Lover Analysis- Part V: "The Archer"

Now that Midnights is out, I find a lot of common themes between The Archer and Anti-Hero and Mastermind. Her duality coming into play in Anti-Hero and her being "The Archer" in Mastermind, hunting down Joe, but in a loving way <3

My favorite interpretation is that the last "combat, I'm ready for combat" means that she is ready to fight for the relationship. She doesn't finish with "I say I don't want that, but what if I do" so its my takeaway that the speaker is no longer talking about fighting with the subject and/or everyone else, but is ready to give it her all. Tracks (for me) with Long Story Short "when I dropped my sword, I threw it in the bushes and knocked on your door....but if someone comes at us, this time I'm ready (to fight for us)". Also, it's like "I'm not going to fight *this* (the relationship, the feelings, the insecurities), but I will fight *for* this". Does that makes sense?

Amanda M.

You are so welcome!

English Teacher KP

This is such an interesting analysis for such a layered song. Honestly, every time I hear it I interpret it differently lol, and I like that the lyrics allow for that freedom of interpretation. Also, as a non-native English speaker, I didn't know about the idiom of "cutting off your nose to spite your face", so that part always confused me. Thanks for explaining it!

Tania Hylian

Very interesting! I like this!

English Teacher KP

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I agree that it is nice to see this mature side from Taylor! I love it!

English Teacher KP

I always took that line to mean that there's a glamorization/glorification of conflict and confrontation in the movies. Film glamorizes war and battle, but it also glorifies petty drama. People like to see it because it's entertaining, but also because it's deemed as necessary. There's this idea that one must stand up for oneself and be brutal in defensing oneself...the main character must stand up against her bully, the protagonist must confront the antagonist, etc.

English Teacher KP

I actually didn't really like this song until now. I didn't understand it. I really admire that she is admitting to being the archer, the hunter, as well as the prey. This is very mature. I hit that point in my life where I had to self reflect and grow up so I can relate to this song more than I thought I could. I also never really thought about anxiety when she talks about pacing a room like a ghost and the room being on fire, invisible smoke. That is something that I can relate to in a big way. This analysis helped me understand and really like this song.

Deborah Nicholas

Thank you so much for sharing this! I've been there too, and you describe the experience so well! Also, great point about the beat of the song being like an accepted heartbeat!

English Teacher KP

As a person investiganting a possible general anxiety disorder, some parts of this song ressonates with me in a deeper level, specially the "the room is on fire, invisible smoke" part. To me it describes so well how anxiety can be debilitating and how our fears are so real yet so intangible, and smoke can be suffocating and dangerous, it can make your sight and breathing and thinking difficult, and that's how anxiety can feel sometimes, it's like you can't breath, think straight or see things through. I can't almost see this person walking around the room at night, when everyone else is sleeping, just overthinking and feeling the walls closing against them. I know I've been there. And the beating adds to this so much! It almost sounds like an accelerated heartbeat, the pounding sound never stopping. And last but not least this song reminds me of the French adaptation of Beauty and the Beast released on 2014 somehow, the archer and prey imagery in special.

Ingrid Veiga

My favorite thing is that it is different...but the same. She still has that same fighting spirit...only more mature and redirected. It's a a "realistic" transformation with nuance and substance. I agree with you; I love it so much, too!

English Teacher KP

One of my favorite details is the contrast in meaning from the “ready for combat” at the beginning (where she’s ready for a fight with her partner) to the same line at the end (where she’s ready to fight for their relationship to last) The story and her feelings progress through the song and she ends in a different place from where she began and I love it so much

Andrea

I did not notice this until you all pointed it out! Wow! Thank you!

English Teacher KP

Ooooohhh I LOVE that! You are so right about the way the music sounds! Great observation!

English Teacher KP

I love this song so much, thanks for doing a reaction to it!! Also musically, something that adds to the mood is the building of the beat but it never drops. you're kind of expecting it too and it just keeps droning on. I love it

Eden McFadden

I have so many thought on this song so I need to watch the video again. The very first time I listened I was waiting for the beat to drop for the chorus, but I realised she was building tension with the music all the way through then right at the end when she’s ready for combat the beat stops and you hear a bass string just ring out and To me that sounds exactly like the moment you let go of the arrow so at the end she is ready for combat and is fighting for the ones she loves.

Stacey Hall

I like how you mention that, though the song is autobiographical, it becomes about the listener. I think good music/literature should do just that. I find this song so relatable for that reason!

English Teacher KP

Maybe it’s because this song was at the end of the documentary, but I always kinda associated the lines “who could ever leave me darling/ but who could stay” with Taylor’s struggles dating while famous. Like on one hand how could you leave Taylor Swift, but on the other hand it has to be incredibly difficult to maintain a relationship under that kind of scrutiny. Then similarly, I see the line “all of my heroes die all alone” as further acknowledging that fame can be extremely isolating. But I also love that this song is obviously about Taylor (and she’s very open and honest in it), but it becomes about the listener. I can’t listen to this without reflecting it onto my own life and experiences, which I think really comes down to all of that great diction and the reflective tone of the song.

Sav Miller