VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI

UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL

STUDIES
FACULTY OF LINGUISTICS & CULTURES OF ENGLISH SPEAKING
COUNTRIES

GRADUATION PAPER

A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF

TAYLOR SWIFT’S “MIDNIGHTS” ALBUM

Supervisor: Vu Minh Huyen, M.A.

Student : Hoang Nhat Minh
Course : QH2020.F1.E3.NN.CLCTT23

HANOI - 2024
 ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ
KHOA NGÔN NGỮ VÀ VĂN HÓA CÁC NƯỚC NÓI TIẾNG ANH

KHÓA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP

PHÂN TÍCH DIỄN NGÔN PHÊ PHÁN

TRONG TUYỂN TẬP “MIDNIGHTS” CỦA
TAYLOR SWIFT

Giáo viên hướng dẫn: Vũ Minh Huyền, M.A.

Sinh viên : Hoàng Nhật Minh
Khóa : QH2020.F1.E3.NN.CLCTT23

HÀ NỘI - 2024
 APPROVAL PAGE

I hereby state that I: Hoang Nhat Minh, class QH2020.E3, being a

candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English Language Teacher
Education, accept all the requirements of the University of Languages and
International Studies relating to the retention and use of Bachelor's Graduation
Paper deposited in the library.

In terms of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my paper deposited in

the library should be allowable for the borrowers, in accordance with the normal
conditions established by the librarian for the care, loan, or reproduction of the
paper.

In addition, I confirm that this paper is the result of my own research except
for quotations and citations, which have been duly acknowledged. Furthermore, this
thesis has not been previously submitted for any other purposes.

Signature

i
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my

supervisor – Ms. Vu Minh Huyen, for the unwavering support and encouragement
that she gave me during the journey of completing my graduation paper. My thesis
would not have been possible within the time frame without her guidance and
constructive comments. In addition, thansks to her expertise and valuable feedback,
I was able to shape the direction of my research and broaden my horizons to do this
research to the fullest.

I am also incredibly grateful for the great insights and dedication of my

Linguistics 1 teacher – Mr. Pham Xuan Tho. His passion for teaching has not only
expanded my understanding of the English language but has also introduced me to a
whole new realm of knowledge that I had never encountered. Mr. Tho's
commitment to the profession and wealth of knowledge has sparked a deep interest
in linguistics in me and ignited my curiosity to learn more about languages.

I would also like to express my gratitude to my thesis mate – Khanh Linh.

We had the opportunity to delve into several specialized subjects together and were
guided by Ms. Vu Minh Huyen. Throughout the process of writing the thesis, we
tried our best to support each other - from finding and buying books to develop a
suitable framework to reminding each other of deadlines and exchanging crucial
information related to our research. I cannot thank you enough for your utmost
efforts to support me and lend me a sympathetic ear whenever I felt down and
discouraged.

Besides, I appreciate my family and my Anh Duc for supporting and taking
care of me as much as they could, and for tolerating my mood swings and pulling
me up when I was stressed out and “abnormal”.

I started my thesis with Taylor Swift’s quote "Baby, let's the game begin"
and now, I can proudly say “We survived the Great War”.

ii
 ABSTRACT

This thesis statement conducts the topic of “A Critical Discourse Analysis of

Taylor Swift’s Midnights album” utilizing the framework of Norman Fairclough
(1995 & 2001) to explore the ideologies embedded in the lyrics of the album
through the use of lexical and grammatical features. The research applied his three-
staged framework (textual analysis, discursive practice, sociocultural practice),
along with his 10-question model. Particularly, linguistic features concerning
vocabulary (hyponyms, antonyms, metaphors) and grammar (agency, modes of
sentence, modality, and pronouns) were critically analyzed. These linguistic
features were supported by experiential, relational and expressive values to
comprehensively understand what Taylor Swift was trying to convey in the album.
The findings of the study showed that Taylor Swift made use of storytelling
techniques to pour her heart out about the issues, events and personal experiences.
The four main issues found relate to themes of love, societal pressure, justice and
vengeance, female empowerment and feminism.

Keywords: CDA, Norman Fairclough, three-staged framework, 10-question

model, Taylor Swift, Midnights album.

iii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
APPROVAL PAGE..........................................................................................i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................ii
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................iii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, TABLES AND FIGURES...........................vii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................1
1.1. Rationale of the study...........................................................................1
1.2. Scope of research..................................................................................3
1.3. Research aims and research questions..................................................3
1.4. Significance of the study.......................................................................4
1.5. Structure of the study............................................................................4
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................5
2.1. Music....................................................................................................5
2.1.1. Lyrics as Speech............................................................................5
2.2. What is CDA?.......................................................................................5
2.3. Key concepts in CDA...........................................................................7
2.3.1. Discourse in CDA..........................................................................7
2.3.2. Ideology in CDA............................................................................7
2.3.3. Power in CDA................................................................................8
2.4. CDA Approaches and Norman Fairclough’s framework for CDA......8
2.4.1. Textual analysis (Micro level).....................................................10
2.4.2. Discursive practice (Meso level).................................................11
2.4.3. Sociocultural practice (Macro level)............................................11
2.5. Previous Studies..................................................................................11
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY.................................................................15
3.1. Research method.................................................................................15
3.2. A description of the context of the data..............................................15
3.2.1. An introduction of Taylor Swift..................................................15
3.2.2. The choice of the data..................................................................16
3.3. Data sampling.....................................................................................16

iv
 3.4. Data collection procedure...................................................................17
3.5. Data analysis procedure......................................................................17
3.5.1. Data Reduction............................................................................17
3.5.2. Data analysis................................................................................17
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION...........................................19
4.1. The realization of Taylor Swift’s ideologies through lexical and
grammatical features in “Midnights” album.........................................................19
4.1.1. The realization of Taylor Swift’s ideologies through the lexical
features in “Midnights” album..........................................................................19
4.1.1.1. Hyponymy (Experiential Values).........................................19
4.1.1.2. Antonymy (Experiential Values)..........................................20
4.1.1.3. Metaphor (Experiential Values)............................................22
4.1.1.4. Negative and Positive expressions (Expressive Values)......23
4.1.1.5. Informal language (Relational Values).................................28
4.1.2. The realization of Taylor Swift’s ideologies through grammatical
features in “Midnights” album..........................................................................29
4.1.2.1. Agency (Experiential Values)...............................................29
4.1.2.2. Modes (Relational Values)...................................................30
4.1.2.3. Modality (Relational and Expressive Values)......................32
4.1.2.4. Pronouns (Relational Values)...............................................34
4.2. Summary of Taylor Swift’s ideologies in her album..............................35
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION......................................................................37
5.1. The summary of the findings..............................................................37
5.2. Implications........................................................................................38
5.3. Limitations and suggestions................................................................38
REFERENCES..............................................................................................40
APPENDIX 1: FAIRCLOUGH’S 10-QUESTION MODEL FOR CRITICAL
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS (2001, p.92-93)..............................................................43
APPENDIX 2: METAPHORS USED IN THE ALBUM.............................45

v
 APPENDIX 3: NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE EXPRESSIONS USED IN
THE ALBUM...........................................................................................................46
APPENDIX 4: AGENCY USED IN THE ALBUM.....................................49
APPENDIX 5: MODES USED IN THE ALBUM........................................50
APPENDIX 6: MODALITY USED IN THE ALBUM................................52
APPENDIX 7: PRONOUNS USED IN THE ALBUM................................54
APPENDIX 8: LYRICS OF “MIDNIGHTS” ALBUM................................55

vi
 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, TABLES AND FIGURES
Abbreviations:

CDA: Critical Discourse Analysis

DA: Discourse Analysis

DRA: Dialectical-relational Approach

DHA: Discourse-historical Approach

SCA: Socio-cognitive Approach

List of tables:

Name of the table

Table 1 Hyponyms used in the song lyrics

Table 2 Antonyms used in the song lyrics

Table 3 Informal language used in the song lyrics

Table 4 The use of Modality in the song lyrics

List of figures:

Name of the figure

Figure 1 Norman Fairclough’s framework of critical discourse analysis

vii
 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
This opening chapter provides general information on the research
work, in which five main parts are analyzed. They are (1) the rationale of the study,
(2) the scope of the study, (3) the research aims and research questions, (4) the
significance of the study, and (5) the structural organization of the study.
1.1. Rationale of the study
Language is known as a tool for human communication and message
transmission. Without language, humans can hardly communicate and interact with
each other. According to Fajrin (2021), language enables people to connect with
each other, as well as express their thoughts and emotions. Whether language is
written or spoken, it can be used to impart information and create connections
between human beings (Alsaawi, 2019). For that reason, language can be found in
all aspects of life, especially music. Music, particularly songs, plays an important
role in society. Songs and humans share a strong bond because songs serve as a
form of art that conveys messages, feelings, sentiments, thoughts and critical
analyses on certain topics. In songs, implicit thoughts and ideologies that reflect the
beliefs and perspectives are also presented. Based on the statistics of Billboard, the
number of monthly active users of Spotify reached 602 million listeners worldwide
in 2023. According to the latest IFPI’s Music Consumer Insights Report, pop music
is the most favored music genre in the world, with 64% of the 19,000 consumers
surveyed from 18 countries expressing their preference for pop music. Among all
pop music songs, Taylor Swift’s songs stand out as exceptionally well-received and
enjoyed.
Taylor Swift has made her name as one of the most grandiose and successful
singers and songwriters, particularly more as a songwriter. Transitioning from her
country roots to achieve widespread impact in mainstream music, Swift has marked
herself as an enduring “Queen of Pop” and an iconic symbol in the field of music.
Following the success of her two recent albums ‘folklore’ and ‘evermore’ (written
in all lowercase) in 2020, Swift released her tenth album titled “Midnights” on
October 21, 2022, to reminisce about 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout her
life. According to Entertainment Weekly (2022), “Midnights” became the most-

1
streamed album in a single day on Spotify and Apple Music history. Since its
release till now, the album has broken many records and received countless awards,
becoming Album of the Year at the 2024 Grammy Awards. The album delves into
“nocturnal ruminations”, reviving Swift’s journey through terrors and sweet dreams
(Martoccio, 2022). “Midnights” album also includes sociocultural perceptions and
stereotypes that lie implicitly in the meaning of lyrics, from which I have sparked
my interest in delving into critical discourse analysis.
There are some reasons why Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was chosen.
CDA saw its first emergence in Britain in the 1970s, and since then, it has been
considered as a relatively new research field in Vietnam and in many other
countries around the world. It is used to reflect a turn in the interest of linguistic
research from the purely structural dimension to the functional aspect of language
as it relates to the social. Therefore, CDA helps clarify the relationship between the
use of language and the practice of power and ideologies (Fairclough, 2001). The
CDA approach can be applied to literary works, interviews, conversations,
meetings, letters, diaries, propaganda, discussions, laws, contracts, political
discourses, songs, poetry, and news (van Dijk, 1981) to discuss demographic
aspects such as race, economic status, education levels, sexual orientation, religion,
age and gender equality. This facilitates English-major learners and users in
improving linguistic knowledge of English by expanding their vocabulary,
especially different nuances of meaning, as well as providing deeper insights into
the use of language in the music industry, to comprehensively understand not only
the hidden messages and ideas but also the connections between power, ideological
assumptions, society, and language that were intentionally represented by the artist.
The last reason to mention is my own interest in linguistics, and specifically in
CDA. Through the research work, I hope to enhance my self-study skills and
deepen my comprehension of linguistics to further develop my expertise in the field.
Concerning the reasons why the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” album
was selected to be critically analyzed. First, as a big fan of US-UK music and
Taylor Swift’s linguistic phenomenon, I have noticed that the pop genre is often
associated with simple lyrics that solely express the feelings of pop artists, as it

2
focuses more on the catchy melodies and danceable tempo to meet the tastes of
younger generations. Taylor Swift, therefore, stands out thanks to her sharp
songwriting skills and artistic reinventions, for what she has been working on
relates to listeners’ stories and is not just simply melody-driven aspects. In addition,
according to Allmusic, Swift is known as “that rarest of pop phenomena” and
humorously called “the music industry” thanks to her significant contributions to
making the music ecosystem, especially the pop genre, flourish. Thus, analyzing her
discourse critically is a great way to examine and show admiration for Swift’s
works and contributions to the music field in general and linguistics in particular.
1.2. Scope of research
The research focuses on analyzing the lyrics of 13 songs from Taylor Swift's
latest album, titled “Midnights”. These songs include “Lavender Haze,” “Maroon,”
“Anti-Hero,” “Snow On The Beach,” “You're on Your Own, Kid,” “Midnight
Rain,” “Question...?,” “Vigilante Shit,” “Bejeweled,” “Labyrinth,” “Karma,”
“Sweet Nothing,” and “Mastermind.”
It is important to note that the research solely concentrates on linguistic
aspects and excludes any considerations related to the musical factors or melodies
in the songs.
1.3. Research aims and research questions
The research aims to critically analyze the discourse represented in Taylor
Swift’s “Midnights” album using Norman Fairclough’s framework (1995, 2001) to
discover the hidden ideas and ideologies and support the belief that CDA can be
regarded as a tool to investigate the relationship between language and ideology,
specifically the sociocultural issues that the artist wishes to convey beneath the
surface of words properly. In addition to this, the research’s objective is to analyze
the lexical and grammatical features of the lyrics in 13 songs.
The study seeks answers to the following questions:
1. How are Taylor Swift’s ideologies expressed through the use of lexical
and grammatical features of the discourse?
2. What ideologies are conveyed through 13 songs of “Midnights”?

3
 1.4. Significance of the study
Generally, the research work aims to support and raise awareness of
researchers and linguists of the role of CDA in the music industry. By highlighting
the presence and relevance of CDA theories in analyzing lyrics of music, the goal of
this study aspires to contribute to the broader understanding and recognition of
CDA’s applicability in this particular domain. Furthermore, the analysis also
showcases the hidden meanings and ideologies behind the lyrics in a particular
context to represent Taylor Swift’s personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences
about different social inequality, which are intentionally used to impact the
audience and take sides with the fairness and oppressors.
1.5. Structure of the study
The content of the research is divided into five main parts:
- Chapter 1 (Introduction) includes the rationale, the research aims and questions,
the significance, and the scope of the study as well.
- Chapter 2 (Literature Review) provides information about the theories and
analytical framework, as well as a review of previous studies that are relevant to
the topic.
- Chapter 3 (Methodology) involves the research design and the research object,
along with the techniques used for data collection and data analysis.
- Chapter 4 (Findings and Discussion) is concerned with the analysis of the topic
with a view to answering the research questions.
- Chapter 5 (Conclusion) recapitulates the results of the study, points out the
limitations, and makes suggestions for future studies.

