Invisible String: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|2020 song by Taylor Swift}}

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{{Use American English|date=June 2020}}

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{{Infobox song

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"'''Invisible String'''" (stylized in [[Letter case#All lowercase|all lowercase]]) is a song by the American singer-songwriter [[Taylor Swift]] from her eighth studio album, ''[[Folklore (Taylor Swift album)|Folklore]]'' (2020). She wrote the song with its producer, [[Aaron Dessner]]. The lyrics are about how fate brings two soulmates together and refer to specific moments from their lives, containing references to the literature classics ''[[Jane Eyre|]]''Jane Eyreand '']] and [[The Sun Also Rises|]]''The Sun Also Rises'']]. Musically, "Invisible String" is a [[Folk music|folk]] tune with elements of [[blues]], [[Pop music|pop]], and [[Country music|country]]. Its spare acoustic arrangement is driven by acoustic guitar [[Strum|strumsstrum]]s on a rubber bridge and vocal [[Backbeat|backbeatsbackbeat]]s.

Music critics lauded "Invisible String" for showcasing what they deemed a masterful songcraft with endearing sound and lyrics; some picked it as an album highlight. [[NPR Music|NPR]] named it one of the best songs of 2020. Commercially, "Invisible String" peaked at number 36 on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and on charts of Australia, Canada, Portugal, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, where it received a silver [[Music recording certification|certficationcertification]]. Swift performed "Invisible String" on the first four shows of her sixth headlining concert tour, [[the Eras Tour]], in 2023, and as a surprise song in a [[mashup (music)|mashup]] with “Superstar” from [[Fearless (Taylor Swift album)|Fearless]] on the first [[Gelsenkirchen]] show.<ref name=":3">{{cite magazine |last1=Iasimone |first1=Ashley |last2=Dailey |first2=Hannah |date=November 29, 2024 |title=All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on The Eras Tour (So Far) |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241117054204/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs/ |archive-date=November 17, 2024 |access-date=November 29, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Katie Louise |date=November 29, 2024 |title=Every Surprise Song Performed On Taylor Swift's Eras Tour So Far |url=https://www.capitalfm.com/artists/taylor-swift/eras-tour-surprise-songs-setlist/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113011018/https://www.capitalfm.com/artists/taylor-swift/eras-tour-surprise-songs-setlist/ |archive-date=November 13, 2024 |access-date=November 29, 2024 |publisher=[[Capital (radio network)|Capital]]}}</ref>

== Background and release ==

[[File:Taylor Swift Acoustic Set Gelsenkirchen.png|thumb|180px|Swift performing "Invisible String" as a "surprise song" on [[the Eras Tour]]]]

The American singer-songwriter [[Taylor Swift]] conceived her eighth studio album, ''[[Folklore (Taylor Swift album)|Folklore]]'', while quarantining amidst the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], with producers [[Jack Antonoff]] and [[Aaron Dessner]] of [[The National (band)|the National]].<ref name="EW">{{Cite magazine |last=Suskind |first=Alex |date=December 8, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift broke all her rules with ''Folklore''—and gave herself a much-needed escape |url=https://ew.com/music/taylor-swift-entertainers-of-the-year-2020/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |language=EN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312063543/https://ew.com/music/taylor-swift-entertainers-of-the-year-2020/ |archive-date=March 12, 2021 |access-date=December 9, 2020}}</ref> Swift developed songs from figments of [[Mythopoeia|mythopoeic]] visuals in her mind, a result of her imagination "running wild" while isolating herself. In a premise for ''Folklore'' that Swift posted ontoon her social media, one such imagery was of "a single thread that, for better or for worse, ties you to your fate".<ref name="Primer2">{{cite magazine |date=July 24, 2020 |title='It Started With Imagery': Read Taylor Swift's Primer For ''Folklore'' |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9423740/read-taylor-swift-primer-folklore |url-status=live |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724184421/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9423740/read-taylor-swift-primer-folklore |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2021}}</ref> [[Republic Records]] released ''Folklore'' on July 24, 2020, [[Surprise album|with no prior promotion]]; "Invisible String" is number 11 on the standard track listing.<ref>{{Cite webmagazine |last=Blistein |first=Jon |date=2020-07-July 24, 2020 |title=Hear Taylor Swift's New Album ''Folklore'' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-new-album-folklore-release-date-1032962/ |url-access=limited |access-date=2023-12-December 15, 2023 |websitemagazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725062452/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-new-album-folklore-release-date-1032962/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

