Wikipedia

Dorothea (song)

"Dorothea" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). Swift wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. Musically, "Dorothea" combines Americana, folk, and country folk. Its production is driven by a honky-tonk piano, a tambourine percussion, and guitars. In the lyrics, the narrator reminisces an old friendship with Dorothea, who left their small hometown to pursue a Hollywood career when they were in their adolescence.

"Dorothea"
Song by Taylor Swift
from the album Evermore
ReleasedDecember 11, 2020 (2020-12-11)
Recorded2020
StudioLong Pond (Hudson Valley)
Genre
Length3:45
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Aaron Dessner
Lyric video
"Dorothea" on YouTube

Music critics praised "Dorothea" for its soothing composition and lyrical imagery. Commercially, it peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and reached the national charts of Australia, Canada, Portugal, and the United States. "Dorothea" received a gold certification in Australia. Swift performed the track live twice on her sixth concert tour, the Eras Tour (2023–2024).

Background and release

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During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Taylor Swift wrote and produced her eighth studio album, Folklore, with Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff.[1] She conceived it as a set of mythopoeic visuals in her mind, a result of her imagination "running wild" while isolating herself during the lockdowns.[2][3] Surprise-released on July 24, 2020, Folklore was met with critical acclaim and commercial success.[4][5] In September 2020, Swift, Antonoff, and Dessner assembled at Long Pond Studio in Hudson Valley to film Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, a documentary that features Swift performing all of the seventeen the tracks of Folklore and discussing the creative process and inspirations behind the album.[6][7] After filming, the three celebrated Folklore's success and unexpectedly continued writing songs while staying at Long Pond.[8] The result was Swift's ninth studio album, Evermore, which she described as a "sister record" to Folklore.[9]

"Dorothea" was one of two tracks that were initially written for Big Red Machine, a band consisting of Dessner and Justin Vernon; Dessner felt it was a continuation of the themes of Folklore and it was eventually included on Evermore.[8][10] "Dorothea" is the eighth track on the album, which was surprise-released on December 11, 2020.[11][12] The track debuted at number 47 on the Billboard Global 200 chart dated December 26, 2020.[13] In the United States, it reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart,[14] number 40 on the Rolling Stone Top 100 chart,[15] and number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[16] "Dorothea" peaked at number 34 in Canada,[17] number 47 in Australia,[18] and number 173 in Portugal.[19] In the United Kingdom, it reached number 74 on the Audio Streaming chart.[20] The track received a gold certification in Australia.[21]

Swift performed "Dorothea" as a "surprise" song twice on her sixth concert tour, the Eras Tour (2023–2024). She played the track for the first time on piano at the second show in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 8, 2023.[22][23] She performed it on acoustic guitar as part of a mashup with her 2019 song "It's Nice to Have a Friend" at the third Edinburgh show of the tour on June 9, 2024.[22][24]

Production and composition

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Swift wrote "Dorothea" with Dessner, who produced the track and recorded it at Long Pond with the mixer Jonathan Low. Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone mastered it at Sterling Sound Studios in Edgewater, New Jersey, and Laura Sisk recorded Swift's vocals at Kitty Committee Studio in Los Angeles. Dessner played bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, and tambourine. Other musicians who played instruments include JT Bates (drum kit, percussion), Thomas Bartlett (piano, keyboards, synthesizers), Josh Kaufman (electric guitar, acoustic guitar), and Benjamin Lanz (modular synth).[7]

 
"Dorothea"
A sample of the refrain of "Dorothea", featuring a honky-tonk piano, Swift's lower vocal register, and lyrics about reminiscing an old friendship
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Dorothea" is three minutes and forty-five seconds long.[25] Music journalists identified it as an Americana,[10] folk,[26] and country folk song,[27] instrumented by a honky-tonk piano,[9][28] a tambourine percussion, guitars,[29] and a "whirling" acoustic arrangement.[30] Swift sings with her lower vocal register during the refrain.[31][32] NME's Hannah Mylrea thought that the vocal melodies were reminiscent of her debut studio album, Taylor Swift (2006).[33]

