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The Archer (song)

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"The Archer"
Cover artwork of "The Archer"
Promotional single by Taylor Swift
from the album Lover
ReleasedJuly 23, 2019 (2019-07-23)
StudioElectric Lady (New York)
Genre
Length3:31
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Taylor Swift
  • Jack Antonoff
Lyric video
"The Archer" on YouTube

"The Archer" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released as a promotional single for her seventh studio album Lover on July 23, 2019. Written by Swift and Jack Antonoff, "The Archer" is a midtempo ballad combining synth-pop, synthwave, and dream pop. The 1980s-influenced production features heavy synthesizers, soft house beats, minimalistic elements and a slow groove.

An accompanying lyric video was also released on YouTube. "The Archer" peaked at number 38 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the top 25 on the charts in Australia, Hungary, Lithuania, Scotland, and Singapore. Critics interpreted the lyrics expressing vulnerability, and introspects on Swift's insecurities, anxiety, and existential crisis; they lauded her songwriting and the production. "The Archer" was listed as one of the best songs of 2019 by Stereogum and Slant.

Background

"The Archer" is not the next single. It's just a song I love on the album [Lover]. I haven't made a video for it or anything. This is just sort of a glimpse into another side of the album I wanted to show you.

— Swift on her Instagram live-stream, Elle[1]

The song was first teased as one of the easter eggs in the music video of "You Need to Calm Down", the second single from Lover. In the video, Hayley Kiyoko appears to be wielding a bow and arrow, hitting a bullseye in the center, which has the number 5 stamped on it; fans interpreted it as something to do with the fifth track on Lover. On July 22, 2019, the fifth track on the album was revealed to be a song entitled "The Archer", through an accidental leak in the pre-order tracklist of the album on Apple Music. The following day, "The Archer" was released as the only promotional single from Lover.[2][3]

Regarding placement of "The Archer" at number five on the Lover tracklist, Swift explained that she puts the most "honest, emotional, vulnerable, and personal" tracks at the position.[4] Swift also stated that the song would not be a single and it was meant to showcase a side of the album unseen by fans with the first two singles ("Me!" and "You Need to Calm Down"). Swift went on to say that the song would not receive an accompanying music video; however, a lyric video accompanied the song's release.[1][5]

"The Archer" was written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff within two hours, when they were in California. The two have also previously collaborated on "Sweeter than Fiction" (2013), 1989 (2014), "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" (2016) and Reputation (2017).[6] The song's title "The Archer" is also a reference to the symbol of Swift's zodiac sun-sign, Sagittarius.[7][8]

Composition and lyrics

"The Archer"
A sample of "The Archer", an ambient synth-pop, synthwave, and dream pop song with lyrics about Swift's reflection on her past mistakes. It features dense synthesizers and a steady kick drum beat.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"The Archer" is an airy, minimal,[9] midtempo synth-pop,[10] synthwave,[11] and dream pop ballad,[12] that features heavy and sparkling synthesizers,[7][13] minimalistic sounds and a slow groove,[14][15] driven by house-inflected kick drum thumps that build up to a feverish climax.[4][16] Antonoff programmed the drums using LinnDrum and the synthesizers with a Yamaha DX7 and a Juno-6.[17] The song, described as "darker and more introspective" than preceding singles, showcases a "more vulnerable and confessional" side of the singer, as it features her as "both hunter and hunted".[18] With the songwriting exuding existentialism,[8] Swift also interpolates lyrics from the nursery rhyme "Humpty Dumpty" to "describe her emotional anguish", then "brings it all back to how her life has been marked by haters and betrayal".[4] Time's Raisa Bruner stated that "The Archer" showcases Swift's introspective side, over a "skittering" synth line, and that it has the 80s sensibility, typical of Antonoff's works.[19]

Critical reception

"The Archer" received widespread critical acclaim upon release. Rolling Stone's Claire Shaffer called the song "a somber, synth-heavy ballad centered around the metaphor of the archer".[7] Rania Aniftos of Billboard opined that it is "sparkling, airy", and that Swift "tears down the wall she puts up, asking the person she loves to accept all of her as she chants".[13] Writing for Forbes, Caitlin Kelley stated that the lyrics of "The Archer" scan "as a more nuanced acknowledgment of the well-documented highs and lows of her high-profile relationships", adding that "the song's biggest strength is the artfulness of [its] lines".[20] NME's Sofiana Ramli wrote that "the song exposes the singer's insecurities", describing it as "delicate and dreamy in the same minimalistic vein" as "All Too Well" (2012).[21] Spin's Jordan Sargent named "The Archer" as the "most stunning" song on Lover.[16]