"Invisible String" charted in Australia (19),<ref name="Australia" /> Singapore (19),<ref name="Singapore" /> Canada (29),<ref name="Canada" /> and Portugal (134).<ref name="Portugal" /> In the United States, the track peaked at number 37 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref name="BHot100" /> and number 12 on the [[Rolling Stone Top 100|''Rolling Stone'' Top 100]].<ref name="RSTop100" /> In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 43 on the [[Official Charts Company|OCC]]'s [[Official Audio Streaming Chart|Audio Streaming Chart]]<ref name="UKStreaming" /> and received a silver [[Music recording certification|certification]] from the [[British Phonographic Industry]] (BPI).<ref name="BPI" /> In March 2023, Swift performed "Invisible String" as the opening song for the ''Folklore'' act at the first four concerts of her sixth headlining tour, [[the Eras Tour]].<ref>{{Cite webmagazine |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |date=April 1, 2023-04-01 |title=See Taylor Swift Deliver Debut Performance of 'The 1' at Arlington Concert |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-debut-performance-the-1-arlington-concert-1234707820/ |url-access=limited |access-date=2023-12-December 15, 2023 |websitemagazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> Starting from the March 31, 2023, show in [[Arlington, Texas]], she replaced it with "[[The 1]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Isobel |date=2023-04-10 |title=Taylor Swift fans spot Eras tour setlist change amid Joe Alwyn split rumours |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/taylor-swift-joe-alwyn-eras-setlist-changed-b2317057.html |accessarchive-date=2023-12-15April |website=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> In May 2023, in celebration of the Eras Tour's [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] shows, [[List of mayors of Nashville, Tennessee|Mayor]] [[John Cooper (Tennessee politician)|John Cooper]] issued a proclamation recognizing "Taylor Swift homecoming" as Nashville was the city where Swift started her music career. The city installed a bench at [[Centennial Park (Nashville)|Centennial Park]] with a plaque reading, "For Taylor Swift. A bench for you to read on at Centennial Park. Welcome home, Nashville;" it is a nod to the song's lyrics referencing the said park.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Avila |first=Daniela |date=May 48, 2023 |title=Nashville Celebrates Taylor Swift's 'Homecoming Weekend' on Tour with Proclamation and Park Bench (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/music/taylor-swift-nashville-homecoming-weekend-how-city-is-celebrating/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2023050422113520230408174556/https://peoplewww.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-nashvilledebut-homecomingperformance-weekendthe-how1-cityarlington-isconcert-celebrating1234707820/ |archiveurl-datestatus=Maylive 4, 2023 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref>

Starting from the March 31, 2023 show in [[Arlington, Texas]], she replaced it with "[[The 1]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Isobel |date=April 10, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift fans spot Eras tour setlist change amid Joe Alwyn split rumours |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/taylor-swift-joe-alwyn-eras-setlist-changed-b2317057.html |access-date=December 15, 2023 |website=[[The Independent]] |archive-date=December 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215062857/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/taylor-swift-joe-alwyn-eras-setlist-changed-b2317057.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In May 2023, in celebration of the Eras Tour's [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] shows, [[List of mayors of Nashville, Tennessee|Mayor]] [[John Cooper (Tennessee politician)|John Cooper]] issued a proclamation recognizing "Taylor Swift homecoming" as Nashville was the city where Swift started her music career. The city installed a bench at [[Centennial Park (Nashville)|Centennial Park]] with a plaque reading, "For Taylor Swift. A bench for you to read on at Centennial Park. Welcome home, Nashville;" it is a nod to the song's lyrics referencing the said park.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Avila |first=Daniela |date=May 4, 2023 |title=Nashville Celebrates Taylor Swift's 'Homecoming Weekend' on Tour with Proclamation and Park Bench (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/music/taylor-swift-nashville-homecoming-weekend-how-city-is-celebrating/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504221135/https://people.com/music/taylor-swift-nashville-homecoming-weekend-how-city-is-celebrating/ |archive-date=May 4, 2023 |access-date=May 5, 2023 |website=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref> To honor this, Swift performed "Invisible String" instead of "The 1" at the second show in Nashville.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leimkuehler |first=Matthew |date=May 7, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift in Nashville: What surprise songs did she sing on night two of 'Eras'? |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/05/07/taylor-swift-in-nashville-eras-tour-surprise-songs-saturday-night-two-celebrity-guests/70192187007/ |access-date=August 3, 2024 |website=[[The Tennessean]] |language=en-US |archive-date=August 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230809150329/https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/05/07/taylor-swift-in-nashville-eras-tour-surprise-songs-saturday-night-two-celebrity-guests/70192187007/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She performed it as a "surprise song" in a mashup with "Superstar" at the first show in [[Gelsenkirchen]], on July 17, 2024.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Iasimone |first=Ashley |date=August 2, 2024 |title=All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on The Eras Tour (So Far) |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs/ |access-date=August 3, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |language=en-US |archive-date=March 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319011405/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Production ==

