Taylor Swift, Patient Zero → Song Review

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Pop superstar Taylor Swift delivers an irresistibly delicious earworm with “Patient Zero,” which appears on The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore.

“But if you’re sick of him, I got you; I was patient zero.” She’s back! Who? The ubiquitous, inescapable juggernaut herself, Taylor Swift! After igniting the pop charts with “I Knew It, I Knew You”, the Grammy-winning superstar drops “Patient Zero.” “Patient Zero” appears on The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore alongside three more bonus tracks (“Cleveland!”, “Pink Clouding”, and “Babylon”). So, addressing the elephant in the room: what/who is patient zero? Merriam-Webster defines it as “a person identified as the first to become infected with an illness or disease in an outbreak.” In this case, the illness is a toxic relationship and heartbreak; she was patient zero. Swift wrote and produced the entertaining track with pop hitmaking juggernauts Max Martin and Shellback.

“Patient Zero” commences with memorable violin riffs (Fredrik Burstedt). This well-produced song possesses pop and folk cues.  Acoustic guitar, mandolin, and pedal steel are fabulous instrumental touches. The infectious chorus, the crème de la crème, excerpted earlier, marks the first major section:

“If you wanna party with somebody who might know

About the devil on his shoulder under his halo

When the toxins take their hold, you’d rather die than let it go

But if you’re sick of him, I got you, I was patient zero.”

Even beyond the chorus, the melodies are tuneful throughout – expected from a TS song. Swift delivers a respectable vocal performance, with a fine vocal arrangement and production. The selective vocal harmonies are nice, particularly during the chorus.  As Patient Zero, Swift advises another friend with the same experience. “I’ve gotta be honest, I’ve been expecting your call,” she sings in the first verse, and adds, “I heard somebody saying there’s trouble in paradise / And my lips are sealed tight now.” My, my! In the second verse, she’s not surprised by the tale she’s hearing because she’s been there, done that: “And when you saw another woman coming out of his place / I bet he kissed the rain off your face.” The bridge relates to the verse and choruses, but is wordier, with some talk-singing.  Still, Swift makes her point loud and clear: “Take it from somebody who lost his games but won the race / Take it from someone who said all of this to his face.” All told, “Patient Zero” is Grade A Taylor Swift.  This one is an earworm from the first time you hear it!

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