Sweet Nothing (Taylor Swift song) explained

Sweet Nothing
Type:song
Artist:Taylor Swift
Album:Midnights
Genre:Bedroom pop
Released:October 21, 2022
Studio:
Length:3:08
Label:Republic
Producer:

"Sweet Nothing" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her tenth studio album, Midnights (2022). Swift wrote the song with Joe Alwyn, who is credited under the pseudonym William Bowery, and produced it with Jack Antonoff. An electric piano-led ballad, "Sweet Nothing" features a bedroom pop production that is reminiscent of 1970s ballads. It is accompanied by saxophone and clarinet accents. The lyrics are about a narrator's appreciation of her lover for his calming presence and simple gestures amidst the chaos of the outer world.

In reviews of Midnights, music critics praised the intimate lyrics, vulnerable sentiments, and tender production of "Sweet Nothing"; some picked it as one of the album's best tracks. Esquire ranked it among the best songs of 2022. Commercially, "Sweet Nothing" peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Global 200 and in the top 40 on single charts in Australia, Canada, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam. Swift performed the song during the Dublin and Mexico City stops of her Eras Tour (2023–2024).

Background and release

At the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards held on August 28, the singer-songwriter Taylor Swift announced her tenth studio album, set for release on October 21, during her acceptance speech for Video of the Year. Soon after, she revealed the title, Midnights, and its album cover on her social media, but did not immediately reveal the tracklist.[1] On September 21, a month before Midnights was released, she announced a thirteen-episode short series called Midnights Mayhem With Me, slated for release on the social media platform TikTok. Its purpose is to announce a song title through a telephone every episode by rolling a lottery cage containing thirteen ping pong balls numbered one to thirteen, each ball representing a track.[2] [3] In the twelfth episode, she revealed "Sweet Nothing" as the twelfth track of the album.[4]

Midnights was released by Republic Records, and "Sweet Nothing" appears as track number 12. The English actor Joe Alwyn wrote and produced songs under the pseudonym William Bowery with Swift on her 2020 studio albums, Folklore and Evermore. He again wrote with Swift and is credited under the same pseudonym as co-writer on "Sweet Nothing".[5] Jack Antonoff, a longtime collaborator who produced Swift's albums since her fifth, 1989 (2014), was confirmed as a producer on Midnights by a video posted to Swift's Instagram account on September 16, titled "The making of Midnights".[6] The "Piano remix" of the song is included on the CD Deluxe edition of Midnights titled Lavender Edition.[7] On August, 24, 2023, Swift performed "Sweet Nothing" live as a "surprise song" at the Mexico City stop of her Eras Tour. She sang the track again in a mashup with her song "Hoax" (2020) during the tour's Dublin stop on June 28, 2024.[8]

Composition and lyrics

"Sweet Nothing" is three minutes and eight seconds long.[9] Swift wrote the song with Alwyn (credited as William Bowery) and produced it with Antonoff, who also engineered and programmed it. On "Sweet Nothing", Antonoff is credited with instruments including drums, piano, and synthesizers (Moog, Juno 6, Prophet 5), and Evan Smith is credited with organ, saxophone, flute, and clarinet. "Sweet Nothing" was recorded by Antonoff and engineer Laura Sisk at Rough Customer Studio, Brooklyn and Electric Lady Studios, New York, and Smith recorded Swift's performance at Pleasure Hill Recording, Portland. The track was mixed by Serban Ghenea, assisted by Bryce Bordone, at Sterling Sound, Edgewater, and mastered by Randy Merrill at MixStar Studios, Virginia Beach.[10]

"Sweet Nothing" is a tender ballad that is reminiscent of 1970s songs.[11] [12] Its acoustic arrangement sets it apart from a synth-heavy album.[13] The song is driven by an Wurlitzer electronic piano[14] [15] and features accents of saxophone[16] and clarinet that crescendo towards the end.[17] Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen said the song had a bedroom pop "aesthetic".[18]

