Although the entire ‘1989’ album is iconic, my absolute favorite song is ‘I Wish You Would’. I adore Taylor Swift for her ability to capture intense, unique emotions in her lyrics, and this song does exactly that. It combines a mix of yearning, regret, nostalgia, and forgiveness. The song has interesting layers that make the audience want to listen twice; the actual music is upbeat and pop-like, however, the lyrics can be devastating in their ability to be related to. This musical juxtaposition adds a depth that most modern-age pop music lacks. Even though Taylor Swift was most likely referring to an ex-lover, the song is applicable to anyone who has been lost. The opening of the song does a wonderful job of setting the scene. It establishes a late night, reflective car ride with someone who the narrator feels very complicated emotions towards. In her classic style, Taylor Swift’s imagery creates a detailed story. I always imagine the New York City skyline at midnight, sitting in the passenger seat in a warm car, soft music playing from the radio, the driver holding my hand as I talk on the phone with an old friend. I love this song because it intensifies emotions the same way laying awake at night and thinking about the past does. The lyric “I’ll never forget you as long as I live” in the chorus hit me like a ton of bricks the first time I heard the song. I distinctly remember crying because of how intense nostalgia for a former life came over me. To me, this song represents the loss of a friend, or someone you were very close to for a phase of your life. I was grieving for a friendship that had ended years ago, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wish we had remained friends. There was a lot of bad blood between us and our friend group for a long time, but we spent part of our childhood together. We were girls together, and that is such a special thing. I will never forget my first best friend, and the adventures we shared, the boys we gossiped about, the love we had for each other. She is a part of who I am now — whether or not we are still a part of each other’s lives. For all it’s drama, glamor, and fun, this whole album makes me love being a teenage girl, but “I Wish You Would” is the song that captured my heart.