A needlessly thorough analysis of Karma 🐍 If you think this song is bad...get well soon, dummy!
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- ever since I heard this song, from midnights, I have been completely bamboozled by the lack of appreciation for its excellence. in fact, SOME so-called 'swifties' have been lamenting karma as an example of taylor swift's songwriting decline. well NOT on my watch!
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#taylorswift
47 minute video about one song? The talent, the commitment, the power LEAPT out of the screen.
Right?!
I love the dedication put into this as well!
the definition of a SWIFTOLOGIST 🫡
It’s not just one song
Karma is literally Taylor's whole personality. People hating on it seriously don't know her & lack sense of humour.
The more I listen to it the more I appreciate it. It's a deliberately hilarious and over the top song and perfectly in line with her sense of humor.
The first time I heard this song, and I heard the line karma is a cat purring in my lap because it loves me, I literally laughed out loud and said that is the most Taylor Swift line that Taylor Swift has ever written or will ever write. 😂😂
The entire album is very her. If you don't like it, it's probably because you like her music more than you like her. People who know and love her personality would easily *get* this album.
right!!!!!
soooo true
i feel like after folklore and evermore some people can't fanthom the idea that a song can have smart lyrics and a meaningful message without the need of overcomplicated long words and obscures allusions. i understood what she meant after my first listen. #karmahive
#karmatruthersbutnotinthedelusionalway
Thank you! I don’t understand how you can’t understand her extremely meaningful messages, and things like the over arching concepts behind folklore and evermore, but you can’t enjoy lyrics and truly understand what she means when she says things like “Karma is a cat, purring in my lap“. I understood what she meant after the first listen also :-)
I see people saying that Karma and Bejeweled are superficial and lack depth. I'm like "are you allergic to having fun? Do you hate yourself? Who hurt you? Hmm??"
She has a fair amount of cognitive dissonance
uh
"Ask me why so many fade but I'M STILL HERE!" is my absolute favorite "that bitch" moment from her EVER. I mean how many of us veteran Swifties have been with her through every backlash and SHE'S STILL ON TOP!! The best revenge is her living her fucking best life and I love her for it!
It’s honestly crazy to think about how popular Taylor was SIXTEEN YEARS AGO. Who else is still here and at her level?
A moment of silence to everyone who foolishly believed they could cancel Taylor.
Great assessment of Karma. Taylor is an intuitively strategic, self-aware, savvy business person who is also a brilliant lyricist and storyteller. My theory is that because she is so strategic by nature, fate and karma are how she explains the things that happen she didn’t predict or couldn’t control.
yeah completely
He don’t dress for critics, or for stupid fans, he’s on that vigilante shit again.
omg I love this
His words are wise, you might call him green, but his words are wise, my sage.
LMAO
Taylor doesnt always have to write poetry quality lyrics, i love the fun ones like karma and bejeweled.
Agree, plus it still takes a lot of skills to write fun songs that are clever and Taylor's fun songs always tend to be so so clever
I I love the mix of fun songs and tragic songs
karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend, aren't you envious that for you it's not........ that's still very poetical for modern pop music. also, there's a pre-chorus, the chorus is long and wordy, not repeating any lines, and there's a bridge, a breakdown, and outro, so it's already superior to every other "standard" pop song.
@@carolinegeorge13 agree!! like the timing and sound of the chorus and the verses is just impeccable! no easy feat.
this IS poetry tho
i also think it's so interesting that she really directly speaks to the subjects of her songs. "was she worth it?" "do you still feel like you know what you're doing?" "ask me why so many fade, but i'm still here" and even in dear john "don't you think nineteen was too young?" almost goading them into responding and being destroyed
There was an interview she did after dear John came out and John Mayer needs some kind of response Taylor just Shrug it off like oh please 😂
I don't know if someone already said this to you Zack but... You're really a natural, a talent at what you're doing. You're very good at following the outlines of your topics, very systemized and carefully followed through in a very natural way, like you're not forcing anything at all. I'm simply impressed and I feel the need to say this because this thought has been going on my mind a lot recently while watching your videos. Keep slaying.