Chris Willman of Variety opined that its "lyrics reflect a suspicious state of mind in a seemingly happy relationship where old fears arise easily", and also drew comparisons to "All Too Well".[22] Vox's Constance Grady wrote that the song "is spare and minimalist, and it's a little bit self-hating in the way Swift can occasionally get when she's at her most vulnerable as a songwriter", adding that it is "exponentially more emotional and powerful" than preceding singles.[23] Writing for V Magazine, Alex Kazemi called the song "a beautiful classic Taylor Swift ballad, that is both violent and exquisite". He stated that the lyrics are "full of heart-stabbers" that "attest to the songwriting skills and poetics" of Swift, and complimented the "goth-epigrams and glossier production" which "paint a vivid landscape".[8] In 2019, Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone ranked "The Archer" as Swift's eleventh best song.[24]

Stereogum named "The Archer" as one of the top 10 best songs of 2019.[25] Slant named it the sixth-best song of 2019.[26]

Commercial performance

Upon its release, "The Archer" at number 69 opened on the US Billboard Hot 100, and marked Swift's 80th song to enter the chart. It later peaked at number 38 after the release of Lover and became one of the seven top-40 entries from the album.[27][28] The song also reached number six in the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart.[29]

Elsewhere, "The Archer" debuted on the charts in several territories and peaked within the top 50 of Scotland (17),[30] Singapore (18),[31] Hungary (22),[32] Lithuania (23),[33] Belgium (28),[34] New Zealand (28),[35] Ireland (31),[36] Estonia (32),[37] Canada (41),[38] and further reaching Slovakia (63)[39] and the Czech Republic (69).[40] It reached number 43 in the United Kingdom[41] and received a silver certification for selling over 40,000 units.[42] The song peaked at number 19 in Australia[43] and was certified gold after it reached over 35,000 units.[44]

Live performances

Swift performing "The Archer" on the Eras Tour in Inglewood, 2023

Swift's first live performance of the song was an acoustic rendition on the "Lover's Lounge", a Q&A session live streamed on YouTube on August 22, 2019.[45] The next day, she again performed the song acoustically at a SiriusXM Town Hall.[46] The song was included in Swift's setlist for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge on September 2.[47] On September 9, Swift performed the song at the City of Lover one-off concert in Paris, France.[48] Swift included "The Archer" on the set list for the Eras Tour (2023).[49]

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Lover.[50]

Recording
Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for "The Archer"
Chart (2019) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[43] 19
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[34] 28
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[38] 41
China Airplay/FL (Billboard)[51] 2
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[40] 69
Estonia (Eesti Ekspress)[37] 32
Euro Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[52] 16
Greece International (IFPI)[53] 19
Hungary (Single Top 40)[32] 22
Ireland (IRMA)[36] 31
Lithuania (AGATA)[33] 23
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[35] 28
Scotland (OCC)[30] 17
Singapore (RIAS)[31] 18
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[39] 63
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[54] 6
UK Singles (OCC)[41] 43
US Billboard Hot 100[55] 38
US Rolling Stone Top 100[56] 23

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[44] Gold 35,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Version Label Ref.
Various July 23, 2019
Original Republic [2]
May 17, 2020 Live [57]

References

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  2. ^ a b Kenneally, Cerys (July 23, 2019). "Apple Music has accidentally leaked the title of Taylor Swift's next single". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  3. ^ Bruner, Raisa (July 23, 2019). "Here's Your Guide to the References in Taylor Swift's "You Need to Calm Down" Video". Time. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Goldfine, Jael (July 23, 2019). "Taylor Swift's Big, Sad Jack Antonoff-Produced Ballad Is Here". Paper. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
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  6. ^ Spruch, Kirsten (July 24, 2019). "Jack Antonoff Reveals Taylor Swift's 'The Archer' Took 'About 2 Hours' to Create". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Shaffer, Claire (July 23, 2019). "Taylor Swift Releases Intimate New Song 'The Archer'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c Kazemi, Alex (July 24, 2019). "WE BREAK OUR OWN HEARTS ON TAYLOR SWIFT'S THE ARCHER". V Magazine. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
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  45. ^ Tingley, Anna (August 22, 2019). "Taylor Swift Debuts 'Lover' Video, Sings 'Archer' During YouTube Livestream (Watch)". Variety. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
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