Down Bad (Taylor Swift song) explained

Down Bad
Artist:Taylor Swift
Album:The Tortured Poets Department
Studio:
Genre:Synth-pop
  • R&B
Label:Republic
Producer:
  • Taylor Swift
  • Jack Antonoff

"Down Bad" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department (2024). She wrote and produced the track with Jack Antonoff, who played the song's instruments with members of his band Bleachers. A synth-pop song with R&B inflections, "Down Bad" is about a momentary infatuation, comparing falling in love with being abducted by an extraterrestrial being.

In publications' reviews, some critics favorably deemed "Down Bad" a catchy song with simple lyrics. The track charted within the top 10 in Australia, Canada, Luxembourg, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It received a gold certification in Australia. Swift included the song in the revamped set list of the Eras Tour starting from May 2024.

Background and composition

Swift started working on The Tortured Poets Department immediately after she submitted her tenth studio album, Midnights, to Republic Records for release in 2022. She continued working on it in secrecy throughout the US leg of the Eras Tour in 2023.[1] The album's conception took place when Swift's personal life continued to be a widely covered topic in the press.[2] She described The Tortured Poets Department as her "lifeline" album which she "really needed" to make.[3] Republic Records released it on April 19, 2024; "Down Bad" is fourth on the track list.[4]

"Down Bad" is about a newfound infatuation.[5] In a track-by-track commentary for Amazon Music, Swift said that she wrote the song comparing "the idea of being love bombed, where someone rocks your world and dazzles you and then just kind of abandons you as an alien abduction where you were abducted by aliens". In the lyrics, Swift's character encounters a fleeting sensation that she describes as "cosmic love" and deeming her love interest "my twin",[6] longing to be abducted by aliens.[7] Mary Siroky of Consequence found the lyrics to contain an "air of death": "Fuck it, if I can't have him/ I might just die/ It would make no difference."[8]

Musically, "Down Bad" is a synth-pop song[9] with R&B inflections, showcased via its dynamic shifts and cadences.[10] [11] Swift sings using syllabic syncopation[12] over a subdued electronic production with a synth bassline.[13] [14] Chris Willman of Variety compared the production of "Down Bad" to Swift's 2022 album Midnights, pointing out the "sinuous groove, topped by a kind of distorted-electronic voice effect as its own instrumental track".[15] Mark Savage of the BBC also compared the track to Midnights, highlighting the "delicately percolating" production with "pillowy synths and muted drums".[16]

The song is written in the key of B major in common time with a tempo of 80 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of, and Swift's vocals span from E3 to C5.[17] Additionally, it is notable for containing the most usages of swearing in any song by Swift, due to the repeated use of the word "fuck" in its chorus.[18]

Critical reception

Jason Lipshutz of Billboard ranked "Down Bad" as the sixth-best song out of 31 tracks on The Tortured Poets Department, describing the song as "one of the album's purest pop pleasures".[19] Pitchfork Olivia Horn thought that the song worked "because of the juxtaposition between its banal hook and its description of 'cosmic love'".[20] Finn McRedmond from The Irish Times highlighted the song's blunt lyrics, drawing comparisons to some of her previous work from both 1989 and Folklore.[21] Bobby Olivier of NJ.com picked the track as the album's catchiest.[22]

In The New Yorker, Amanda Petrusich appreciated the simple lyricism of "Down Bad" and summed it up as "a woozy song about feeling like shit".[23] Willman ranked "Down Bad" 16th on his April 2024 updated list of the best 75 songs by Swift, saying that while it is not one of the most poetic tracks from the album, it has "one of the best grooves, perfect for any workout queen's most depressed cooldown".[24] SLUG Magazine's Palak Jayswal dubbed "Down Bad" an "anthem that Swifties always crave", adding that it captures the essence of love bombing and falling for another person.[25] Josh Kurp from Uproxx felt that the track was a representation of the album's verbose and genre-less quality but opined that it was "extremely personal [...] to the point of discomfort".[26]

In less enthusiastic reviews, John Wohlmacher of Beats Per Minute criticized Swift's excessive use of "metaphor-chains" in her lyricism which dilutes the emotional sentiment she wants to communicate,[27] and Laura Molloy of NME said that the track contains some "cringe-inducing lines".[28] Maria Sherman of the Associated Press described the song as "mawkish" that blemished the album's otherwise "meditative" mood.[29]

Commercial performance

When the album was released, nine of its tracks occupied the top 10 of the Billboard Global 200; "Down Bad" opened and peaked at number two on the chart, behind Swift's own "Fortnight". It extended her top-10 entries to 33 on the chart.[30] In the United States, the track debuted at its peak of number two on the Billboard Hot 100, behind "Fortnight". The song alongside 13 tracks from the album made Swift the first artist to monopolize the top 14 of the Hot 100.[31] In Australia, "Down Bad" reached number two on the ARIA Singles Chart and made her the artist with the most entries in a single week with 29.[32] In the United Kingdom, it reached number four on the UK Singles Chart and extended her top 10 chart entries to 28.[33]

