Music Friday: In ‘Willow,’ Taylor Swift Compares Elusive Lover to a Championship Ring

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great, new songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, Taylor Swift compares an elusive lover to a championship ring in “Willow,” the chart-topping lead single from her 2020 album, Evermore.

Written by Swift and Aaron Dessner, “Willow” follows the magical and mysterious journey of a young woman who does everything in her power to win over the man of her dreams.

She sings, “Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind / Head on the pillow, I could feel you sneaking in / As if you were a mythical thing / Like you were a trophy or a champion ring / There was one prize I’d cheat to win.”

In the song’s official video, Swift’s character follows a glowing, golden string that lures her into the back of a magical piano, down a rabbit hole, through time portals and eventually to her lover. The “Willow” video follows the storyline from an earlier video for “Cardigan.”

In an interview with Apple Music, Swift explained why she wanted “Willow” to lead off her ninth studio album.

“I loved the feeling I got immediately upon hearing the instrumental that Aaron created for it,” she said. “It felt strangely, I say, witchy. And I stand by that. It felt like somebody making a love potion, dreaming up the person they desire and trying to figure out how to get that person in their life.”

Many fans and critics believe Swift’s fictional narrative in “Willow” parallels her own life experience. They believe the song really tells the story about how she won the heart of British actor Joe Alwyn.

“Willow” made its debut at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, scoring Swift her seventh #1 single, and the third that entered the chart at #1.

Born in Wyomissing, Pa., Swift was not an average schoolgirl. By the time she was 11, Swift was already performing regularly at karaoke contests, festivals and fairs near her home in Berks County. When she was 14, her parents moved the family to Nashville, where Swift would be better positioned to pursue a career in country music. At the age of 17, Swift was topping the country charts.

Now 31, Swift is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 200 million records worldwide. She has won 10 Grammy Awards, one Emmy, 23 Billboard Music Awards and 32 American Music Awards. In December of 2019, Billboard named her Woman of the Decade (2010s).

Please check out the official video of Swift performing “Willow.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Willow”
Written by Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner. Performed by Taylor Swift.

I’m like the water when your ship rolled in that night
Rough on the surface but you cut through like a knife
And if it was an open/shut case
I never would’ve known from that look on your face
Lost in your current like a priceless wine

The more that you say, the less I know
Wherever you stray, I follow
I’m begging for you to take my hand
Wreck my plans, that’s my man

Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind
Head on the pillow, I could feel you sneaking in
As if you were a mythical thing
Like you were a trophy or a champion ring
There was one prize I’d cheat to win

The more that you say, the less I know
Wherever you stray, I follow
I’m begging for you to take my hand
Wreck my plans, that’s my man
You know that my train could take you home
Anywhere else is hollow
I’m begging for you to take my hand
Wreck my plans, that’s my man

Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind
They count me out time and time again
Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind
But I come back stronger than a 90’s trend

Wait for the signal and I’ll meet you after dark
Show me the places where the others gave you scars
Now this is an open/shut case
I guess I should’ve known from the look on your face
Every bait and switch was a work of art

Hey, that’s my man
That’s my man
Yeah, that’s my man
Every bait and switch was a work of art
That’s my man
Hey, that’s my man
I’m begging for you to take my hand
Wreck my plans, that’s my man

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.

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