For context on the history behind the name Alcott, please read this summary I’ve put together:
<aside> 📎 Matt appeared on The Zane Lowe Show, where he revealed that he wrote the song about his wife, Carin Besser, who he frequently collaborates with. "It very much is a perspective of one person sort of coming to try to reconnect with the other person in a hotel bar," he said. "I’d written all that side of it, and Aaron [Dessner, The National's guitarist] sent it to Taylor right away, and I think she jumped right into the role of the other voice, the other perspective … It sets a scene of a person with a notebook writing in a bar … and she fit right into that spot." Info from: https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/music/a43739948/taylor-swift-the-national-the-alcott-lyrics/
</aside>
As this is a collaboration, my analysis will be separated into different types:
Lyrics Written By Taylor The parts that Taylor wrote, will be analysed as part of her art & added to the theme database.
Lyrics Written by Matt and Carin Matt Berninger made it obvious in the interview above that Taylor only collaborated with writing the part of the person with the notebook, so the lyrics that Matt wrote with his wife Carin will not be included in the theme database. I will, however, analyse these lyrics based on how the perspective of this other person could touch on themes that Taylor has previously touched on in her discography. The way that Matt speaks in the above interview gives a sense that Taylor fit very quickly and easily into the role of the person writing in the bar, which makes me think that Matt’s lyrics resonated with Taylor.
[Verse 1: Matt Berninger] I get myself twisted in threads
To meet you at The Alcott
I'd go to the corner in the back
Where you'd always be
And there you are, sittin' as usual
With your golden notebook
Writing something about someone
Who used to be me
[Chorus: Matt Berninger & Taylor Swift, Matt Berninger**]**
And the last thing you wanted
Is the first thing I do
I tell you my problems
You tell me the truth
It's the last thing you wanted
It's the first thing I do
I tell you that I think I'm fallin'
Back in love with you
[Chorus: Matt Berninger & Taylor Swift, Matt Berninger**]**
I sit there silently
Waitin' for you to look up (Ah)
I see you smile
When you see it's me
I had to do something
To break into your golden thinking (Ah)
How many times will I do this
And you'll still believe? (Ah)
[Chorus: Matt Berninger & Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift**]**
It's the last thing you wanted
(Tell me, which side are you on, dear?)
It's the first thing you do
(Give me some tips to forget you)
You tell me your problems
(Have I become one of your problems?)
I tell you the truth
(Could it be easy this once?)
It's the last thing you wanted
(Everything that's mine is a landmine)
It's the first thing I do
(Did my love aid and abet you?)
I tell you that I think I'm fallin'
Back in love with you
[Bridge: Matt Berninger, Taylor Swift]
And I'll ruin it all over
I'll ruin it for you
I'll ruin it all over
And over like I always do
I'll ruin it all over
(Why don't you rain on my parade?)
I'll ruin it for you
I'll ruin it all over
And over like I always do
('Cause I love this curse on our house)
[Chorus: Matt Berninger, Taylor Swift]
It's the last thing I wanted
(Tell me, which side are you on, dear?)
It's the first thing I do
(Give me some tips to forget you)
I tell you my problems
(Have I become one of your problems?)
And you tell me the truth
(Could it be easy this once?)
It's the last thing I wanted
(Everything that's mine is a landmine)
It's the first thing I do
(Did my love aid and abet you?)
I tell you that I think I'm fallin'
Back in love (Back in love)
Back in love with you
[Outro: Taylor Swift]
Back in love with you