Wow, thank you!
This! 👆🏻
"Karma's a relaxing thought, aren't you envious that for you it's not" is my fave line from her ! its so cutting, its such a good burn 'i'm happy and living my best life and you tried to take that from me but i'm chilling and life is coming back to bite you, aren't you mad that im so happy' like that cuts deeeeep but its such a simple line i love it
so true!! that line stuck out to me as well
Even more than her just watching karma come for others- she is receiving her karma too, and it's good, for doing good.
I read an article that stated that Karma is actually a new, AND better re-recorded audio version of the Bible (the old testament) from 165BC. Investigative technicians were finding words like “cat” “relaxing thought” and after years in the making, it was reported that the piece that made it onto Midnights is the finalized version of the Bible itself! And that’s history
I read that too! crazy!
do you know how to find it?
This is extremely laughable
Are you KIDDING ME?! Karma is in my Top 3! It is a total BOP!
I think Swifties might have been expecting Reputation 2.0, something more similar to Vigilante Shit.
But I LOVE Karma! And I totally affirm what you're saying as a Catholic and a Swiftie has been there from the very first day.
Amen!
The ironic thing is, Karma is so much more cutting than ANYTHING she put on Rep because it really communicates: yeah, I’m over you all. Karma will do it’s job, and I don’t have to even give you another thought! The ultimate serve!
Ditto girlfriend!
yessssss, my top 3. currently top 1, but that might change. WCS is fkg awesome too.
I was very happy with karma it turned out to be Exactly what you want in a Taylor swift bop
Karma was my instant number one song on the album, it absolutely blows my mind that people don't get how iconic it is
Same
Yesssss ICONIC
Truly
I love that song
It sounded way different than I thought, I was expecting a darker sound
People are criticizing Vigilante Shit too!! Karma and Vigilante Shit are both life changing songs, I mean...she looks so pretty driving in your Benz; karma is on your scent like a bounty hunter. I get chills. Honestly, all Mignights lyrics are completely flawless, seriously
vigilante shit is a supremely fun reputation-esque song . its a bad bitch type song! ughhhhh i love it sm
now I dont know if vigilante shit is life changing but speak your truth queen
@@meghansullivan6812 I know it's supposed to be a fun fantasy thing but I mean, Scooter did get divorced and in some kind of trouble with the FBI so it's all part of the real Tay voodoo
@@vankr that’s incredible lmao. I figured there was truth to the song, particularly to do w scooter brawn, but hadn’t looked into it yet!
KARMA has girl bossed us to world peace
THANK YOU. People not seeing the depth in karma is HEARTBREAKING to me. I haven’t watched the whole video, but to me Karma is the antidote to anti-hero. Her gratitude for the blessings in her life allows her to recognise that she’s not such a bad person (as she thinks in anti-hero). Karma reminds her that because she has things in her life worth loving, she TOO must be worthy of love bc why else would karma treat her so good. Also it allows her to relax from her vengeful vendetta, bc she knows karma (her best friend, her BOYFRIEND) will handle it for her
i’m so glad this is the karma we got and not the one the clowns wanted
going through a swiftologist binge and i just want to say that taylor swift would love you.
the scream i scremt when i heard "karma is my boyfriend/ a cat purring in my lap cuz it loves me" could rival the noise outta my mouth at "i'm doing good i'm on some new shit"
I think when she says "karma is my boyfriend" and "karma is the guy on the screen coming straight home to me" is also a double entendre representing joe (especially since joe is an actor which fits the second line very well) as good karma that she deservingly received after all those years, but that's my interpretation :)
I agree, same with the cat line.
I agree with that as well !
That’s the only way she meant it, of this I’m certain! She’s not saying that karma is literally her boyfriend, I think the song would be dumb if she was.
