hoax

"hoax" serves as the somber closing track to the standard edition of folklore, encapsulating the album's thematic core of emotional complexity, confessions, and tragic love. The song delves into the anatomy of a toxic, painful, and flawed relationship that the narrator cannot bring themselves to leave. The central message is one of clinging to a 'faithless love,' accepting its deceptive nature (the 'hoax') because the connection, however damaging, feels essential. The lyrics articulate a conscious choice to embrace a specific kind of sadness, encapsulated in the line, 'Don't want no other shade of blue but you / No other sadness in the world would do.' This suggests a deep, codependent attachment where even the pain is cherished because of its source.

Taylor Swift herself explained in the Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions documentary that the song is not about a single person or situation. Instead, it's a composite of feelings from different fractured relationships, including a romantic love, a painful business betrayal (widely interpreted as the conflict over her master recordings), and the breakdown of a relationship that felt like family. This multifaceted inspiration allows the song to explore betrayal on multiple levels, from the intimately personal to the professionally devastating. The bridge, which references past 'scars' and a new hurt that is 'just as dark,' speaks to the unique pain of being wounded by someone you've let in, who knows your vulnerabilities intimately.

The narrative unfolds from the perspective of someone trapped in a profoundly damaging yet inescapable relationship. The narrator begins by itemizing the sources of their pain, framing them with a possessive 'my'—'my only one,' 'my smoking gun,' 'my eclipsed sun.' These are not just external forces; they are intimate parts of their experience, suggesting a deep, albeit toxic, bond. The love that was once a source of light and warmth ('sun') is now darkened and obscured ('eclipsed'), and the evidence of betrayal ('smoking gun') is undeniable. The emotional landscape is desolate, described as a 'frozen ground,' a state of paralysis and emotional barrenness brought on by this 'winless fight'.

The chorus reveals the central paradox of the narrator's situation. Standing on a metaphorical 'cliffside,' a place of desperation and a potential breaking point, they scream for a reason, yet simultaneously cling to the very source of their pain. The core confession is that this 'faithless love' is the only 'hoax' they are willing to believe in. This implies a conscious decision to accept the deception and lack of fidelity because the alternative—letting go—is unbearable. The narrator further commits to this specific pain, stating a preference for this particular 'shade of blue' and asserting that 'no other sadness in the world would do.' It's a declaration of martyrdom, choosing a familiar, beloved torment over any other form of suffering.

The second verse delves into the manipulative nature of the other person. The narrator’s 'best laid plan,' perhaps a vision for a happy future or an attempt to salvage the relationship, is undone by the other's 'sleight of hand,' a metaphor for trickery and illusion. The aftermath is a feeling of being completely depleted and destroyed, captured in the stark imagery: 'My barren land / I am ash from your fire.' The narrator is what remains after being consumed by the other's destructive force.

The bridge introduces a layer of deep personal history and betrayal. The narrator addresses their partner directly, reminding them of past traumas: 'You knew it still hurts underneath my scars / From when they pulled me apart.' This refers to a previous, public vulnerability known to the partner. The devastating blow is that the partner's actions were just as damaging: 'But what you did was just as dark.' This isn't just a general hardship; it's a specific, deep wound inflicted by someone who was supposed to be a safe harbor. The song concludes by reinforcing the theme of futile continuation. The narrator questions the point of 'keeping score' when the outcome is already known, or watching a 'movie' when 'the hero died.' The final images of a 'kingdom come undone' and a heart beaten like a 'broken drum' solidify the sense of utter defeat and devastation, leaving the narrator in a state of resigned heartbreak, still tethered to the very love that destroyed them.

"hoax" was the final song written for Taylor Swift's eighth studio album, folklore, released on July 24, 2020. It was created just days before the album's surprise release during the COVID-19 lockdown. Swift wrote "hoax" and the album's opening track, "the 1", in the span of a few hours and sent them to her collaborator, Aaron Dessner of The National, in the middle of the night. Dessner, who produced the track, believed the album was already complete, but they both agreed that these two songs had to be included as the album's 'bookends'.

The creation process was done remotely; Swift wrote the lyrics and sent them to Dessner. She advised him not to 'try to give it any other space other than what feels natural to [him]'. Dessner then composed the music, centered around a minimalist and emotional piano part, which he felt was a raw and natural expression. The song also features orchestration, including viola and violin, arranged and performed by Rob Moose. The track was recorded at Dessner's Long Pond Studio in Hudson Valley, New York, with Swift's vocals recorded separately at her Kitty Committee Studio in Los Angeles.

"hoax" is a slow, melancholic ballad with a tempo that contributes significantly to its somber and reflective mood. The song is structured in a way that prioritizes lyrical and emotional expression over a rigid rhythmic framework. The primary rhythmic element is Aaron Dessner's simple, evocative piano line, which provides a sparse but steady foundation for Swift's vocals. The rhythm of the vocal melody is fluid, following the natural cadence of speech and poetic phrasing rather than adhering to a strict meter.