4
 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter provides information about music, CDA and its concepts,
different CDA approaches and Norman Fairclough’s framework, as well as a review
of previous studies of Taylor Swift’s works.
2.1. Music
Music was defined by the Concise Oxford Dictionary (1992) as “the
art of combining vocal or instrument sounds (or both) to produce beauty of form,
harmony, and expression of emotion”. Music is often referred to as the language of
emotions due to its ability to evoke feelings and alter people’s current emotional
state. Musical sounds are a powerful human resource, frequently serving as the
focal point of our most meaningful social occasions and experiences (Turino, 2008).
He further argues that on a more profound level, engaging with music and
experiences is essential for the personal and social connections that contribute to
people’s overall sense of completeness.
2.1.1. Lyrics as Speech
A text is unlimited to linguistic forms but can be seen as any cultural
artwork that conveys meaning (Fairclough, 1995). In this case, songs can be used as
texts because songs are a system of communication by utilizing sounds and lyrics to
convey a feeling, perception, concept, emotion, or thoughts (Thao & Herman, 2020;
Herman & Silalahi, 2020). According to Gallee (2016), lyrics are similar to speech
because lyrics also reflect and aim at specific audiences, particular contexts, genres
to convey information and messages to people. Lyrics also have different styles to
represent the themes of song messages. Lyrics can also be compared to speech in
terms of the time in which they were composed. Specifically, lyrics document
societal developments in the same way language reflects changes in society (Labov,
1964; 1972).
2.2. What is CDA?
CDA emphasizes the relationship between language and power, with the aim
of unearthing the ideologies underlying discourse (Hoa. N, 2005). Thanks to CDA,
people can enhance their awareness of social frameworks, problems and equality.
CDA studies language use in its socio-political context and regards “language as

5
social practice” (Fairclough & Wodak, 1997) and recognizes the crucial role of the
context of language use (Wodak, 2000). The definition aligns with the aims of
CDA, which intended “to systematically explore often opaque relationships of
causality and determination between (a) discursive practices, events and texts, and
(b) wider social and cultural structures, relations and processes; to investigate how
such practices, events and texts arise out of and are ideologically shaped by
relations of power and struggles over power; and to explore how the opacity of
these relationships between discourse and society is itself a factor securing power
and hegemony” (Fairclough, 1993). The analysis of the mentioned experts shares
the same idea that CDA is a method for revealing the original meaning of discourse
by considering personal habits, social status and the circumstances surrounding the
discourse markers.
As quoted in Fairclough (2001), CDA considers the relationship between
discourse and social practices a dialectical one as discourse is viewed as both
socially constituted and constitutive. CDA perceives discourse, or discursive
practice as social practice. Therefore, social and linguistic phenomena cannot be
separated because language is used in social practices every day. This close
relationship between social and linguistic influences creates a CDA function to
reveal the language used to see power imbalances, social and political problems that
exist in society. CDA not only focuses on language but also complex social
phenomena that require a multi-interdisciplinary and multi-methodological
approach. It recognizes that language is shaped by and shapes various social factors,
including power dynamics, ideologies, cultural norms, and historical contexts. CDA
has the function to link discursive practices, social structures and individual power
to enhance the clarity and transparency of a complex text, ensuring that its intended
meaning is effectively delivered to the general audience.
In general, the focus of CDA is to explore the impact of practices on social
structures. CDA aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of how language
functions within its social context. It examines the way social dominance and power
are represented in both written and spoken contexts to uncover, resist or solve
hidden power relations and ideologies expressed in discourse (Hoa, 2005).

6
 2.3. Key concepts in CDA
2.3.1. Discourse in CDA
According to Fairclough (2001), the term “discourse” is used in various ways
within the broad field of discourse analysis. Specifically, “discourse” means the use
of language in both written and spoken contexts as “a form of social practice”
(Fairclough, 2001). Accordingly, he explains that language is not only a part of
society, but also a society-related process that includes text, text production and text
interpretation. Therefore, to comprehensively understand a text, it is essential to
delve into both written and spoken text. This illustrates one fundamental principle
of discourse: language is anything but arbitrary, meaning what we write and say is
purposeful, whether consciously or unconsciously intended (Fairclough, 1989). By
that, whether intentional or not, whatever we present always conveys different
meanings and our perceptions toward a phenomenon as any discourse reflects our
cultural, social and power backgrounds. In short, discourse is closely associated
with our social and cognitive development and identity formation.
2.3.2. Ideology in CDA
The ideological concept is one of the most controversial and elusive
academic issues. Simpson (1993) states that ideology is shaped by “a mosaic of
cultural assumptions, political beliefs and institutional practices”. As language is
considered a physical form of ideology, studying language and ideology is
inextricably linked (Fairclough, 2001). By that, Fairclough indirectly means
ideologies and discourse are interrelated, as the former is regarded as the basis of
the latter. Ideology has a close connection to the dynamics of power and serves the
purpose of establishing and maintaining imbalanced power relations (Fairclough,
2001). Ideology is the perception of our worldview, the lenses through which we
see people, social issues, power relations and events. It forms the way we think,
believe and develop our personal values which direct us in our daily lives. In other
words, ideology describes social structures and processes within which, and
employing which, symbolic forms circulate in the social world (Thompson, 1990).
The viewpoints of the authors above all conclude that a person’s ideology is
expressed and acquired through his language use in both written and spoken forms.

7
The ideological discourse dimension defines the ways in which ideologies influence
our daily texts and talk, enables us to comprehend ideological discourse, and
indicates how language contributes to the reproduction of ideology in society.
2.3.3. Power in CDA
It is obvious that people have different power dynamics in society,
which interests CDA in finding out more about such differences concerning their
relations and impacts on social forms. Though power does not stem from language,
language and power are intertwined in a number of ways: language indexes and
expresses power, as well as being used when power is contested or challenged
(Fairclough, 2001). In CDA, language gains power through the use of powerful
people who make it. By that, language is powerfully practiced by those who are
responsible for the existing inequalities and are also entitled to have opportunities to
improve the situations.
Fairclough (2001) also presents that there is a close relationship
between ideologies and power since the nature of ideological assumptions is
determined by specific conventions, and the nature of those conventions relies on
the power relations underlying the conventions. Another reason for this close
association is that language use is the most prevalent form of social behavior, in
which we primarily depend on “common sense” presumptions.
2.4. CDA Approaches and Norman Fairclough’s framework for CDA
CDA appeared as a programmatic development in European discourse
studies led by scholars such as Norman Fairclough, Ruth Wodak, Teun van Dijk
and others. Over time, it has evolved into one of the most influential and important
branches of discourse analysis (DA) (Blommaert & Bulcaen, 2000). As a result,
CDA presents a diverse picture in terms of methodological approaches. There are
three outstanding approaches that should be taken into account when it comes to
CDA, including Norman Fairclough’s (2001) dialectical-relational approach (DRA),
Ruth Wodak’s (2009) discourse-historical approach (DHA), and Teun van Dijk’s
(2009) socio-cognitive approach (SCA). Among all these approaches, the researcher
decided to choose Fairclough’s DRA as a theoretical foundation due to its
practicality and comprehensiveness.

8
 Fairclough (1995) sees “discourse as a complex of three elements: social
practice, discoursal practice (text production, distribution and consumption), and
text”. Fairclough (2001) states that the primary objective of his work is to help
increase consciousness about the relationship between language and power, and
particularly focusing on how language contributes to the domination of some people
by others. He also believes that language is an essential component of social
interactions, emphasizing the dialectical relationship between language and society.
By this, Fairclough means that this relationship is characterized by a reciprocal
influence, where language is shaped by societal norms and structures, while
simultaneously playing a role in shaping and reflecting the dynamics of society.
Hence, Fairclough develops a three-dimensional framework of CDA in which he
divides the discourse into three levels of analysis: the textual analysis, the discourse
practice (which delves into the production, consumption, and distribution of the
text) and the sociocultural practice (which focuses on interpreting texts within their
social context). Figure 1 demonstrates the diagram depicting the application of
CDA in critical research of Fairclough (1995).

Figure 1: Norman Fairclough’s framework of critical discourse analysis

(1995, p. 98)

9
 These three stages are also classified into micro level (textual analysis), meso
level (discursive analysis) and macro level (sociocultural analysis) to express
different levels of connectivity from the same set of questions (See Appendix I:
Fairclough’s 10-question model for Critical Discourse Analysis (2001, p.92-93).
2.4.1. Textual analysis (Micro level)
This dimension can also be referred to as the description level. Textual
analysis has to do with analyzing different complex linguistic features. To make it
accessible to readers, Fairclough (2001) has divided them into three main
categories: vocabulary, grammar, and textual structure. However, as song lyrics do
not have the same structures as academic texts, this research will only focus on
vocabulary and grammar. The three categories are concerned with social reality by
means of three types of value (experiential, relational and expressive). Fairclough
(2001) clarifies that different values can be expressed through the choice of words
and grammar. First, experiential values refer to the experiences of text producers,
such as beliefs and knowledge, not their personal evaluation. Second, relational
value involves the social relationships presented via the text in the discourse. Lastly,
expressive value occurs when text producers express their own assessment of
reality, such as their attitudes toward subjects and social identities.

● As for vocabulary, experiential values can be expressed through meaning

relations between words such as antonyms, hyponyms, and metaphors.

Concerning relational values, it is essential to explore how the choice of
words such as markedly formal or informal words help create social relations
between participants. Concerning expressive value, CDA analysts should pay
attention to what expressive values words convey, specifically the attitudes
in a particular aspect of the text to bring an ideological meaning (Fairclough,
2001).

● As for grammar, experiential values are expressed through types of process

and participant predominance, agency, nominalizations, active or passive

forms, and positive or negative sentences. It is also worth noticing how
sentences are linked, what logical connectors are used, coordination or

10
 subordination, and meanings in and out of context. Besides, relational values
have to do with modes of sentences (declarative, grammatical question,
imperative), features of relational modality and the use of pronouns "we" and
“you”. Additionally, expressive values can be realized through expressive
modality.
2.4.2. Discursive practice (Meso level)
This dimension can also be referred to as the interpretation level, which
centers on the production (composition), distribution (readership/audience), and
consumption (the manner of interpretation) of the text (Fairclough, 1995).
Fairclough (1989) explains that the second level of analysis has to do with the
process of discourse and its relation to background assumptions to explore how
power relations and ideological assumptions are reflected and reproduced in the
discursive process. The underlying aim of this background is to study personal
experience in the past and the condition of the social structure of the creator of the
text to produce an interpretation.
2.4.3. Sociocultural practice (Macro level)
This dimension can also be referred to as the explanation level. Fairclough
(1995) divides it into three aspects of the sociocultural context of a communicative
event: economic (i.e. economy of the media), political (i.e. power and ideology of
the media), and cultural (i.e. issues of values). Therefore, this dimension is related
to the relationship between discourse and social and cultural context. It delves into
the impact of social structures on discourse practices.
2.5. Previous Studies
There has not been any research that was published for critical discourse
analysis of the “Midnights” album. However, there was one study on “Critical
Discourse Analysis on Figurative Language in Taylor Swift’s Midnights Album” by
Pramesti (2023). This study was not publicly released, meaning that it has an access
limitation. Therefore, my research can only focus on the analysis of its abstract.
Pramesti's focus was on analyzing the figurative language used in the album, rather
than directly examining CDA itself. She adopted the theory of Leech (2013) and
found that there was the appearance of 8 types of figurative language. Her findings

11
also indicated the frequency percentage: personification (13.68%), simile (12.82%),
metaphor (31.62%), hyperbole (15.38%), irony (11.11%), litotes (3.42%),
metonymy (8.55%) and oxymoron (3.42%). Additionally, Fairclough’s model,
including text analysis, processing analysis and social analysis, was applied to
analyze the figurative language-based ideologies she found through Leech's model.
Another study related to the “Midnights” album, specifically “A Critical
Discourse Analysis of Taylor Swift’s Anti-Hero Music Video”, was conducted by
Galeon and Faustino (2023). Their study was published on December 31, 2023.
They focused on critically analyzing the discourse in the Anti-Hero music video by
applying Social Semiotic Theory and Semiotic Theory, as well as its denotative and
connotative signs. A qualitative method was considered to make use of the content
to identify and interpret the meaning of signs and how these signs and sign systems
interact to form a bigger picture, reflecting the ideological positions of the current
time. The lyrics are in line with the symbolic references, namely the vintage color;
the position of the objects; ghosts; opposite images of Taylor; the two Taylors;
Taylor as a teacher and student; Taylor’s fear of being giant, evil and fat; Taylor’s
funeral; as well as the symbol of voting to represent movements about political
views, LGBTQ+ that Taylor has engaged in; indicate Taylor Swift’s insecurities
and intrusive thoughts. The combination of visual elements and lyrics in the music
video portrays a multifaceted narrative, delving into various aspects of the artist's
life. It captures her past experiences, the responsibility she holds for her own
actions, moments of paranoia, thoughts of death, the positive and negative aspects
of her success and fame, and ultimately, her acceptance of all these facets. It creates
a chaotic picture that explores the complexities of her journey and provides a deeper
understanding of her obsession, personal growth and self-reflection.
Moreover, different studies related to other Taylor Swift’s music works were
also carried out. First of all, “A Critical Discourse Analysis of Song “Look What
You Made Me Do”” (Alek et al., 2020) was conducted based on the theories of
Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis and semiotic approach. This study focused
on analyzing not only the song lyrics but also images from the music video of
“Look What You Made Me Do”. “Look What You Made Me Do” was released in

12
2017, considered as a powerful comeback by Swift after a one-year public hiatus.
Both the song lyrics and music video gained immense popularity and stirred the
audience’s imagination. Analyzing song lyrics helps audiences understand the
meaning and messages that artists intend to convey, which involves themes of
revenge and mistrust and the artist's transformation into a newly famous and
powerful persona. This transformation may portray the artist as more confident and
resilient compared to her previous image of a sweet and innocent girl. Additionally,
the use of images in music videos simultaneously showcases the power and
underlying messages behind each action depicted. The lyrics contained several
figures of speech, namely metaphors, irony and paradoxes. The video was filled
with symbolic references, including dark colors, imagery of snakes, ravens, graves,
and gestures, making her fans eagerly decode its hidden meanings. The mixture of
lyrics and images contributes effectively to the overall message and is used for the
sake of a marketing strategy, which was then recognized by the researchers.
Another study to review is “Sociological Criticism of Taylor Swift’s
Champagne Problems”, which was conducted by Khoirunisa (2021). The reason for
choosing this study is its desire to reveal social issues, specifically social criticism
in the song “Champagne Problems” through a sociological literary approach. The
method used in this research is descriptive qualitative, with technical content
analysis, to find out and describe the extrinsic elements, what and how the social
criticism contained in the song. There was no information about the theoretical
framework, meaning that the author synthesized it on his own. The findings show
that the song portrays a vivid picture of a society where the personal lives of people
are no longer private, and if someone does uncommon things, the first consequence
they will suffer from is judgment and gossip from the public’s eye. In addition to
this, the findings indicate societal expectations surrounding the failure of a
marriage. If a woman declines a man’s proposal, the blame is often placed solely on
her. Society tends to label her as crazy and unappreciative for rejecting a perfect
partner. This highlights the prevailing notion that women should be grateful and
have the need for any “perfect” marriage, regardless of their own desires or
compatibility. Lastly, the research delves into problems with the beliefs of society,

13
illustrating that people will only want to believe what they want to believe
regardless of the truth.
As can be seen from the aforementioned studies, there were several
similarities. Regarding findings, several typical problems such as societal norms,
societal judgment, gender discrimination, revenge and mistrust were considered,
showing the authors’ concerns about many social problems. Regarding approaches,
all studies adopted a qualitative method, beginning with collecting data by
searching the songs and lyrics, followed by classifying the data into different types
of ideologies and then restating their findings. In addition, the goal of all the
research is to uncover the artists’ implications, investigating social issues like
power, prejudices, revenge, justice, and gender inequality in their songs. Since the
mentioned method is in accordance with the orientation of the researcher, this study
is also applying it for broader, deeper and various perspectives.

