Beautiful Ghosts Explained

Beautiful Ghosts
Cover:Taylor Swift - Beautiful Ghosts.png
Type:promo
Artist:Taylor Swift
Recorded:2019
Genre:Orchestral
Label:Polydor
Lyricist:Taylor Swift

"Beautiful Ghosts" (also subtitled "(From the Motion Picture Cats)") is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber from the 2019 Cats film adaptation, in which Swift played Bombalurina. The song was written by Swift (lyrics and music) and Cats creator Andrew Lloyd Webber (music), and produced by Greg Wells, Lloyd Webber, and Cats director Tom Hooper. It was released on November 15, 2019. Considered as its signature song, it is performed in the film by the principal character Victoria, portrayed by Francesca Hayward as its signature song. A 30-second reprise is also sung by Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy. Swift performs the official single version that is played over the ending credits.[1]

Upon release, the song received positive reviews from music critics. It received nominations for Best Original Song at the 77th Golden Globe Awards and Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards—Swift's third nomination for the latter, following "Safe & Sound" (2011) and "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" (2016).

Background and release

As a concept, the then-untitled song was first reported in early 2018, when the film adaptation was in early stages of production.[2] The song was designed to provide a way for Victoria to introduce her character to the audience, as she communicates solely through gestures and dance in the original stage show. Swift described the song as such:

The song was released on digital platforms and to streaming services on November 15, 2019, one month before the film's theatrical release.[3] A lyric video for the song was released on YouTube the same day. The lyric video has over 6 million views on YouTube. In a 2021 interview, Webber said writing "Beautiful Ghosts" with Swift was his "only enjoyable part" of working in Cats.[4]

Composition

The song has a running time of four minutes and twenty-one seconds. It is in the key of E, modulating from minor key in the verses to a major key in the chorus with a vocal range spanning from G# to C#. It has a tempo of 60 beats per minute. The song is in a compound meter that changes between and time signatures throughout most of the song, with the ending in compound septuple meter .[5] The orchestral ballad started as an acoustic melody composed by Lloyd Webber. During rehearsals in December 2018 at his London studio, he played Swift the melody on the piano, and Swift immediately started improvising lyrics.[6] According to Lloyd Webber, the two "wrote 90 percent of it pretty much over an afternoon."[6] He described the collaboration with Swift as "a joy", the collaboration as "one of the finest of [his] 50-year career",[7] Swift's lyrics as "brilliant", and her performance of the song as "emotional" and "among the very best [he's] ever had".[8] Tom Hooper, director of the film and a producer of the song, complimented the "extraordinary beauty" of Swift's lyrics and praised Swift for her "profound understanding of what we're trying to do with the movie."[9]

Critical reception

In contrast to the negative reception Cats received, the song received positive reviews from music critics, who praised Swift's vocal performance. Darlene Aderoju and Joelle Goldstein of People described the song as "chillingly-beautiful" and a "haunting melody" that "speaks to a feeling of longing to be wanted and reminiscing on better memories." They also praised Swift's singing, describing it as "impressive pipes beyond her typical country-pop style", especially the final belted note.[9] Writing for HuffPost, Ron Dicker complimented Swift's vocals, referring to the song as "hauntingly gorgeous" and an "absolute showstopper".[10] Elite Dailys Jessica Bolaños opined that the song is "nothing short of perfection" and stated that the lyrics are "dripping with passion".[11] [12] Chris Willman of Variety wrote that the song is a return to the "youthful tonality" in Swift's voice, typical of "her Fearless days".[13] Brittany Spanos and Ryan Reeds of Rolling Stone described the song as "cinematic" and "wistful". They also opined that the song "builds to a rousing climax with the singer's voice in a full roar".[14] MTV's Madeline Roth praised Swift's vocal performance and labeled the final high note of the song as "more powerful than anything we've heard from T. Swift in recent memory".[15] Carolyn Droke of Uproxx wrote that the song is about "the melancholy feeling that comes with reminiscing on old memories" and appreciated Swift for showing off her vocal range.[16]

Others gave the song less favourable reviews. Adam Feldman wrote for Time Out that "Beautiful Ghosts" is "terrible", saying that "Swift's lyrics clank with banality at nearly every turn of phrase".[17] Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post agreed, calling the song "a boring 'Memory' copycat".[18] Leah Marilla Thomas of Cosmopolitan praised the final chorus, but described the song as "a little bonkers" and said that listeners need to lower their expectations before listening.[19] Various Vulture staff also criticized the song, describing the lyrics as nonsensical and corny; Swift's vocal performance was criticised, with Rebecca Alter summarizing the song as Swift "leaping for that note and falling off a cliff".[20] In June 2022, Insider ranked "Beautiful Ghosts" as Swift's worst soundtrack song. [21]

Accolades

The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 77th Golden Globe Awards, becoming Swift's third nomination in the category, following "Safe & Sound" (2013) and "Sweeter than Fiction" (2014).[22] At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, "Beautiful Ghosts" is nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media, marking Swift's third nomination in the category, following "Safe & Sound" (2011) and "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" (2016).