@@thriftypinklady she also says karma is a god & karma is a queen lol so I think it's pretty clear that is one of the meanings of karma is my boyfriend
Karma is such a good song! I don't know why some people hate it. Infact it is on my top 3 favorite off of the midnights album.
Me too!
When I heard this song for first time, the earth shifted on its axis. It is a BOP and the depth of the lyrics mixed with the brilliance of its construction…I MEAN! I totally agree- it’s one of the greatest songs of all time! 🥲🥳 Thank you for this brilliant analysis! I love your channel and podcast! 🙏🏻😍🥰❤️
karma IS the swiftologists
I was afraid this song was gonna be cringe and try hard edgy but glad I was wrong.I love her take on Karma as a magical force that brings justice instead of a scary, spooky energy of evil.
Your name oh my god I LOVE IT!!!
Well to those who don't get the cheekiness and genius of it. It is cringe
Karma is one of the best songs on Midnight, how's that possible!! (2nd favourite for me)
I think some swifties don't understand the "less childish" way of seeing revenge, as being happy is the best revenge
And while I ignore you, to care for the most important things in my life, they'll be consequences to your actions
Honestly, like most people, I was waiting for a vigilante shit n°2, but this way of seeing revenge was so refreshing that I highly prefer it this way
It was also a great move because there were so many theories on karma and expectations, that people would have been disappointed if she'd done it reputation style
so true bestie
"And whenever taylor tries to paint herself as unbothered it's important to remember that she is perpetualy bothered" hahaha we love our petty queen
*bothered. Sorry- I couldn't figure out what you meant. Xx
@@MissteriousMisstress ahahahahaha sorry. I'm from Argentina, so english is not my mother tongue
@@paulavales445 your trying is appreciated!!
And better than my Spanish!! Xx
I think the genius of the song is that you can interpret the whole chorus two different ways: The one you explained and the other way around, like her current boyfriend (Joe)being proof that she has good Karma, same with the 'breeze in my hair on the weekend' and her cats loving her... It's like she's saying I earned those things because I keep my side of the street clean and have fucking great karma because of it haha
Yes bestie
I always thought karma is my boyfriend meant having Joe is good karma
Ok I am actually obsessed with everything about this 😂 I love how detailed you are about the songwriting, different parts of her life, her career, her total belief in revenge, how sometimes she strikes the match, and TAYVOODOO which is absolutely real lol. “I’m back b*, round two, let’s go, let’s change the world. That’s exactly what Karma is.” This whole video is as iconic as the song! 🥰
thank you for watching carrie!!
when listening to Karma i like to think that Taylor saw all the KaRMa tHe LosT AlBuM theories going around, which really have gained popularity over the past year, and thought to herself "it's time to show these dumdums what karma really is", sat down by Meredith, grabbed her gel pen and wrote the line "Karma is a cat"
brilliant video also!
Exactly this Remember how in the midnight mayhem with me video when she announced This track How she just laughed her ass off
Omg would you do a video of revisiting the FULL phone call that created snakegate? Its TRULY insane and ALL the signs were there of who kanye is and who Taylor always WAS and always has been.
Karma IS EVERYTHING. 💜💜💖
It’s so refreshing to hear how you talk about Taylor. Not just as a goddess or an icon but as a genuine artist and storyteller
No one dig deeper than Swiftologist. Truly your best video. Bravo!👏
THIIIIIS!!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 someone had to say it. Honestly one of Taylor’s best songs to date. “Ask me why so many fade but I’m still here?” I died when I heard that
such a good line, right?!
Karma is one of the best ones on the album. I was worried when I saw the title before the release but its so freaking good especially because its mostly about good karma
Once again, thank you for your service. 🙏 Karma is my favorite track from the album. It's so camp! She really is the moment!
thanks for watching!!
the consonance of the letter 'T' in the breakdown is just TOO good and idk how anyone can say Karma is badly written...