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| description = A sample of "Invisible String" demonstrating the [[fingerpick|finger-picked]] [[strum]]s and vocal [[backbeat]]s

}}

Swift wrote "Invisible String" with Dessner, who produced the song.<ref name="DessnerVulture">{{cite web |last=Gerber |first=Brady |date=July 27, 2020 |title=The Story Behind Every Song on Taylor Swift's ''folklore'' |url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-folklore-aaron-dessner-breaks-down-every-song.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728234347/https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-folklore-aaron-dessner-breaks-down-every-song.html |archive-date=July 28, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]}}</ref> Dessner composed "Invisible String" using [[Fingerpick|finger-picked]] [[Strum|strumsstrum]]s created by putting a rubber bridge on a guitar.<ref name="DessnerVulture" /> He said that the rubber bridge "deadens the strings so that it sounds old" that created his vision of a [[Folk music|folk]] song at its core.<ref name="DessnerVulture" /> Dessner added a beat that resulted in what he called a "sneaky pop song";<ref name="DessnerVulture" /> [[Annie Zaleski]] from ''[[The A.V. Club|]]''The A.V. Club'']] characterized "Invisible String" as a folk song with "heart thump-steady vocal [[Backbeat|backbeatsbackbeat]]s",<ref name="AVClub22">{{cite web |last=Zaleski |first=Annie |author-link=Annie Zaleski |date=July 4, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift writes her own version of history on ''folklore'' |url=https://musicwww.avclub.com/taylor-swift-writes-her-own-version-of-history-on-folkl-1844498450 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727053604/https://music.avclub.com/taylor-swift-writes-her-own-version-of-history-on-folkl-1844498450 |archive-date=July 27, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |work=[[The A.V. Club]]}}</ref> while ''[[MusicOMH|''musicOMH'']]''{{'s}} Chloe Johnson dubbed it a "chaotic clash" of folk, pop, and [[blues]], with a [[song structure]] rooted in [[country music]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Chloe |date=2020-07-July 24, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift ''Folklore'' |url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-folklore |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-12-December 15, 2023 |website=[[musicOMH]] |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724123506/https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-folklore |url-status=live }}</ref>

Several critics commented that the arrangement was spare but melodious and left room for Swift's conversational sing-speaking style.<ref>{{Cite web |last=D'Souza |first=Shaad |date=July 24, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift frees herself from tabloid drama on ''Folklore'' |url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/07/24/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review-2020-national-essay |access-date=2023-12-December 15, 2023 |website=[[The Fader]]}}</ref><ref name=":5Harvilla-2020">{{Cite web |last=Harvilla |first=Rob |date=2020-07-July 27, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift Is Singing About More Than Taylor Swift—and Rediscovering Herself in the Process |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2020/7/27/21339589/taylor-swift-folklore-review |access-date=2023-12-December 15, 2023 |website=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]] |archive-date=August 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828040229/https://www.theringer.com/music/2020/7/27/21339589/taylor-swift-folklore-review |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":2Thompson-2020">{{Cite web |lastlast1=Thompson |firstfirst1=Stephen |author-link=Stephen Thompson (journalist) |last2=Powers |first2=Ann |author-link2=Ann Powers |last3=McKenna |first3=Lyndsey |date=July 28, 2020 |title=Let's Talk About Taylor Swift's ''Folklore'' |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/07/28/896193188/taylor-swift-folklore-critics-roundtable |access-date=December 15, 2013 |publisher=[[NPR]] |archive-date=July 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730020352/https://www.npr.org/2020/07/28/896193188/taylor-swift-folklore-critics-roundtable |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Jon Caramanica]] of ''[[The New York Times|]]''The New York Times'']] found the production "airy and earthy".<ref name="NYTimesReview222">{{cite news |last=Caramanica |first=Jon |author-link=Jon Caramanica |date=July 26, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift, a Pop Star Done With Pop |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/26/arts/music/taylor-swift-folklore-review.html |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132513/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/26/arts/music/taylor-swift-folklore-review.html |archive-date=September 10, 2020}}</ref> Recorded at Dessner's Long Pond Studio in the [[Hudson Valley]] and [[La Gaîté Lyrique]] in Paris, France, "Invisible String" was [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixed]] by Jonathan Low. According to ''Folklore''<nowiki/>{{'s}} [[liner notes]], Dessner played acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, [[Mellotron]], percussion, piano, and [[synthesizer]], and he [[Programming (music)|programmed]] the [[Drum machine|drums]] with <bdi>James McAlister</bdi>. Dessner's brother [[Bryce Dessner|Bryce]] was the [[orchestrator]] for [[cello]] (played by Clarice Jensen), [[viola]] and [[violin]] (Yuki Numata Resnick).<ref name="booklet" />