Elsewhere, "Down Bad" charted within the top 10 in Canada (2), New Zealand (2), the Philippines (3), Singapore (3), Malaysia (8), and Luxembourg (9). The song also reached the top 20 in several territories: number 11 in Hong Kong, Ireland, and Portugal, number 13 in Latvia, number 14 in South Africa, number 16 in Denmark, number 17 in Indonesia, number 18 in Belgium, and number 19 in Sweden. It received a gold certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Tortured Poets Department.[34]

Charts

Chart (2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[35] 2
Belgium (Billboard)[36] 18
Brazil (Brasil Hot 100)[37] 45
Croatia (Billboard)[38] 22
Denmark (Tracklisten)[39] 16
France (SNEP)[40] 53
Greece International (IFPI)[41] 12
Hong Kong (Billboard)[42] 11
India (IMI)[43] 4
Indonesia (Billboard)[44] 17
Italy (FIMI)[45] 79
Latvia (LAIPA)[46] 13
Luxembourg (Billboard)[47] 9
Malaysia (Billboard)[48] 8
MENA (IFPI)[49] 6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[50] 2
Norway (VG-lista)[51] 26
Philippines (Billboard)[52] 3
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[53] 75
Singapore (RIAS)[54] 3
South Africa (TOSAC)[55] 14
South Korea Download (Circle)[56] 152
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[57] 19
UAE (IFPI)[58] 4