14
 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
This chapter provides information of the research design, the
description of the context (the artist and the choice of the data), as well as the
methods and stages that the research followed.
3.1. Research method
This research would apply qualitative and quantitative methods using the
CDA Approach of Norman Fairclough. The qualitative method would be applied to
gain insights into ideologies contained in the lyrics of “Midnights” album. The
discourse analysis would be done with the questions related to vocabulary and
grammar in Fairclough’s question list (2001) and three- dimensional framework of
Fairclough (1995), which consists of text analysis (micro), discursive analysis
(meso), and sociocultural analysis (macro). Meanwhile, the quantitative method
would center on the frequency of linguistic variables in the lyrics, such as the
repetition of metaphors, modality, and pronouns.
3.2. A description of the context of the data
3.2.1. An introduction of Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift, widely known as Taylor Swift, is a renowned American
singer and songwriter who was born on December 13, 1989, in Pennsylvania.
Swift began her career at the age of 13 after signing an artist development
deal with the Sony/ATV Tree Publishing house. However, just one year later, she
left the agency due to lack of care and decided to sign a deal with Big Machine
Records in 2005 to become a country singer. During her time with the label, Taylor
Swift released six studio albums, namely “Taylor Swift” (2006), “Fearless” (2008),
“Speak Now” (2010), “Red” (2012), “1989” (2014), “Reputation” (2017).
In 2018, Swift signed with Republic Records, marking a new chapter in her
career. She released three other albums called “Lover” (2019), “folklore” and
“evermore” (2020). In 2022, she explored understated pop styles with her latest
album “Midnights”, demonstrating her ability to evolve as a “music chameleon”.
Swift’s musical journey has been inspired by her personal life and experience
from a multidimensional perspective and played the role of a storyteller. Swift tells
her stories, and the stories bring a sense of relatability to the audience through her

15
venture into various genres as well as unique artistic reinventions, and for that
reason, she was awarded Doctor of Fine Arts degree at NYU and became the
subject of research of many prestigious universities. Throughout her career, Taylor
Swift has achieved numerous awards, nominations, and honorary accolades, namely
12 Grammy Awards (including three Album of the Year, one Primetime Emmy
Award, 39 Billboard Music Awards, 40 American Music Awards and nearly 100
Guinness World Records. She was also named as Time’s Person of the Year,
Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Artists, Billboard’s Greatest Pop Star, Top 100
Greatest Songwriters of All Time of Rolling Stone, Artists of the Decade and
Woman of the Decade for her inspiration and significant contributions.
3.2.2. The choice of the data
Among all the albums that Taylor Swift released during her musical career,
“Midnights” is chosen due to its superiority and comprehensiveness compared to
other albums in terms of major ideas and ideologies. The album is described as a
child of a combination of other albums. “Midnights” combines the confessional and
diary-like factors of “Debut”, “Fearless”, and “Speak Now” with the storytelling
skills of “folklore” and “evermore”; it ventures into the diverse sound of “Red”, the
synth-heavy catchy tunes of “1989” and “Lover”, and the bold, unapologetic
attitude of “Reputation” (Schocket, 2022). Critic Helen Brown considered it as
Swift’s “darkest and most cryptic album yet”. “Midnights” seeks to see how Taylor
Swift included the “easter eggs” referring to the people, events, social issues she
encountered in her life and past works.
The album was released on October 21, 2022. The lyrics of the songs are
collected from ‘Genius” (Genius, 2022) – a music platform.
3.3. Data sampling
The research applies the non-probability sampling method, also known as
judgmental sampling. This sampling technique is suitable for qualitative research
(Tongco, 2007) because it allows the researcher to use the pre-selected criteria or
indicators to choose data based on her knowledge and expertise so that she can
enhance validity and reliability. For that reason, a limited number of data, including

16
13 songs from the “Midnights” album, are chosen to provide rich and nuanced
insights into the topic of interest.
3.4. Data collection procedure
Regarding data collection, the songs’ lyrics were extracted from a music
platform called Genius, which provides the lyrics so the researcher does not have to
retype them, and offers potential interpretations of the meaning of the songs. After
that, the lyrics were compared to the official ones released on Spotify and Taylor
Swift’s official YouTube to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Regarding data filtering, it is noted that the different parts into which a song
is divided were also considered, such as the intro, verse 1, pre-chorus, chorus, verse
2, bridge and outro. In addition, the researcher excluded any ad-libs (“oh”, “ah”,
“yeah”) or repeated words that are often used in songs to complete the overall sound
and emotion. However, certain repeated parts in the song, commonly the pre-chorus
and chorus, would be counted separately. The researcher held the belief that Taylor
has the choice to decide whether to keep or change the pre-chorus, chorus or parts
of it. This choice stems from her distinct stylistic preferences, which determine
whether a particular section should be repeated or altered.
3.5. Data analysis procedure
3.5.1. Data Reduction
The process of reducing data has to do with summarizing, choosing the basic
things, focusing on important things, looking for themes and patterns (Sugiyono,
2014). Thus, this study will only focus on taking certain lyrics from “Midnights”
album that contain pre-selected linguistic aspects. After that, the data will be
examined to explore the discursive practices used by Taylor Swift to create lyrics
and capture public attention and consumption, along with the power relations
carried out in each song.
3.5.2. Data analysis
This study focused on critically investigating the discourse conveyed through
the lyrics of Taylor Swift's “Midnights” album. It utilized Fairclough's three-
dimensional framework (1995) and the questions regarding vocabulary and
grammar in Fairclough’s question list (2001) to effectively discover the ideologies

17
hidden in the selected data. Norman Fairclough’s framework is generalized as
follows:
In the first dimension – text, Fairclough (1989) claims that this dimension
examines the analysis of text, vocabulary, grammar, and structure. Due to the time
limitation of the study, in terms of vocabulary, the research only focused on the use
of hyponyms, antonyms, and metaphors to reflect experiential values; formal and
informal language to reflect relational values; and negative or positive expressions
to reflect expressive values. Besides, in terms of grammar, the research paid
attention to the uses of agency for experiential values; modes, pronouns, voices and
modality for relational and expressive values. Finally, regarding the structures, the
researcher excluded the textual structures from this study as the focus is on
analyzing song lyrics, which do not share the same structures as academic texts.
In the second dimension – discursive practice, it is crucial to interpret the
relationship between speech, its creation, and consumption. Furthermore, the
discourse processes and their dependence on background assumptions are needed to
stress. This stage was carried out simultaneously with text analysis as texts and
discursive practice are intertwined to investigate hostile actions that can secure
power and highlight social inequalities and other injustices, motivating people to
take the right actions.
In the third dimension – sociocultural practice, this research explored how
the interaction, and social contexts are connected to the social determination of the
production and interpretation process, as well as its social impacts (Fairclough,
1989).

18
 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
4.1. The realization of Taylor Swift’s ideologies through lexical and
grammatical features in “Midnights” album.
4.1.1. The realization of Taylor Swift’s ideologies through the lexical
features in “Midnights” album.
The lyrics were analyzed based on the lexical features suggested by
Fairclough. These features include antonyms, hyponyms, and metaphors to deliver
experiential values; informal language to express relational values; and negative or
positive expressive values to provide insights into attitudes toward a certain aspect
in the lyrics.
4.1.1.1. Hyponymy (Experiential Values)
As described by Fairclough (1989), hyponymy involves the concept that the
meaning of one word is encompassed within the meaning of another word. Taylor
focuses primarily on using hyponyms to explore themes associated with love and
feminism.

Lexical type Hyponyms

Extract from 1. My boy, sunshine, a color, baby love, baby boy, your heart, my boyfriend.
the lyrics 2. Burgundy, blood, scarlet, rose, wine, rust, carnation, ruby, rosé, maroon.
3. Sapphire, diamond, bejeweled, sparkling, shine, shimmer.

Table 1: Hyponyms used in the song lyrics

In terms of love, Taylor Swift’s public persona is notably linked with her dating
life, which is also a hot-debated focus of scrutiny in the media and society, much
like many other female artists. The intense focus on Taylor Swift’s romantic
relationships has created a widespread perception that her success and songwriting
inspiration are mainly derived from her love life and breakups. Generally, the singer
aims to convey the injustice of men being allowed to express their intense emotions
in love while women are expected not to. However, throughout the album, Taylor
has expressed her disagreement with these unfair stereotypes and boldly ignored all
the prejudices. This can be seen via her emotions in a relationship using hyponyms

19
such as “my boy, sunshine, a color, baby love, baby boy, your heart, my
boyfriend” to show her desire and passion for her lover. Moreover, Taylor is
famous for her use of color symbolism to allow listeners to connect with different
levels of feelings and experiences being portrayed, “burgundy, blood, scarlet, rose,
wine, rust, carnation, ruby, rosé, maroon” – the description of different shades of
red associated with strong emotions, passion and intensity on a woman.
In terms of feminism, being aware of all the challenges that women
encounter in their career and life, Taylor fearlessly delivers a message of
empowerment, particularly aimed at women. This is evident when she uses
hyponyms related to gemstones like “Sapphire, diamond, bejeweled, sparkling,
shine, shimmer” to symbolize a woman’s worth and value. Additionally, these
hyponyms are supported by the lines “What’s a girl gonna do?”, “A diamond’s
gotta shine” (Bejeweled, line 43 - 44) to further emphasize the theme of
empowerment and resilience. Taylor emphasizes the idea that women are akin to
diamonds, encouraging them to embrace their worth and uniqueness without fear.
She also urges women to recognize their own capabilities, radiate their inner
strength, and shine brightly in spite of challenges or societal expectations.
4.1.1.2. Antonymy (Experiential Values)
The second linguistic feature to mention is antonymy, which refers to the
incompatibility of meaning when one word is not compatible with the meaning of
another (Fairclough, 2001). In this context, Taylor Swift makes use of antonyms to
emphasize her ideas and beliefs.

20
 Lexical type Antonyms

Extract from 1. I have this thing where I get older, but just never wiser. (Anti-Hero, line 1)
the lyrics 2. Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby - And I’m a monster on the
hill. (Anti-Hero, line 18-19)
3. Is a one-night or a wife. (Lavender Haze, line 20)
4. He wanted a bride, I was making my own name. (Midnight Rain, line 3)

Table 2: Antonyms used in the song lyrics

First, Taylor shares her experiences of being criticized and scrutinized by
society. The contrast between “get older – never wiser” is employed to illustrate the
perception by the media and society that her behavior and attitudes are considered
as less mature as time flies. The societal belief that “With age comes wisdom”
contrasts with Taylor's tendency to use music and references in her compositions to
allude to specific individuals, which is perceived as a childish practice. This
dynamic creates a sense of insecurity for Taylor, subjecting her to public scrutiny in
every action she undertakes. In addition, the “sexy baby” is used to convey Taylor's
preoccupation with feeling that those around her are younger and more attractive,
while she sees herself as “a monster” who is “big” in both age and size and
struggles to fit into societal standards. These concerns stem from Taylor's history of
being body-shamed for being thin and tall, which eventually resulted in her eating
disorder and body dysmorphia that obsessed her for years.
Furthermore, Taylor also utilizes antonyms to illustrate the contrasting
perspectives between society and women when it comes to careers. The pair of
antonyms “one night - a wife” and “a bride - making my own name” shows a
perception of society that commitment is always the last destination when a woman
is in a relationship. Taylor uses the pronoun “I” to represent women and show that
women still have special concerns in work and career, instead of just focusing on
marriage. This has reflected Taylor’s personal narratives and positions her as an
influential advocate for women undergoing the same circumstances.

