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“the last great american dynasty” follows the story of Rebekah Harkness, a patron of the arts, and founder of the Rebekah Harkness Foundation.
In 2013, Swift bought a Rhode Island mansion once owned by Rebekah Harkness. The mansion is known as “Holiday House.”
Taylor draws subtle comparisons between herself and Rebekah Harkness in the song. She likens her star-studded parties to the bevy of famous composers and and dancers that once frequented Holiday house in Harkness' days. Also similar to Taylor Swift, Rebekah Harkness was often a target of harsh criticism from the tabloids, and people alike.
This song is reminiscent of “The Lucky One” from her album Red where Taylor Swift sang of an unnamed Hollywood star who moved away from the limelight and from under the microscope of the media, into a life of solitude.
The style of the song follows Taylor Swift’s familiar contemporary pop sound. She spends most of the song singing in a low octave, transitioning to a higher octave only towards the end of the song. The song has elements of folk music in it too, matching the overall theme of the album.
Lyrics
[Verse 1] Rebekah rode up on the afternoon train, it was sunny Her saltbox house on the coast took her mind off St. Louis Bill was the heir to the Standard Oil name and money And the town said, "How did a middle-class divorcée do it?" The wedding was charming, if a little gauche There's only so far new money goes They picked out a home and called it "Holiday House" Their parties were tasteful, if a little loud The doctor had told him to settle down It must have been her fault his heart gave out
[Chorus] And they said "There goes the last great American dynasty Who knows, if she never showed up, what could've been There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen She had a marvelous time ruining everything"
[Verse 2] Rebekah gave up on the Rhode Island set forever Flew in all her Bitch Pack friends from the city Filled the pool with champagne and swam with the big names And blew through the money on the boys and the ballet And losing on card game bets with Dalí
[Chorus] And they said "There goes the last great American dynasty Who knows, if she never showed up, what could've been There goes the most shameless woman this town has ever seen She had a marvelous time ruining everything"
[Bridge] They say she was seen on occasion Pacing the rocks, staring out at the midnight sea And in a feud with her neighbor She stole his dog and dyed it key lime green Fifty years is a long time Holiday House sat quietly on that beach Free of women with madness, their men and bad habits And then it was bought by me
[Chorus] Who knows, if I never showed up, what could've been There goes the loudest woman this town has ever seen I had a marvelous time ruining everything
[Outro] I had a marvelous time ruining everything A marvelous time ruining everything A marvelous time I had a marvelous time
