Hi all!

Welcome to a new segment on my blog! Each month, I will rank Taylor Swift’s track #1’s, #2,’s, #3’s etc – finishing with track #12’s in December. However, once TS13 is released, I will do a dedicated post ranking her track #13’s and so on. A quick disclaimer, I am going to be including The Anthology, as it is a full album. I will not be including vault tracks. If you wish to see my vault rankings for Fearless, Speak Now, Red & 1989 TV, click here.

Today I will be tackling Taylor’s track #3’s. This was almost impossible! It’s okay if you disagree. It’s just my opinion. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

1.) My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys 

It may sound crazy but my absolute favourite track 3 is My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys from The Tortured Poet’s Department. It hit me like a ton of bricks on first listen. In this self-written song, Taylor explores what happens when a narcissist discards you. Through the metaphor of being a shiny, coveted toy in the beginning, she tells us how rapidly things can change once the novelty wears off. The symbolism is pure perfection and the production, immaculate. How she manages to write devastating lyrics to upbeat sounds is beyond me. I never skip it. It got me through some very hard times in 2024.

Favourite lyric: “I’m Queen of sandcastles he destroys.” 

2.) Style

In second place, I have Style. No matter how often it is played, it never goes out of style. It’s top three for me on the record. Taylor was so clever referencing former flame, Harry Styles, in this way. I love how it opened the 1989 set on the Era’s Tour. Those emerging chords are addictive. It has a nighttime city feel to it. You can picture the pair driving in the dark; electricity sparking between them. I have such good memories attached to this track. It’s a perfect song. 

Favourite lyric: “He can’t keep his wild eyes on the road.” 

3.) The Last Great American Dynasty 

In third place, I have The Last Great American Dynasty from Folklore. I don’t blame Taylor for submitting this track to the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. It’s a masterpiece in storytelling. It even has a twist at the end! I may be a little biased. When Taylor sings your first name twice in a song, you can’t help but get attached. In this number, she recounts the story of Rebekah Harkness; a wealthy socialite, known for being a little too loud in her Rhode Island mansion. On first listen, it was hard to grasp why Taylor was referencing her…until the bridge. Not only were the women similar in many ways, they had both lived in the same house, during different time periods. It’s genius! 

Favourite lyric: “And then it was bought by me.” 

4.) Anti-Hero

In fourth place, I had to put Anti-Hero from Midnights because I never skip this song when it comes on. Taylor originally described it as the most vulnerable track she’s ever written. She dives deep into her insecurities as a mega-star and human being. It’s extremely relatable. We’ve all felt like the problem at times. I appreciate her giving us such a raw insight into her inner turmoil. She genuinely doesn’t understand why we would root for her. If that isn’t the saddest, most isolating self-belief, I don’t know what is.

Favourite lyric: “Did you hear my covert narcissism, I disguise as altruism, like some kind of congressman?”

5.) Love Story

I had to put Love Story in my top five. It’s so iconic. This is how you write a record-breaking hit at a young age. It perfectly captured the fantastical, whimsical elements of Fearless. In this track, Taylor subverts the Romeo & Juliet love story. Instead of dying tragically, they get to live out the rest of their lives married. There is a reason this song is the catalyst for many proposals. I remember being 21, watching the music video of a young Taylor in her stunning ballgown. I knew then I would stan her for life. That’s a real legacy to leave. 

Favourite lyric: “So close your eyes. Escape this town for a little while.” 

6.) Treacherous 

Treacherous is one of the best songs on Red. It’s a track I love belting in the car with no-one around. There is a real maturity and sensuality to the lyrics. Taylor sings about a relationship she knows won’t end well, yet wants to risk it anyway. It’s reckless, rocky and dangerous. With just one touch from her love interest, those insecurities are silenced. We’ve all been in a situationship like it before. Sometimes we need to make those mistakes. What I love most about this number is how it builds. It’s a cathartic release full of lust, yearning, pining and swooning. 

Favourite lyric: “All we are is skin and bone, trained to get along.” 