Lyrically, "Dorothea" and the fellow album track "'Tis the Damn Season" revolve around a fictional story set in Tupelo, Mississippi. The narrative of "Dorothea" consists of two characters, Dorothea and the narrator, who were childhood friends until Dorothea moved to Los Angeles to pursue a Hollywood career.[34][35][36] The narrator expresses her happiness for Dorothea's success and that she will always support her ("You're a queen, selling dreams/ Selling make up and magazines/ From you I'd buy anything").[35] She reminisces her memories with her, such as a skipped prom and feelings of separation.[29] In the refrain, the narrator convinces herself that Dorothea was happier in the small town and she might return one day ("It's never too late to come back to my side/ The stars in your eyes shined brighter in Tupelo/ And if you're ever tired of being known for who you know/ You know, you'll always know me").[32][37]

Critical reception

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Music critics praised "Dorothea" for its composition and lyrical imagery. Brodie Lancaster of The Sydney Morning Herald dubbed it a "masterwork of a character study",[35] and Deborah Krieger of PopMatters considered it the highlight of Evermore and an "immediate classic".[31] The latter lauded the soothing nature of the song,[31] and Paste's Ellen Johnson similarly praised the soft electronic composition and the "carefully crafted" lyrical imagery.[38] The Guardian's Alexis Petridis commended the melody as "luminous" and believed that "Dorothea" succeeded in reversing the "old country cliché" of a celebrity saying that their life of fame pales in comparison to the coziness of their small hometown.[37] Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield considered it a "hidden sequel" to Swift's 2020 song "The Lakes" and picked "The stars in your eyes shined brighter in Tupelo" as his favorite lyric from the track.[39] "Dorothea" appeared in rankings of Swift's discography by Vulture's Nate Jones (89 out of 245)[40] and Sheffield (152 out of 274).[39]

Personnel

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Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Evermore.[7]

  • Taylor Swift – vocals, songwriter
  • Aaron Dessner – producer, songwriter, recording engineer, bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, tambourine
  • Jonathan Low – recording engineer, mixer
  • Laura Sisk – vocal recording engineer
  • Greg Calbi – mastering engineer
  • Steve Fallone – mastering engineer
  • JT Bates – drum kit, percussion
  • Thomas Bartlett – piano, keyboards, synthesizers
  • Josh Kaufman – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
  • Benjamin Lanz – modular synth

Charts

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Weekly chart performance of "Dorothea"
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[18] 47
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[17] 34
Global 200 (Billboard)[13] 47
Portugal (AFP)[19] 173
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[20] 74
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 67
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[14] 13
US Rolling Stone Top 100[15] 40

