Honestly, freedom felt like summer then, on the coast has gotta be of the most quintessential Taylor lines ever, I’m telling you. It’s a lesser used motif in Taylor’s songs but I’m so fascinated by her use of “the coast” and “the beach” as and how it has only really surfaced (lol) in her mid to late periods (so far). Both in the safe haven it represents to her on its own but also how it’s often a foil to “the ocean”, and how a commonly used metaphor really works beautifully in her hands and fleshes out her worldview. 

That line really cements this to me where she starts with a broad and abstract simile of “summer” but then zeroes in on what she meant by that by adding specifically “the coast.” Just flat out saying beaches make her feel free, which yes it’s an obvious but great choice to represent freedom. Beaches are seemingly endless when you’re on them, most of the time removed from the markers of modern society, and empty save sand and sky, unencumbered by even nature. And you can see that through line in a lot of her previous work more subtly as well. “Drinking on the beach with you all over me” on an album and song famously depicting her absconding with her lover to places where they’re safe from wandering eyes and free from having to perform what ever fronts they feel they have to put up. Snow on the Beach is an entire song that depicts the beach as this dreamy place of vulnerability, even if the song isn’t specifically set on a literal beach. It’s frequently invoked in the chorus, painting a vast sandy landscape blanketed in snow, as tranquil as the songs production and how peaceful she felt falling for someone at that time. In Gold Rush she does again set the scene on the coast, where “the coastal town we wandered round had never seen a love as pure as this” provides a quiet safe haven to once again feel free to love and express love. Depicting even towns along the coast as less traveled and free of pressure or expectations; places to aimlessly wander, endlessly if you wish. Even in TLGAD she uses it to portray freedom for characters outside of herself, with “The salt box house on the coast took her mind off St. Louis.” The beach provides a freedom and reprieve for Rebekah from the assumed suffocation of a city and all the social expectations that come with it. The beach is so clearly a source of unencumbered happiness for her because it's a place of physical remove, but it’s even better exemplified by how it specifically acts as a foil to the ocean in her work. 

She’s always depicting the ocean as a metaphorical place of helpless tumult and dark unknowns. How she is “out on waves being tossed” in evermore with the ocean as a place without mercy or “if your cascade ocean wave blues come” where it’s an unstoppable force of sadness and unrest. In both of those, people are also physically taken over by the will of the ocean, a depiction of life’s painful inevitabilities that she recognizes as such but feels helpless against. Even how she visually depicts her gripping to her piano in the Cardigan video as the ocean tosses her around with no land in sight. Sometimes she herself is the ocean, with “I’m like the water when your ship rolled in that night. Rough on the surface…” where she is as untamable and damaging as the ocean. She uses the ocean to recognize danger and uncertainty in others, like with “ocean blue eyes looking in mine. I feel like I might sink and drown and die” which is hyperbolic yes, but still. The ocean she sees in their eyes is not beautiful but all consuming and potentially emotionally fatal for her in how it will consume her. Or to recognize the fearlessness in someone like how her boy in Midnight Rain was “jumping off things in the ocean” which is a terrifying place for her, but here he comes off a steady and solid in his ability to jump into it for fun and it doesn’t take him. The ocean is always bigger than her, standing in for the power of letting go with “the battleships will sink beneath the waves” and also standing in for the great unknown of committing yourself to someone with “we were stupid to jump in the ocean separating us.” 