21
 4.1.1.3. Metaphor (Experiential Values)
Another linguistic strategy used by Taylor is metaphor. According to
Fairclough (2001), metaphor serves as a powerful tool for representing one aspect
of an experience through the use of another aspect. Therefore, it helps Taylor create
a more dramatic effect to effectively convey her ideologies. (See Appendix 2 for
more details)
Regarding the theme of love, Taylor uses metaphors to depict her personal
stories to show her desire for personal autonomy and challenge those restricted and
critical standards imposed by society and the media, thereby affirming her deep love
regardless of external opinions. She first mentions metaphors like “lavender haze”
and “love spiral”. “Lavender haze” is used as a metaphor to depict a particular
mental or emotional state. While “lavender” is often related to a sense of calmness
and tranquility, “haze” represents a dreamy or unclear condition. In this context,
“lavender haze” defines a desired emotional state or escape from external pressures.
Similarly, “love spiral” is used as a metaphor for the singer’s emotional experience,
which suggests a cyclical, intense and immerse feeling of love and indicates a desire
for deep emotional connection and intimacy.
Meanwhile, when it comes to the theme of societal pressures, Taylor
employs metaphors to talk about her image of being drawn into the chaos of society
and media criticism. The phrase “Did you hear” is often associated with gossip and
scandalous celebrity tabloid articles, which are known to exploit the less glamorous
parts of people's lives about celebrities. Here, Taylor is probably putting herself in
the position of the media to self-criticize and publicize her own mistakes. She
perceives herself as a “covert narcissist”, which is a psychological term for
individuals with narcissistic personality disorder who “mask” their narcissism. A
covert narcissist may pretend their actions as “altruistic” to gain recognition from
others. The comparison to a “congressman” in the subsequent line serves a similar
purpose, highlighting how politicians are notorious for being deceptive and
concealing their true motives from the public. Hence Taylor was labeled by society
as a fake and calculating person, just like politicians. Taylor also uses the metaphor

22
“labyrinth” (meaning labyrinth in Greek Mythology) to effectively refer to the
sense of being caught into chaos and bondage of the public eye when her personal
life is overwhelmed by too many external pressures beyond her control. This
metaphor therefore emphasizes the seriousness of this issue as well as paints a vivid
image of Taylor’s struggles.
In addition, Taylor tells her story by using different images in the metaphors
associated with the theme of justice and vengeance. The use of metaphors in the line
“And I saw something they can’t take away” are continued to indicate
“something” here as her “songwriting ability” and “music credits”. Taylor was
fraued in the game of business owners. She also uses the metaphor “Life is
emotionally abusive” to reflect on all the bad situations that she has gone through.
Hence, it is evident that these metaphors emphasizes the detrimental impacts that
the singer had to mentally and physically suffered from.
Lastly, the use of metaphors in the theme of feminism are discovered to
illustrate the beliefs that women are powerful and independent. With the images of
“reclaim the land”, “diamonds in my eyes” and “sapphires tears on my face”,
Taylor seeks to emphasize the values and boundless potential of women.
“Diamonds eyes” are often symbolized as an all-seeing eye, capable of peering
beyond the illusions of the physical world. “Sapphire tears” are used to imply that
no matter how hard and sad a women she is feeling, she is still shining and
shimmering.
To sum up, through the use of metaphors, Taylor successfully condemns
different problems and evoke audience’s empathy to motivate them to fight against
the ongoing struggles.

4.1.1.4. Negative and Positive expressions (Expressive Values)

According to Fairclough (2001), the expressive value of words is an
important highlight for those into persuasive language. The expressive value can
present both negative and positive evaluation expressed through the lenses of the

23
singer to express her attitudes on specific ideologies embedded in the song lyrics
(See Appendix 3 for more details)
One prime example lies in the beginning of her song “Lavender Haze”, she
first anxiously uses negative expressive values like “I been under scrutiny” (line
7), “I’m dammed if I do give a damn what people say” (line 13), and “They’re
bringing up my history” (line 22) to take her audience to witness the challenging
woman’s position in the society where Taylor does not care about other people’s
opinions, because she will be “damned” if she cares. In addition, Taylor expresses
her insecurities in love when people are observing her closely and heavily
criticizing her for her past relationships and dating history. Taylor fears that her
lover will be scared off because of all the attention, judgment and “history” she
gets. This aligns with Fairclough’s claim (2001) that negative (as well as positive)
expressive values are utilized by speakers to evaluate and convey attitudes towards
specific aspects within the text, which hold ideological significance. Through these
negative expressions, Taylor aims to draw attention to the injustices and
mistreatment faced by women in terms of love in society. In the following lyrics,
she uses positive expressive values like “You handle it beautifully” (Lavender
Haze, line 8), to strongly showcase that both she and her lover do not care about the
rumors and her past.
Besides, the singer also uses expressive words to interpret her suffering
while living under societal pressures. This can be seen in her song “Anti-Hero” in
which many articles and analyses have suggested that Taylor is expressing her
struggles with depression and anxiety in response to societal pressures and
standards. Taylor also revealed on her Instagram about her condition that “I
struggled a lot with the idea that my life has become unmanageably sized and not to
sound too dark, but I struggle with the idea of not feeling like a person. This song
“Anti-Hero” is a real guided tour throughout all the things I tend to hate about
myself”. The singer’s self-loathing is shown through her use of negative
expressions. Specifically, in the extracts “I’m the problem, it’s me”, “At teatime,
everybody agrees”, (Anti-Hero, line 14 - 15). Taylor used to see herself as an ugly

24
monster, which led to her eating disorder and body dysmorphia that obsessed her
for years. Despite gaining weight to live up to societal expectations, Taylor faced
criticism once again, as highlighted in her documentary “Miss Americana”: “A
picture of me where I feel like I looked like my tummy was too big, or… someone
said that I looked pregnant … and that’ll just trigger me to just starve a little bit —
just stop eating”. Taylor also portrays this struggle through the lyrics “I hosted
parties and starved my body” (You're on Your Own, Kid, line 30). From the
prejudices that society assigns to her, Taylor's self-loathing is so intense that she
views herself as “the problem” that both the acquaintances and strangers gossip
about “at teatime”, to the point where her ubiquitous presence has normalized chit-
chats about her being the root of her own issues. Using negative expressions, Taylor
also shares her own experience about pressures coming from labor exploitation of
being pushed and forced to work relentlessly in the lines “Outside, they’re pushin’
and shovin'” (Sweet Nothing, line 11), “Industry disruptors and soul
deconstructors (Sweet Nothing, line 25), “And smooth-talking hucksters out glad-
handing each other (Sweet Nothing, line 26). Employers constantly seek to exploit
and disregard the feelings of their employees to maximize their own profits. As an
artist, Taylor is perpetually burdened by the relentless demands placed upon her, as
no matter how much she offers, there is always an insatiable desire for more
information about every aspect of her life. Taylor expresses her feelings of being
“tired” when facing numerous pressures.
In addition, Taylor Swift also puts her emphasis on the matter of seeking
vengeance and calling for justice when it comes to unfair incidents. Taylor's lyrics
convey the message that “Curses come home to the roots”, directly targeting those
who have treated her cruelly and poorly. For example, in the lines “Lately, I’ve
been dressing for revenge” (Vigilante Shit, line 7) and “I’m on my vigilante shit
again” (Vigilante Shit, line 33), Taylor makes use of negative expressive values to
imply the journey of revenge and search for justice. The word “Vigilante” is used to
describe an individual who takes official action to prevent crime. By this, Taylor
implicitly states that she is involved her own self into the matters of revenge and

25
justice. This idea is supported by the negative expressions “Spiderboy, king of
thieves” (Karma, line 18), and “Trick me once, trick me twice” (Karma, line 21).
Taylor faced scrutiny and doubt over her ability to write her own music and was
also stabbed in the back by Kanye West and his wife Kim Kardashian, as well as
Scooter Braun. The information was given by vox.com by Jennings et al. (2022)
and classicrockhistory.com by Johnson (2022) about the story of Taylor being
defended by Kanye as he humiliated her at the 2009 VMAs, and his wife
participated in the audio editing, accusing Taylor of lying in a conversation between
Kanye and Taylor when Kanye asked for Taylor's permission to write about her in
his song “Famous”. Besides, Taylor was also fouled by Scooter Braun, who had
stolen all her first six albums after secretly buying them from her former record
label “Big Machine Records”. The singer continues to use positive expressive
values in the lines “'Cause karma is my boyfriend” (Karma, line 9), “Karma is a
god” (Karma, line 10), “Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend” (Karma,
line 11) , “Sweet like honey, karma is a cat” (Karma, line 14), “Karma's gonna
track you down, step by step, from town to town” (Karma, line 42) , “Sweet like
justice, karma is a queen”(Karma, line 44) to show the audience the power of
karma as a symbol of justice and consequences, as well as phrase “thick as your
ex-wives” to describe the “karma” that both Kanye and Scooter had to pay, which
was being divorced by their wives. Taylor also targets those who think she is a
calculating and manipulative person through the positive expressions “What if I
told you I'm a mastermind?” (Mastermind, line 15) , “It was all by design”
(Mastermind, line 17) to frankly admit that she is a clever puppet master and she
can use any strategies to obtain what she desires. In the line “You did something
bad, but I’m the worst of them” (Vigilante Shit, line 2), the singer utilizes negative
expressive values to forewarn and threaten her enemies of what was and would
befall them if they dared to treat her poorly.
Lastly, the singer has shed light on the issues related to feminism. The first
issue has to do with women being forced to become wives as long as they are in a
relationship through the negative expression “All they keep asking me”, “Is if I’m

26
gonna be your bride” (Lavender Haze, line 17 - 18). Besides, Taylor also shows
another belief that women are perceived as either a part of a marriage or a one-night
fling by using negative expressions “The only kinda girl they see”, “Is a one-night
or a wife” (Lavender Haze, line 19 - 20) to divide women into two groups:
respectable and despicable. In addition, the singer vividly addresses the issues of
societal pressure on women to accept and suffer from male behavior, as well as the
presence of sexism in the music industry through her songs “Vigilante Shit” and
“Sweet Nothing”. Taylor uses negative expressions “Don’t get sad, get even”
(Vigilante Shit, line 9), which was played on the phrase “Don’t get mad, get even”
to tell her story of being called a “Mad Woman” if she responds to bad male
behavior. Women in many parts of the world are forced to silently absorb any
behavior of man as they will be unfairly labeled as the aggressor if they dare to
react to mistreatment by men. Furthermore, the use of negative expression in the
line “They said the end is comin'” (Sweet Nothing, line 8) also indicates the double
standards for female artists, specifically depicting how the career of female artists
are often discarded due to their age or other unrealistic pressures. This, on the other
hand, does not happen to male artists. Taylor shared her opinions about this
prejudice in her 2020 documentary named “Miss Americana”, she said that “It’s a
lot to process because we do exist in this society where women in entertainment are
discarded in an elephant graveyard at 35. Everyone is a shiny new toy for like two
years. The female artists have reinvented themselves 20 times more than the male
artists. They have to or else you’re out of a job”. In an interview with CBS Sunday
Morning, Taylor also highlighted that society's dictionaries for women and men are
different in the music industry. She also pointed out that women are often held to
different standards and face harsher criticism for writing songs about their romantic
relationships and noted the double standard that allows male artists to freely express
their emotions and experiences, while women are often scrutinized and criticized
for doing the same. For example, she said, “A man does something, it’s strategic. A
woman does the same thing, it’s calculated. A man is allowed to react. A woman
can only overreact. It goes on and on and on. A man does something confident and

27
 bold. A woman does it the same way, and she’s a smug. A man stands up for
himself. A woman throws a temper tantrum”. All reflecting the negative
circumstances and mistreatment that women receive from being “a woman”. In the
end, by using positive expressive values in lines “She needed cold, hard proof, so I
gave her some” (Vigilante Shit, line 13), “She had the envelope, where you think
she got it from?” (Vigilante Shit, line 14), “Ladies always rise above” (Vigilante
Shit, line 25), “Ladies know what people want” (Vigilante Shit, line 26), “The lady
simply had enough” (Vigilante Shit, line 28), the singer discusses the empowering
message of women supporting each other against shared adversaries in the song
“Vigilante Shit”.
In conclusion, through the use of negative and positive expressions, Taylor
has expressed her opinions and attitudes about the issues being discussed to raise
people's awareness of the challenges of society, as well as to call for actions.
4.1.1.5. Informal language (Relational Values)
Informal language is also used to demonstrate the expressive values that
Taylor wishes to deliver to the audience. In this case, Taylor utilizes informality to
express an attitude of disregard or lack of respect towards those individuals
responsible for the issues at hand. Through analysis, 3 informal phenomena were
discovered in relation to the topic of feminism.

Lexical type Informal language

Extract from 1. The 1950s shit they want from me. (Lavender Haze, line 15)
the lyrics 2. Fuckin’ situations, circumstances. (Question...?, line 10)
3. Fuckin' politics and gender roles. (Question...?, line 30)

Table 3: Informal language used in the song lyrics

Acknowledging the fact that women are meant to be wives and housewives,
as well as devote themselves to their husbands by society, Taylor was able to
actualize this situation in the song “Lavender Haze”. Taylor shared on her
Instagram that she came up with the idea of the term “lavender haze” while

28
watching the movie “Mad Men”. This was a popular phrase used in the 1950s to
describe the feelings of being deeply in love. However, this term shows a contrary
truth and emphasizes the reality of how women were actually treated during this
era. This is supported by the informal language “The 1950s shit they want from
me” (Lavender Haze, line 15). Specifically, gender discrimination was rampant in
the 1950s, with women being forced to marry early and sacrifice their lives for their
husbands and children. Also at this time, women were not allowed to work and had
to spend a lot of time on internal support work and taking care of the family while
the husband could work. The social pressure placed on housewives that they must
be perfect and are expected to keep a man forever and submissive to him. Taylor
expresses her angry attitudes towards these perceptions by utilizing informal
language: “Fuckin’ situations, circumstances” (Question…?, line 10), “Fuckin'
politics and gender roles” (Question…?, line 30). Hence, she raises her awareness
of the role of gender as a toxic social construct, which in turn reflects her desire for
women to be treated with respect instead of being taken for granted.
4.1.2. The realization of Taylor Swift’s ideologies through grammatical
features in “Midnights” album
Fairclough (2001) explains that the grammatical elements within a text are
influenced by the events and relationships in the world involving people, animals,
or things, along with their spatial and temporal contexts and manner of occurrence.
When examining song lyrics from a grammatical perspective, this research centered
on four specific categories as suggested by Fairclough (2001): agency to capture
experiential values; modes of sentence, modality, and pronouns to express relational
and expressive values.

4.1.2.1. Agency (Experiential Values)

Fairclough (2001) claims that there are three main simple sentence types in
English, including SVO, SV and SVC to express respectively three major types of
process: actions (SVO), events (SV) and attributions (SVC). An action consists of
two participants: an agent (animate) and a patient (animate or inanimate).

