So Long, London

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"So Long, London"
Song by Taylor Swift
from the album The Tortured Poets Department
ReleasedApril 19, 2024 (2024-04-19)
Genre
Length4:22
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Taylor Swift
  • Aaron Dessner
Lyric video
"So Long, London" on YouTube

"So Long, London" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department (2024). She wrote and produced the track with Aaron Dessner. A chamber pop and synth-pop tune, "So Long, London" is set over to 4/4 house beats and has a piano and synthesizer instrumentation. Its lyrical content concerns a failed romance and explores a narrator processing the fallout and its aftermath. Some critics applauded the heartbreaking lyrics and Swift's songwriting in "So Long, London", while a few others found it lacking in depth.

Background and release[edit]

Taylor Swift started working on The Tortured Poets Department immediately after she submitted her tenth studio album, Midnights, to Republic Records for release in 2022. She continued working on it in secrecy throughout the US leg of the Eras Tour in 2023.[1] The album's conception took place around the time the media reported that Swift's six-year relationship with the English actor Joe Alwyn had ended.[2] She described it as her "lifeline" album which she "really needed" to make.[3] Republic Records released The Tortured Poets Department on April 19, 2024.[4] Track five on the album, "So Long, London", received particular fan interest prior to the album's release, because Swift had said that each of her albums' track five was its most vulnerable and emotionally intense.[2][5][6]

Music and lyrics[edit]

Swift wrote and produced "So Long, London" with Aaron Dessner.[7] It is a chamber pop[8] and synth-pop song[9] that is set to 4/4 house beats.[10] The track opens with Swift's multitracked vocals singing the title that, according to the Financial Times' Ludovic Hunter-Tilney, evoke "the ringing bells of London";[11] Cosmopolitan's Samantha Olson commented that they were reminiscent of a church choir.[12] The song is then instrumented by trembling synths and soft piano[13] against a muted electronic soundscape.[11] Olson thought that the beat has a "heartbeat feel" that evokes Swift's past songs "Wildest Dreams" (2014) and "You're Losing Me" (2023).[12] Jason Lipshutz of Billboard wrote that the "elastic synths sound like a shaking tightrope", while there are occasional "understated" piano and "ghostly" harmonies.[14] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote that the production builds up to a "climax that never actually comes".[10]

In the lyrics, the narrator details a love gone wrong. The ex-partner is portrayed as cold and disinterested,[15] and the narrator laments, "You left me at the house by the Heath" / "You sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days."[16] They portray Swift's character carrying "the weight of the rift", her "white-knuckle dying grip holding to your quiet resentment",[13] and her resentment ("I'm pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free").[17] She tries to save the relationship to no avail.[18] After processing the aftermath of a breakup, she bids goodbye to a partner and a community she once considered home.[19] The narrator eventually abandons the relationship with the lyric, "I stopped CPR, after all it’s no use / The spirit was gone, we would never come to"; Alyssa Bailey of Elle[20] and Cosmopolitan's Mehera Bonner contended that it was a reference to "You're Losing Me".[21] By the song's conclusion, Swift accepts her reality: "So long, London / Had good run / A moment of warm sun / But I'm not the one"[22] Bailey and Elena Nicolaou of Today.com, thought that the lyrics alluded to Swift's breakup with Alwyn.[20][18] Olson and Pitchfork's Shaad D'Souza described the track as an antithesis to "London Boy" (2019), a track about Swift's infatuation for an Englishman.[9][12]

Critical reception[edit]

Hunter-Tilney considered "So Long, London" a career highlight for Swift, praising how she recounts a doomed love affair "with sorrow and coiled anger" and the "beautifully chilly electronic landscape".[11] The song ranked fourth among the eighteen tracks, including the bonus songs in an album ranking by Lipshutz. He said the lyrics were "raw honesty".[14] The track is also ranked fourth in an album ranking by Olson, saying it "holds up to its track five predecessors."[12] Josh Kurp from Uproxx said it was a "chilling addition to the track five canon."[23] USA Today's Bryant West called the song a "heartbreak letter" to London, which Swift once resided in.[19]

Will Hodgkinson of The Times gave the song a five-star rating and wrote: "Heartfelt, tender and poetic, this is a real tearjerker."[16] Writing for Vogue Australia, Nina Miyashita called it "emotionally devastating."[24] Similarly, Rachel Martin of Notion said the track was the "most painful one yet."[25] Neil McCormick from The Daily Telegraph described the track as a "sumptuously sad and gorgeous, lyrically forensic dissection of a fading romance".[26] In the BBC, Mark Savage acclaimed the song as being "up there with the best things [Swift has] ever written".[27]

Writing for The Irish Times, Finn McRedmond praised Swift's vocals, saying it had "an irresistible buttery quality" and thought they were best utilized in a lower vocal register.[28] Mesfin Fekadu from The Hollywood Reporter considered it one of the best songs from the album.[29] In a less enthusiastic review, The Scotsman's Fiona Shepherd thought that despite the "tasteful beats" of "So Long, London", it was one of the album's tracks that "succumbed to same old tame old business as usual".[30] Mary Kate from The A. V. Club stated that "it’s easy, to point to an analog, musically or lyrically, from a previous album", comparing the track negatively to Midnights's "You're Losing Me", saying that "perhaps this wouldn’t be a detriment if we had time away from these repetitive themes".[31]

