The Lucky One.

Let me start off by apologizing in advance for the excessive number of Taylor Swift songs I may or may not post. She is without a doubt my absolute favorite musician, and stranger. So talented, so captivating and weird, so down-to-earth, so real. She is a rare species. And to me, that's written all over her.

You might be surprised when you find out that I've chosen a song that doesn't recount one of  her many romantic experiences (which counts for about 90% of her songs). I wanted to go with a song that was a little different from her norm. "The Lucky One" is actually recounting someone else's life story. I'm almost positive it's non-fiction because let's be honest, since when does Taylor Swift write songs from her imagination? She just doesn't. To my knowledge, Taylor Swift has never actually confirmed who the mysterious character she is referring to in the song, but nearly every article on the internet predicts that Joni Mitchel is "the lucky one". Once you read/listen to the song, I'll tell you why that's completely believable.

Taylor Swift- The Lucky One

New to town with made up name

in the angel city chasing fortune and fame

And the camera flashes make it look like a dream

You had it figured out since you were in school

Everybody loves pretty, everybody loves cool

So overnight, you look like a sixties queen

Another name goes up in lights, like diamonds in the sky

And they'll tell you now you're the lucky one

Yea they'll tell you now you're the lucky one

But can you tell me now you're the lucky one

Ooh, ooh, ohhhhhhhh

Now it's big black cars and riviera views

and your lover in the foyer doesn't even know you

and your secrets end up splashed on the news front page

And they'll tell you that you're lucky but you're so confused

'Cause you don't feel pretty, you just feel used

And all the young things line up to take your place

Another name goes up in lights, you wonder if you'll make it out alive

And they'll tell you now you're the lucky one

Yea they'll tell you now you're the lucky one

Can you tell me now you're the lucky one

Ooh, ooh, ohhhhhhhh, oh oh oh oh oh oh

Ooooooh, ooooooh, ooh ooh oohhhhh

It was a few years later I showed up here

and they still tell the legend of how you disappeared

How you took the money and your dignity and got the hell out

They say you bought a bunch of land somewhere

Chose the rose garden over Madison Square

And it took some time but I understand it now

'Cause now my name is up in lights

but I think you got it right

Let me tell you now you're the lucky one

Let me tell you now you're the lucky one

Let me tell you now you're the lucky one

Ooh, ooh, oohhhhhh

Yea they'll tell you now you're the lucky one

Yea they'll tell you now you're the lucky one

Let me tell you now you're the lucky one

oh, oh, oohhhh

oh, oh, oh, oh

Can you find the lucky one?

If I had to write the main idea for what this song is trying to shed light on, it would be this: We all have this idea of what fame is and what it entails, but the truth is we have no idea. Now if you're still questioning the prediction that this song is about Joni Mitchell, here's where the rumors come from:

1. "New to town with a made up name" Joni Mitchell's real name is Roberta Joan Anderson. This isn't major evidence considering many musicians come into the business with stage names. But it definitely narrows down the list.

2."It was a few years later I showed up here" Joni Mitchell retired from the music industry in 2002. Meanwhile, Swift showed up on the music scene around 2004/2005.

3. "And they still tell the legend of how you disappeared" Not only is Joni Mitchell legendary in the world of music, but her disappearance from it and the reasons for it remain a big question in Hollywood. 

4. "How you took the money and your dignity and got the hell out" In a 2002 interview with Rolling Stone, the very same year Joni Mitchell unofficially "retired", Joni Mitchell referred to the music industry as a "cesspool," expressing her dissatisfaction with it and the direction in which her career was going. In addition to this, two distinctive things that Swift. 1) I've never known Swift to cuss in a single one of her songs. FOUR ALBUMS.... NONE. Unless I've happened to miss one in some less popular song on a deluxe edition version of an album. To me, this expresses the passion behind the action. When I think of "got the hell out", I think of removing  myself from a situation that is threatning and absolutely no good, and doing it as quickly as I can. I think a lot of people can refer to Joni Mitchell's disappearance from the music industry as pretty abrupt. This may represent that. 2) Swift gave Joni complete possession of her dignity by saying "your dignity", but referred to "money" in a general sense, with no specific possessor. Now the money is obviously Mitchell's, as well. But I think this is Swift's way of emphasizing how that the money wasn't what was important to her. It came with the job (and of course, it allowed her to live a comfortable lifestlyle, which is important) but it wasn't what motivated her. But her dignity... that was hers and she was going to keep it above anything else.

5. "They say you bought a bunch of land somewhere, chose the rose garden over Madison Square." No one knows exactly where Joni Mitchell went off to after her retirement, but we know what she left behind. Not every artist can sell out Madison Square Garden. But those that can... are the few, the proud. And Joni Mitchell was amongst them. I think giving up Madison Square Garden is a huge choice, in which a lot (and I mean a lot) of people would question. Even myself. But maybe she would've had to sacrifice more by staying.

And now for the most powerful part of the song.

 "And it took some time, but I understand it now. 'Cause now my name is up in lights, but I think you got it right."

This line goes back to the main idea for the song. At this point in the song, Swift had already incorporated herself into the song. Before being thrust into the craziness of the music industry, Swift admits that she couldn't understand why Mitchell would just disappear and give up her dream. But now that Swift has gained all the fame that Mitchell once had, she understands. It's almost natural to have an idea of what fame is as a spectator. All we see is the success, the dinero (money), the recognition, the glam, and so many other things that look so appealing to the world. In fact, it's very hard to see anything else when all of those things are at the surface. But that's just it... it's all on the surface, which doesn't leave much room for true understanding. 

"The Lucky One" is that one little savior that reminds me that no one has it all, no matter how it looks or seems. My mom always says "It's always easy to sniff out all of the qualities, resources, skills, and things that others have that you don't have. You're only focused on the things you lack that are positively reflecting in others. But you don't know what they lack. " Famous people are human, therefore they have the potential to experience everything we do. That's been made clear. They have fears, they experience loss, they get rejected, they lose games, relationships, privacy, their lives; they sacrifice, they worry, they need something to believe in, they need family & friends, support, and love... exactly the way we do. And just to be clear, money doesn't buy happiness. Money buys you things, friends, and directs your monetary concerns in an alternate direction. Nothing else. If this were true, some of the 20th century's most wealthy and famous people wouldn't have ended their lives (Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, etc). 

So, I guess the real question is: Who is "The Lucky One"? Not as in whether it's Joni Mitchell or someone else. But, who is considered to be the lucky one in this life? I think whoever finds overall happiness in their life is the lucky one,  because not everyone finds that... famous or not.