Taylor Swift - Happiness Reaction

[@aurorasadprose13]

No one: Not a single soul: Taylor: let's write one of the most depressing songs of my career and name it ' HaPpiNeSs'

[@IzzyIzenstain]

Haha!

[@QbertJames]

This song was my most played for the first part of 2024, until TTPD was released. Separation and finding yourself isnt easy, but it's worth it.

[@ThatBeckywatches]

This made my day ❤. Thank you so much. I married my high school sweetheart, ages 17-42. Finding contentment, being able to see the forest from the trees, meeting the “new” me or the “original” me has been more painful than it has been exhilarating. We are entangled in every recipe, every Christmas tree ornament, every memory as an adult. This song manages to validate some of the experience while also reinforcing the importance moving forward.

[@IzzyIzenstain]

Lovely to hear, Becky! You're very welcome! The "original" me is an interesting thought, as recently I've realised I'm becoming the original me again after 20 plus years. Didn't even realise I'd lost him along the way. Stay strong, Becky! Good things will happen!

[@musicfangirl7403]

Even after all the great songs on the Tortured Poets Dept, I still think this is her most mature song. It speaks of sadness and loss but without Taylor’s usual pettiness or scorching anger. I think there’s a place for those feelings, but sometimes you’re just sad and you need to pick yourself up and move on.

[@JessMessica]

This song is so beautiful. It is sad, but it is also about letting go. Be brave. Be vulnerable. You will never experience the true, full gift of love if you are closed off due to fear.

[@Kelly-i4j]

Evermore is my fav album ❤❤

[@randystalnaker6700]

Mine as well...

[@CindyEvens-nh2tm]

I appreciate the way your thoughts give me pause. Add to my musings

[@sarawalsh3479]

I believe that you can't achieve happiness while pursuing happiness. I also believe that happiness is one of the hardest things to recognize unless it's in the past tense because it's happens alongside all the rough stuff too. I have found happiness in the freedom of a failing grade, in a tense chess competition in the throes of thinking deeply about the game in progress, standing alone in the rain. It's in allowing yourself to enjoy what is rather than what you expected or what you think you deserve. It's parents of a really young child and not realizing how much you loved those years until you can finally take a deep breath from the stresses of those years.

[@roseelliott2728]

An absolute stunner of a song especially the orchestral build up at the end. The lesson I got from this is that happiness comes when you “leave it all behind” whether it’s a relationship, bad habits, self hate anything that doesn’t serve your higher purpose. It’s all in the letting go❤

[@lulsi0830]

Oh my gosh this made me cry first time I heard this. Can’t wait to hear your take!

[@sandybourdeau9300]

This song amazes me. It amazes me that she’s so full of insight. Your candor in your reactions is wonderful. Thank you and Merry Christmas.

[@IzzyIzenstain]

Thanks, Sandy! Merry Christmas!

[@carolynnewcomb2153]

Beautiful, insightful lyrics. Good material to ponder!

[@AanandKanthwal]

Your mind mesmerises me. Loved the reaction!

[@IzzyIzenstain]

Thanks, my friend! Glad to have you here.

[@abdullahtv3167]

Happiness is simply an act of letting go, in any aspect of life, no matter what the intensity of situation is.

[@IzzyIzenstain]

I like that!

[@donnahall3040]

The Best at everything she does, I think she has something in the works,, We shall see.❤

[@shelleynull6532]

What's wild is I've been in the music scene for 37 ish years. My entire identity was music. Only ever have dated musicians... married one. after a 30 year relationship and 25 year marriage to get left snd divorced a man who was my life now I can say he was my wold and he was my demise in many ways. I often look at it and I'm sure forever that he was the love of my life however I'm happy we are not married now. There is no erasing him but there is content with knowing what it was and I'm not looking back and irony is I have two professional musician sons and we still work in music I'm happy to not be in that marriage now. There is freedom and happiness letting it go. I always subscribed to life hard die young... well here we are not do so young and looking forward

[@MBella123]

This is such a sad song, beautiful but so sad 🥺

[@patriciaoutland1453]

My second time hearing this song and it still made me cry. Love your reactions!

[@donnahall3040]

That's why I'm single. Walls are up big time, my fiance passed away in my bed, He passed away from a head trauma.

[@JessMessica]

I'm so sorry for your loss. ❤

[@IzzyIzenstain]

Sending good vibrations your way, Donna!

