by Abby Stone '29
The Life of a Showgirl? More like the Life of a St. Marker
Taylor Swift’s new album “The Life of a Showgirl” has officially taken over St. Mark’s. From dorms to dining halls, students can’t stop talking about her latest era and whether it truly sparkles or falls flat. Despite differing opinions on the album, one thing rings true: each song is surprisingly relatable to the life of a St. Marker.
The Fate of Ophelia
In the chorus of the lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia,” Swift sings, “You dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.” Likewise, when dinner in the dining hall doesn’t look appetizing, many St. Markers turn to DoorDash. One could say, “DoorDash dug me out of hunger and saved my stomach from the fate of Flik dining.”
Elizabeth Taylor
Swift parallels the scrutiny of being in the spotlight with that of the iconic late actress Elizabeth Taylor in this song. During the chorus, Swift calls out to Taylor, asking, “Do you think [the scrutiny] forever?” Something that receives just as much attention and dread at St. Mark’s is the infamous G block on Friday afternoons. As the last class of the entire week, many students silently cry to themselves, thinking it lasts forever.
Opalite
Opalite is a man-made opal, which Swift extends as a metaphor for turning one’s hardships into successes. St. Markers have turned the past eight weeks of studying for tests and preparing presentations into a successful Window 1. In the chorus, Swift sings, “You were dancing through the lightning strikes / Sleepless in the onyx night / But now the sky is opalite.” Similarly, these St. Markers pushed through endless Canvas notifications and sleepless nights, but now the sky is opalite, and they can be proud of all their hard work.
Father Figure
Swift’s “Father Figure” serves as a metaphor for reclaiming her masters from the Reputation era and earlier. Acting as a parent to her art, she sings, “I protect the family.” Similarly, our Head of School is the protector of St. Mark’s, representing the lion pride with wisdom and dignity. In the bridge, Swift asks, “Whose portrait’s on the mantle?” At St. Mark’s, portraits of all past Heads of School hang in the dining hall. One day, Dr. Hill will join St. Mark’s past father figures there too.
Eldest Daughter
Swift is a master of numerology and has said that track 5 on each of her albums is always one of her most personal favorites; “Eldest Daughter” is no exception. In this song, Swift laments that she may not always be the trendiest, but that will never stop her from protecting others and her art. She sings, “I’m never gonna let you down / Never gonna leave you now.”
The eldest daughters of St. Mark’s are the dorm prefects, the liaisons between boarding students and house faculty. While they’re not always everyone’s favorite people as they give out strikes or enforce chore duties, they vow never to let their peers down by offering homework help during study hall and planning fun dorm events.
Ruin the Friendship
“Ruin the Friendship” is a nostalgic track that reflects on Swift’s regret over not kissing a friend who passed away a decade later. She advises, “My advice is to always ruin the friendship / Better that than regret it / For all time.” Swift turning her troubles into advice mirrors the nature of chapel talks at St. Mark’s, where seniors share life lessons drawn from personal experiences with the community.
Actually Romantic
While Swift doesn’t explicitly name anyone in “Actually Romantic,” many have speculated that it’s a diss track aimed at pop star Charli XCX. In this sarcastic track, Swift sings, “It’s actually sweet / All the time you’ve spent on me / It’s honestly wild / All the effort you’ve put in / It’s actually romantic / I really gotta hand it to you, ooh / No man has ever loved me like you do.”
Likewise, some might say the amount of time teachers spend warning students not to abuse ChatGPT mirrors the love-hate relationship in this song. ChatGPT might just say to teachers, “No student has ever loved me like you do.”
Wi$h Li$t
In “Wi$h Li$t,” Swift describes the future milestones she hopes to achieve with her fiancé Travis Kelce, such as settling down and having kids. Though she’s one of the most influential and wealthiest people in the world, Swift sings to Kelce, “I just want you.”
After long days of homework and challenging classes, many students just want their free blocks. Instead of singing, “Have a couple kids, got the whole block looking like you,” many St. Markers might sing, “Have a couple frees, got the whole schedule looking like you.”
Wood
“Wood” is a cheeky song about how Swift no longer worries about silly superstitions now that she’s happily engaged to Kelce. St. Mark’s has its own interesting traditions that some might call superstitious, especially leading up to Groton Day.
While many spirit days change each year, one tradition remains: RED OUT ON MONDAY. Students must get the red, Groton’s color, out of their system early in the week and aren’t allowed to wear it afterward. Another tradition comes on Groton Eve, when the monitors throw a papier-mâché zebra into a fire, symbolizing St. Mark’s hope to win the coat back the following day.
CANCELLED!
In “CANCELLED!,” Swift sings, “Good thing I like my friends cancelled,” a line many St. Markers related to on October 20th when Canvas suddenly crashed. The sighs of relief echoed through dorms and the library alike as students rejoiced that their homework for the night was, quite literally, postponed or cancelled.
Honey
When Swift sings, “You can call me honey if you want, ‘cause I’m the one you want,” she’s describing romance, but for St. Markers, the one they want is sleep. There’s no sweeter feeling than realizing you don’t have to get up right away while everyone else scrambles to class because you have a first-period free. In that moment, the world feels calm, the dorms are quiet, and for once, time is actually on your side.
The Life of a St. Marker
“Hey, thank you for the lovely bouquet, I’m married to hustle,” Swift cheers in the title track, “The Life of a Showgirl.” From long days of classes to juggling practices, rehearsals, and homework, hustle is a key part of the life of a St. Marker. Swift may have her sequins, but St. Markers have their fellow lions, and this supportive pride, the alumni community, lasts forever.