But most exciting to me is when these two metaphorical ideas of ocean and beach meet. “High tide came and brought you in” is a great one because here, she is safe on the shore, no longer putting herself at risk. But then, this great beast of the unknown brings her something; presumably something she wanted and potentially something good. But then “currents swept you out again” as the blue beast took it back. Unable to endure the thrashing ocean herself, she perches on the beach instead and waits. The beach in contrast to the active and churning ocean is a still place, a passive place. Freedom isn’t just an ability to hide from the world or a reprieve from the expectations of the world, but it can also be a reprieve from the expectations you put on yourself. Allowing yourself to rest and let come what may. The beach is also that for her, where she’s free from her own crushing thoughts and worries. Even when she herself is the ocean, thrashing about in her own mind, with “my waves meet your shore” she seeks the quiet and the serenity of the beach to soothe her and calm her. The soft expanse of sand to break her waves on and sink her foamy tide waters into. Control is one of the main things she seems to seek in all aspects of her life, in the way of control of her own story, her own personal space, her own agency, and the people around her in ensuring they won’t abandon her. In many ways, the ocean is outside herself in her use of it, but it’s always an extension of her, be it her fears of that loss of control or just fear of any unknown in life. It’s always a stand in for those parts of her in that way, her dark shadow swelling and swallowing everything whole if she lets it. The beach as her foil that becomes freedom from the grips and weight of the ocean, but also that first gasp of air knowing you are on land again, can find your footing again, solid ground. You can say she’s searching for that beach, that tranquil coast within herself to evade the trappings of the bottomless ocean within herself, but you could also say that in some cases, she is the ocean. Tired of her own restlessness and endless tumult, she’s forever searching for people in her life to be her shore, so she can finally rest on their warm sand, even for just a moment. I feel like that’s something everyone can relate to and is why it’s one of my favorite motifs in her work. 

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Do you have any bad relationship experiences from your past? Well I haven't been in any "relationships", at least not serious ones where I'm like "hey this is my boyfriend so and so". None of my dating experiences have been bad per se, but they also haven't been great. During they were fine, it's the towards the end/after that is eh. Basically dating in college is a waste of time if you're looking for something mildly serious/not tryna just hook up, and all the boys you talk to are. But they don't seem that way. Yeah idk I'm rambling now Will you ever be with the person you truly want to be with? Celeb crush of the moment is chris Pratt and no, sadly I do not think we will ever be together as he is married and also he's famous and I'm just me Do you have any relationship with the state of California? No What’s something about other people that drives you crazy? When they drive slow. Or walk slow. When they're rude. And loud. What are you doing? This. I was watching YouTube videos trying to stay up until midnight because I thought Harry's single would be out by then but according to twitter it's coming out at 12 pacific time? Ain't nobody got time for that, but also now I'm kind of awake so here I am doing this and I'll probably sleep after What are you wearing? Athletic shorts and a pocket tee Baseball is the best sport hands down…right? I like baseball but the best sport is hockey, duh Do you like chocolate? Loveeeee Like the movie Elf? Yeah it's alright Ok let’s talk travel, do you like to travel? Haven't done toooo much traveling but I'd love to Where have you been? Every state on the east coast between Connecticut and Florida, except for Georgia. Also west va, Ohio, and Arizona. And then Niagara Falls, Toronto and a couple different places in Italy. And technically England but I never left the airport. Next place you want to go? Might be going to Colorado for work in July so that's cool. I'd like to go on a cruise. Also England and California. And back to Florida to go to Disney and universal If you’re quiet what does it mean? It could mean nothing since I'm quiet a lot, depending on who I'm around. Or I could be mad or sad Something that makes you smile? Dogs Do you have trust issues? Yeah a little Do you mind watching chick flicks? Nah I love a good chick flick When’s your birthday? June 13 If you need a hug at 3 in the morning, who do you ask? Well if I'm home I probably wouldn't wake my mom up unless I was feeling ill, so I'd do nothing. And if I'm with friends I guess them? Idk I'm never up at 3 am anyways, even if I'm upset I just go to sleep Do you mind if people just show up at your house unannounced? None of my friends or anyone does that since we don't live in the same towns sooo idk. I hate when people do that trying to sell something Do you enjoy rain? Yes, as long as I don't have to go out in it Are you one of those people who are always tripping over things? Sometimes Would you ever consider taking evening classes in anything? Not right now...when I start my job (start date in July woohoo! Yay for knowing but boo that it takes forever, cons of my field) I won't really have the time Do you have any traits that you obviously inherited from your parents? I'm very similar