YearOrganizationAwardResultRef.
Golden Globe AwardsBest Original Song[23]
Huading AwardsBest Global Film Theme Song[24]
Grammy AwardsBest Song Written for Visual Media[25]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[26]

Charts

Chart (2019)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia Digital Tracks (ARIA)[27] 22
Canada Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[28] 31
Greece Digital Songs (Billboard)[29] 5
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[30] 36

Release history

Country!scope="col"
DateFormatLabel
VariousNovember 15, 2019Polydor[31]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Andrew Lloyd Webber Talks Working With Taylor Swift on New 'Cats' Song. Vlessing. Etan. October 24, 2019. The Hollywood Reporter. October 24, 2019. October 25, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191025033912/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/andrew-lloyd-webber-talks-working-taylor-swift-new-cats-song-1249724. live.
  2. Web site: Andrew Lloyd Webber Pens New Song for Possible Cats Film. Gans. Andrew. January 5, 2018. Playbill. October 24, 2019. October 25, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191025032609/http://www.playbill.com/article/andrew-lloyd-webber-pens-new-song-for-possible-cats-film. live.
  3. Aniftos. Rania. November 15, 2019. Taylor Swift Releases 'Beautiful Ghosts,' Co-Written With Andrew Lloyd Webber for 'Cats' Film. Billboard. November 15, 2019. November 19, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191119025353/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8543715/taylor-swift-beautiful-ghosts-cat. live.
  4. Web site: Rubin. Rebecca. October 12, 2021. Andrew Lloyd Webber Says Writing a Song With Taylor Swift Was the Only Enjoyable Part of 'Cats' Movie. October 14, 2021. Variety. October 13, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211013192023/https://variety.com/2021/film/news/andrew-lloyd-webber-taylor-swift-cats-only-enjoyable-part-1235087324/. live.
  5. Web site: Taylor Swift "Beautiful Ghosts". www.musicnotes.com. November 18, 2019. November 15, 2019. April 20, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210420170722/https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0204531. live.
  6. Taylor Swift and Andrew Lloyd Webber Have Co-Written a New Song for 'Cats'. Burlingame. Jon. Variety. October 24, 2019. October 25, 2019. October 25, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191025004124/https://variety.com/2019/music/news/taylor-swift-andrew-lloyd-webber-co-write-new-song-cats-film-1203382162/. live.
  7. OfficialALW. Lloyd Webber. Andrew. Andrew Lloyd Webber. 1196375543912042496. Thrilled at the reaction to "Beautiful Ghosts". This collaboration with @taylorswift13 has been a joy, one of the finest of my 50-year career.. November 18, 2019. November 23, 2019.
  8. Taylor's lyric for Beautiful Ghosts is brilliant and her emotional performance of our song must be among the very best I've ever had.. OfficialALW. Lloyd Webber. Andrew. Andrew Lloyd Webber. 1201202735833649154. December 1, 2019. December 2, 2019.
  9. Taylor Swift Shows Off Her Impressive Vocals in New Song 'Beautiful Ghosts' from Cats Musical Film. Aderoju. Darlene. Goldstein. Joelle. People. en. November 15, 2019. November 15, 2019. November 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115075822/https://people.com/music/taylor-swift-cats-song-beautiful-ghosts/. live.
  10. Taylor Swift's New Song For 'Cats' Is An Absolute Showstopper . Dicker . Ron . . November 15, 2019 . November 15, 2019 . November 16, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191116134905/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/taylor-swift-cats-beautiful-ghosts_n_5dcea458e4b029474815a10a . live .
  11. Taylor Swift's "Beautiful Ghosts" Lyrics Will Make You So Emotional. Bolaños. Jessica. Elite Daily. November 15, 2019. November 15, 2019. November 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115205438/https://www.elitedaily.com/p/taylor-swifts-beautiful-ghosts-lyrics-will-make-you-so-emotional-19352653. live.
  12. Taylor Swift's "Beautiful Ghosts" From 'Cats' Shows Off Her English Accent. Bolaños. Jessica. Elite Daily. November 15, 2019. November 15, 2019. November 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115192557/https://www.elitedaily.com/p/taylor-swifts-beautiful-ghosts-from-cats-shows-off-her-english-accent-19352088. live.
  13. Taylor Swift Releases 'Beautiful Ghosts,' Her Andrew Lloyd Webber Collaboration for 'Cats'. Willman. Chris. Variety. November 15, 2019. November 16, 2019. November 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115155051/https://variety.com/2019/music/news/taylor-swift-releases-beautiful-ghosts-andrew-lloyd-webber-cats-1203406052/. live.
  14. Hear Taylor Swift's New 'Cats' Soundtrack Song 'Beautiful Ghosts'. Spanos. Brittany. Brittany Spanos . Reeds. Ryan. Rolling Stone. November 15, 2019. November 16, 2019. November 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115210943/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-beautiful-ghosts-cats-movie-new-song-911988/. live.
