this song strikes me for 2 different reasons.

phrasing. Tay tay really has a knack for interesting phrasing. This one is like a rushing river that stops only at the outtro. She uses short quick phrases and alternates with longer ones. It keeps you on your toes.
“Everybody wants you. Everybody wonders what it would be like to love you, walk past, quick brush, I don’t like slow motion double vision in rose blush”.

I mean, what? What a phrase! go on Tay Tay with your bad self. The whole song is like this.

form- this song and many others on Folklore and Evermore don’t follow the usual song form that most of her other songs and pop songs in general do.

Most songs follow this form: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. Or ABABCB (and the lyrics usually change)

This song has 3 parts where the lyrics hardly change at all.

Intro and Outtro that are the same (A), part 1 (B), and part 2 (C). Honestly I’m not even sure which part is the chorus. She titled the song Gold Rush, and that part (B) repeats itself like a chorus does but she starts the song with it. and does that mean that part 2 (C) (Dominoes) is a verse? doesn’t sound like a verse to me.

Part 2 (Dominoes) doesn’t sound like a chorus to me either. it sounds like a bridge would sound but she’s not bridging anything together AND she repeats it. Plus she changes the words in Part 2 which doesn’t usually happen in a chorus. (Though she breaks that rule often enough).

In this song the form is ABCBCA. Not usual form at all.

The lyrics repeat themselves in Part 1 (Gold Rush), and they differ a bit in Part 2 (Dominoes) with just these 2 phrases. First time she says this -“I see me padding cross the wooden floors with my eagles T-shirt hanging from the door” Second time this: “my mind turns your life into folklore I can’t dare to dream about you anymore”.

And that’s it. That’s the only time lyrics change in the whole song.

It’s actually really cool because we know that Tay Tay knows the rules she just decides to break them. And both parts are pretty catchy.

Moral of the story- it’s ok to break the rules in terms of form but do it consciously. It works here because the phrasing of Part 1 (Gold Rush) is catchy enough that you want to hear it again. And to actually hear what she’s saying, you HAVE to listen again. Closely.

What’s cool about this song is that it’s the phrasing that’s pushing the song forward, not the melody. and then to bring in some variety, she changes the melody in part 2 but it’s not as catchy a melody as willow for example.

so there you have it. What say you? Thoughts on the song? favorite parts? lyrics? which part would you say is the chorus and why? Let’s discuss!

Here are the lyrics:

I’d also like to point out that the website I took the lyrics from, categorized the song as the Gold Rush part being the chorus. and the dominoes part being the verse. I understand why they did that. I just don’t agree. It’s almost like the song is 3 separate parts and she put them together without thinking about what part is a chorus and a verse. I’d love to hear her thoughts about the form of this song. And many others. Like I said the “What must it like to grow up that beautiful? “ melodically does not sound like a verse to me in any way. If anything it might be the refrain- and I combined that part with the “At dinner parties” because they don’t feel separate to me.

Also, the line
“and then it fades into the grey of my day-old tea” ? GD! It’s just so brilliant.

The bracketed text is how genius.com categorized the song

[Intro] A

Gleaming, twinkling
Eyes like sinking ships on waters
So inviting, I almost jump in

[Chorus] B

But I don't like a gold rush, gold rush
I don't like anticipatin' my face in a red flush
I don't like that anyone would die to feel your touch
Everybody wants you
Everybody wonders what it would be like to love you
Walk past, quick brush
I don't like slow motion, double vision in rose blush
I don't like that falling feels like flying 'til the bone crush
Everybody wants you
But I don't like a gold rush

[Verse 1] C

What must it be like to grow up that beautiful?
With your hair falling into place like dominoes
I see me padding across your wooden floors
With my Eagles t-shirt hanging from the door
[Refrain]
At dinner parties, I call you out on your contrarian shit
And the coastal town we wandered 'round had nеver seen a love as pure as it
And thеn it fades into the gray of my day-old tea
'Cause it could never be

[Chorus] B

'Cause I don't like a gold rush, gold rush
I don't like anticipatin' my face in a red flush
I don't like that anyone would die to feel your touch
Everybody wants you
Everybody wonders what it would be like to love you
Walk past, quick brush
I don't like slow motion, double vision in rose blush
I don't like that falling feels like flying 'til the bone crush
Everybody wants you
But I don't like a gold rush

[Verse 2] C
What must it be like to grow up that beautiful?
With your hair falling into place like dominoes
My mind turns your life into folklore
I can't dare to dream about you anymore
[Refrain]
At dinner parties I won't call you out on your contrarian shit
And the coastal town we never found will never see a love as pure as it
‘Cause it fades into the gray of my day-old tea
'Cause it will never be

[Outro] A