Taylor Swift’s lyrics have also displayed an incredible narrative bent.
Sure, her observational touch is second to none, but perhaps Taylor’s finest gift is her ability to suggest inner movement, the passing of time and emotion in only a few words.
‘Carolina’ is a supreme example of this. Recorded for the film adaptation of Delia Owens’ blockbuster 2018 novel Where The Crawdads Sing, it’s a spartan piece of music with Americana inflections.
Reminiscent at times of Emmylou Harris’ bluegrass recordings in its innate simplicity, ‘Carolina’ seems to yearn towards a certain type of timelessness.
Taylor’s breathy vocal is minimalist yet potent, while the lyrics tie perfectly with key moments from the book itself.
Somehow distilling Delia Owens’ work – in all its breadth and depth – into a song of real brevity and power, ‘Carolina’ feels like a grand achievement.
Tune in now.
– – –
