. folklore as a Debut 2.0:
a thread of lyric parallels

the 1 Tim McGraw

cardigan Teardrops On
My Guitar

the last great Mary’s Song
american dynasty

exile A Perfectly
Good Heart

my tears Cold As
ricochet You

mirrorball The Outside

seven A Place In
This World

august Invisible

this is me Tied Together
trying With A Smile

illicit affairs Stay Beautiful

invisible string Our Song

mad woman Picture To
Burn

betty Should’ve Said
No

peace I’m Only Me When
I’m With You

A lot of the songs on Debut, & most of the songs Taylor had written leading up to her record deal, drew on fictional relationships and the relationships she viewed from others in her life. Taylor has stated in interviews that she had been inspired by many stories she had consumed

over her life, and often used them as a basis for the relationships she wrote about before she had any of her own experience to draw on. Similar to folklore, Taylor drew upon fictional situations & the experiences of those around her to write many of the songs on the album.

Makes you think about the almost perfect full circle loop she created by using this similar approach of writing inspiration