"The Bolter" is the twenty-ninth track from The Anthology edition of American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, released on April 19, 2024 through Republic Records. "The Bolter" is also a deluxe track from "The Bolter" edition of the album.
Background[]
"The Bolter" is a track exclusive to the Anthology edition of The Tortured Poets Department. Along with the other Anthology edition tracks, the song was surprise-released at 2:00 AM EST on April 19.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
By all accounts, she almost drowned
When she was six in frigid water
And I can confirm she made
A curious child, ever reviled
By everyone except her own father
With a quite bewitching face
Splendidly selfish, charmingly helpless
Excellent fun till you get to know her
Then she runs like it's a race
Behind her back, her best mates laughed
And they nicknamed her The Bolter
[Chorus]
Started with a kiss
“Oh, we must stop meeting like this”
But it always ends up with a town car speeding
Out the drive one evening
Ended with the slam of a door
Then he’ll call her a whore
Wish he wouldn't be sore
But as she was leaving
It felt like breathing
All her fuckin' lives
Flashed before her eyes
It feels like the time
She fell through the ice
[Verse 2]
He was a cad, wanted her bad Just like any good trophy hunter
And she liked the way it tastes
Taming a bear, making him care
Watching him jump then pulling him under
And at first blush, this is fate When it’s all roses, portrait poses
Central Park Lake in tiny rowboats
What a charming Saturday
That’s when she sees the littlest leaks
Down in the floorboards
And she just knows
She must bolt
Then came out alive
He was a cad, wanted her bad
Just like any good trophy hunter
[Chorus]
Started with a kiss
“Oh, we must stop meeting like this”
But it always ends up with a town car speeding
Out the drive one evening
Ended with the slam of a door
Then he'll call her a whore
Wish he wouldn't be sore
But as she was leaving
It felt like breathing
All her fuckin' lives
Flashed before her eyes
It feels like the time
She fell through the ice
Then came out alive
[Bridge]
She's been many places with
Men of many faces
First they're off to the races
And she's laughing drawin' aces
But, none of it is changin'
That the chariot is waitin'
Hearts are hers for the breakin'
There's escape in escaping
[Chorus]
Started with a kiss
“Oh, we must stop meeting like this”
But it always ends with a town car speeding
Out the drive one evenin'
Ended with the slam of a door
But she's got the best stories
You can be sure
That as she was leaving
It felt like freedom
All her fuckin' lives
Flashed before her eyes
And she realized
It feels like the time
She fell through the ice
Then came out alive
Audio[]
Live performances[]
"The Bolter" was performed twice as a surprise song on The Eras Tour: on June 8, 2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland mashed-up with "Getaway Car", and on November 3, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana mashed-up with "Cornelia Street".
| THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT | ||
|---|---|---|
| "Fortnight" • "The Tortured Poets Department" • "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" • "Down Bad" • "So Long, London" • "But Daddy I Love Him" • "Fresh Out The Slammer" • "Florida!!!" • "Guilty as Sin?" • "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" • "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)" • "loml" • "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" • "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" • "The Alchemy" • "Clara Bow" | ||
|