== Lyrics ==

[[File:Centennial Park and Parthenon Nashville TN 2013-12-28 008.jpg|thumb|In "Invisible String", Swift mentions various personal details including her habit of reading at [[Centennial Park (Nashville)|Centennial Park]] (pictured) in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]].]]

Although many ''Folklore'' songs explore fictitious narratives and characters, "Invisible String" employs an autobiographical songwriting that alludes to Swift's personal life;<ref name=":4Wood-2020" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Nate |date=November 8, 2023-11-08 |title=All 214 Taylor Swift Songs, Ranked |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/all-taylor-swift-songs-ranked-from-worst-to-best.html |url-access=limited |access-date=2023-12-December 15, 2023 |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] |archive-date=September 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913234630/https://www.vulture.com/article/all-taylor-swift-songs-ranked-from-worst-to-best.html |url-status=live }}</ref> some critics pointed out probable references to her romance with the English actor [[Joe Alwyn]].<ref name=":12Willman-2020">{{Cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=July 24, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift's ''Folklore'': Album Review |url=https://variety.com/2020/music/reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review-1234715520/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724065836/https://variety.com/2020/music/reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review-1234715520/ |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bailey|first=Alyssa|date=2020-07-July 24, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's 'Invisible String' Lyrics Give a Revealing Update on Her Relationship with Joe Alwyn|url=https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a33413528/taylor-swift-invisible-string-lyrics-meaning-joe-alwyn-joe-jonas/|access-date=June 7, 2021|website=[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]]|archive-date=July 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726104333/https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a33413528/taylor-swift-invisible-string-lyrics-meaning-joe-alwyn-joe-jonas/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the lyrics, Swift's character describes how fate brings her to her soulmate after they each spent their separate lives throughout the years.<ref name=":0Mapes-2020" /><ref name=":14Leiszkiewicz-2020">{{Cite news |last=Leiszkiewicz |first=Anna |date=July 24, 2020 |title=''Folklore'' reveals a more introspective side to Taylor Swift |website=[[New Statesman]] |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2020/07/folklore-reveals-a-more-introspective-side-to-taylor-swift |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020072329/https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2020/07/folklore-reveals-a-more-introspective-side-to-taylor-swift |archive-date=October 20, 2021}}</ref> Some critics considered "Invisible String" one of a few straightforward love songs on ''Folklore''.<ref name="NYTimesReview222" /><ref name=":12Willman-2020" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Carl |author-link=Carl Wilson (writer) |date=2020-07-July 24, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift’sSwift's New Album Reveals That Social Distancing Has Served Her Well |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |url=https://slate.com/culture/2020/07/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review.html |access-date=December 15, 2023 |archive-12date=April 11, 2023 |archive-15url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411115246/https://slate.com/culture/2020/07/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Callie Ahlgrim from [[Insider Inc.|''Insider'']] thought that the title alluded to the East Asian mythology of the [[Red thread of fate|Red Thread of Fate]].<ref name=":112Ahlgrim-2020" />