"'Cause karma is the thunder
RaTTling your ground
Karma's on your scenT like a bounTy hunTer
Karma's gonna Track you down
STep by sTep from Town to Town
SweeT like jusTice, karma is a queen
Karma Takes all my friends To the summiT
Karma is the guy on the screen
Coming straighT home To me"
it's scary. she was being a menace. we love it
yes I love thisss
Thorough analysis, I think it's understandable for non-swifties to not get it, it's not a song for them, blank space was much more successful in that regard (and a better song imo). But people who love and listen to everything TS should feel the wink in "Karma is a cat, purring on my lap cause it loves me, flexing like a goddamn acrobat, me and Karma vibe like that". Also Zach, what is it with the zoom out into a square effect every minute or two? 😂
Sweet like Justice, this post. Thank you! Karma remains my number 1 for so many reasons!!
0:01 I’m sat
That was the exact moment, when I’m sat.
Taylor gave us Folklore and Evermore with poetic and big words. And when she saw how we embraced it she was like, here's Midnights as your reward. I love her.
I'm not a huge fan of Karma but I hate when people say it's too "silly" or "childish".. I actually like the direction she took with the song and how you don't have to see karma as a negative thing, since she knows she didn't do wrong and she's content and at peace with it. it has a good beat and it's a great song, but I prefer others 🥰
the intense investigative journalism, i’m obsessed. this is why we’re all subscribed and y’all should too!
she is TAYLORSPLAINING with this song, you're so right
Honestly, you always hit the nail on the head with your videos… thanks for being a sane voice in such a big (and sometimes stupid) fandom. ❤😭
thanks for watching James!
Loved Karma INSTANTLY! Couldn't believe people didn't get it or appreciate it! Thank you for this!
the “tay-voodoo” is just her capricorn rising 💅🏽 queen of saturn 🪐
This song is brilliant! My favorite on the album since first listen.
😍😍😍
It’s impressive how much it evokes Taylor’s personality. She managed to take something we all expected to be dark and serious and turned it into an upbeat witty tune.
This woman is a genius!
that she is !
this video changed my way to listen to her music. it is so amazing how everything is really good detailed here. thank u thank u thank u
There is the wrong opinion and then there is the Swiftologist’s opinion 🤷♀️❤
hehe. facts.
LOL
just today I told someone they aren't a real Swiftie cos they said Shake It Off is one of their favourites, and then they got offended.
@@ssp4795 shake it off can be a real swiftie's favorite. she's a classic! don't be a hater
@@ssp4795 not they
Every time I listen to it I get another interpretation--- and THANK YOU for saying it is FUNNY
#1 favorite track-- THANK YOU FOr SPITTING FACTS
you literally just sat down and spoke like one of my favorite video essays ---
you are powerful --- Love it. hell yeah
This video
NGL....when I first heard this song I definitely went "yikes" because coming from folkmore era I was expecting MTR level writing for this song since this was such a hyped song but then as I kept listening, I realized how fun and genius this song is. She sounds unbothered this song and also giving a twist to the karma narrative as something which is also good for people who good things. NOW THIS SONG IS MY JAM.
the bad blood voodoo was insane because miss perri really went from collecting #1s like child's play to being completely irrelevant in the music industry in a span of two years
that one was too harsh....