29
Conversely, an event includes just one participant (animate or inanimate). An
attribution also has one participant, but there is also some sort of attribute after the
verb, which is 1) possessive if the verb is a form of have; or 2) non-possessive if the
verb is a stative one (be, feel, seem, look, etc.). These non-possessive attributes
sometimes show up as adjectives and nouns (phrase).
When analyzing the lyrics, there is only one sentence structure (SVC)
present (See Appendix 4 for more details). It is worth noting that the participants
in these sentences are predominantly animate, often represented by personal
pronouns.
Regarding the SVC structure, Taylor Swift employs her unique storytelling
technique to convey stories about the theme of love, delving into her personal
experiences and relationships. Notably, she writes the story of each song using first-
person inclusive pronouns like “I” and “we”, drawing listeners into the emotional
journey that she engages in. Through this approach, Swift involves herself in the
stories, aiming to challenge societal norms and pressure that may restrict her, and
women in general, from openly expressing their feelings of love. Furthermore, in
addressing the themes of societal pressure and justice and vengeance, Taylor
deliberately highlights the presence of an agent in her lyrics. She also uses inclusive
pronouns like “I” to weave the story while also incorporating indefinite pronouns
like “you” to imply a relationship between Taylor and her enemies and the society
in particular, as well as the audience in general. For instance, the subject is
identified in the song “Anti-Hero” in lines such as “I have this thing where I get
older, but just never wiser”, “I'm the problem”, and “And I'm a monster on the
hill”. Following an SVC structure, Swift assigns attributes (both possessive and
non-possessive) to the agent, such as “this thing”, “the problem”, and “a
monster”. While Swift does not explicitly state that these attributions represent
societal standards and pressures, they carry ideological significance as they reflect
the criteria that society often uses to judge her physical appearance and personal
growth. Swift conveys the ideology that societal expectations can have a
detrimental impact on her mental well-being, instilling fears, and self-

30
consciousness. Through her lyrics, she aims to shed light on the negative effects of
societal pressure and the challenges it poses to her own self.
4.1.2.2. Modes (Relational Values)
Fairclough (2001) categorized sentences into three groups, which are
declarative, imperative and grammatical questions. Each of these sentence modes
serves to convey relational values by indicating the positions and functions of the
participants in the text.
These modes require both the addresser and addressee to have different
positions of subjects. For example, in the case of a declarative, the subject position
of the speaker/writer has to do with giving the information (the giver) while the
addressee’s position is a receiver. In the case of an imperative, the speaker/writer
takes on the role of asking something of the addressee and the addressee is known
as a compliant actor. Lastly, in the case of grammatical questions, while the
speaker/writer is also asking for information, the addressee is acting as a provider of
information.
Swift utilizes declarative sentences the most, specifically 16 times to express
different purposes (See Appendix 5 for more details). Taylor makes use of
declarative sentences to establish herself as an information provider, sharing stories
that reflect her personal experiences and opinions on mistreatment against women
and societal pressures that she aims to address. The use of declaratives not only
helps engage the listener in her narratives but also aids in conveying her feelings
and emphasizing the importance of reducing gender discrimination and societal
pressures.. For instance, by singing “When my depression works the graveyard
shift” (Anti-Hero, line 3), Taylor vividly portrays her experience with depression to
the audience. She effectively tells that her depression and anxiety is most active and
overwhelming during the late night and early morning hours. The personification of
depression as having a job to do is indicated by using the verb “works”, which adds
depth to the portrayal of her struggles. Moreover, in her extracts in the song
“Vigilante Shit”, Taylor wants to remind the audience of the concept of “male
fantasies” quoted in “The Robber Bride” by Margaret Atwood. This is the concept

31
that women tend to follow the objective male gaze and transform themselves into
typical stereotypes that men like. Even though Taylor no longer has to dress for
women or men or friends or anyone else, she is still affected by those who have
mistreated her. Besides, the image of “dress” can also be understood that Taylor
wants to borrow the iconic image of “the revenge dress” of Princess Diana in 1994
to show her revenge on the enemies.
The imperative mood ranks as the second most frequently used mood in song
lyrics, appearing 12 times (See Appendix 5 for more details). By using imperative
mood, Taylor seeks to urge every individual, especially women, to believe in
themselves and take urgent actions to address gender-based discrimination. Take the
line “So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it” (You’re On
Your Own, Kid, line 38) as an example. Taylor desires to call for a positive energy
to encourage women to be fearless and fierce. In addition, in the extract “Draw the
cat eye sharp enough to kill a man” (Vigilante Shit, line 1), Taylor utilizes the
phrase “sharp enough to kill a man”, which is commonly used by feminists to
target the audience, especially women by illustrating the concept of “weaponizing
femininity” among women. The act of wearing makeup, traditionally associated
with femininity, is viewed as a means for women to express their personal desires
rather than seeking please and approval from men. This perspective emphasizes that
women’s self-expression is independent of male opinion or disapproval.
The least used mood type is grammatical questions with 6 times of
occurrence (See Appendix 5 for more details). These questions prompt the
audience to reflect on the disparities and injustices discussed in the lyrics, evoking
their thoughts and encouraging them to consider the issues from different angles.
Taylor poses these questions to seek a straightforward response regarding the
assumption of her actions and challenge the current status of women frequently
depicted by society and the media as manipulative and calculating.
Overall, the integration of three primary modes enhances the effectiveness of
conveying Taylor’s viewpoints and ideologies, thereby making great contributions
to inspiring actions to initiate and propagate changes.

32
 4.1.2.3. Modality (Relational and Expressive Values)
Through the analysis of the lyrics, it is evident that the use of both expressive
and relational modal verbs appeared in almost all the songs (See Appendix 6 for
more details). Numerous song lyrics contain various modal verbs, indicating a
sense of possibility, necessity, ability, permission and obligation.

The modal verbs Will Can Should Might May Would Couldn’t Had to Must

Times of 6 5 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
occurrence

Table 4: The use of Modality in the song lyrics

According to Fairclough (2001), modality relates to the authority and power
of the speaker/writer, specifically concerning the speaker/writer’s implicit control
and power over the recipient.
The findings have shown that expressive modalities are mostly utilized in
song lyrics such as will, can, might, may, would, couldn’t and must. It indicates that
Taylor Swift’s intention is not to assert authority or power over her addresses, but
rather to convey her attitude and assess a particular truth.
As can be seen from the table 4 , “will” appears as the most used modality
with 6 times of occurrence, aiming to express the probability that the event of “will”
can soon become a fact. Taylor highlights on the high likelihood and determination
of what would happen in the future. She combines “will” with the pronouns “I” and
“you” to specifically address the issue of justice and vengeance, as in “Sometimes I
wonder which one’ll be your last lie” (Vigilante Shit, line 3) and “Cause’ if you
dare, you’ll see the glare” (Karma, line 4). Taylor wants to refer to the individuals
who caused injustice to her, as well as express the vision of what she plans to do to
fight back against those injustices in the future.
In addition, “can” appeared mostly after the pronoun “I” and “you”,
suggesting the capacity and potential of what the singer and the audience can do to
face the challenges. On the other hand, the negative form “couldn’t” in line

33
“Checkmate, I couldn’t lose” (Mastermind, line 8), aims to prompt the audience to
reflect on the narrative of her past mistakes in relationships and friendships. Taylor
was painted in a bad light and since then, she has diligently ensured that she
surrounds herself only with genuine friends and she would not be defeated by ex-
relationships who harmed her. Additionally, Taylor highlights that those individuals
who have wronged her were and are still suffering the consequences of their
actions.
Meanwhile, the use of “must” and “had to” delivers a sense of certainty
rather than obligation. In the line “It must be exhausting always rooting for the
anti-hero” (Anti-Hero, line 17), Taylor tends to blame herself for all the failures she
has made, though these failures can be attributed to a combination of factors,
including her own decisions, societal pressures, mistreatment, and betrayal by the
relationships she cherishes. The word “anti-hero” is used to describe a main
character in a story who fails to demonstrate the qualities traditionally expected of
that character, and instead acts for personal interest and less noble desires.
However, in Swift’s usage, the term “anti-hero” does not align with its common
definition but rather goes back to its classical, Greek interpretation, denoting a
“hero” who consistently fails under pressure. Through the use of the modal verb
“must”, the singer conveys her belief regarding a specific aspect of the text and
shows that she is asserting her understanding and sympathy that her supporters may
be sick of seeing her consistently make the wrong choices in her personal life and
career.
In contrast, fewer instances were noted in relational values. One example is
the line in “Sweet Nothing”, “And the voices that implore, ‘You should be doing
more,’” which refers to the business world where leaders are always pushing others
for maximum productivity and telling people that work is the top priority. This
could also reflect the constant pressure felt by celebrities, who are always expected
to do more. Regardless of their efforts, society demands more, whether the content
relates to music, relationships, politics, and social issues. Taylor subtly implies the

34
addressee to engage in a particular action, which in this context, involves urging and
draining human labor.
In conclusion, the use of various modal verbs enables the singer to express
different degrees of probability and commitment in the lyrics, which plays a pivotal
role in discovering the embedded ideologies.
4.1.2.4. Pronouns (Relational Values)
The use of pronouns can indicate the relationship between the speaker/writer
and the listener/reader. According to Fairclough (2001), pronouns in the English
language carry various relational values. In her album, Taylor utilizes the pronouns
“I/my”, “you/your”.
The first pronoun “I” (172 times) and its possessive adjectives “my” (68
times) are dominant in the album. The use of the pronoun “I” allows Taylor to
express her power as the center of her own story. Taylor expresses her opinions
with the intention of allowing listeners to connect with her ideologies through that
viewpoint. Besides, the use of “my” such as “My melancholia” (Lavender Haze,
line 6), “my depression” (Anti-Hero, line 3) and “my smile” (Snow On The Beach,
line 25) emphasizes her true self-image and enriches the emotional nuances she is
sharing. These pronouns demonstrate Taylor's courage in voicing her personal
opinions on sensitive subjects, effectively conveying her message and ideology to
her listeners.
Moreover, the occurrence of “you” (11 times) and “your” (2 times) is used to
implicitly illustrate an interactive relationship with the audience. The use of “you”
and “your” seeks to remedy the increasing sense of impersonality. “You” functions
as an indefinite pronoun to generally address people and create a relationship of
solidarity, as demonstrated by Taylor in her song lyrics. Taylor anonymously
applies her statements to anyone, such as “Everything you lose is a step you take”
(You're on Your Own, Kid, line 37) and “You’ve got no reason to be afraid”
(You're on Your Own, Kid, line 39) as a means of connecting with her audience,
involving them in the topics being discussed, and prompting them to contemplate
their own actions and consider their role as long as they may be experiencing

35
similar injustices or facing challenges arising from societal norms. In addition,
repeating these two pronouns continuously in the lyrics also helps maintain the
audience's sense of involvement, thereby establishing a direct and effective
connection between the ideas the author wishes to communicate with the
participants.
4.2. Summary of Taylor Swift’s ideologies in her album
Through this album, Swift revealed her ideologies regarding four main
issues: love, societal pressure, justice and revenge, and feminism. However, it can
be inferred that Taylor has placed the most focus and given special attention to
topics related to love, societal pressures and feminism.
First, in terms of love, Taylor spoke up about the inequality that women
could encounter when expressing strong emotions about their love life. Likewise,
she boldly ignored all unreasonable standards imposed by society to prioritize her
own feelings in love affairs.
In addition, in terms of societal norms, Taylor has shed light on the toxic
standards related to beauty or maturity that society sets for all individuals in general
and celebrities in particular, as well as condemning the practice of exploitation of
labor. The singer confided her thoughts and depression to express her
disappointment when always being criticized and scrutinized even though she made
utmost efforts to live up to the given expectations.
Third, in terms of justice and vengeance, Taylor fearlessly called out those
who stabbed her in the back, and at the same time showed her attitude and actions
of being ready to fight against if people still dared to treat her badly. Taylor
successfully expressed the message “Curses come home to the roots” and her belief
in justice.
Finally, in terms of feminism, Taylor poured her heart out to talk about the
difficulties and challenges that women of all times have faced. Specifically, societal
expectations that women should primarily fulfill the roles of wives and housewives;
the pressure on women to prioritize their husband’s desires; the societal norm for
women to adopt and accept male behavior; and the observation that women’s

36
careers in the music industry often face short-lived endings due to unrealistic
expectations and pressures. A series of phrases referring to incidents related to
women such as “the 1950s”, “one night”, “a wife”, and “ladies” are used to portray
a vivid picture of the stereotypes of gender roles. The singer also uses the lyrics to
argue the fact that women are evidently taking away the opportunity to dedicate to
the workforce and to criticize the misconception that women are tied to being
mothers and wives. In general, Taylor aimed to call on women to take immediate
actions by always supporting each other and embracing their own inherent value.

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION
This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the research findings and
discusses the implications of the results. It also acknowledges any limitations of the
study and offers recommendations for further study.
5.1. The summary of the findings
Taylor Swift’s lyrics have always sparked interest and scrutiny among
scholars at prestigious educational institutions as well as in the mass media due to
her incredible songwriting ability in expressing implicit thoughts about issues in life
and society. The topic of the study was conducted with a view to understanding and
exploring the ideologies embedded in the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s Midnights album
based on the CDA framework of Norman Fairclough. Inspired by Fairclough’s
framework, there are several ideologies conveyed in this album through the analysis
of two main categories: the lexical and grammatical features.
The first category involved delving into the song lyrics at a vocabulary level,
beginning with the identification of themes and then exploring various lexical
aspects such as antonyms, hyponyms, formal/informal language, and negative/
positive expressive values as proposed by Fairclough. The subsequent category
centered on analyzing the song lyrics from a grammatical standpoint, with a focus
on four key sub-categories: agency, sentence modes, modality, and pronouns.