EachThe first [[Verse (music)|verse]]drama startsand with the [[passive voice]].<ref name=":722">{{Cite webdramatic verse|last=Keefe |first=Jonathan |date=July 27, 2020 |title=Review: With ''Folklore'', Taylor Swift Mines Pathos from a Widening Worldview |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review-with-folklore-taylor-swift-mines-pathos-from-a-widening-worldview/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132417/https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review-with-folklore-taylor-swift-mines-pathos-from-a-widening-worldview/ |archive-date=September 10, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=[[Slant Magazineverse]]}}</ref> The first verse recalls their lives before they met; the female narrator was a girl who used to read at Nashville's Centennial Park and dreamt of a romance there ("Green was the color of the grass where I used to read at Centennial Park"),<ref>{{Cite webmagazine |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |date=2023-10-October 28, 2023 |title='Invisible String' (2020) |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/taylor-swift-songs-ranked-rob-sheffield-201800/invisible-string-2020-1093994/ |access-date=2023-12-December 15, 2023 |websitemagazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-date=December 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215074311/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/taylor-swift-songs-ranked-rob-sheffield-201800/invisible-string-2020-1093994/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the male partner once wore a teal shirt and worked at a yoghurt shop as a young man.<ref name=":12Willman-2020" /> The second verse details how the two's lives intertwined without them knowing; Swift also alludes to her song "[[Bad Blood (Taylor Swift song)|Bad Blood]]" and her publicized dispute with the singer [[Katy Perry]]: "Bad was the blood of the song in the cab/ On your first trip to LA/ You ate at my favorite spot for dinner."<ref name=":112Ahlgrim-2020">{{cite web |last=Ahlgrim |first=Callie |date=July 30, 2020 |title=Every detail and Easter egg you may have missed on Taylor Swift's new album ''Folklore'' |url=https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-folklore-lyrics-easter-eggs-2020-7 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211202000344/https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-folklore-lyrics-easter-eggs-2020-7 |archive-date=December 2, 2021 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=[[Insider Inc.|Insider]]}}</ref><ref name="rs">{{cite magazine |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |date=July 24, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift Leaves Her Comfort Zones Behind on the Head-Spinning, Heartbreaking ''Folklore'' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/taylor-swift-leaves-her-comfort-zones-behind-on-the-head-spinning-heart-breaking-folklore-1033533/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724155901/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/taylor-swift-leaves-her-comfort-zones-behind-on-the-head-spinning-heart-breaking-folklore-1033533/ |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |access-date=February 21, 2021 |url-access=limited |authorlink=Rob Sheffield}}</ref> The next lines mention her trip to the [[Lake District]] in England ("Bold was the waitress on our three-year trip/ Getting lunch down by the Lakes/ She said I looked like an American singer"), a detail that is also on the ''Folklore'' bonus track "[[The Lakes (song)|The Lakes]]".<ref name=":112Ahlgrim-2020" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Mylrea |first=Hannah |date=August 6, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift–'The Lakes': the ''Folklore'' bonus song decoded |url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/taylor-swift-the-lakes-theories-lyrics-folklore-bonus-song-2722662 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200908195832/https://www.nme.com/blogs/taylor-swift-the-lakes-theories-lyrics-folklore-bonus-song-2722662 |archive-date=September 8, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=[[NME]]}}</ref>

The final verse references Swift's reputation and past relationships: "Cold was the steel of my ax to grind/ For the boys who broke my heart/ Now I send their babies presents."<ref name=":5Harvilla-2020" /><ref name=":112Ahlgrim-2020" /> The [[Refrain|chorus]] uses "invisible string" as a metaphor for love guided by happenstance: "And isn't it just so pretty to think/ All along there was some invisible string/ Tying you to me."<ref name=":0Mapes-2020" /><ref name=":6Bate-2023" /> The English literary professor [[Jonathan Bate]] said these lyrics referenced two literature classics: ''[[The Sun Also Rises]]'' (1926) by [[Ernest Hemingway]] ("Isn’tIsn't it pretty to think so?") and ''[[Jane Eyre]]'' (1847) by [[Charlotte Brontë]] ("it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame").<ref name=":6Bate-2023">{{cite news |last=Bate |first=Jonathan |author-link=Jonathan Bate |date=April 10, 2023 |title=Why Taylor Swift is a literary giant—by a Shakespeare professor |newspaper=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.co.ukcom/article/why-taylor-swift-is-a-literary-giant-by-a-shakespeare-professor-3fmh269bt |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618210707/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-taylor-swift-is-a-literary-giant-by-a-shakespeare-professor-3fmh269bt |archive-date=June 18, 2023}}</ref> Swift elaborates on this "invisible string" in the [[Bridge (music)|bridge]], "A string that pulled me/ Out of all the wrong arms, right into that dive bar", referencing the "dive bar" mentioned in her 20192018 single "[[Delicate (Taylor Swift song)|Delicate]]".<ref name=":14Leiszkiewicz-2020" /><ref name=":112Ahlgrim-2020" />