Certification

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Certification for "Dorothea"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[21] Gold 35,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Blistein, Jon (November 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift to Release New Folklore Film, The Long Pond Studio Sessions". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  2. ^ "'It Started with Imagery': Read Taylor Swift's Primer for Folklore". Billboard. July 24, 2020. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  3. ^ Suskind, Alex (December 9, 2020). "Taylor Swift Broke All Her Rules with Folklore — and Gave Herself a Much-Needed Escape". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  4. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (July 24, 2021). "Taylor Swift Releases 'The Lakes (Original Version)' on Folklore One-Year Anniversary: Listen Now". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  5. ^ DeSantis, Rachel (December 5, 2023). "Taylor Swift's Cowriter Aaron Dessner Recalls Her 'Cooking Everyone Breakfast and Dinner' at Her Home (Exclusive)". People. Archived from the original on December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  6. ^ Winn, Layne; Larramendia, Eliana (November 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift Announces Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions Intimate Concert Film for Disney+". ABC News. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Swift, Taylor (2020). Evermore (CD deluxe edition liner notes). Republic Records. B003340502.
  8. ^ a b Havens, Lyndsey (December 18, 2020). "Aaron Dessner on the 'Weird Avalanche' That Resulted in Taylor Swift's Evermore". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Shaffer, Claire (December 11, 2020). "Taylor Swift Deepens Her Goth-Folk Vision on the Excellent Evermore". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Shaffer, Claire (December 18, 2020). "Aaron Dessner on How His Collaborative Chemistry With Taylor Swift Led to Evermore". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  11. ^ Rosa, Christopher (December 10, 2020). "Taylor Swift Is Releasing Her 9th Album, Evermore, Just Five Months After Folklore". Glamour. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  12. ^ Lewis, Isobel; O'Connor, Roisin (December 11, 2020). "Taylor Swift Releases New Album Evermore – Everything We Know So Far". The Independent. Archived from the original on January 4, 2024. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. December 17, 2020. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  17. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  18. ^ a b "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 21 December 2020". The ARIA Report. No. 1607. Australian Recording Industry Association. December 21, 2020. p. 4.
  19. ^ a b "Taylor Swift – Dorothea". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  21. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Gomez, Dessi (December 8, 2024). "All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Played on Her Eras Tour". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  23. ^ Jasso, Silke (July 10, 2023). "Taylor Swift Starts Over Twice After Forgetting Lyrics to 'Last Kiss' mid Concert". American Songwriter. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  24. ^ West, Bryan (June 9, 2024). "Taylor Swift Mashes Up 'Crazier' from Hannah Montana with This Lover Song in Scotland". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 19, 2024. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  25. ^ Swift, Taylor (January 7, 2021). "Evermore (Deluxe Edition)". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  26. ^ Zaleski 2024, p. 200.
  27. ^ Horton, Ross (December 11, 2020). "Taylor Swift Returns for a 2020 Victory Lap on Evermore". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  28. ^ Ahlgrim, Callie; Larocca, Courteney (December 11, 2020). "Review: Taylor Swift Evermore Is a Great Follow Up to Folklore". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 27, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  29. ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (December 14, 2020). "Every Song Ranked on Taylor Swift's Evermore: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  30. ^ Olivier, Bobby (December 11, 2020). "Taylor Swift's Evermore Is an Undeniable Folk-Pop Masterpiece". Spin. Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  31. ^ a b c Krieger, Deborah (December 15, 2020). "Taylor Swift Has Written the Best Music of Her Career with Evermore and Folklore". PopMatters. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  32. ^ a b Bailey, Alyssa (December 11, 2020). "Taylor Swift's 'Dorothea' Lyrics Sparked Selena Gomez Fan Theories. Taylor Laid Out the Truth". Elle. Archived from the original on December 30, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  33. ^ Mylrae, Hannah (December 11, 2020). "Taylor Swift – Evermore Review: The Freewheeling Younger Sibling to Folklore". NME. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  34. ^ Crone, Madeline (December 11, 2020). "Taylor Swift Evermore Is Ready For Your Record Player, Radio Play Be Damned". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  35. ^ a b c Brodie, Lancaster (December 11, 2020). "Taylor Swift Is Back, Stronger than Ever Before". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  36. ^ Willman, Chris (December 11, 2020). "Taylor Swift Has Her Second Great Album of 2020 With Evermore: Album Review". Variety. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  37. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (December 11, 2020). "Taylor Swift: Evermore – Rich Alt-Rock and Richer Character Studies". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  38. ^ Johnson, Ellen (December 15, 2020). "Taylor Swift's Evermore Is Folklore's Charismatic Companion". Paste. Archived from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  39. ^ a b Sheffield, Rob (October 26, 2024). "All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  40. ^ Jones, Nate (May 20, 2024). "All 245 Taylor Swift Songs, Ranked". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2024.

Source

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Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dorothea_(song)&oldid=1267605338"
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