  15. Taylor Swift Drops Her Pitch-Purrfect Cats Ballad 'Beautiful Ghosts'. Roth. Madeline. MTV. November 15, 2019. November 16, 2019. November 16, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191116123024/http://www.mtv.com/news/3146069/taylor-swift-beautiful-ghosts-cats/. dead.
  16. All The Best New Pop Music From This Week. Droke. Carolyn. Uproxx. November 19, 2019. November 20, 2019. November 20, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191120150833/https://uproxx.com/pop/best-new-pop-taylor-swift-camila-cabello-billie-eilish/. live.
  17. Web site: The Taylor Swift song from Cats has dropped and it's terrible. Feldman. Adam. Time Out New York. November 15, 2019. December 10, 2019. December 9, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191209190544/https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-new-taylor-swift-song-from-cats-has-dropped-and-its-terrible-111519. live.
  18. Web site: Taylor Swift's 'Beautiful Ghosts' is a boring 'Memory' copycat. Oleksinski. Johnny. New York Post. November 15, 2019. December 10, 2019. December 9, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191209190426/https://nypost.com/2019/11/15/taylor-swifts-beautiful-ghosts-is-a-boring-memory-copycat/. live.
  19. Web site: Taylor Swift's 'Cats' Song Is Here and There's Sooo Much to Unpack. Thomas. Leah Marilla. Cosmopolitan. November 18, 2019. December 10, 2019. December 9, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191209212450/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/a29833498/taylor-swift-cats-song-lyrics-explained/. live.
  20. Web site: Let Us Gather to Discuss Taylor Swift and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats Song. December 9, 2019. Vulture. en-us. December 11, 2019. December 12, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191212035458/https://www.vulture.com/2019/12/taylor-swift-beautiful-ghosts-cats-explained.html. live.
  21. Web site: Ahlgrim . Callie . Larocca . Courteney . 2022-06-26 . Taylor Swift's 8 soundtrack songs, ranked from worst to best . 2022-06-26 . . en-US . February 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230207174920/https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-soundtrack-songs-ranked-2022-6 . live .
  22. Web site: Golden Globes Nominations. Hipes. Patrick. Deadline. December 9, 2019. December 10, 2019. December 11, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191211174953/https://deadline.com/2019/12/golden-globes-nominations-announced-updating-live-1202804135/. live.
  23. Web site: Nominations for the 77th Golden Globes Have Been Announced. Babiana. Ana Maria. Hollywood Foreign Press Association. December 9, 2019. December 10, 2019. December 11, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191211165047/https://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/nominations-77th-golden-globes-have-been-announced. live.
  24. Web site: Nominations Announced for the 28th Huading Awards -- "The Global Film Satisfaction Survey Release Ceremony". Tyler Morning Telegraph. October 23, 2020. November 14, 2020. November 15, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201115231126/https://tylerpaper.com/ap/business/nominations-announced-for-the-28th-huading-awards----the-global-film-satisfaction-survey/image_8f916808-1cd9-58b1-8a08-0a2f12d91dab.html. live.
  25. Web site: November 24, 2020. 2021 GRAMMYs: Complete Nominees List. November 24, 2020. GRAMMY.com. en. November 28, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201128225523/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2021-grammys-complete-nominees-list. live.
  26. Web site: "Beautiful Ghosts" (From The Motion Picture Cats) by Taylor Swift. Tidal. November 16, 2019. November 16, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191116035102/https://listen.tidal.com/album/122447196. live.
  27. Web site: ARIA Australian Top 40 Digital Tracks. Australian Recording Industry Association. November 25, 2019. November 23, 2019. November 23, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191123115814/http://cdn.aria.com.au/pdfs/417CFD4D0E09D880ABC2E3B343B8F712E9204D91F39E1A3639627E779741D111/ARIA%20Digital%20Tracks%20Chart.pdf?seq=26. live.
  28. Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales) . . December 11, 2019 . December 13, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201213050315/https://www.billboard.com/music/taylor-swift/chart-history/CNS . live .
  29. Greece Digital Song Sales. Billboard. December 6, 2019. December 6, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191206124721/https://www.billboard.com/music/taylor-swift/chart-history/GRE. dead.
  30. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. November 25, 2019. November 22, 2019. November 22, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191122230850/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/hotsingles%3Fchart%3D4781. live.
  31. Web site: Beautiful Ghosts (From the Motion Picture "Cats") - Single by Taylor Swift on Apple Music. Apple Music. November 15, 2019. November 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115120151/https://music.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-ghosts-from-the-motion-picture-cats-single/1487671943. live.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Beautiful Ghosts".

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