== Critical reception ==

Music critics acclaimed the lyrics and theme of "Invisible String". Chris Willman of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' commented that its theme added a "sweetness" to ''Folklore'', whose other tracks mostly explored the dark and bittersweet feelings from unfulfilled romance.<ref name=":12Willman-2020" /> Caramanica said it was the only "truly hopeful-sounding song" on the album and contained some of Swift's most vivid lyrics.<ref name="NYTimesReview222" /> According to the ''[[New Statesman]]''<nowiki/>{{'s}} critic Anna Leszkiewicz, "Invisible String" showcased a more intimate theme than other album tracks and was ''Folklore''<nowiki/>{{'s}} "romantic high-point".<ref name=":14Leiszkiewicz-2020" /> In ''[[Slant Magazine|]]''Slant Magazine'']], Jonathan Keefe lauded how the track employed "protracted metaphors" and the passive voice to convey Swift's "new peak in her command of language".<ref name=":722Keefe-2020">{{Cite web |last=Keefe |first=Jonathan |date=July 27, 2020 |title=Review: With ''Folklore'', Taylor Swift Mines Pathos from a Widening Worldview |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review-with-folklore-taylor-swift-mines-pathos-from-a-widening-worldview/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132417/https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review-with-folklore-taylor-swift-mines-pathos-from-a-widening-worldview/ |archive-date=September 10, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=[[Slant Magazine]]}}</ref> Katie Moulton, writing for ''[[Consequence of Sound]]'', picked "Invisible String" as an album essential and complimented that it demonstrated Swift's mature perspective with "piercing" lyricism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moulton |first=Katie |date=July 24, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift's ''folklore'' Dismantles Her Own Self-Mythologizing: Review |url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/07/album-review-taylor-swift-folklore/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724185604/https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/07/album-review-taylor-swift-folklore/ |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=[[Consequence of Sound]]}}</ref> Jason Lipshutz of [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']] regarded it as the best ''Folklore'' track because it contained the "sumptuous intricacies" of Swift's songwriting and delivered an "emotional knockout" that had the potential to endure "within and outside" Swift's discography.<ref name=":7Lipshutz-2020">{{Cite webmagazine |last=Lipshutz |first=Jason |date=2020-07-July 24, 2020 |title=Every Song Ranked on Taylor Swift’sSwift's ''Folklore'': Critic's Picks |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/taylor-swift-folklore-songs-ranked-critics-picks-9424095/ |access-date=2023-12-December 19, 2023 |websitemagazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-date=January 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123071509/https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/taylor-swift-folklore-songs-ranked-critics-picks-9424095/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The song's production received similarly positive comments. Caramanica and Leszkiewicz found it to be restrained and nuanced,<ref name="NYTimesReview222" /><ref name=":14Leiszkiewicz-2020" /> and Keefe lauded it as a masterful construct of song structure.<ref name=":722Keefe-2020" /> ''[[PopMatters]]''<nowiki/>{{'s}} Michael Sumsion described the guitar as "sky-bound plinking" that "bursts into an acoustic charge of pastoral loveliness".<ref name=":20">{{Cite web |last=Sumsion |first=Michael |date=July 29, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift Abandons Stadium-Pop for a New Tonal Approach on ''Folklore'' |url=https://www.popmatters.com/taylor-swift-folklore-review-2646821264.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731005457/https://www.popmatters.com/taylor-swift-folklore-review-2646821264.html |archive-date=July 31, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=[[PopMatters]]}}</ref> ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''<nowiki/>{{'s}} Julian Mapes praised "Invisible String" as one of the "loveliest" songs on ''Folklore'' for its "delightfully plucky" instrumentals.<ref name=":0Mapes-2020">{{Cite web |last=Mapes |first=Jillian |date=July 27, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift: ''folklore'' |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-folklore/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828191233/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-folklore/ |archive-date=August 28, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]}}</ref> Zaleski was impressed by Dessner's "ornate" arrangement that created a "sonic intimacy" highlighting Swift's vocals.<ref name="AVClub22" /> In a similar vein, Lyndsey McKenna from [[NPR]] said Swift's vocals and the instrumentals, which resembled the music of the Nationals, were a "natural marriage".<ref name=":2Thompson-2020" /> Lipshutz described Dessner's guitar and beats as "unfussy" that complemented the lyrics.<ref name=":7Lipshutz-2020" /> Mikael Wood of the ''[[Los Angeles Times|]]''Los Angeles Times'']] placed the song second on his ranking of all ''Folklore'' tracks; he deemed its lyricism "very cleverly phrased" and Swift's vocals "whimsical and luscious".<ref name=":4Wood-2020">{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Mikael |date=July 26, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift's ''Folklore'': All 16 songs, ranked |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-07-26/taylor-swift-folklore-songs-ranked |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210329230604/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-07-26/taylor-swift-folklore-songs-ranked |archive-date=March 29, 2021 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>