Notes and References

  1. Blistein . Jon . February 7, 2024 . Taylor Swift Reveals Tortured Poets Department Back Up Plan In Case She Didn't Win a Grammy . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240207163624/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-tortured-poets-department-backup-plan-tokyo-1234963303/ . February 7, 2024 . April 19, 2024 . Rolling Stone.
  2. News: Sisario . Ben . Ben Sisario . 2024-04-19 . Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Arrives With a Promotional Blitz . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240422193932/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/19/arts/music/taylor-swift-tortured-poets-department.html . April 22, 2024 . 2024-04-19 . .
  3. Bonner . Mehera . February 16, 2024 . Taylor Swift Reveals Bonus Track Title and New Album Cover for The Tortured Poets Department . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240216224610/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a46813336/taylor-swift-the-bolter/ . February 16, 2024 . April 19, 2024 . Cosmopolitan.
  4. Web site: April 19, 2024 . As The Tortured Poets Department drops, here's all Taylor Swift's albums ranked by sales . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419095336/https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/as-the-tortured-poets-department-drops-here-s-all-taylor-swift-s-albums-ranked-by-sales/089645 . April 19, 2024 . 2024-04-19 . Music Week.
  5. Web site: Sager . Jessica . 2024-04-20 . Taylor Swift 'Down Bad' Lyrics . 2024-05-01 . . May 1, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240501110027/https://parade.com/entertainment/down-bad-lyrics-taylor-swift . live .
  6. Web site: Bailey . Alyssa . 2024-04-22 . Taylor Swift's 'Down Bad' Lyrics Seem to Detail the Depths of Her Matty Healy Infatuation . 2024-05-01 . . May 1, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240501110027/https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a60542819/taylor-swift-down-bad-lyrics-meaning-matty-healy/ . live .
  7. News: Empire . Kitty . Kitty Empire . 2024-04-20 . Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department review – a whole lotta love gone bad . 2024-05-24 . The Guardian.
  8. Web site: Siroky . Mary . 2024-04-19 . Taylor Swift Gets Lost in Her Own Shadow on The Tortured Poets Department . 2024-05-24 . Consequence.
  9. Web site: Hudson . Alex . April 22, 2024 . Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department Is Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240422173604/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-album-review . April 22, 2024 . April 23, 2024 . Exclaim!.
  10. Web site: Jenkins . Craig . April 23, 2024 . The Performative Poets Department . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240423211931/https://www.vulture.com/article/the-tortured-poets-department-taylor-swift-album-review.html . April 23, 2024 . April 24, 2024 . Vulture.
  11. Kornhaber . Spencer . April 19, 2024 . Taylor Swift Is Having Quality-Control Issues . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240422202226/https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2024/04/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-review/678121/ . April 22, 2024 . April 23, 2024 . The Atlantic.
  12. Web site: Breihan . Tom . April 19, 2024 . Premature Evaluation: Taylor Swift The Tortured Poets Department . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419202141/https://www.stereogum.com/2260059/premature-evaluation-taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department/reviews/premature-evaluation/ . April 19, 2024 . April 20, 2024 . Stereogum.
  13. Web site: Ahlgrim . Callie . April 19, 2024 . Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department Is the Messiest, Horniest, and Funniest Album She's Ever Made . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240420034341/https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/taylor-swiftaposs-aposthe-tortured-poets-departmentapos-is-the-messiest-horniest-and-funniest-album-sheaposs-ever-made/slidelist/109440024.cms#slideid=109440300 . April 20, 2024 . April 19, 2024 . Business Insider.
  14. News: Petridis . Alexis . Alexis Petridis . April 19, 2024 . Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department Review – Fame, Fans and Former Flames in the Line of Fire . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419042429/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/apr/19/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-review-fame-fans-and-former-flames-in-the-firing-line . April 19, 2024 . April 19, 2024 . The Guardian.
  15. Willman . Chris . April 19, 2024 . Taylor Swift Renews Her Vows With Heartbreak in Audacious, Transfixing Tortured Poets Department: Album Review . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419201323/https://variety.com/2024/music/album-reviews/the-tortured-poets-department-review-taylor-swift-album-1235975690/ . April 19, 2024 . April 19, 2024 . Variety.
  16. News: Savage . Mark . April 19, 2024. Review: Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department Finds the Star Vulnerable But Vicious . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419161708/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68846376 . April 19, 2024 . April 30, 2024 . BBC.
  17. Web site: Antonoff . Jack . Swift . Taylor . 2024-04-24 . Down Bad . 2024-06-05 . Musicnotes . en.
  18. Web site: Bridges . C. A. . Taylor Swift cusses up a storm in new album, 'Florida!!!' has 2nd-most f-bombs . 2024-07-12 . Daytona Beach News-Journal Online . en-US.
  19. Lipshutz . Jason . April 19, 2024 . Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department: All 18 Tracks Ranked . April 30, 2024 . . April 20, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240420200612/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-tracks-ranked/ . live .
  20. Web site: Horn . Olivia . April 22, 2024 . Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department / The Anthology Album Review . April 22, 2024 . . April 25, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240425125150/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-the-anthology/ . live .
  21. News: McRedmond . Finn . 19 April 2024 . Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department track by track – a manifesto for all the believers who will try at love one more time . April 19, 2024 . . April 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419120021/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/review/2024/04/19/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-track-by-track-a-manifesto-for-all-the-believers-who-will-try-at-love-one-more-time/ . live .
  22. Web site: Olivier . Bobby . 2024-04-19 . Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets is dense, dark and brilliant . 2024-05-24 . .
  23. Petrusich . Amanda . Amanda Petrusich . April 19, 2024 . The Tortured Poetry of Taylor Swift's New Album . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419233310/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/05/06/taylor-swifts-tortured-poetry . April 19, 2024 . April 20, 2024 . The New Yorker.
  24. Web site: Willman . Chris . 2024-04-29 . Taylor Swift's 75 Best Songs, Ranked . 2024-05-01 . . January 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230108035828/https://variety.com/lists/best-taylor-swift-songs-ranked/ . live .
  25. Web site: Jayswal . Palak . Review: Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department . SLUG Magazine . 16 May 2024 . 5 May 2024.
  26. News: Kurp . Josh . April 19, 2024 . Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Isn't The Breakup Album You Were Expecting — It's Better . April 30, 2024 . Uproxx . April 20, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240420015257/https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-review/ . live .
  27. Web site: Wohlmacher . John . Album review: Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department . Beats Per Minute . 14 May 2024 . 23 April 2024.
  28. Web site: Molloy . Laura . 2024-04-19 . Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department review: a rare misstep . 2024-05-24 . NME.
  29. Web site: Sherman . Maria . 2024-04-19 . Music Review: Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department is great sad pop, meditative theater . 2024-05-24 . .
  30. Trust . Gary . April 29, 2024 . Taylor Swift & Post Malone's 'Fortnight' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Global Charts . May 10, 2024 . . May 10, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240510080912/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-post-malone-fortnight-number-one-debut-global-charts-1235669042/ . live .
  31. Trust . Gary . April 29, 2024 . Taylor Swift Claims Record Top 14 Spots on Billboard Hot 100, Led by 'Fortnight' with Post Malone . May 9, 2024 . . April 29, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240429170523/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-hot-100-top-14-fortnight-post-malone-record/ . live .
  32. News: Gbogbo . Mawunyo . April 29, 2024 . Taylor Swift's New Album The Tortured Poets Department Smashes Chart Records in the US, UK and Australia . 2024-05-10 . . en-AU . May 10, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240510010807/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-29/taylor-swift-tortured-poets-department-charts-uk-billboard-aria/103779382 . live .
  33. Brandle . Lars . April 29, 2023 . Taylor Swift Nabs U.K. Chart Double As 'Fortnight' Starts at No. 1 . May 10, 2024 . . May 8, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240508042527/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-uk-chart-double-fortnight-1235668573/ . live .
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