| The Lakes | |||||
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| Song by Taylor Swift | |||||
| Album | Folklore | ||||
| Released | August 18, 2020 | ||||
| Recorded | 2020 | ||||
| Genre(s) | Indie, Orchestral | ||||
| Length | 3:40 | ||||
| Label(s) | Republic | ||||
| Producer(s) | Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift | ||||
| Folklore chronology | |||||
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The Lakes (stylized in all lowercase) is a song recorded by Taylor Swift, taken from the deluxe edition of her eighth studio album, Folklore, which was released on August 7, 2020, through Republic Records. It is the seventeenth and final song on the deluxe album, and was released to streaming and digital platforms on August 18, 2020.
Written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff, "The Lakes" is a midtempo indie ballad, set to acoustic guitar and strings, with themes of introspection and escapism that reflect on Swift's semi-retirement in Windermere, the largest lake in England.
Upon release, "The Lakes" received universal acclaim from music critics, with compliments on its sophisticated, poetic lyrics, and melancholic instrumentals; many named it a highlight on Folklore and one of the best songs Swift has ever penned. The song debuted in the top-10 of the Canadian and US Digital Song Sales charts, and reached number 13 in New Zealand, number 21 in Scotland and UK Downloads, and number 28 in Hungary.
Release[]
Initially, "The Lakes" was exclusively featured as a bonus track on physical deluxe editions of Folklore, which were issued on August 7, 2020. The song was made available on digital and streaming platforms on August 18, 2020, along with a lyric video published to Swift's YouTube channel.