to my mom, yes. And some like my dad as well Do you like sushi? I've had it like twice, it's eh. Probably haven't tried the right things Have any of your friends gotten engaged recently? Not a close friend but a fb friend just did a week or so ago Would you ever drop everything and go traveling for several months? Ugh I wish What’s your favorite thing from Olive Garden? The salad and breadsticks of course Is there a specific reason you’re not dating the last person you messaged? I'm not interested, she's in a relationship, and she's my bff Do you tend to get paranoid a lot? More like anxious but yes How many bedrooms are there in your house? Technically 4 but one is used as an office Have you ever built a sandcastle? Yes Do you use an instant messenger? If so, what is it? Just iMessage and fb messenger Do you watch reba? No I kind of hate Reba How many more days til your school is out? Not in school Do you listen to the hush sound? I did in high school. I still have some songs on my phone. Wine red was always the jam Do you drink a lot of soda? I cut down a lot but I do drink soda occasionally How do you look right now? I'm okay, my hair is a little cray since I let it air dry Were you taken last year on Valentine’s Day? When am I ever taken Do you remember who you were interested in around this time last year? It's been about a year since I first met Andrew, and I was interested a little bit after meeting him sooo yeah I suppose Would you rather date someone you think is cute, or someone who you think is hot? Either is fine? Or if you're one you can also be the other like how is someone hot but not cute...? Do you go to school currently? Nope When was the last time you cried? Why? Earlier today. I'm so lame I was watching the video of jimmy fallon and the rock at universal or wherever photobombing people at the tonight show ride or whatever while dressed as like mascots of themselves, and the last dude saw the rock mascot and was like whoa the rock my idol since I was 5 and then when he took off the head and the guy realized the rock was actually right there he cried and I cried idk why it was so cute I cry at random things Have you ever thought of killing yourself? No Who was the last person to call you? My mom probably Did you make a best friend in high school? The people that were my best friends in high school I was friends with since middle school. But I don't talk to any of them really anymore, especially since I moved after sophomore year. And I didn't make best friends and my new high school. But I made best friends in college so that's cool You’re currently listening to? Nothing. I have a Mumford & sons song stuck in my head so that. It's The Cave Who are you expecting a call from? No one When will your next kiss take place? Who knows What are you feeling right now? Sleepy Do you have any homework to do? Lol no When was the last time you smiled? Little while ago Do you like anyone? No Are you afraid of roller coasters? Just the super scary ones...like kingda ka at great adventure is one you'll never see me on nope no sir I hate roller coasters like that Do you know any songs that remind you of summer? Sure. Like summer by Calvin Harris. Or shut up and dance because I remember they played that nonstop all summer. What were you doing at 7:00 AM? Sleeping Can you keep a secret? Yes Do Italian/French/Spanish accents turn you on? French accents are eh Do you hate the last girl you had a conversation with? No Did you speak to your mother today? We speak every day Do you have plans tomorrow? Yep I have some errands to run Were you happy when you woke up today? I was surprised because I slept until like 10:40. It was rainy this morning and I have black out curtains so my room was super dark I didn't even realize it was so late Are you missing someone? A little Where were you at 3:00 AM this morning? It technically hasn't been 3 today yet, but I can tell you I'll be in bed, not listening to sign of the times because a girl has to sleep What’s your favorite coffee shop? Dunkin What’s your opinion on cinnamon rolls?: Loveeee Have you ever taken a bath with someone? No What’s your grandma’s name?: Maternal was Elizabeth, paternal was carol Where is your biological father right now?: I'd assume home Do you have any freckles?: Yep a bunch of random ones Do you like orange juice?: Yes Did you watch the Cosby Show when you were younger?: Sometimes if it was on nick at night Have you ever dated someone as a rebound from your old relationship? No Which of your exes is the best looking? Andrew What would you do if your ex broke down and told you he loved you? I'd say lollll that's weird since weren't like that and haven't spoken in forever You & your last ex, who should hate who? If anyone is hating anyone, I should hate him over him hating me but I don't hate him because while I was upset we dwindled away, it was never super serious or like talks of it being really serious? Idk it was one of those weird in between things Does rebounding really help at all? Can't imagine it would Where did your last ex ask you out? As I've said 1000 times we were never bf/gf...we actually got set up as formal dates through a mutual friend, and before formal weekend we texted and he asked me to grab Starbucks since like just rolling up to formal never meeting is odd. Getting set up is odd too but it was honestly a fun weekend Have you ever seen somebody get arrested? I don't think so Would your parents be okay with you dating someone of another race? Sure Do you like it when friends are comfortable with dropping by unexpectedly? I said before no one does that to me, and I also don't do that to them soooo