From one eldest daughter to another, please stop
“Eldest Daughter” is the fifth track of Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, a position in Swift’s albums which has come to be associated with great emotional depth and vulnerability. Track five of Swift’s previous album, The Tortured Poet’s Department, is “So Long, London,” which provides a brutal glimpse into the demise of Swift’s six-year relationship with English actor Joe Alwyn: “holding tight to your quiet resentment / my friends said it isn’t right to be scared /every day of a love affair […] when you’re not sure if he wants to be there.” Due to this recurring nature of track five in Swift’s discography, the fifth track is often a highly anticipated song of each new album. However, Swift’s “Eldest Daughter” fell short of many fans’ expectations.
The Life of a Showgirl has been highly criticized since its release on Oct. 3. Critics argued the lyricism of the album significantly paled in comparison to the perceived superior lyricism of The Tortured Poet’s Department. Swift’s song “Eldest Daughter” is the main culprit of these accusations, which have since accumulated into a TikTok trend. Eldest daughters have taken it upon themselves to rewrite the lyrics of “Eldest Daughter” to imitate the sophisticated nature and somber mood of The Tortured Poet’s Department, as well as the typical vulnerable nature of Swift’s fifth tracks.
The most commonly rewritten portion of “Eldest Daughter” is the chorus, which begins with: “but I’m not a bad bitch / and this isn’t savage / but I’m never gonna let you down / I’m never gonna leave you out,” and continues with: “so many traitors / smooth operators / but I’m never gonna break that vow / I’m never gonna leave you now.” One rewrite of the song, by TikTok user @katieraemusic, replaces the entire chorus with “But I’m not a bad kid, just got a habit / cause I never wanna let you down, / never want to be left out / so many traitors / promised me favors / but they’re never gonna see me drown / never gonna see me down.” @katieraemusic claimed these lyrics fit better with what Swift was “trying to go for.” However, this statement is false. @katieraemusic’s rendition depicts a completely different facet of the eldest daughter experience than the original lyrics.
When Swift’s narrator says, “I’m never gonna let you down,” she is not referring to the pressures of perfectionism eldest daughters face, nor the responsibility that is typically placed upon their shoulders at a young age, which @katieraemusic’ rendition addresses. On the contrary, Swift’s narrator is talking to a younger sibling. “Eldest Daughter” depicts the deep guilt older siblings sometimes face when they look back on how casually cruel they were to their younger siblings in their adolescence. “Eldest Daughter” is a promise to younger siblings. A promise to do better. To be better. A promise to always be there for them. The world is cruel enough as is. Swift’s narrator promises she will never add to that cruelty again. She will never be a source of pain for her younger sibling ever again. Swift echoes this interpretation preceding the final chorus: “Every youngest child felt / They were raised up in the wild / But now you’re home.”
Casual cruelty is a key theme in “Eldest Daughter.” Not only does Swift introduce the concept to us by addressing the casually cruel nature of social media, she also addresses the role casually cruelty plays in the loss of childhood innocence and naivety. Swift’s narrator discusses learning “cautious discretion” when her “first crush crushes something kind.” Swift’s narrator is referring to the defense mechanisms we put in place to prevent vulnerability. Swift echoes this interpretation with the concept of eldest daughters being lambs to the slaughter dressing up as wolves.
As for Swift’s use of “bad bitch” and “savage,” there is rhyme and reason to their inclusion over more sophisticated or poetic language. Swift’s narrator is attempting to de-otherize herself from her younger sibling. The terms “bad bitch” and “savage” are heavily associated with the popular internet lingo of the youth. Using their language evokes a sense of understanding and builds trust.
While Swift’s “Eldest Daughter” may not be the track many eldest daughters wanted, it does not deserve the amount of hate it receives. It is well thought out, incredibly vulnerable, and does indeed capture aspects of the eldest daughter experience.