She’s not irrelevant
People just don’t mention her a lot
But she still has her fans
I agree so much with the Mean one, that part was so embarassing😭😭😭
Good job with this video. Its hard to talk about a topic so dircetly and smart for 47 minutes. You make this video really worth while
I heard Karma on the radio the other day, I hope this means it’ll be a single, could definitely see it. Personally, in my top 5 if not #1, thank you for the prayer and the thorough analysis. I’ve already seen some putting this as their #1 so it does not go unappreciated 🎉
also the great thing about the lyrics is that there's a double meaning to the chorus: karma is figuratively her boyfriend and a cat that loves her since it works in her favor, but she also feels that the good karma she has received is literally her actual boyfriend and cats
IF YOU DON'T GET KARMA YOU DON'T GET TAYLOR
YOU ARE MY KING OMFG i was just defending karma to my friend last night who was saying that the song is lazy and NOT GOOD.
any time the swiftoligist marches into a video with the energy of "well NOT on my watch" we have no choice but to listen and take notes 🤣🤣🤣
hahahahaha
THANK YOU for this video
I don't think my brain is capable of drawing this deep conclusion from the lyrics.
Addicted to betrayal for the hell of it
Is she talking about her, is she talking about someone else, I don't know what she's saying and probably never will because again, I don't know how its possible to infer taking control of the narrative from that line.
Oh my God I literally jumped the gun again 1 second before you explained it...
Fan 1: 🕵♀️ bestie...we've uncovered the truth about Karma. It's indeed an unreleased album.
Fan 2: 🕵♀️ yeah..such a shame. But she's giving us a song named after it though.
Fan 3: 🕵 can't wait to listen to it!! It's gonna be dark and so scathing...
All of them: 😈😈😈Mwahahaha...
Taylor: Karma is my boyfriend...Karma is my cat purring in my lap...
Also pretty interesting how Spider Boy is SB just like Scott Borchetta or Scooter Braun🤔 I mean.. maybe it's not a coincedance because she's a MASTERMIND
As s Blank Space girlie who loved Karma from the first time I heared the fully deranged lyric "karma is a cat purring in my lap cause it loves me" I an fully with you. Though I prefer the production of Blank Space they are clearly cut from the same cloth. I am beyond pleased that it's the closing number on the Eras tour. Never change blondie.
OH!!!
Also, I LOVE the vased flowers 💐
Eucalyptus and Stock are so lovely and fragrant. It’s hard to make out the other blooms but I spy with my little tired eye, maybe a peony?
Also 'karma is my boyfriend' is clever word play. So many people have tried to undermine her relationships or treated her badly and her reward for 'keeping her side of the street clean' in her head is her stable loving relationship. Karma is literally her boyfriend. He's literally 'the guy on the screen coming straight home to me'. The excellence.
I love it when RUclips recommends you one of your old videos... U talking about 10k when you are about to hit 100k made me feel really happy ❤
remember when we thought karma was gonna be an intensely vengeful vigilante shit type of sound?
and yet, i was SO relieved it turned into a fun/happy song, still with a sting, sooooooo perfect.
It was the complete opposite
Karma was and still is one of my favorite songs on the album. I lost my mind with her genius. Thanks for this!
This song is hilarious! The way she sings "the breeze in my hair on the weekend" is so cheeky and funny. How can people not get it? This is SO Taylor
Better Than Revenge is my boyfriend, Better Than Revenge is a God
karma is one of the best songs on the album period- people literally don’t understand her personality and I feel like people just started tacking on to Taylor after folklore and evermore and it’s been so FRUSTRATING hearing people attempt to try to say something without listening to her entire catalogue with an open ear
so true meg
Please do more videos like this with full analysis on individual songs!
I haven't laughed as hard as when I heard you and Madeline absolutely LOSE IT over Karma on the podcast. I go back and listen to it from time to time because it actually is that funny! But also, so ACCURATE! "The normies wouldn't understand" !!!! 😂😂😂
Great points.
Something I’d like to add: there’s a duality to Karma, right? It can be good or bad. In addition to what you said abt Taylor and karma being in constant conversation (and that tying into the “karma is my boyfriend” line) I think it can also be taken in the context of her past relationships and their portrayal by the media. By saying karma is my boyfriend, she’s saying that she finally got this thing that her wide eyed romantic side has been wanting for her entire career. It’s like Joe is the embodiment/manifestation of all that “good” karma. Keeping that in mind, I find it interesting how on this album she keeps referencing Scooter/Kanyes marriages breaking down (kind of like now it’s THEIR relationships falling apart and being blown up publicly as a form of retribution- the manifestation of their “bad” karma)
I'm actually here because I listened to karma and was so impressed it changed my whole perception.
