User:TheCartoonEditor/sandbox/August (Taylor Swift song)

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"August"
Song by Taylor Swift
from the album Folklore
ReleasedJuly 24, 2020 (2020-07-24)
Recorded2020
Genre
Length4:21
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Jack Antonoff
  • Taylor Swift
Lyric video
"August" on YouTube

"August" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It is the eighth track on her eighth studio album, Folklore, which was released on July 24, 2020, through Republic Records. "August" was written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff.

Background and release[edit]

"The sun drenched month of August, sipped away like a bottle of wine."

— Swift, July 24, 2020, after the release of "Folklore", describing the thought that led to "August"[1]

In early 2020, during the writing of what would become Folklore, Swift had an idea to write a collection of three songs known now as the "Teenage Love Triangle", consisting of "Cardigan", "August" and "Betty". Swift later talked about the Teenage Love Triangle in the YouTube live chat of the music video premiere of "Cardigan".

On July 23, 2020, Swift announced the release of Folklore, where "August" was placed as the eighth track.

Composition[edit]

"August" is a gloomy pop rock and dream pop track written in the first-person perspective.[2] Lyrically, the song is about a summer affair between two lovers: the unnamed protagonist of the song, and James, a seventeen-year-old boy who is mentioned in the track, who later in the album is revealed to be the protagonist of "Betty".[3] Musically, the song is set in the key of F major with a moderate tempo of 90 beats per minute (BPM). Swift's vocals range from F3 to C5.[4]

Critical reception[edit]

Writing for the Sydney Morning Herald, Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen called "August" the "[perfect slot] into the dream-pop genre," with its "shimmering vocal reverb over a calming aural blanket" and noted that "Swift's knack for catchy melodies and perfectly-timed key changes persevere." [2] The Rolling Stone described "August" as the album's "most plainly beautiful ballad", referring to it as the first song in a "trilogy of heavy hitters", including "This Is Me Trying" and "Illicit Affairs". [5]

Insider's Callie Ahlgrim and Courteney Larocca expressed "August" as "one of the best songs in Swift's extensive repertoire." Ahlgrim went on to say that "August" is "exquisite. It's lush and layered without feeling overwhelming at any point. It builds to the perfect level then recedes, like a wave."[6]

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[7]

  • Taylor Swift – songwriting, production
  • Jack Antonoff – songwriting, production, bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion, programming, record engineering
  • Evan Smith – electric guitar, flute, keyboards, saxophone
  • Bobby Hawk – strings
  • Randy Merril – master engineering
  • Jonathan Low – mixing, synth bass
  • Jon Gautier – record engineering
  • Laura Sisk – record engineering
  • Mike Williams – record engineering

Charts[edit]

Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[8] 13
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[9] 19
Malaysia (RIM)[10] 11
Singapore (RIAS)[11] 12
US Billboard Hot 100[12] 23
US Rolling Stone Top 100[13] 8

References[edit]

  1. ^ Richards, Will. "Read Taylor Swift's new personal essay explaining eighth album 'Folklore'". NME. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Au-Nhien Nguyen, Giselle. "Taylor Swift's new album is a fever dream you won't want to wake up from". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  3. ^ Carson, Sarah. "Taylor Swift, Folklore, review: a dazzling, timeless surprise album"". iNews. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  4. ^ Swift, Taylor; Antonoff, Jack. "august BY TAYLOR SWIFT - DIGITAL SHEET MUSIC". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Sheffield, Rob (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift Leaves Her Comfort Zones Behind on the Head-Spinning, Heartbreaking 'Folklore'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  6. ^ Ahlgrim, Callie; Larocca, Courteney (July 24, 2020). "Review: Taylor Swift's 'Folklore' might be the best album of her entire career". Insider. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  7. ^ "Folklore by Taylor Swift". Tidal. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  8. ^ "Taylor Swift – August". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  9. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  10. ^ "Top 20 Most Streamed International & Domestic Singles in Malaysia". Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  11. ^ "RIAS International Top Charts Week 31". Recording Industry Association (Singapore). Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; August 5, 2020 suggested (help)
  12. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  13. ^ "Top 100 Songs, July 24, 2020 - July 30, 2020". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 18, 2021.


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