The title references the expression "sweet nothings", which denotes insubstantial romantic gestures only meant to flatter or seduce. In the lyrics, a narrator appreciates her lover for not expecting anything from her and describes him as a calm and reliable presence amidst the chaotic world outside. She feels like home with him: "you're in the kitchen humming"; this lyric evokes imagery of a couple's intimacy within a kitchen setting on some of Swift's past songs such as "All Too Well" (2012) and "Cornelia Street" (2019).[19] She recalls how he appreciates her: "On the way home / I wrote a poem / You say what a mind."[20] The lyrics, "industry disruptors and soul deconstructors / And smooth-talking hucksters out glad-handing each other", allude to Swift's struggles with her fame and celebrity. The narrator expresses her vulnerability and admits to her lover, "I'm just too soft for all of it". Some critics commented the song is structured similar to a nursery rhyme.[21]

Critical reception

"Sweet Nothing" received widespread acclaim from critics. Au-Nhien Nguyen picked it as an album highlight for a different side of Swift's songwriting. Alex Hopper of American Songwriter appreciated the song's romantic simplicity because it feels "buoyantly free and delightfully naive".[22] Ranking every Midnights track, Billboard journalist Jason Lipshutz placed it as the album's eighth best song; he said Swift's subtle gestures are one of the album's most affecting. Entertainment Weeklys Marc Hirsh called the song "charming" for Swift's devotion and gratitude to someone who demands nothing for her.[23] Rick Quinn from PopMatters picked "Sweet Nothing" as one of the songs that showcased Swift's ability to "enunciate and play with where the emphatic accent falls become rhythmic instruments."[24] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph hailed the "gossamer-light, flyaway ballad" as the album's best song.[25] In the Financial Times, Ludovic Hunter-Tilney picked the track as a showcase of Swift's ability to "sound conversational and highly tuneful at the same time" and lauded her "wonderfully deft use of tone and phrasing".[26] Esquire selected "Sweet Nothing" among the 45 best songs of 2022.[27]

Commercial performance

After Midnights' release, "Sweet Nothing" entered the Billboard Global 200 at number 14 along with the standard edition's 12 other tracks, all of which debuted inside the top-15 of the Global 200. In Canada, it debuted and peaked at number 15 on the Canadian Hot 100 and was certified gold by Music Canada for selling over 40,000 units. Elsewhere, "Sweet Nothing" debuted on the charts in several countries and peaked within the top 40 in the Philippines (12), Australia (14), the United States (14), Singapore (15), Malaysia (16), Vietnam (27), and Portugal (34).

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Midnights.

Charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Greece International (IFPI)[28] 30
Ireland (Billboard)[29] 15
Lithuania (AGATA)[30] 72
Malaysia International (RIM)[31] 16
Philippines (Billboard)[32] 12
Singapore (RIAS)[33] 15
Swiss Streaming (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] 70
UK (Billboard)[35] 18
Vietnam (Vietnam Hot 100)[36] 27

