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The Albatross

Bonus Track | THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY (2024)

“The Albatross” is track nineteen on THE ANTHOLOGY, the double album edition of Taylor’s eleventh studio album, THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT (2024). Written and produced by her and Aaron Dessner, the song is an introspective, melancholic ballad that blends literary symbolism with Taylor’s signature personal storytelling, reinforcing her ability to turn public perception into poetic introspection.

Background and Release

Taylor started working on THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT immediately after she submitted her tenth studio album, Midnights (2022) for release and continued working on it in secrecy throughout the first US leg of “The Eras Tour” in 2023. She reflected on the creation of the record as a “lifeline” for her, as it took place amidst countless media reports on her personal life and her relationships with Joe Alwyn, Matty Healy, and Travis Kelce:

«TORTURED POETS is an album that I think, more than any of my albums that I’ve ever made, I needed to make it. It was really a lifeline for me, just the things I was going through, and the things I was writing about. It kind of reminded me of why songwriting is something that actually gets me through my life. And I’ve never had an album where I needed songwriting more than I’d needed it on TORTURED POETS.»

Taylor Swift

“The Albatross” was announced as a bonus track on February 23, 2024, while Taylor was performing in Sydney (Australia) for “The Eras Tour.” Therefore, the song is part of the double-album edition of the record, THE ANTHOLOGY, which was released digitally on April 19, shortly after the standard edition.

Lyrical Theme

In nature, an albatross is a large seabird known for its extraordinary ability to live at sea for years without touching land. Metaphorically, the term “albatross” refers to an emotional or psychological burden—something that causes guilt, anxiety, or encumbrance. Taylor cleverly intertwines these meanings, using the imagery of the albatross to represent both isolation and resilience.

In the song, she explores themes of public scrutiny, personal reputation, and the emotional toll of being perceived as a burden in relationships. The title draws from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, where the albatross symbolizes both a curse and an unjustly assigned weight. Taylor adopts this metaphor, reflecting on how her romantic relationships are heavily analyzed and often portrayed as detrimental to her partners. The song highlights the warnings given to those who date her, suggesting that being with her comes with inevitable public fallout. In this way, she becomes a symbol of both misfortune and misunderstood intent.

By the end of the track, she reclaims the narrative, shifting from victim to agency. Rather than accepting the idea that she is solely a source of destruction, she asserts that she is also a force for love and devotion—the life her partner willingly chose. In doing so, she challenges the negative perceptions that have long followed her, turning the albatross from a symbol of burden into one of undeniable presence and power.

Production

“The Albatross” was co-produced by Taylor and her frequent collaborator Aaron Dessner. Musically, the song has been described as a haunting and emotionally complex ballad. The production utilizes traditional acoustic elements to create a raw and evocative atmosphere, allowing the introspective lyrics to take center stage. Speaking about his recording sessions with Taylor for the album, Aaron wrote:

«I believe these songs are some of the most lyrically acute, intricate, vulnerable and cathartic Taylor has ever written and I am continually astonished by her skills as a songwriter and performer.»

Aaron Dessner

Live Performances

“The Albatross” received its first live performance on June 29, 2024, in Dublin, during one of Taylor’s shows on “The Eras Tour” (2023-2024). She performed it as an acoustic mashup together with “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” (2017). The live audio was officially released on August 8, 2024. In Indianapolis on November 1, 2024, she paired it with “Holy Ground” (2012) on guitar.

Critical Reception

The song garnered significant critical acclaim for its intricate storytelling and evocative production. Critics have lauded its literary depth, noting its allusion to Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Commercial Performance

Upon the album’s release, “The Albatross” debuted and peaked at No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100, during the chart week ending on May 4, 2024.

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Wise men once said
“Wild winds are death to the candle”
A rose by any other name is a scandal
Cautions issued, he stood
Shooting the messengers
They tried to warn him about her

[Chorus 1]
Cross your thoughtless heart
Only liquor anoints you
She’s the albatross
She is here to destroy you

[Verse 2]
Wise men once said
“One bad seed kills the garden”
“One less temptress.
One less dagger to sharpen”
Locked me up in towers
But I’d visit in your dreams
And they tried to warn you about me

[Chorus 2]
Cross your thoughtless heart
Only liquor anoints you
She’s the albatross
She is here to destroy you
Devils that you know
Raise worse hell than a stranger
She’s the death you chose
You’re in terrible danger

[Bridge]
And when that sky rains fire on you
And you’re persona non grata
I’ll tell you how I’ve been there too
And that none of it matters

[Verse 3]
Wise men once read fake news
And they believed it
Jackals raised their hackles
You couldn’t conceive it
You were sleeping soundly
When they dragged you from your bed
And I tried to warn you about them

[Final Chorus]
So I crossed my thoughtless heart
Spread my wings like a parachute
I’m the albatross
I swept in at the rescue
The devil that you know
Looks now more like an angel
I’m the life you chose
And all this terrible danger

[Outro]
So cross your thoughtless heart
She’s the albatross
She is here to destroy you