I was never interested in Taylor Swift, I have not payed attention to pop culture for years and from what I remember is that the melody or lyrics were always so basic and boring to me...
then I accidentally heard karma and anti hero and was like wait a minute, who even is she, I have no idea.... so I fell down the rabbit hole, listening to her Albums, interviews...
and I was so wrong, she just chose songs as singles I don't like but there are many others I do like on her older albums as well, and the picture people have of her is made up of so many projections....
It's been so interesting and needless to say I totally agree with what you're saying about karma, before I knew anything I could feel that every line was deeply meaningful and intentional.
Also I instantly thought you were really cool and subscribed right after the first video I saw, not for Taylor but because I like YOUR vibe. 💙
when she said, _Karma takes all my friends to the summit_ is such a swaaankkk with a "look who's on the top" nod.
All Taylor's celebrity friends/besties, admirers boosts their popularity when she's around them. Bejeweled indeed Periodt
so true like you can hear the twinkle in her eye
you are my superstar!
Swiftologist: “Sit down.”
I’m sat.
I listened to the needledrop review of Midnights and *knew* he was going to hate that song, because with all due respect - he doesn’t get it. As soon as I heard this song I knew TS was on her fun but true sh*t.
I mean it's understandable, one doesn't get Karma if they don't do a bit of TS universe research. But he was spot on about the rest of the album, unfortunately. Plus, even he liked Bejeweled.
This is one of my favorite videos of yours! Love that you went back to the debut & revisited all that stuff behind “Mean”. Karma is long overdue- I think eventually most swifties will get it, needs more time to really sink in😂!
thank you so much Betty!!
Yass a 45min video studying the God given text that is Karma.
ur so right for the "blank👏 space👏 is👏 karma's👏 older 👏stronger👏 sister👏"
this is sooo good. i honestly think this is a great primer on a lot of things Taylor if someone is just vaguely aware of hee songs and her drama and her persona
I fell in love with Karma when I first heard it and before I watched your Midnight reaction, I was hoping so badly you would like it too because my sister didn’t and I thought she was crazy!
I watched this video without skipping a second despite having a very short temper AND I'm leaving a comment even though I rarely do. Binging your videos has really made me go back and listen to Taylor's songs again and finding new meaning within them. Always liked Karma but now I think I like it even more. I also just want to add that I consider myself to be a swiftologist as well since I've always liked to analyze Taylor's songs and persona in my head since my adolescence and honestly I'm so grateful for you making this channel and feeding us with your insights! Thank you Zack and can't wait for more videos!
I effing love Karma!! Thanks for the breakdown, I love your insights into Tay Tay x
I’ve never needed this video more
I am not saying that karma is a bad song. but every time when karma comes up on my playlist Im skipping it
Ahhh so excited for this
Brilliant master thesis...A+
love this video and thank you for your service! fun fact, i used to work for bob lefsetz's long term girlfriend lmao. weird blip in my swiftie existence. never met him but kinda wish i did. anyways!
omg LOL
I been defending this song since it’s release. Now it’s my time to shine
I've recently read the Lover journals again - have you ever thought about doing a video about them where you go through every page? It would be amazing, some of those pages are golden and some are so cringeee
An iconic video for an iconic song. This was really one of your best Taylor Swift breakdowns.
The preparation that went into this video. No words!!! You should have a subject at university I’m not even joking.
Thanks once again for your work.
(Btw I couldn’t agree more of course) ❤
one of the best things that happened to me on RUclips was the algo recommending your channel (back when you were at 2K!) Thank you!!!
new to your channel and amazed by how you're always so right about everything (except happieness and cowboy like me)