Notes and References

  1. Martoccio . Angie . August 29, 2022 . Taylor Swift Announces New Album Midnights: 'A Journey Through Terrors and Sweet Dreams' . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20220829064007/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-announces-new-album-1234583475/ . August 29, 2022 . 2022-11-17 . limited.
  2. Web site: Taylor Swift Begins Revealing Midnights Song Titles—Starting with 'Track 13, Because of Course' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925063940/https://people.com/music/taylor-swift-begins-revealing-midnights-song-titles-starting-with-track-13-because-of-course/ . September 25, 2022 . 2022-11-17 . People.
  3. Aniftos . Rania . September 23, 2022 . Taylor Swift Announces Next Midnights Song Title & It's Spicy . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20220923075749/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-midnights-track-8-song-title-vigilante-shit-1235143475/ . September 23, 2022 . 2022-11-17.
  4. Web site: Jones . Damian . October 7, 2022 . Taylor Swift reveals all song titles on new album Midnights . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220923075749/https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-midnights-album-tracklist-3314098 . September 23, 2022 . 2022-11-24 . NME.
  5. Mier . Tomás . October 18, 2022 . See Which Midnights Song Joe Alwyn Is Listed as a Co-Writer on With Taylor Swift . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20221125144033/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/joe-alwyn-wrote-song-on-taylor-swift-midnights-album-1234613601/ . November 25, 2022 . 2022-11-25 . limited.
  6. Web site: Shanfeld . Ethan . September 16, 2022 . Taylor Swift Confirms Jack Antonoff as Producer on Midnights in New Behind-the-Scenes Look . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220916200440/https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-jack-antonoff-producer-midnights-album-1235375271/ . September 16, 2022 . 2022-11-17 . Variety.
  7. Everything to know about Taylor Swift's Midnights album. Entertainment Weekly. Lauren. Huff. October 23, 2022. June 17, 2023. May 23, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230523200232/https://ew.com/music/everything-to-know-taylor-swift-midnights-album/. live.
  8. Web site: Smith . Katie Louise . June 28, 2024 . Every Surprise Song Performed on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour So Far . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240629045820/https://www.capitalfm.com/artists/taylor-swift/eras-tour-surprise-songs-setlist/ . June 29, 2024 . June 29, 2024 . Capital FM.
  9. Web site: 2023-02-03 . Taylor Swift releases Midnights: Fans and critics praise the dark and cryptic album – as it happened . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230204225723/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/taylor-swift-2023-midnights-album-grammys-b2275511.html . February 4, 2023 . 2023-02-04 . The Independent.
  10. Midnights . liner notes . . 2022 . Republic Records.
  11. Web site: Wilson . Carl . Carl Wilson (writer) . October 21, 2022 . Taylor Swift's Midnights Is the Right Kind of Concept Album . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021170235/https://slate.com/culture/2022/10/taylor-swift-midnights-album-review-3am-lyrics.html . October 21, 2022 . 2022-11-19 . Slate.
  12. Spanos . Brittany . October 21, 2022 . Taylor Swift Lets Us Into Her Darkest Dreams On Midnights . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021040124/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/taylor-swift-midnights-1234611211/ . October 21, 2022 . 2023-01-07 . limited.
  13. Web site: Dwyer . Matthew . 2022-11-04 . Taylor Swift's Midnights Is the Solution and the Problem . 2023-05-18 . . November 4, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221104140735/https://www.popmatters.com/taylor-swift-midnights-review-2 . live .
  14. Web site: Willman . Chris . October 21, 2022 . Taylor Swift's Midnights Marks a Return to Electronic, Confessional Pop That's Worth Losing Sleep Over: Album Review . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021040515/https://variety.com/2022/music/album-reviews/taylor-swift-midnights-album-review-1235410102/ . October 21, 2022 . 2022-11-24 . Variety.
  15. Web site: Bridgewater . Paul . October 21, 2022 . Review of Midnights by Taylor Swift: 'a love letter to emotional stability that can't hide its flaws' . 2023-05-18 . . October 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021040052/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/taylor-swift-midnights-love-letter-to-emotional-stability . live .
  16. Lipshutz . Jason . October 21, 2022 . Every Song Ranked on Taylor Swift's Midnights . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021040336/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-midnights-album-songs-ranked/ . October 21, 2022 . 2022-11-24.
