Taylor Swift publishes playlist titled Folklore: The Escapism Chapter

Taylor Swift provided fans with the ultimate surprise last month, when she dropped her eight studio album Folklore. 

And the 30-year-old revealed to her Instagram followers that ‘in [her] head, the songs on folklore fit together in different groups and ‘chapters’ – based on how they fit together thematically.’  

‘I want to share the first one today. Here’s ‘folklore: the escapism chapter” wrote Swift, who published the ‘chapter’ to numerous music streaming platforms on Thursday.

Chapters: Taylor Swift revealed to her Instagram followers that ‘in [her] head, the songs on folklore fit together in different groups and ‘chapters’ – based on how they fit together thematically’

Folklore: the escapism chapter includes the Folklore Deluxe Edition bonus track The Lakes, which Swift debuted this week, as well as the songs Seven, Epiphany, Cardigan, Mirrorball, and Exile featuring Bon Iver.

It also features its own personalized artwork, which shows Swift walking down a dirt road in a woodland area with her back to the camera.

The Swift-curated playlist is currently available for download on Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, and SoundCloud.

Swift did not provide details in her post as to when the next Folklore chapter would be available to fans.

Swift-curated: 'I want to share the first one today. Here’s “folklore: the escapism chapter”' wrote Swift, who published the "chapter" to numerous music streaming platforms on Thursday; Taylor pictured in 2019

Swift-curated: ‘I want to share the first one today. Here’s ‘folklore: the escapism chapter” wrote Swift, who published the ‘chapter’ to numerous music streaming platforms on Thursday; Taylor pictured in 2019

The Cardigan songstress’ impromptu playlist came on the same day Rolling Stone reported that ‘signed Folklore CDs ‘just showed up” at various ‘independently owned record stores across America.’ 

A representative for Bull Moose, one of the record stores that received the signed albums, explained to the outlet that someone at Universal Music Group reached out to them on Tuesday night about the signed albums.

Specifically, the UMG rep asked Bull Moose if they would be interested in getting in on a ‘promotional sale for signed CDs by a major artist.’ 

‘I said ‘Sure, sounds like fun. Who’s the artist? and he said Taylor Swift. And I was pretty floored,’ explained Bull Moose.

Signed: The Cardigan songstress' impromptu playlist came on the same day Rolling Stone reported that 'signed Folklore CDs 'just showed up'' at various 'independently owned record stores across America'

Signed: The Cardigan songstress’ impromptu playlist came on the same day Rolling Stone reported that ‘signed Folklore CDs ‘just showed up” at various ‘independently owned record stores across America’

Shop small: A representative for Bull Moose, one of the record stores that received the signed albums, explained to the outlet that someone at Universal Music Group reached out to them on Tuesday night about the signed albums

Shop small: A representative for Bull Moose, one of the record stores that received the signed albums, explained to the outlet that someone at Universal Music Group reached out to them on Tuesday night about the signed albums

‘The idea, as I understand it anyway, was to partner up with Record Store Day to give something super cool for indie stores to sell to drive some foot traffic into stores to help those affected by the pandemic.’

For those interested in getting their hands on the rare signed copies, they were told that ‘the supply was limited to one per customer and that the situation was first-come-first-served.’ The albums could not be reserved by phone.  

Earlier this week, Swift announced that the deluxe edition of Folklore was available to stream or download, and that it featured a bonus track titled The Lakes.

And eagle-eared Swifties (or TS fans) were quick to point out that the new song seemingly touched upon the love feelings she has for her beau, actor Joe Alwyn, unlike much of the rest of Folklore which focuses on heartbreak.  

Prolific poetess: Taylor Swift took to her Instagram Tuesday to announce that the deluxe edition of Folklore is available to stream, and that it features a bonus track titled The Lakes

Prolific poetess: Taylor Swift took to her Instagram Tuesday to announce that the deluxe edition of Folklore is available to stream, and that it features a bonus track titled The Lakes

Swift, whose previous romances have been tabloid fodder ever since she came on the scene as a teen country star, has been notoriously private about her relationship with Joe, 29, but with The Lakes that is perhaps changing. 

With lyrics like, ‘Take me to the lakes, where all the poets went to die | I don’t belong and, my beloved, neither do you | Those Windermere peaks look like a perfect place to cry | I’m setting off, but not without my muse,’ Taylor seems to be singing about her private time with Alwyn. 

Windermere is most certainly a reference to England’s largest natural lake in the famous Lakes District, and since the couple has spent a lot of time together in the UK, the passage just might allude to their private time in the countryside.

Other lyrics seem to reference how much she values their privacy and shuns those that would encroach upon it: 

Heartthrob: Eagle-eared Swifties have been quick to point out that the new song seemingly touches upon the love feelings she has for her beau, actor Joe Alwyn; seen in 2019

Heartthrob: Eagle-eared Swifties have been quick to point out that the new song seemingly touches upon the love feelings she has for her beau, actor Joe Alwyn; seen in 2019

”And I want you right here | A red rose grew up out of ice frozen ground | With no one around to tweet it’ or ‘I’m not cut out for all these cynical clones | These hunters with cell phones’.

Another passage goes, ‘I’ve come too far | To watch some name-dropping sleaze | Tell me what are my Wordsworth,’ which sounds like both a jab as well as a reference to famous English poet William Wordsworth.  

To accompany the drop of The Lakes, Taylor both posted a wistful photo to her Instagram as well as a new lyric video to her YouTube account, which is made of a series of slow panned shots of heather and shrubbery typical of the British Isles.  

The prolific Swift was talking up The Lakes as far back as three weeks ago, when she posted the track listing for Folklore and identified it as a bonus track.

Sharing feelings: The prolific Swift was talking up The Lakes as far back as three weeks ago, when she posted the track listing for Folklore and identified it as a bonus track; seen in 2019

Sharing feelings: The prolific Swift was talking up The Lakes as far back as three weeks ago, when she posted the track listing for Folklore and identified it as a bonus track; seen in 2019

Loved up: Swift, whose previous romances have been tabloid fodder ever since she came on the scene as a teen, has been notoriously private about her relationship with Joe, but with The Lakes that is perhaps changing; seen together in October 2019

Loved up: Swift, whose previous romances have been tabloid fodder ever since she came on the scene as a teen, has been notoriously private about her relationship with Joe, but with The Lakes that is perhaps changing; seen together in October 2019

She also announced that the record, her eighth studio album, will have eight deluxe CD editions as well as eight deluxe vinyl editions, each with unique covers, photos and artwork that were available for one week.

And although The Lakes indeed seems to reference her romance with Alwyn, which began in late 2016 or early 2017, it is definitely not the first reference Swift has made to the handsome actor in her music.

While it already seems like eons ago that Taylor released Lover, her seventh studio album, last August, fans of that album remember the poppy track London Boy as a direct celebration of her link with Alwyn.

‘You know I love a London boy,’ she sang on that track, of the North London-born Alwyn. ‘I enjoy walking Camden Market in the afternoon | He likes my American smile | Like a child when our eyes meet, darling, I fancy you’. 

Cuties: lthough The Lakes indeed seems to reference her romance with Alwyn, which began in late 2016 or early 2017, it is definitely not the first

Cuties: Although The Lakes indeed seems to reference her romance with Alwyn, it is definitely not the first – just take a listen to London Boy on her previous album Lover