The rhyme scheme is not consistent or predictable, resembling free verse poetry. It employs slant rhymes (e.g., 'ground'/'down') and internal rhymes to create a subtle sense of cohesion without sounding overly structured. For instance, in the chorus, 'reason' and 'believe in' form a near rhyme that feels natural and conversational. This loose approach to rhyme enhances the song's raw, confessional quality, making it feel like an outpouring of unfiltered thought and emotion rather than a polished pop song.

Musically, "hoax" is a minimalist, slow-paced piano ballad with a chamber music feel, creating a sense of raw intimacy. The arrangement, produced by Aaron Dessner, is spare, primarily featuring his piano alongside subtle acoustic and electric guitars, synth bass, and haunting strings (viola and violin) arranged by Rob Moose. Swift's vocal performance is emotive and textured, conveying a deep sense of devastation and resignation.

Lyrically, the song employs several literary techniques:

• Repetition (Anaphora): The first verse begins several lines with the word 'My' ('My only one / My smoking gun / My eclipsed sun'). This repetition emphasizes the narrator's possessive and intimate connection to the sources of her pain, internalizing the betrayals as part of her own identity.
• Metaphorical Language: The song is rich with metaphors, as discussed in the symbolism section, using imagery of nature ('eclipsed sun,' 'frozen ground') and conflict ('smoking gun,' 'twisted knife,' 'winless fight') to build its emotional world.
• Impressionistic Storytelling: Rather than a linear narrative, the song presents a series of powerful, evocative images and feelings that create a portrait of a fractured emotional state.
• Motifs: A recurring film motif appears in the bridge with the line, 'You knew the hero died, so what's the movie for?' This questions the purpose of continuing a story when the tragic ending is already known, highlighting the futility of the relationship.

As the closing track of the surprise album folklore (2020), "hoax" plays a crucial role in the album's narrative and emotional arc, leaving the listener with a feeling of profound, unresolved melancholy. While not released as a single, the song charted on several international charts upon the album's release, including reaching number 71 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. It has received silver and gold certifications in countries like the UK, Brazil, and New Zealand.

Critically, "hoax" was often praised for its lyrical depth, poetic imagery, and raw emotion, with some critics calling it 'sneakily brilliant' and 'beautiful and devastating'. However, others found it less remarkable compared to other tracks on the album. The song was performed by Swift in her Disney+ concert film Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (2020), where she discussed its multifaceted meaning with collaborators Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff. She also performed it live as part of a mashup during The Eras Tour in 2024, highlighting its continued significance within her discography. The song is a fan favorite for its lyrical complexity and emotional weight, sparking numerous discussions and interpretations regarding its connections to Swift's personal life, including her relationship with Joe Alwyn and her conflict over her masters.

"hoax" is built on a foundation of dense, poetic symbolism and metaphors that illustrate the narrator's emotional state.

• Pain and Betrayal Imagery: The song opens with a trinity of painful metaphors: 'My smoking gun' (irrefutable proof of betrayal), 'My eclipsed sun' (a love that was once a source of light and life is now blocked and darkened), and 'My twisted knife' (an intimate, piercing pain). These establish a tone of deep, personal injury.
• Color Symbolism: The line 'Don't want no other shade of blue but you' uses the color blue to represent a specific sadness tied to a person. The narrator isn't just accepting sadness; they are choosing this particular person's brand of it, suggesting a profound and unyielding attachment to the source of their pain.
• Natural and Elemental Imagery: The lyrics are filled with images from nature that reflect internal desolation. 'This has frozen my ground' and 'My barren land' symbolize emotional paralysis and an inability to grow or move forward. The phrase 'I am ash from your fire' paints a picture of complete destruction, where the narrator is merely the remnant of a once-consuming passion or conflict.
• The Cliffside: 'Stood on the cliffside screaming, 'Give me a reason'' is a powerful metaphor for being at a breaking point. The cliff represents a desperate, precarious emotional state where the narrator is searching for a reason to hold on, though some interpretations also note the darker undertones of suicidal ideation.
• The Hoax: The central metaphor of the 'hoax' refers to the 'faithless love' itself. The narrator is fully aware of the deception and the unfaithfulness but chooses to believe in it anyway, making it the only lie she will accept as her reality.

Several recurring phrases and motifs anchor the song's meaning and emotional weight:

• 'Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in': This is the central thesis of the song, repeated in the chorus. It encapsulates the core conflict: the narrator's awareness of the relationship's inauthenticity ('hoax,' 'faithless') and her conscious decision to accept it as her reality.
• 'Shade of blue' / 'Sadness': The motif of choosing a specific kind of pain is articulated through the lines 'Don't want no other shade of blue but you' and 'No other sadness in the world would do.' This idea reappears, emphasizing a deep, masochistic devotion to this particular relationship, accepting its inherent sorrow as unique and irreplaceable.
• Possessive Pronoun 'My': The repetition of 'My' at the start of the first verse ('My only one,' 'My smoking gun,' 'My eclipsed sun') serves as a motif that establishes an intimate, if painful, ownership of the relationship's toxic elements.
• Film / Story Motif: The line 'You knew the hero died, so what's the movie for?' is a poignant motif that questions the logic of continuing a narrative with a foregone tragic conclusion, highlighting the hopelessness of the situation.