The Black Dog

The Black Dog is a lyrical stand-out on the album. In classic Swift style, Swift uses a thing or place, such as the red scarf, as a symbol for a deeper meaning. In this case, the Black Dog represents the pain of an ex-partner forgetting about you. Swift struggles to understand how this person does not miss her when it is all she can think about. Referencing a recurring theme of death and mortality, she begs for someone to “hire a priest to come and exorcize my demons/even if I die screaming.” While ‘The Black Dog’ is already a lyrical masterpiece, the experimentation in the sound makes it even more haunting. The transition between a gentle piano accompaniment and the heavy beat drop adds so much complexity to the song.