The Unexpected Wisdom of “Blank Space”

Taylor Swift, recently reamed for creating the worst anthem about New York City ever, has come back with a fighting swing using her latest single (in a series of seemingly endless singles), “Blank Space.”

Perhaps the worse the tabloid fodder, the better Swift becomes–because this song is actually quite listenable (dare one say better than “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”?), particularly with regard to knowing lyrics like, “Love’s a game, wanna play?” Ordinarily, Swift tends to take herself too seriously, but by embracing the common perception of her as something of a Black Widow for men’s hearts, she ends up coming out on top, and not just in the bedroom.

And, to add to her general love sensei aura for this track, Swift insists, “Boys only want love if it’s torture,” a sentiment that’s largely true if you think about the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald or Henry Miller. So yes, maybe Swift is at last maturing musically–or at least spending the rest of her life making it up to us for having created “Welcome to New York.”