  17. Web site: Ruggieri . Melissa . October 21, 2022 . Taylor Swift returns to pop with poetic Midnights, her most deeply personal album yet . 2023-05-18 . . January 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230108034601/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/10/21/taylor-swift-midnights-album-review/10553445002/ . live .
  18. Web site: Nguyen . Giselle Au-Nhien . 2022-10-21 . Clever, addictive: Taylor Swift's new album bridges pop and folk . 2023-11-24 . . en.
  19. Web site: Jennings . Rebecca . 2022-10-21 . Every song on Taylor Swift's Midnights, explained . 2023-05-18 . . October 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221026131503/https://www.vox.com/culture/2022/10/21/23416464/taylor-swift-midnights-lyrics-explained-anti-hero-video . live .
  20. Web site: Lowe . Lindsay . 2022-10-21 . Is Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn's Midnights collab about their own love story? . 2023-05-18 . . May 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230518160351/https://www.today.com/popculture/music/taylor-swift-sweet-nothing-lyrics-joe-alwyn-relationship-rcna53370 . live .
  21. Web site: Moreland . Quinn . October 24, 2022 . Taylor Swift: Midnights Album Review . 2023-05-18 . . October 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221024063311/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-midnights/ . live .
  22. Web site: Hopper . Alex . 2022-10-21 . Review: Taylor Swift Delivers Her Dreamiest and Most Introspective Album to Date with Midnights . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221031090455/https://americansongwriter.com/review-taylor-swift-delivers-her-dreamiest-and-most-introspective-album-to-date-with-midnights/ . October 31, 2022 . 2022-11-26 . American Songwriter.
  23. Web site: October 21, 2022 . Marc . Hirsh . Taylor Swift sleeps to dream on the moody, intimate 'Midnights' . 2022-11-26 . EW.com . October 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021221645/https://ew.com/music/music-reviews/taylor-swift-midnights-review/ . live .
  24. Web site: Quinn . Rick . 2022-11-02 . Taylor Swift: Midnights (Album Review) . 2022-11-25 . PopMatters . November 4, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221104152354/https://www.popmatters.com/taylor-swift-midnights-review . live .
  25. News: McCormick . Neil . 2022-10-21 . On Midnights, Taylor Swift kisses goodbye to the crowd-pleasing hit . The Daily Telegraph . 2022-11-26 . 0307-1235 . October 21, 2022 . https://archive.today/20221021055050/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/taylor-swift-midnights-album-review-pop-queen-kisses-goodbye/ . live .
  26. News: Hunter-Tilney . Ludovic . 2022-10-21 . Taylor Swift: Midnights review—fourth new album in three years finds the singer flagging . . subscription . 2023-05-18 . May 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230518161526/https://www.ft.com/content/3b710ad6-e522-46f9-a8c6-abbfcf8bf337 . live .
  27. Web site: McNeal . Bria . Hassan . Ammal . Miller . Matt . 2022-12-02 . The 45 Best Songs of 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221208131751/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/g40379688/best-songs-2022/ . December 8, 2022 . 2022-12-08 . Esquire.
  28. Web site: IFPI Charts . November 19, 2022 . ifpi.gr . November 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221102162317/https://ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html.
  29. Taylor Swift Chart History (Ireland Songs). November 7, 2023. Billboard.
  30. Web site: 2022 43-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). AGATA. lt. November 19, 2022. October 28, 2022. October 28, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221028111211/https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/s43/. live.
  31. Web site: Top 20 Most Streamed International Singles In Malaysia Week 43 (21/10/2022-27/10/2022). RIM. November 5, 2022. November 19, 2022. Facebook. November 5, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221105101311/https://www.facebook.com/RecordingIndustryMalaysia/posts/pfbid0q7gyJiMxS3BiiNhdKesGATxMoUGvn94NA9X2xSfV6iGY5q43n44XdVDfzKvmDamgl. live.
  32. Taylor Swift Chart History (Philippines Songs). Billboard. November 19, 2022. November 8, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231108142420/https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/i42/. dead.
  33. Web site: RIAS Top Charts Week 43 (21 – 27 Oct 2022). RIAS. November 19, 2022. November 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221101061928/https://www.rias.org.sg/rias-top-charts/.
  34. Web site: Streaming Charts Top 100. Schweizer Hitparade. de. November 19, 2022. November 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221106054854/http://swisscharts.com/charts/streaming/30-10-2022. live.
  35. Taylor Swift Chart History (U.K. Songs). November 7, 2023. Billboard.
  36. Taylor Swift Chart History (Billboard Vietnam Hot 100). Billboard. November 19, 2022. June 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220606210818/https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/vtm/. live.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sweet Nothing (Taylor Swift song)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.