[@lizamurphy5844]

I'm so sorry x

[@nikitasarmah21]

"Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." - Buddha 😅❤

[@patriciaoutland1453]

I know you had mention about listening to Taylor and Christmas music a while back. Well this is a link to a live performance she did of her song she wrote called Christmas Tree Farm. She grew up on a christmas tree farm. Taylor Swift - Christmas Tree Farm (Live at Capital's Jingle Bell Ball 2019) | Capital

[@IzzyIzenstain]

Thanks, Patricia! I am going to do some Christmas reactions for next week. I'll do this one.

[@patriciaoutland1453]

@@IzzyIzenstain sounds great! I know during this performance in the back ground she has home videos of her as a baby and on up in age too.

[@Loud_Nimai]

Another fantastic thoughtful reaction! Thank you for sharing what comes to mind, its part of enjoying music :) At the end when you were talking about grasping to understanding but it kind of slips away... the word I have heard for those moments is "Glimmer" Its like a feeling, a flash, that you understand and it makes sense but then it floats right by. This was postulated as the opposite of that feeling of dread, of separation, of doom and loneliness and darkness and chaos. And the idea is that if we accept that these sparks of inspiration will keep appearing. We can observe, enjoy and learn, without the need to hold on.

[@IzzyIzenstain]

Thanks! It is about letting go and relaxing isn't it. Tension kills everything.

[@kathmorr4734]

You should do tolerate it soon :)

[@reginacabonilas6001]

My husband and I came so close to divorce last year and this album got me through it..

[@aurorasadprose13]

Please keep reacting to folklore long pond studio sessions including dialogs it was very enjoyable.❤️

[@IzzyIzenstain]

I will get back to it soon. Maybe will do the whole thing on Patreon.

[@aurorasadprose13]

@IzzyIzenstain We're looking forward to it! 🥰

[@donnahall3040]

I know for me, When my only child in my life passed away, I for sure lost my self, Thank God I still sometimes wonder why did I have to die inside too this day, I still haven't figured it out, It brought me closer to the Lord, I would not have survived it, If wasn't for the Lord, I probably would not be here today.All that matters in life . Yes I agree with you about love . The most simple things in life are eventually defined us, , I do believe in true love yes security is very important.

[@randystalnaker6700]

The speculation is Taylor wrote this song about her best friend Abigail's divorce at the time...she went to school with Abigail, and they have remained very close friends throughout the years, Taylor has written many songs about Abigail, the most well known being her song Fifteen. I think Swifties can fill in the blanks for me if there is more, I am sure I missed alot...

[@takethecannoIi]

It's not a speculation, Taylor said it on her interview for Apple Music (Taylor Swift’s Songwriting Process on ‘evermore’ | Apple Music).

[@randystalnaker6700]

@takethecannoIi thank you so much...I appreciate it...Merry Christmas

[@takethecannoIi]

@@randystalnaker6700 no problem and Merry Christmas 🎄

[@MikaiasWerneck]

Waiting when you react to Evermore and Folklore's songs. 🎉

[@karehelene]

Interesting topics today, Izzy. I tend towards reincarnationism too. My thoughts on that are that we are not aiming for perfection, but for perfect goodness. So, each lifetime is striving to be a better, nicer, kinder person. Going on, is contentment enough or do you become discontent with contentment because the feeling isn't enough? Where is the joy? And is joy even achievable or only momentary? I can truthfully say the only time I ever felt joy was in a dream. I've wanted it ever since but haven't found it. I do know things or other people can't make you happy. Happiness is an attitude and it's within yourself and how you react. I think it's easy to say I love someone, they make me happy, but I think you make yourself happy. That is the reaction you have to feeling love for someone else. Very esoteric *smile*. Then full circle to "7-year itch". Does this happen because contentment isn't enough? This is why they say relationships are work. So many fail due to one reason, lack of communication. I'm discontent, what can we do together to shake up our relationship and enhance ourselves? Much easier to call it a loss, which leads to the toxicity you alluded to.

[@IzzyIzenstain]

Interesting thoughts, Karen. I enjoyed reading. Thanks!

[@donnahall3040]

I have found that you don't really know your partner until you live with that person, I think that is a good thing for me anyway, If I find that my partner is a different person after living with him, I know wether or not we are truly compatible.