37
 In this research, it is highlighted that Taylor Swift effectively communicates
ideas and critiques to her audience by using storytelling techniques. Through
narrating compelling stories enriched with diverse linguistic features and persuasive
statements, the singer demonstrates four challenges and societal issues that she – as
a woman and a female artist, has dealt with, namely “Love, Societal Pressure,
Justice and Vengeance, and Feminism”. By incorporating these elements, Swift
taps into her own emotions and experiences and translates them into relatable and
heartfelt lyrics, aiming to foster a sense of connection and motivation among her
listeners, which is also the reason why Taylor is considered a lyrical genius. From
the critical analysis of the lyrics, Swift wants to express on behalf of women in
general and female artists in particular that she disagrees with these recurring
societal issues, which impact her well-being and mental state, leading to
experiences such as depression and a loss of identity. Through her music, Swift also
tries to take advantage of her power as a pop culture icon to inspire and encourage
listeners facing similar challenges not to conform to these oppressive social norms,
but rather to rediscover their own self and identity.
5.2. Implications
CDA has been used to analyze the relationships between language, power,
society, ideology and culture. This research is likely to provide benefits and
contributions academically and practically.
In terms of academic aspect, researchers, learners and language users can
study the function and effect of language as a discursive and social practice to
disclose the underlying ideology behind language through the lens of CDA in
diverse written forms such as poems, speeches, and song lyrics. The field of critical
language raises awareness of students regarding the cultural, social, and political
situation of society, which are often the main sources of texts. Hence, employing
CDA as an applicable instrument for language comprehension enables passive
learners to be more critical and imaginative.
In terms of practical aspects, this dissertation seeks to elevate individuals’
consciousness about the significance of taking responsibility for their words and

38
deeds, as well as encouraging them to show positive attitudes towards others. These
efforts aim to foster a more equitable society where all individuals have a voice and
are treated as equals.
5.3. Limitations and suggestions
Due to the limit of pages, timeframe, and knowledge for a Bachelor
dissertation, there are some main limitations to consider. Firstly, it is inevitable to
include subjectivism as the researcher infused her own beliefs into the analysis,
thereby making it impossible to verify the accuracy of all assessments with Taylor
Swift herself. Secondly, the analysis only examined a number of textual linguistic
features, thereby leaving other significant aspects unexplored. For a more
comprehensive understanding of Taylor Swift’s ideologies, it would be
advantageous to explore additional phonological features such as intonation and
euphemistic expressions. By delving into different aspects, a more nuanced and
holistic interpretation of Swift’s work could be achieved. For this purpose, I suggest
future researchers should expand the scope of analysis to provide deeper insights. In
addition, it is recommended that other future researchers make use of Multimodal
Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) to not only study the language but also
different semiotic modes like images, symbols, body language, and facial
expressions in the music videos of Taylor Swift to entirely reflect her implicit
ideologies.

39
 REFERENCES
Alek., Marzuki, G.A., Hidayat, N.D., & Sari, E. (2020). A Critical Discourse
Analysis of song “Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift. Jurnal
Pendidikan Bahasa Asing dan Sastra, 4 (2), 154–161.
Alsaawi, A. (2019). Spoken and Written Language as Medium of Communication:
A Self-reflection. Majmaah University.
Rys, D. (2024, February 6). Spotify Q4 2023 earnings: Revenues up 16% as
monthly users reach 602 million. Billboard.
https://www.billboard.com/business/streaming/spotify-q4-2023-earnings-
revenue-monthly-users-subscribers-1235599927/
Blommaert, J., & Bulcaen, C. (2000). Critical Discourse Analysis. Annual Review
of Anthropology, 29, 447–466. http://www.jstor.org/stable/223428
Fairclough, N. (1989). Language and power. Longman.
Fairclough, N. (1993). Critical Discourse Analysis and the Marketization of Public
Discourse. Longman.
Fairclough, N. (1995). Critical Discourse Analysis: the Critical Study of Language.
Longman.
Fairclough, N. (2001). Language and Power. Longman.
Fairclough, N. & Wodak, R. (1997). Critical Discourse Analysis. In T. Van Dijk
(ed.) Discourse studies: A multidisciplinary introduction. Sage
Publications.
Fajrin, M. Y., & Parmawati, A. (2021). An Analysis of Figurative Language Found
in Song of Bruno Mars Entitled “Grenade.” Project (Professional Journal
of English Education), 4(4), 588.
Galeon, K. A. S & Faustino, C. P. N. (2023). A Critical Discourse Analysis of
Taylor Swift’s Anti-Hero Music Video. University of the Philippines Open
University.
Gallee, J., & Levitt, A. (2016). Are Love Songs Lyrically Gendered? A Content
Analysis of Gender-Specific Speech Features in Song Lyrics.
https://repository.wellesley.edu/object/ir696

40
Gibson, K. (2022, October 21). Taylor Swift's Midnights Album: Everything to
Know. People. Retrieved January 9, 2024, from
https://people.com/music/taylor-swift-midnights-album-everything-to-
know/
Herman, H., & Silalahi, D. (2020). Critical Discourse Analysis on “We are the
World 25 for Haiti” Song Lyrics. Journal of English Education and
Teaching, 4(1), 36–48. https://doi.org/10.33369/jeet.4.1.36-48
Hoa, N. (2005). What is Critical Discourse Analysis? Journal of Linguistics. 2, 13-
26.
Jennings, R., Tarlo, S., & Gabriela, F. (2022, October 21). Taylor Swift’s Midnights
album: What do all the lyrics mean? Vox.
https://www.vox.com/culture/2022/10/21/23416464/taylor-swift-
midnights-lyrics-explained-anti-hero-video
Johnson, M., Pollard, M., Kachejian, B., & Gunnoe, C. B. (2022, November 22).
Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Taylor Swift's Midnights Album.
Classic Rock History. https://www.classicrockhistory.com/real-meanings-
behind-the-songs-on-taylor-swifts-midnights-album/
Khoirunisa, M.M. (2021). Sociological Criticism of Taylor Swift’s Champagne
Problems. Universitas Negeri Surabaya.
Kress, G. (2010). Multimodality. A Social Semiotic Approach to Contemporary
Communication. Abingdon: Routledge.
Labov, W. (1964). The social stratification of English in New York City. Columbia
university.
Labov, W. (1972). The Social Stratification of (R) in New York City Department
Stores.
Martoccio, A. (2022, August 28). Taylor Swift Announces New Album ‘Midnights’:
‘A Journey Through Terrors and Sweet Dreams’. Rolling Stone. Retrieved
May 6, 2024, from
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-announces-
new-album-1234583475/

41
Meyer, M. (2001). Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis. London: Sage.
Pramesti, N. R. (2023) Critical Discourse Analysis on Figurative Language in
Taylor Swift “Midnights” Album. Diponegoro University.
Schocket, R. (2022, October 22). “Midnights” Is Taylor Swift's Best Album. Here's
Why. BuzzFeed. Retrieved January 2, 2024, from
https://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanschocket2/midnights-is-taylor-swift-best-
album
Simpson, P. (1993). Language, ideology, and point of view. Routledge.
Sugiyono. 2014. Metode Penelitian Pendidikan Pendekatan Kuantitatif, Kualitatif,
dan R&D. Bandung: Alfabeta.
Thao, N. V. & Herman, N. (2020). An Analysis of Deixis to Song Lyrics “My Heart
Will Go on” by Celine Dion. Communication and Linguistics
Studies, 6(2), 23-26. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20200602.12
The Concise Oxford Dictionary. Allen, R. E., ed. 1992. Clarendon Press. Oxford:
781
Thompson, J. B. (1990). Ideology and modern culture: Critical Social Theory in the
Era of Mass Communication. Stanford University Press.
Tongco, M. D. C. (2007). Purposive sampling as a tool for informant selection.
Ethnobotany Research & Applications, 5, 147-158.
https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/5bdc92a
7-99fe-4134-aaeb-6d0970562559/content
Turino, T. (2008). Music as Social Life: The Politics of Participation. University of
Chicago Press.
van Dijk, T.A. (1981). Studies in the pragmatics of discourse. Mouton.
Wodak, R. (2000). Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis. Sage Publications
Wodak, R. (2009). Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis. London: Sage.

42
 APPENDIX 1: FAIRCLOUGH’S 10-QUESTION MODEL FOR
CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS (2001, p.92-93)
1. In terms of Vocabulary:
Question 1: What experiential values do words have?
4. What classification schemes are drawn upon?
5. Are there words which are ideologically contested?
6. Is there rewording or overwording?
7. What ideological significant meaning relations (synonym, hyponymy,
antonymy) are there between words?
Question 2: What relational values do words have?
8. Are there euphemistic expressions?
9. Are there markedly formal or informal words?
Question 3: What expressive values do words have?
Question 4: What metaphors are used?
2. In terms of Grammar:
Question 5: What experiential values do grammatical features have?
10. What types of process and participants dominate?
11. Is agency unclear? Are processes what they seem?
12. Are nominalizations used?
13. Are sentences active or passive?
14. Are sentences positive or negative?
Question 6: What relational values of grammatical features have?
15. What modes (declarative, grammatical question, imperative) are used?
16. Are there important features of relational modality?
17. Are the pronouns we and you used and if so, how?
Question 7: What expressive values do grammatical features have?
18. Are there important features of expressive modality?
Question 8: How are (simple) sentences linked together?
19. What logical connectors are used?
20. Are complex sentences characterized by coordination or subordination?

43
21. What means are used for referring inside and outside the text?
3. In terms of textual structures?
Question 9: What interactional conventions are used?
22. Are there ways in which one participant controls the turns of others?
Question 10: What large-scale structures does the text have?

44
 APPENDIX 2: METAPHORS USED IN THE ALBUM

Lexical type Metaphors

Extract from Theme of “Love”

the lyrics
1. Lavender haze. (Lavender Haze, line 11)
2. I just need this love spiral. (Lavender Haze, line 33)
3. He was sunshine, I was midnight rain. (Midnight Rain, line 14)

Theme of “Societal Pressure”

1. Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby. (Anti-Hero, line 18)

2. And I’m a monster on the hill. (Anti-Hero, line 19)
3. Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism - Like some kind
of congressman? (Anti-Hero, line 22 - 23)
4. Lost in the labyrinth of my mind. (Labyrinth, line 14)

Theme of “Justice and Vengeance”

1. And I saw something they can’t take away. (You’re On Your Own, Kid, line
35)
2. Life is emotionally abusive. (Snow On The Beach, line 5)
3. Weave your little webs of opacity. (Karma, line 19)
4. I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian. (Mastermind, line 42)

Theme of “Feminism”

1. I can reclaim the land. (Bejeweled, line 22)

2. Diamonds in my eyes. (Bejeweled, line 15)
3. Sapphire tears on my face. (Bejeweled, line 36)

45
 APPENDIX 3: NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE EXPRESSIONS USED IN
THE ALBUM
Lexical type Expressive Values

Extract from Negative Positive

the lyrics
1. I been under scrutiny. (Lavender 1. You
Haze, line 7)
2. I’m dammed if I do give a damn what
people say. (Lavender Haze, line 13)
3. They’re bringing up my history.
(Lavender Haze, line 22)
4. All they keep asking me (Lavender
Haze, line 17)
5. Is if I’m gonna be your bride
(Lavender Haze, line 18)
handle it beautifully.
(Lavender Haze, line 8)
2. My smile is like I won a contest.
(Snow On The Beach, line 25)
3. 'Cause karma is my boyfriend.
(Karma, line 9)
4. Karma is a god. (Karma, line
10)
5. Karma is the breeze in my hair
on the weekend. (Karma, line
11)
6. Sweet like honey, karma is a

6. The only kinda girl they see cat. (Karma, line 14)

(Lavender Haze, line 19) 7. Karma’s gonna track you down,

step by step, from town to town.
7. Is a one-night or a wife (Lavender
(Karma, line 42)
Haze, line 20)
8. Sweet like justice, karma is a
8. I’m the problem, it’s me. (Anti-Hero, queen. (Karma, line 44)
line 14) 9. What if I told you I'm a
9. I hosted parties and starved my body. mastermind?. (Mastermind, line
(You're on Your Own, Kid, line 30) 15)
10. The jokes weren't funny. (You're on 10. It was all by dеsign.
Your Own, Kid, line 32) (Mastermind, line 17)
11. No deal. (Lavender Haze, line
11. Familiarity breeds contempt.

46
 (Bejeweled, line 12) 14)
12. I spy with my little tired eye. (Sweet 12. Everything you lose is a step
Nothing, line 1) you take. (You’re On Your
Own, Kid, line 37)
13. Outside, they’re pushin’ and shovin'.
13. So, make the friendship
(Sweet Nothing, line 11)
bracelets, take the moment and
14. Industry disruptors and soul taste it. (You’re On Your Own,
deconstructors. (Sweet Nothing, line Kid, line 38)
25) 14. You've got no reason to be
afraid.(You’re On Your Own,
15. And smooth-talking hucksters out
Kid, line 39)
glad-handing each other. (Sweet
15. What’s a girl gonna do?
Nothing, line 26)
(Bejeweled, line 43)
16. Spiderboy, king of thieves. (Karma, 16. A diamond’s gotta shine.
line 18) (Bejeweled, line 44)

17. Trick me once, trick me twice. 17. Best believe I'm still bejeweled
(Karma, line 21) (Bejeweled, line 24)
18. She needed cold, hard proof, so
18. Lately, I’ve been dressing for
I gave her some. (Vigilante Shit,
revenge. (Vigilante Shit, line 7)
line 13)
19. So I’ve been scheming like a criminal 19. She had the envelope, where
ever since. (Mastermind, line 38) you think she got it from?
(Vigilante Shit, line 14)
20. You did some bad things, but I’m the
20. Ladies always rise above.
worst of them. (Vigilante Shit, line 2)
(Vigilante Shit, line 25)
21. They say looks can kill and I might 21. Ladies know what people want.
try. (Vigilante Shit, line 4) (Vigilante Shit, line 26)
22. The lady simply had enough.
22. Someone told his white-collar crimes
(Vigilante Shit, line 28)
to the FBI. (Vigilante Shit, line 30)

47
23. Don't get sad, get even (Vigilante
Shit, line 9)

24. They said the end is comin'. (Sweet

Nothing, line 8)

48
 APPENDIX 4: AGENCY USED IN THE ALBUM
Type of Sentence SVC

Extract from the Possessive Attribute Nonpossessive Attribute

lyrics
1. I have this thing Adjective Noun (phrase)
where I get older, but
1. We were shaking, 1. I’m the problem.
just never wiser.
blind and hazy. (Anti-Hero, line 14)
(Anti-Hero, line 1)
(Maroon, line 22) 2. And I’m a monster on
2. I have this dream my
2. Best believe I'm the hill. (Anti-Hero,
daughter-in-law kills
still bejeweled. line 19)
me for the money.
(Bejeweled, line 3. ‘Cause I’m a
(Anti-Hero, line 34)
6) mastermind.
(Mastermind, line 18)

49
 APPENDIX 5: MODES USED IN THE ALBUM

Mood Declarative

Extract from the 1. I been under scrutiny. (Lavender Haze, line 7)

lyrics 2. You handle it beautifully. (Lavender Haze, line 8)
3. They’re bringing up my history. (Lavender Haze, line 22)
4. I just need this love spiral. (Lavender Haze, line 33)
5. I have this thing where I get older, but just never wiser. (Anti-Hero, line
1)
6. When my depression works the graveyard shift, all of the people (Anti-
Hero, line 3)
7. I’ve ghosted stand there in the room. (Anti-Hero, line 4)
8. It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero. (Anti-Hero, line
17)
9. I gave my blood, sweat and tears for this. (You're on Your Own, Kid,
line 29)
10. I hosted parties and starved my body. (You're on Your Own, Kid, line
30)
11. I wanted that pain. (Midnight Rain, line 15)
12. I was making my own name. (Midnight Rain, line 3)
13. I don’t dress for women. (Vigilante Shit, line 5)
14. I don’t dress for men. (Vigilante Shit, line 6)
15. I don’t dress for friends. (Vigilante Shit, line 11)
16. And I don’t dress for villains – Or for innocents. (Vigilante Shit, line
31 - 32)

