I’ve heard a lot of interpretations of #thearcher and here’s my take:
In a world where you can find love without even meeting a person, the ability to speculate has become irrevocably prevalent. In the age of beauty guru and motivational kittens on a wall telling us to just ‘hang in there!’, I think self-preservation takes a lot of damage when in comparison.
- “Combat, I’m ready for combat. I say I don’t want that, but what if I do?”
You’re out there, putting yourself out to the world, subject to criticism and every little comment, your walls are already up. But it’s attention and it fills a void we all have.
- “cruelty wins in the movies, I have a hundred thrown out speeches I almost said to you.”
We take a lot of inspiration from our environment. Common tropes are that if we keep at it, we’ll get the girl or everything will be alright in the end. Things that we may not be able to say in the moment may not be appropriate or the thing that needs to be heard. Writing therapy is a great way to process your emotions.
- “ Easy they come, easy they go
I jump from the train, I ride off alone
I never grew up, it’s getting so old
Help me hold on to you.”
From here, we delve into T’s reflection of past relationships and that in the end, it’s me, myself and I. Repeating mistakes. Never learning. Those moments you reflect on and still cringe. Memories are the harshest critics of all and not all are saying the truth. No critic is most horrible than yourself.
- “ I’ve been the archer, I’ve been the prey
Who could ever leave me, darling
But who could stay?’
“I’ve been everybody in relationships,” T conveys. The second line sounds more of bravado like we saw in Blank Space, like an idea that has been falsely conveyed. It’s often commented that “How can you be unhappy with that much money etc” but in the same vein “money doesn’t by happiness.” The last line reflects self-criticism. Like an afterthought of the bravado.
-” Dark side, I search for your dark side
But what if I’m alright, right, right, right here?”
Sometimes when things seem happy, like a honeymoon period that people yarn on about, we sometimes go looking for trouble to placate our insecurities.
- “And I cut off my nose just to spite my face
Then I hate my reflection for years and years”
A great analogy for spite! Usually used as a warning to overreaction, you go with what feels right in the moment. Like I said, you are your own worst critic. It’s only projected in the media spotlight. I can’t imagine that kind of torment and it’s upsetting.
- “I wake in the night, I pace like a ghost
The room is on fire, invisible smoke
And all of my heroes die all alone
Help me hold on to you “
This verse links back to the re-verse, where movies and culture take influence. To be so submerged in the media conscience, anxiety would be a leading issue in her life. To walk into a room and everybody knows you, knows the gossip, is talking about you and you taking that all in like second-hand smoke. Fairytales are rarely spoken of, and when they are, it’s unrealistic. To have someone support you regardless of the torment is something to hold onto.
- “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
All the king’s horses, all the king’s men
Couldn’t put me together again
‘Cause all of my enemies started out friends
Help me hold on to you.”
The bridge revels in self-doubt, mutilation of character and anxiety-riddled. All the whispers pile up. And like a fairytale does, it doesn’t work out. It’s not that easy to pull yourself together. You can do it, but it doesn’t work in a second.
I just feel existential sadness from this song. Like I love this shit because it’s so reAL BUT FOR THIS TO BE MADE TAYLOR HAD TO BE SAD IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THAT IS NOT OK DUD, YOU FEEL ME?
and that’s today’s tea. Wait right here for the new music video that will come y’all. Peace. Love yourself.
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