The editorial staff of ''Billboard'' collectively ranked "Invisible String" fourth in a 2022 list of Swift's select 100 tracks. The editor Becky Kaminsky wrote that the track showcased Swift's contentment in her personal life after the "trials and tribulations" of stardom, which was emotionally resonant for her audiences, both "those who have found their special someone" and "those still searching".<ref>{{Cite webmagazine |date=2023-03-March 16, 2023 |title=The 100 Best Taylor Swift Songs: Staff Picks |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-taylor-swift-songs/ |access-date=2023-12-December 19, 2023 |websitemagazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-date=April 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411021029/https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-taylor-swift-songs/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Hannah Mylrea of ''[[NME]]'' placed the song at number 31 on a ranking of Swift's discography.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Mylrea|first=Hannah|date=September 8, 2020|title=Every Taylor Swift song ranked in order of greatness|url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/features/every-taylor-swift-song-ranked-2747916|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917054150/https://www.nme.com/en_asia/features/every-taylor-swift-song-ranked-2747916|archive-date=September 17, 2020|access-date=June 7, 2021|website=[[NME]]}}</ref> NPR placed "Invisible String" at number 22 on their ranking of 100 best songs of 2020, for "all the beautiful detail, all the muscular melody and immaculately placed acoustic production details".<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 3, 2020 |title=The 100 Best Songs Of 2020 (Nos. 40-21) |website= |publisher=[[NPR]] |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/03/934634855/the-100-best-songs-of-2020-page-4 |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207155455/https://www.npr.org/2020/12/03/934634855/the-100-best-songs-of-2020-page-4 |archive-date=December 7, 2020}}</ref>

==Credits and personnel==

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of ''Folklore''.<ref name="booklet">{{Cite AV media notes |title=Folklore|others=[[Taylor Swift]]|year=2020 |type=booklet |publisher=[[Republic Records]] |id=B003271102 |___location=United States |last=Swift |first=Taylor |author-link=Taylor Swift |title-link=Folklore (Taylor Swift album)}}</ref>

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{{single chart|Portugal|134|artist=Taylor Swift|song=Invisible String|rowheader=true|access-date=June 7, 2020|refname="Portugal"}}

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! scope="row"| Singapore ([[Recording Industry Association (Singapore)|RIAS]])<ref name="Singapore">{{cite web|url=https://www.rias.org.sg/rias-top-charts/|title=RIAS International Top Charts Week 31|work=RIAS |publisher=Recording Industry Association (Singapore)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805124940/https://www.rias.org.sg/rias-top-charts/|archive-date=August 5, 2020}}</ref>

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{{single chart|UKstreaming|43|date=2020-07-31|rowheader=true|accessdateaccess-date=June 7, 2021|refname="UKStreaming"}}

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{{single chart|Billboardhot100|37|artist=Taylor Swift|rowheader=true|access-date=June 7, 2021|refname="BHot100"}}

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==CertificationCertifications==

{{Certification Table Top|caption=CertificationCertifications for "Invisible String"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United KingdomAustralia|typetitle=singleInvisible String|artist=Taylor Swift|titletype=Invisible Stringsingle|award=SilverPlatinum|relyear=2020|certyear=2023|id=18935-1598-12024|access-date=MayFebruary 314, 2023|refname="BPI"2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|artist=Taylor Swift|title=invisible string|award=Platinum|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=July 25, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Invisible String|type=single|award=Platinum|access-date=December 19, 2024|source=radioscope|relyear=2020|certyear=2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Invisible String|award=Gold|relyear=2020|certyear=2025|id=18935-1598-1|access-date=May 30, 2025|refname="BPI"}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true | nosales=true | noshipments=true}}