Mood Imperative

Extract from the 1. Meet me at midnight. (Lavender Haze, line 2)

lyrics

50
 2. Talk your talk and go viral. (Lavender Haze, line 32)
3. Get it off your chest. (Lavender Haze, line 34)
4. Get it off my desk. (Lavender Haze, line 35)
5. So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it. (You're
On Your Own, Kid, line 38)
6. Draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man. (Vigilante Shit, line 1)
7. Don’t get sad, get even. (Vigilante Shit, line 9)
8. Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife. (Vigilante Shit, line 16)
9. Best believe I’m still bejeweled. (Bejeweled, line 6)
10. Ask me what I learned from all those years. (Karma, line 35)
11. Ask me what I earned from all those tears. (Karma, line 36)
12. Ask me why so many fade, but I’m still here. (Karma, line 37)

Mood Grammatical questions

Extract from the 1. What’s a girl gonna do? (Bejeweled, line 43)
lyrics 2. How’d you turn it right around? (Labyrinth, line 12)
3. What if I told you none of it was accidental? (Mastermind, line 9)
4. What if I told you I’m a mastermind? (Mastermind, line 15)
5. Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism - Like some
kind of congressman? (Anti-Hero, line 22 - 23)
6. Can I ask you a question? (Question...?, line 14)

51
 APPENDIX 6: MODALITY USED IN THE ALBUM
The Modal Verb Extract from the lyrics

Will 1. One day, I’ll watch as you’re leaving. (Anti-Hero, line 10)
2. I’ll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror. (Anti-Hero, line 16)
3. And life will lose all its meaning. (Anti-Hero, line 27)
4. I’ll run away. (You're On Your Own, Kid, line 21)
5. Sometimes I wonder which one’ll be your last lie. (Vigilante Shit, line 3)
6. Cause’ if you dare, you’ll see the glare. (Karma, line 4)

Can 1. You can face this. (You're On Your Own, Kid, line 41)
2. They say looks can kill and I might try. (Vigilante Shit, line 4)
3. I don’t start shit, but I can tell you how it ends. (Vigilante Shit, line 8)
4. I can still make the whole place shimmer. (Bejeweled, line 8)
5. I can reclaim the land. (Bejeweled, line 22)

Should 1. I should not be left to my own devices. (Anti-Hero, line 5)

2. And the voices that implore, “You should be doing more” (Sweet
Nothing, line 27)

Might 1. They say looks can kill and I might try. (Vigilante Shit, line 4)
2. But you might have to wait in line. (Bejeweled, line 42)

May 1. I just may like some explanations. (Question...?, line 13)

2. I just may like to have a conversation. (Question...?, line 33)

Would 1. You wouldn’t know what I mean. (Karma, line 8)

Couldn’t 1. Checkmate, I couldn’t lose. (Mastermind, line 8)

Had to 1. You see, all the wisest women […] Had to do it this way. (Mastermind,
line 19 - 20)

Must 1. It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero. (Anti-Hero, line

52
17)

53
 APPENDIX 7: PRONOUNS USED IN THE ALBUM

Pronouns Times of occurrence

I 172

my 68

you 11

your 2

54
 APPENDIX 8: LYRICS OF “MIDNIGHTS” ALBUM
1. Lavender Haze

1 [Intro]

2 Meet me at midnight

[Verse 1]

3 Staring at the ceiling with you

4 Oh, you don't ever say too much

5 And you don't really read into

6 My melancholia

[Pre-Chorus]

7 I been under scrutiny (Yeah, oh, yeah)

8 You handle it beautifully (Yeah, oh, yeah)

9 All this shit is new to me (Yeah, oh, yeah)

[Chorus]

10 I feel

11 The lavender haze creeping up on me

12 Surreal

13 I'm damned if I do give a damn what people say

14 No deal

15 The 1950s shit they want from me

16 I just wanna stay in that lavender haze

55
 [Verse 2]

17 All they keep asking me (All they keep asking me)

18 Is if I'm gonna be your bride

19 The only kinda girl they see (Only kinda girl they see)

20 Is a one-night or a wife

[Pre-Chorus]

21 I find it dizzying (Yeah, oh, yeah)

22 They're bringing up my history (Yeah, oh, yeah)

23 But you weren't even listening (Yeah, oh, yeah)

[Chorus]

24 I feel

25 The lavender haze creepin' up on me

26 Surreal

27 I'm damned if I do give a damn what people say

28 No deal

29 The 1950s shit they want from me

30 I just wanna stay in that lavender haze

[Post-Chorus]

31 That lavender haze

56
 [Bridge]

32 Talk your talk and go viral

33 I just need this love spiral

34 Get it off your chest

35 Get it off my desk (Get it off my desk)

36 Talk your talk and go viral

37 I just need this love spiral

38 Get it off your chest

39 Get it off my desk

[Chorus]

40 I feel (I feel)

41 The lavender haze creeping up on me

42 Surreal

43 I'm damned if I do give a damn what people say

44 No deal (No deal)

45 The 1950s shit they want from me

46 I just wanna stay in that lavender haze

[Outro]

47 Get it off your chest

48 Get it off my desk

49 That lavender haze

57
50 I just wanna stay

51 I just wanna stay in that lavender haze

2. Maroon

[Verse 1]

1 When the morning came

2 We were cleaning incense off your vinyl shelf

3 'Cause we lost track of time again

4 Laughing with my feet in your lap

5 Like you were my closest friend

6 “How’d we end up on the floor, anyway?” you say

7 “Your roommate’s cheap-ass screw-top rosé, that’s how”

8 I see you every day now

[Chorus]

9 And I chose you

10 The one I was dancing with

11 In New York, no shoes

12 Looked up at the sky and it was

13 The burgundy on my t-shirt

14 When you splashed your wine into me

15 And how the blood rushed into my cheeks

58
16 So scarlet, it was

17 The mark thеy saw on my collarbone

18 The rust that grew bеtween telephones

19 The lips I used to call home

20 So scarlet, it was maroon

[Verse 2]

21 When the silence came

22 We were shaking, blind and hazy

23 How the hell did we lose sight of us again?

24 Sobbing with your head in your hands

25 Ain't that the way shit always ends?

26 You were standing hollow-eyed in the hallway

27 Carnations you had thought were roses, that's us

28 I feel you, no matter what

29 The rubies that I gave up

[Chorus]

30 And I lost you

31 The one I was dancing with

32 In New York, no shoes

33 Looked up at the sky and it was (Maroon)

59
34 The burgundy on my t-shirt

35 When you splashed your wine into me

36 And how the blood rushed into my cheeks

37 So scarlet, it was (Maroon)

38 The mark they saw on my collarbone

39 The rust that grew between telephones

40 The lips I used to call home

41 So scarlet, it was maroon

[Bridge]

42 And I wake with your memory over me

43 That's a real fucking legacy, legacy (It was maroon)

44 And I wake with your memory over me

45 That's a real fucking legacy to leave

[Chorus]

46 The burgundy on my t-shirt

47 When you splashed your wine into me

48 And how the blood rushed into my cheeks

49 So scarlet, it was maroon

50 The mark they saw on my collarbone

51 The rust that grew between telephones

60
52 The lips I used to call home

53 So scarlet, it was maroon

[Outro]

54 It was maroon

55 It was maroon

3. Anti-Hero

[Verse 1]

1 I have this thing where I get older, but just never wiser

2 Midnights become my afternoons

3 When my depression works the graveyard shift, all of the people

4 I've ghosted stand there in the room

[Pre-Chorus]

5 I should not be left to my own devices

6 They come with prices and vices

7 I end up in crisis

8 (Tale as old as time)

9 I wake up screaming from dreaming

10 One day, I'll watch as you're leaving

11 ‘Cause you got tired of my scheming

12 (For the last time)

61
 [Chorus]

13 It's me, hi

14 I'm the problem, it's me

15 At teatime, everybody agrees

16 I'll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror

17 It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

[Verse 2]

18 Sometimes, I feel like everybody is a sexy baby

19 And I'm a monster on the hill

20 Too big to hang out, slowly lurching toward your favorite city

21 Pierced through the heart, but never killed

[Pre-Chorus]

22 Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism

23 Like some kind of congressman?

24 (A tale as old as time)

25 I wake up screaming from dreaming

26 One day, I'll watch as you're leaving

27 And life will lose all its meaning

28 (For the last time)

62
 [Chorus]

29 It's me, hi

30 I'm the problem, it's me (I'm the problem, it's me)

31 At teatime, everybody agrees

32 I'll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror

33 It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

[Bridge]

34 I have this dream my daughter-in-law kills me for the money

35 She thinks I left them in the will

36 The family gathers 'round and reads it and then someone screams out

37 "She's laughing up at us from Hell"

[Breakdown]

38 It's me, hi

39 I'm the problem, it's me

40 It's me, hi

41 I'm the problem, it's me

42 It's me, hi

43 Everybody agrees, everybody agrees

[Chorus]

44 It's me, hi (Hi)

45 I'm the problem, it's me (I'm the problem, it's me)

63
46 At teatime (Teatime), everybody agrees (Everybody agrees)

47 I'll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror

48 It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

4. Snow On The Beach

[Verse 1: Taylor Swift]

1 One night, a few moons ago

2 I saw flecks of what could've been lights

3 But it might just have been you

4 Passing by unbeknownst to me

5 Life is emotionally abusive

6 And time can't stop me quite like you did

7 And my flight was awful, thanks for asking

8 I'm unglued, thanks to you

[Chorus: Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift & Lana Del Rey]

9 And it's like snow at the beach

10 Weird, but fuckin' beautiful

11 Flying in a dream

12 Stars by the pocketful

13 You wanting me

14 Tonight feels impossible

64
15 But it's comin' down

16 No sound, it's all around

[Post-Chorus: Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey]

17 Like snow on the beach

18 Like snow on the beach

19 Like snow on the beach

20 Like snow, ah

[Verse 2: Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift & Lana Del Rey]

21 This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen

22 I searched "aurora borealis green"

23 I've never seen someone lit from within

24 Blurring out my periphery

25 My smile is like I won a contest

26 And to hide that would be so dishonest

27 And it's fine to fake it 'til you make it

28 'Til you do, 'til it's true

[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Lana Del Rey]

29 Now it's like snow at the beach

30 Weird, but fuckin' beautiful

31 Flying in a dream

65
32 Stars by the pocketful

33 You wanting me

34 Tonight feels impossible

35 But it's comin' down

36 No sound, it's all around

[Post-Chorus: Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift & Lana Del Rey]

37 Like snow on the beach

38 Like snow on the beach

39 Like snow on the beach

40 Like snow, ah

[Bridge: Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift & Lana Del Rey]

41 I (I) can't (Can't) speak, afraid to jinx it

42 I (I) don't (Don't) even dare to wish it

43 But your eyes are flying saucers from another planet

44 Now I'm all for you like Janet

45 Can this be a real thing? Can it?

[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift]

46 Are we falling like snow at the beach? (Snow at the beach)

47 Weird, but fuckin' beautiful

48 Flying in a dream (Flying in a dream)

66
49 Stars by the pocketful

50 You wanting me (You wanting me)

51 Tonight feels impossible

52 But it's comin' down

53 No sound, it's all around

[Post-Chorus: Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey]

54 Like snow on the beach (Snow on the beach)

55 Like snow on the beach (Flying in a dream)

56 Like snow on the beach (You wanting me)

57 Like snow, ah

58 But it's comin' down

59 No sound, it's all around

[Outro: Taylor Swift]

60 Like snow on the beach

61 (It's comin' down, it's comin' down)

62 (It's comin' down, it's comin' down)

63 Like snow on the beach

64 (It's comin' down, it's comin' down)

65 (It's comin' down, it's comin' down)

66 (It's comin' down, it's comin' down)

67
67 (It's comin' down, it's comin' down)

68 (It's comin' down, it's comin' down)

69 (It's comin' down, it's comin' down)

5. You're on Your Own, Kid

[Verse 1]

1 Summer went away, still, the yearning stays

2 I play it cool with the best of them

3 I wait patiently, he's gonna notice me

4 It's okay, we're the best of friends

5 Anyway

6 I hear it in your voice, you're smoking with your boys

7 I touch my phone as if it's your face

8 I didn't choose this town, I dream of getting out

9 There's just one who could make me stay

10 All my days

[Pre-Chorus]

11 From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes

12 I waited ages to see you there

13 I search the party of better bodies

14 Just to learn that you never cared

68
 [Chorus]

15 You're on your own, kid

16 You always have been

[Verse 2]

17 I see the great escape, so long, Daisy May

18 I picked the petals, he loves me not

19 Something different bloomed, writing in my room

20 I play my songs in the parking lot

21 I'll run away

[Pre-Chorus]

22 From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes

23 I called a taxi to take me there

24 I search the party of better bodies

25 Just to learn that my dreams aren't rare

[Chorus]

26 You're on your own, kid

27 You always have been

[Bridge]

28 From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes

29 I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this

69
30 I hosted parties and starved my body

31 Like I'd be saved by a perfect kiss

32 The jokes weren't funny, I took the money

33 My friends from home don't know what to say

34 I looked around in a blood-soaked gown

35 And I saw something they can't take away

36 'Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned

37 Everything you lose is a step you take

38 So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it

39 You've got no reason to be afraid

[Chorus]

40 You're on your own, kid

41 Yeah, you can face this

42 You're on your own, kid

43 You always have been

6. Midnight Rain

[Intro]

1 Rain

2 He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain

3 He wanted a bride, I was making my own name

70
4 Chasing that fame, he stayed the same

5 All of me changed like midnight

[Verse 1]

6 My town was a wasteland

7 Full of cages, full of fences

8 Pageant queens and big pretenders

9 But for some, it was paradise

10 My boy was a montage

11 A slow-motion, love potion

12 Jumping off things in the ocean

13 I broke his heart 'cause he was nice

14 He was sunshine, I was midnight rain

[Chorus]

15 He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain

16 He wanted a bride, I was making my own name

17 Chasing that fame, he stayed the same

18 All of me changed like midnight

[Verse 2]

