Taylor Swift is a songwriter who likes to give her listeners someone to root for. She’s a storyteller in its truest form. Though it’s never been confirmed, we feel inclined to believe those Swift secret author rumors. A novel wouldn’t be that much of a leap from the kind of writing she does in her songs. Few artists can paint such distinctive, fully fleshed-out portraits.
Videos by American Songwriter
Swift has quite the cast of characters (both real and imagined) in her songs. Find our favorites, below.
[RELATED: A Battle of Taylor Swift’s Songs: The Big Hits vs. Fan Favorites]
1. Betty, James, and Augustine
We’re kicking off our cast list with the teenage love triangle of Betty, James, and Augustine. The song “betty” is performed from the perspective of James, a 17-year-old who messed things up with the girl of his dreams. His regret over hurting Betty is palpable. You can nearly see a floppy-haired, skateboard-riding boy mustering up the courage to ask for forgiveness.
On the other point of the triangle is Augustine—the other woman, so to speak. Swift takes an objective point of view in “august.” It’s not only Betty that has been hurt by James. Augustine must live with the fact that, though they fooled around behind his girlfriend’s back, he was never hers to lose. Yet, the heartache is still there.
2. Este’s vengeful friend
In “no body, no crime,” Swift plays the role of an unnamed friend of “Este”—a wife who has fallen victim to her husband’s infidelities. When Este goes missing, it’s up to Swift’s main character to enact her revenge. It’s the stuff of an HBO drama. Swift gives her character a backstory, special skills, and a plan.
Good thing my daddy made me get a boating license when I was fifteen / And I’ve cleaned enough houses to know how to cover up a scene / Good thing Este’s sister’s gonna swear she was with me / Good thing his mistress took out a big life insurance policy, she sings in the crux of the song.
3. Rebekah Harkness
Swift doesn’t just sing about fictitious characters, she also dares to tell the definitive story of real-life figures as well. The folklore cut “the last great american dynasty” is the story of Rebekah Harkness. Harkness was a socialite, a lover of the arts, and wife of the heir to the Standard Oil fortune.
Her eccentricities are well documented in this track. Swift sings from a reverent point of view, heralding Harkness for her unbridled ability to be herself and her lust for life.
4. Ronan
One of Swift’s most poignant, heartbreaking songs is “Ronan.” Swift wrote the song for a real-life, three-year-old boy who lost his battle with neuroblastoma. Ronan’s mother documented her son’s journey on a blog. Swift stumbled across the blog and decided to pen her own ode to Ronan’s memory.
I remember you bare feet, down the hallway / I remember your little laugh / Race cars on the kitchen floor, plastic dinosaurs / I love you to the moon and back, Swift sings in acute detail.
5. Taylor Swift
It might be a little cheesy to say, but perhaps the most visceral character Swift creates with her music is…Taylor Swift. Of course, she tells her story in her lyrics. It would be impossible not to. But, there are many moments throughout her discography where Swift creates a sort of caricature of herself.
Examples that immediately come to mind are “Blank Space” (in which she leans into the gossip about being a serial dater) and “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince” (where she conflates her life with a high school romance). These are layered songs that are both hyperbolic and deeply candid.
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