7.) Teardrops On My Guitar 

Teardrops on my Guitar is one of my favourite songs on Debut. The eventual Taylor’s Version is going to end me in the best way possible. I love the melodies – they take me to another planet. This track is the ballad version of You Belong With Me. Taylor is pining after a boy named Drew; convinced the girl he is after could never appreciate him the way she does. There is a real sadness to it. She knows it’s unrequited love, hence the tears falling as she plays her guitar. He sees right through her and her feelings. Absolutely beautiful. 

Favourite lyric: “He’s the song in the car I keep singing, don’t know why I do.” 

8.) Back To December 

Back to December used to be my favourite track on Speak Now but has since dropped over the years. When it first came out, I could really relate to it. I said goodbye to an ex in December that I still cared for. As you can imagine, this song got me through some very hard times at 19. For those new to the lore, Taylor wrote this song about former boyfriend, Taylor Lautner. He was a very loving partner that she didn’t appreciate at the time. This is a reflection of her regrets about the night things ended. Throughout her discography, there aren’t many tracks where Taylor has done the hurting. It takes a lot of vulnerability and honesty to share that with millions of listeners. 

Favourite lyric: “You gave me all your love and all I gave you was goodbye.” 

9.) Opalite 

In ninth place, we have Opalite from The Life of a Showgirl. It’s such a joyful number, reflecting on the lightning strikes one has to dance through in life, in order to find their person. The song asks you to forgive your past decisions, because they were all leading to a brighter future. Taylor liked the metaphor of man-made happiness, much like how the gem, opalite, is not naturally formed. Opal is also Travis’s birthstone. There’s a lot of wisdom, mixed with sparkly pop beats. It’s definitely a favourite amongst the fans. It has dropped in my ranking since the album first came out but the adorable music video helped me fathom it more.

Favourite lyric: “And all of the foes and all of the friends. Have messed up before, they’ll mess up again. Life is a song, it ends when it ends.”

10.) The Albatross

Up next is The Albatross from The Anthology. The minute I heard it, I thought of Ivy. It has such a witchy and mystical tone. I don’t know how Taylor continues to write such perfect metaphors. In this track, she is the albatross. In the past, men have warned other men about dating her, making her out to be some dangerous creature. By the end, she says what looks to be threatening, is more like an angel. There is nothing to fear, provided she is treated well. I go through phases with this song. Sometimes I’m obsessed, other times I skip. For this reason, it’s in 10th place.

Favourite lyric: “And you’re persona non grata.” 

11.) I Did Something Bad

I’m aware that putting I Did Something Bad third last is a very controversial placement. I don’t dislike it. I just don’t listen to it. I feel it’s a little overhyped. Having said that, I love Taylor’s bad girl energy in it. It fits perfectly on the Reputation record. After all, that album is about embracing the “villain” persona the media created for her in light of the Kanye West/Kim Kardashian drama. It was the beginning of her ‘witch’ era. She was being burned at the stake, even when she was innocent. This is how you spin straw into gold. 

Favourite lyric: “Light me up, go ahead and light me up.” 

12.) Lover

In second last place, I have Lover. I hate putting it so low because I think it’s a beautiful song. However, Taylor did assign it to the ‘denial’ category; a five stages of grief playlist she released around the same time as The Tortured Poet’s Department. For such a romantic track, it features an undertone of anxiety. Now that we know the truth about her relationship with Joe Alwyn, it’s difficult to buy into. The life she truly wanted with him at the time, she never ended up getting. I’m glad she’s receiving it now. 

Favourite lyric: “This is our place, we make the rules.” 

13.) Gold Rush

Sadly, my least favourite track 3 is Gold Rush from Evermore (her best album). It has never made much of an impression on me. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it. I just don’t rate it as highly as the others listed above. It could be about Joe (hence the ‘gold’) but I also question the lyric: “I can’t dare to dream about you anymore” in relation to Matty Healy. Ever since TTPD, her ‘storytelling’ sister records seem a lot more rooted in reality than we were originally led to believe.

Favourite lyric: “My mind turns your life into folklore.” 

Thank you so much for reading! How would you rank Taylor’s Track #3’s?

Peace & Love xoxo