19 It came like a postcard

20 Picture perfect shiny family

71
21 Holiday peppermint candy

22 But for him, it's every day

23 So I peered through a window

24 A deep portal, time travel

25 All the love we unravel

26 And the life I gave away

27 'Cause he was sunshine, I was midnight rain

[Chorus]

28 He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain

29 He wanted a bride, I was making my own name

30 Chasing that fame, he stayed the same

31 All of me changed like midnight rain

32 He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain

33 He wanted a bride, I was making my own name

34 Chasing that fame, he stayed the same

35 All of me changed like midnight

[Outro]

36 I guess sometimes we all get

37 Just what we wanted, just what we wanted

38 And he never thinks of me

72
39 Except for when I'm on TV

40 I guess sometimes we all get

41 Some kind of haunted, some kind of haunted

42 And I never think of him

43 Except on midnights like this

44 (Midnights like this, midnights like this)

7. Question...?

[Intro]

1 I remember

[Verse 1]

2 Good girl, sad boy

3 Big city, wrong choices

4 We had one thing goin' on

5 I swear that it was somethin'

6 'Cause I don't remember who I was

7 Before you painted all my nights

8 A color I've searched for since

9 But one thing after another

10 Fuckin' situations, circumstances

11 Miscommunications, and I

73
12 Have to say, by the way

13 I just may like some explanations

[Chorus]

14 Can I ask you a question?

15 Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room

16 And every single one of your friends was makin' fun of you

17 But fifteen seconds later, thеy were clappin' too?

18 Then what did you do?

19 Did you lеave her house in the middle of the night? Oh

20 Did you wish you'd put up more of a fight, oh

21 When she said it was too much?

22 Do you wish you could still touch her?

23 It's just a question

[Verse 2]

24 Half-moon eyes, bad surprise

25 Did you realize out of time?

26 She was on your mind with some dickhead guy

27 That you saw that night

28 But you were on somethin'

29 It was one drink after another

74
30 Fuckin' politics and gender roles

31 And you're not sure and I don't know

32 Got swept away in the gray

33 I just may like to have a conversation

[Chorus]

34 Can I ask you a question?

35 Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room

36 And every single one of your friends was makin' fun of you

37 But fifteen seconds later, they were clappin' too?

38 Then what did you do?

39 Did you leave her house in the middle of the night? Oh

40 Did you wish you'd put up more of a fight, oh

41 When she said it was too much?

42 Do you wish you could still touch her?

43 It's just a question

[Bridge]

44 Does it feel like everything's just like

45 Second best after that meteor strike?

46 And what's that that I heard? That you're still with her?

47 That's nice, I'm sure that's what's suitable

75
48 And right, but tonight

[Chorus]

49 Can I ask you a question? (Can I ask you a question?)

50 Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room (In a crowded
room)

51 And every single one of your friends was makin' fun of you (Makin'
fun of you)

52 But fifteen seconds later, they were clappin' too?

53 Then what did you do? (Do)

54 Did you leave her house in the middle of the night? Oh

55 Did you wish you'd put up more of a fight, oh (More of a fight)

56 When she said it was too much?

57 Do you wish you could still touch her?

58 It's just a question

8. Vigilante Shit

[Verse 1]

1 Draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man

2 You did some bad things, but I'm the worst of them

3 Sometimes I wonder which one'll be your last lie

4 They say looks can kill and I might try

76
5 I don't dress for women

6 I don't dress for men

7 Lately, I've been dressin' for revenge

[Chorus]

8 I don’t start shit, but I can tell you how it ends

9 Don't get sad, get even

10 So on the weekends

11 I don't dress for friends

12 Lately, I've been dressin' for revenge

[Verse 2]

13 She needed cold, hard proof, so I gave her some

14 She had the envelope, where you think she got it from?

15 Now she gets the house, gets the kids, gets the pride

16 Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife

17 And she looks so pretty

18 Drivin' in your Benz

19 Lately, she's been dressin' for revenge

[Chorus]

20 She don't start shit, but she can tell you how it ends

21 Don't get sad, get even

22 So on the weekends

77
23 She don't dress for friends

24 Lately, she's been dressing for revenge

[Bridge]

25 Ladies always rise above

26 Ladies know what people want

27 Someone sweet and kind and fun

28 The lady simply had enough

[Verse 3]

29 While he was doin' lines and crossin' all of mine

30 Someone told his white-collar crimes to the FBI

31 And I don't dress for villains

32 Or for innocents

33 I'm on my vigilante shit again

[Chorus]

34 I don't start shit, but I can tell you how it ends

35 Don't get sad, get even

36 So on the weekends

37 I don't dress for friends

38 Lately, I've been dressin' for revenge

78
 9. Bejeweled

[Verse 1]

1 Baby love, I think I've been a little too kind

2 Didn't notice you walkin' all over my peace of mind

3 In the shoes I gave you as a present

4 Puttin' someone first only works when you're in their top five

5 And by the way, I'm goin' out tonight

[Chorus]

6 Best believe I'm still bejeweled

7 When I walk in the room

8 I can still make the whole place shimmer

9 And when I meet the band

10 They ask, "Do you have a man?"

11 I could still say, "I don't remember"

12 Familiarity breeds contempt

13 Don't put mе in the basement

14 Whеn I want the penthouse of your heart

15 Diamonds in my eyes

16 I polish up real, I polish up real nice

[Post-Chorus]

17 Nice

79
 [Verse 2]

18 Baby boy, I think I've been too good of a girl (Too good of a girl)

19 Did all the extra credit, then got graded on a curve

20 I think it's time to teach some lessons

21 I made you my world (Huh), have you heard? (Huh)

22 I can reclaim the land

23 And I miss you (Miss you), but I miss sparklin' (Nice)

[Chorus]

24 Best believe I'm still bejeweled

25 When I walk in the room

26 I can still make the whole place shimmer

27 And when I meet the band

28 They ask, "Do you have a man?"

29 I could still say, "I don't remember"

30 Familiarity breeds contempt

31 Don't put me in the basement

32 When I want the penthouse of your heart

33 Diamonds in my eyes

34 I polish up real, I polish up real nice

80
 [Post-Chorus]

35 Nice

[Bridge]

36 Sapphire tears on my face

37 Sadness became my whole sky

38 But some guy said my aura's moonstone

39 Just 'cause he was high

40 And we're dancin' all night

41 And you can try to change my mind

42 But you might have to wait in line

43 What's a girl gonna do?

44 A diamond's gotta shine

[Chorus]

45 Best believe I'm still bejeweled

46 When I walk in the room

47 I can still make the whole place shimmer (Shimmer)

48 And when I meet the band

49 They ask, "Do you have a man?"

50 I could still say, "I don't remember"

51 Familiarity breeds contempt

52 Don't put me in the basement

81
53 When I want the penthouse of your heart

54 Diamonds in my eyes

55 I polish up real (Nice), I polish up real nice

[Outro]

56 And we're dancin' all night

57 And you can try to change my mind

58 But you might have to wait in line

59 What's a girl gonna do? What's a girl gonna do?

40 I polish up nice

41 Best believe I'm still bejeweled

42 When I walk in the room

43 I can still make the whole place shimmer

10. Labyrinth

[Verse 1]

1 "It only hurts this much right now"

2 Was what I was thinkin' the whole time

3 Breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, breathe out

4 I'll be gettin' over you my whole life

[Pre-Chorus]

5 You know how scared I am of elevators

82
6 Never trust it if it rises fast

7 It can't last

[Chorus]

8 Uh-oh, I'm fallin' in love

9 Oh no, I'm fallin' in love again

10 Oh, I'm fallin' in love

11 I thought the plane was goin' down

12 How'd you turn it right around?

[Verse 2]

13 It only feels this raw right now

14 Lost in the labyrinth of my mind

15 Break up, break free, break through, break down

16 You would break your back to make me break a smile

[Pre-Chorus]

17 You know how much I hate

18 That everybody just expects me to bounce back

19 Just like that

[Chorus]

20 Uh-oh, I'm fallin' in love

21 Oh no, I'm fallin' in love again

83
22 Oh, I'm fallin' in love

23 I thought the plane was goin' down

24 How'd you turn it right around?

25 Uh-oh, I'm fallin' in love

26 Oh no, I'm fallin' in love again

27 Oh, I'm fallin' in love

28 I thought the plane was goin' down

29 How'd you turn it right around?

30 Uh-oh, I'm fallin' in love

31 Oh no, I'm fallin' in love again

32 Oh, I'm fallin' in love

33 I thought the plane was goin' down

34 How'd you turn it right around?

35 Uh-oh, I'm fallin' in love

36 Oh no, I'm fallin' in love again

37 Oh, I'm fallin' in love

38 I thought the plane was goin' down

39 How'd you turn it right around?

11. Karma

84
 [Verse 1]

1 You're talking shit for the hell of it

2 Addicted to betrayal, but you're relevant

3 You're terrified to look down

4 ‘Cause if you dare, you'll see the glare

5 Of everyone you burned just to get there

6 It's coming back around

[Pre-Chorus]

7 And I keep my side of the street clean

8 You wouldn't know what I mean

[Chorus]

9 'Cause karma is my boyfriend

10 Karma is a god

11 Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend

12 Karma's a relaxing thought

13 Aren't you envious that for you it's not?

14 Sweet like honey, karma is a cat

15 Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me

16 Flexing like a goddamn acrobat

17 Me and karma vibe like that

85
 [Verse 2]

18 Spiderboy, king of thieves

19 Weave your little webs of opacity

20 My pennies made your crown

21 Trick me once, trick me twice

22 Don't you know that cash ain't the only price?

23 It's coming back around

[Pre-Chorus]

24 And I keep my side of the street clean

25 You wouldn't know what I mean

[Chorus]

26 'Cause karma is my boyfriend

27 Karma is a god

28 Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend

29 Karma's a relaxing thought

30 Aren't you envious that for you it's not?

31 Sweet like honey, karma is a cat

32 Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me

33 Flexing like a goddamn acrobat

34 Me and karma vibe like that

86
 [Bridge]

35 Ask me what I learned from all those years

36 Ask me what I earned from all those tears

37 Ask me why so many fade, but I'm still here

38 (I'm still here, I'm still here)

[Breakdown]

39 'Cause karma is the thunder

40 Rattling your ground

41 Karma's on your scent like a bounty hunter

42 Karma's gonna track you down

43 Step by step, from town to town

44 Sweet like justice, karma is a queen

45 Karma takes all my friends to the summit

46 Karma is the guy on the screen

47 Coming straight home to me

[Chorus]

48 'Cause karma is my boyfriend (Karma is my boyfriend)

49 Karma is a god

50 Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend (Weekend)

51 Karma's a relaxing thought

52 Aren't you envious that for you it's not?

87
53 Sweet like honey, karma is a cat

54 Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me

55 Flexing like a goddamn acrobat

56 Me and karma vibe like that

[Outro]

57 Karma is my boyfriend

58 Karma is a god (Ah)

59 Uh-huh, mm

60 Karma's a relaxing thought

12. Sweet Nothing

[Verse 1]

1 I spy with my little tired eye

2 Tiny as a firefly

3 A pebble that we picked up last July

4 Down deep inside your pocket

5 We almost forgot it

6 Does it ever miss Wicklow sometimes?

7 Ooh, ooh

[Chorus]

8 They said the end is comin'

88
9 Everyone’s up to somethin'

10 I find myself runnin' home to your sweet nothings

11 Outside, they’re push and shovin'

12 You're in the kitchen hummin'

13 All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothin'

[Verse 2]

14 On the way home

15 I wrote a poem

16 You say, "What a mind"

17 This happens all the time

18 Ooh, ooh

[Chorus]

19 'Causе they said the end is comin'

20 Evеryone's up to somethin’

21 I find myself runnin’ home to your sweet nothings

22 Outside, they're push and shovin’

23 You're in the kitchen hummin'

24 All that you ever wanted from me was nothin'

[Bridge]

25 Industry disruptors and soul deconstructors

89
26 And smooth-talking hucksters out glad-handing each other

27 And the voices that implore, "You should be doing more"

28 To you, I can admit that I’m just too soft for all of it

29 Ooh

[Chorus]

30 They said the end is comin'

31 Everyone's up to somethin'

32 I find myself runnin' home to your sweet nothings

33 Outside, they're push and shovin'

34 You're in the kitchen hummin'

35 All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothin'

36 They said the end is comin' (They said the end is comin')

37 Everyone's up to somethin' (Everyone's up to somethin')

38 I find myself runnin' home to your sweet nothings

39 Outside, they're push and shovin' (Outside, they're push and shovin')

40 You're in the kitchen hummin' (You're in the kitchen hummin')

41 All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothin'

13. Mastermind

[Verse 1]

1 Once upon a time, the planets and the fates

90
2 And all the stars aligned

3 You and I ended up in the same room

4 At the same time

[Pre-Chorus]

5 And the touch of a hand lit the fuse

6 Of a chain reaction of countermoves

7 To assess the equation of you

8 Checkmate, I couldn't lose

[Chorus]

9 What if I told you none of it was accidental?

10 And the first night that you saw me

11 Nothing was gonna stop me

12 I laid the groundwork, and then

13 Just like clockwork

14 The dominoes cascaded in a line

15 What if I told you I'm a mastermind?

16 And now you're mine

17 It was all by dеsign

18 'Cause I'm a mastermind

91
 [Verse 2]

19 You see, all the wisеst women

20 Had to do it this way

21 'Cause we were born to be the pawn

22 In every lover's game

[Pre-Chorus]

23 If you fail to plan, you plan to fail

24 Strategy sets the scene for the tale

25 I'm the wind in our free-flowing sails

26 And the liquor in our cocktails

[Chorus]

27 What if I told you none of it was accidental?

28 And the first night that you saw me

29 I knew I wanted your body

30 I laid the groundwork, and then

31 Just like clockwork

32 The dominoes cascaded in a line

33 What if I told you I'm a mastermind?

34 And now you're mine

35 It was all my design

36 'Cause I'm a mastermind

92
 [Bridge]

37 No one wanted to play with me as a little kid

38 So I've been scheming like a criminal ever since

39 To make them love me and make it seem effortless

40 This is the first time I've felt the need to confess

41 And I swear

42 I'm only cryptic and Machiavellian

43 'Cause I care

[Chorus]

44 So I told you none of it was accidental

45 And the first night that you saw me

46 Nothing was gonna stop me

47 I laid the groundwork, and then

48 Saw a wide smirk on your face

49 You knew the entire time

50 You knew that I'm a mastermind

51 And now you're mine

52 Yeah, all you did was smile

53 'Cause I'm a mastermind

93