one of the most bankable and loved stars on the planet comes with a lot of perks. Being part of Taylor Swift’s squad elevated you to a level of prestige seen nowhere else. You were invited to places you couldn’t go to before. Parties whose celebrations and attendees rivaled those hosted by Jay Gatsby. There was no reason to ever leave her, and yet there existed a long, well-documented list of ugly divorces from people Swift once held dear. Swift was no stranger to being left by others. They come easily, but in an instant, they can leave with ease as well. From Swift’s perspective, it begs the question. Is it me? Am I the problem?
What Swift shot at others in the form of sharp worded songs and arrows of shame, she also received in the form of loneliness and instability. In songs like Style and, more importantly, Getaway Car, she has taken the blame. But those have always been with respect to romantic relationships. This is unchartered territory for Swift.
But Swift takes a unique turn in the bridge. Rather than exemplifying the song’s emotion, she takes the time to explain herself. In the bridge, she sings,
Cause they see right through me
They see right through me
They see right through
Can you see right through me?
They see right through
They see right through me
I see right through me
I see right through me
Seeing right through someone is like a double-edged sword. You get to know them for real and can trust them. However, with that comes the ability to see the dark side of someone. That is something that Swift is not comfortable with. She doesn’t want you to see that side. Up till 1989, her controversies loomed over her perfectly crafted image like a dark cloud because Swift refused to acknowledge their existence in a way that even remotely incriminated her. However, with Reputation, not only did she acknowledge her dark side, she laid it on a stage for the whole world to see. She realized that closing people off not only pushed them away but that her dark side was seen nonetheless. She wants that to change.
She ends the song with the declaration, ‘Combat, I’m ready for combat’. However, this time she’s not ready to fight a newly minted ex, or a former friend who she doesn’t like, or a producer who bullied her. She’s here to fight herself. To fight that demon within her that makes her push other people away. To fight for the longevity of the relationships she still possesses, and to reclaim the ones she lost.
This is Taylor Swift’s redemption arc.
A proclamation of restoration.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that The Archer’s production mimics the bass and synth-heavy slow burn that made Melodrama, an album by one of her many lost friends Lorde, such an emotional piece of music.
Reputation’s job was to acknowledge the problem. Lover’s may very well be to fix it. If so, I wish Swift the very best.
