"Dorothea" (stylized as "dorothea") is the eighth track from American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's ninth studio album, evermore, released on December 11, 2020, through Republic Records.
Background[]
"Dorothea, the girl who left her small town to chase down Hollywood dreams—and what happens when she comes back or the holidays and rediscovers an old flame.’"[1] Swift even gave Dorothea a small town to be from: Tupelo, MS.[2]
The song tells the story set around two fictitious characters of Tupelo, a woman named Dorothea and an unnamed subject, who were romantically involved in their youth, before the girl fled the town for Los Angeles to pursue her passion; "Dorothea" is the lover's ode to the now-famous Hollywood actress, seeing them confess their availability for her and try to convince her into returning to the simplistic life back hometown. Dorothea does visit the town in her winter break and rekindles the old flame with them, which is narrated by Dorothea herself in the fellow track "'tis the damn season".
Swift pinned a comment during the willow music video premiere seemingly acknowledging a fan theory that Dorothea and the unnamed lover, went to the same school as Betty, James and Inez.[3]
"Dorothea" interpolates The National's cover of "Give It To Teddy", which was released in 2017 in a collaboration[4] with the American animated sitcom Bob's Burgers.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
Hey, Dorothea, do you ever stop and think about me?
When we were younger, down in the park
Honey, makin' a lark of the misery
You got shiny friends since you left town
A tiny screen's the only place I see you now
And I got nothin' but well-wishes for ya
[Pre-Chorus 1]
Ooh
This place is the same as it ever was
Ooh
But you don't like it that way
[Chorus]
It's never too late to come back to my side
The stars in your eyes shined brighter in Tupelo
And if you're ever tired of bеing known for who you know
You know, you'll always know me
Dorothea (Uh-uh)
Dorothea (Ah-ah)
[Post-Chorus]
Ooh
You'rе a queen, sellin' dreams, sellin' makeup and magazines
Ooh
From you, I'd buy anything
[Verse 2]
Hey, Dorothea, do you ever stop and think about me?
When it was calmer, skipping the prom
Just to piss of your mom and her pageant schemes
And damn, Dorothea, they all wanna be ya
But are you still the same soul I met under the bleachers? Well
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Ooh
I guess I'll never know
Ooh
And you'll go on with the show
[Chorus]
But it's never too late to come back to my side
The stars in your eyes shined brighter in Tupelo
And if you're ever tired of being known for who you know
You know, you'll always know me
Dorothea (Uh-uh)
Dorothea (Ah-ah)
[Outro]
Ooh, ooh
Ooh-woo-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh-woo-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Dorothea (Ah-ah-ah)
Ah-ah, ooh
Live performances[]
"Dorothea" was performed as a surprise song on The Eras Tour in Kansas City, Missouri on July 8, 2023. It was performed a second time as an Eras Tour surprise song in Edinburgh, Scotland, on June 9, 2024, mashed-up with "It's Nice To Have A Friend".
Trivia[]
- This was the first song recorded for the album.
References[]
- ↑ https://twitter.com/taylorswift13/status/1337263259469164545/photo/2
- ↑ https://twitter.com/TSwiftNZ/status/1337253530235703299
- ↑ https://twitter.com/TSwiftNZ/status/1337251391400796160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1337251391400796160%7Ctwgr%5E2a9c864585dd998da6640626d7f9ce0f987a98ca%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.elle.com%2Fculture%2Fmusic%2Fa34942477%2Ftaylor-swift-dorothea-lyrics-meaning-selena-gomez-theory%2F
- ↑ https://www.stereogum.com/1972747/hear-the-national-cover-bobs-burgers-thanksgiving-song-give-it-to-teddy/music/
| evermore | ||
|---|---|---|
| "willow" • "champagne problems" • "gold rush" • "'tis the damn season" • "tolerate it" • "no body, no crime" • "happiness" • "dorothea" • "coney island" • "ivy" • "cowboy like me" • "long story short" • "marjorie" • "closure" • "evermore" | ||
|