In a negative response, Pitchfork's Olivia Horn called Swift’s vocals "dirge", and pointed that the writing is, "at best, playfully unbridled and, at worst, conspicuously wanting for an editor. Swift piles the metaphors on thick, throws stuff at the wall even after something has stuck, picks up the things that didn’t stick and uses them anyway".[32] Grace Byron of Paste said the song's chorus lacked emotions Swift normally showcases. However, added that the song offered improved production from the album.[33]

Personnel[edit]

  • Taylor Swift – vocals, songwriter, producer
  • Aaron Dessner – producer, songwriter, recording engineer, drum programming, electric guitar, piano, synth
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • Bryce Bordone – mix engineer
  • Jonathan Low – recording engineer
  • Bella Blasko – recording engineer
  • Benjamin Lanz – synth, synth recording
  • Randy Merrill – mastering

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for "So Long, London"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Argentina (Argentina Hot 100)[34] 52
Australia (ARIA)[35] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[36] 40
Brazil (Brasil Hot 100)[37] 51
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[38] 5
Croatia (Billboard)[39] 17
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[40] 30
Denmark (Tracklisten)[41] 11
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[42] 39
France (SNEP)[43] 51
Global 200 (Billboard)[44] 4
Hong Kong (Billboard)[45] 21
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[46] 16
India (IMI)[47] 8
Indonesia (Billboard)[48] 25
Italy (FIMI)[49] 83
Lithuania (AGATA)[50] 28
Luxembourg (Billboard)[51] 8
Malaysia (Billboard)[52] 13
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[53] 34
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[54] 5
Norway (VG-lista)[55] 12
Philippines (Billboard)[56] 8
Portugal (Billboard)[57] 10
Singapore (RIAS)[58] 8
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[59] 32
South Africa (Billboard)[60] 15
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[61] 45
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[62] 8
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[63] 11
UK (Billboard)[64] 7
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[65] 44
UK Singles Sales (OCC)[66] 79
UK Streaming (OCC)[67] 7
US Billboard Hot 100[68] 5

References[edit]

  1. ^ Blistein, Jon (February 7, 2024). "Taylor Swift Reveals Tortured Poets Department Back Up Plan In Case She Didn't Win a Grammy". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Sisario, Ben (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Arrives With a Promotional Blitz". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  3. ^ Bonner, Mehera (February 16, 2024). "Taylor Swift Reveals Bonus Track Title and New Album Cover for The Tortured Poets Department". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  4. ^ "As The Tortured Poets Department drops, here's all Taylor Swift's albums ranked by sales". Music Week. April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  5. ^ Bonner, Mehera; Shah, Furvah (February 6, 2024). "Is Taylor Swift's 'So Long, London' about Joe Alwyn?". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  6. ^ Schultz, Kyley (April 18, 2024). "Taylor Swift fans know which new song holds extra meaning: Track 5". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  7. ^ "The Tortured Poets Department / Taylor Swift". Tidal. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  8. ^ Power, Ed (April 19, 2024). "If you expected a Taylor Swift revenge album, you were wrong". i. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  9. ^ a b D'Souza, Shaad (April 19, 2024). "8 Takeaways From Taylor Swift's New Album The Tortured Poets Department". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department Review – Fame, Fans and Former Flames in the Line of Fire". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department review—heartbreak inspires anguish, anger and a career highlight". Financial Times. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d Olson, Samantha (April 20, 2024). "The 5 Best Songs From Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department, Ranked". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Snapes, Laura (April 19, 2024). "Breakups, fantasies and her most cutting lyrics: inside Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department". The Guardian. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department: All 18 Tracks Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
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  19. ^ a b West, Bryan (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift breaks our hearts again with Track 5 'So Long, London'". USA Today. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  20. ^ a b Bailey, Alyssa (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's 'So Long, London' Lyrics Are Her Heartbreaking Goodbye to Joe Alwyn". Elle. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  21. ^ Bonner, Mehera (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Sings About Wasting Her Youth in 'So Long London', the One TTPD Song Fans Think Is About Joe Alwyn". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  22. ^ Brunker, Alicia (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift Seemingly Addressed Those Joe Alwyn Cheating Rumors in "Florida!!!"". InStyle. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  23. ^ Kurp, Josh (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Isn't The Breakup Album You Were Expecting — It's Better". Uproxx. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
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  28. ^ McRedmond, Finn (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department track by track – a manifesto for all the believers who will try at love one more time". The Irish Times. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  29. ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (April 19, 2024). "Review: On Tortured Poets, Taylor Swift Continues to Spill Her Own Tea (and the Flavor Is Mostly English Breakfast)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  30. ^ Shepherd, Fiona (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department review". The Scotsman. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  31. ^ Carr, Mary Kate (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department Is Stuck in the Past". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  32. ^ Horn, Olivia (April 22, 2024). "Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department / The Anthology Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
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