Clara Bow (song)

"Clara Bow" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department (2024). The track was named after the silent-film actress Clara Bow. Swift and Aaron Dessner wrote and produced the track, which was inspired by Swift's conversations with record label executives. A folk-leaning pop rock track, it comments on Swift's fame.

Critics, as well as Bow's family, applauded the track for Swift's vulnerability, lyricism, and depiction of fame and beauty. The song peaked at number 22 of the Billboard Global 200 and reached the top 25 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States. On June 30, 2024, Swift performed "Clara Bow" as part of a mashup with her song "The Lucky One" (2012) at the Dublin stop of her Eras Tour (2023–2024).

Music and lyrics
The song is a guitar-driven pop rock ballad, containing Swift's commentary on women in the industry being taught to "replace each other". Swift has said that it was inspired by her conversations with record label executives, saying, "...They'd say, 'You know, you remind us of' and then they'd name an artist, and then they'd kind of say something disparaging about her, 'But you're this, you're so much better in this way or that way.' And that's how we teach women to see themselves, as like, 'You could be the new replacement for this woman who's done something great before you.'" It contains lyrical references to actress Clara Bow and singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks. Explaining her the namedrops, Swift said that she "picked women who have done great things in the past and have been these archetypes of greatness in the entertainment industry. Bow was the first ‘It’ girl. Stevie Nicks is an icon and an incredible example for anyone who wants to write songs and make music."

Reactions and reception
Prior to the album release, the family of actress Clara Bow, whom the track is named after, said they hoped the song would encapsulate her legacy. Bow's great-granddaughter, Nicole Sisneros, said her family was shocked and fascinated by the track. Sisneros added that Swift's team had not contacted the family prior. Another granddaughter of Bow, Brittany Grace Bell, said she wishes for Swift to display Bow positively, highlighting that Bow and Swift were "pioneers in their field". After the song's release, Bow's family praised it, describing it as "hauntingly beautiful" and praising the lyrics, "This town is fake but you're the real thing." Bell additionally stated that she feels Bow would've supported Swift had she lived to know of her. Clara Bow biographer David Stenn also praised Swift's song, describing the lyrics "beauty is a beast that roars down on all fours" as "poetry" and "profound."

In a positive review, Maria Sherman of The Associated Press said "Clara Bow" is one of the greatest album closing tracks from Swift. Reviewing the song's ending, Sherman interprets it as Swift's self-criticism and awareness. Samantha Olsen of Cosmopolitan placed it third on her top five ranking of its parent album, highlighting its emotional sentiments. Billboard Jason Lipshutz praised the song for its production, dubbing it "careful pop rock" and highlighting its self-referential outro ("You look like Taylor Swift") and depiction of beauty. Dakota West Foss from Sputnikmusic commented that "Clara Bow" ended the album "with intriguing and, more importantly, genuine self-reflection that examines the weight of her crown". Beats Per Minute's John Wohlmacher similarly said "Clara Bow" is one of Swift's best songs, attributing it to its "gorgeous melody and urgent pre-chorus".

Commercial performance
When The Tortured Poets Department was released, "Clara Bow" debuted at its peak of number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In Australia, the song reached number 20 on the ARIA Singles Chart and made Swift the artist with the most entries in a single week with 29. Elsewhere, "Clara Bow" opened and peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Global 200 and charted within the 25 in New Zealand (22), Singapore (22), and Canada (23).

Personnel

 * Taylor Swift – vocals, songwriter, producer
 * Aaron Dessner – producer, songwriter, piano, synthesizer, percussion, bass, drum programming
 * Glenn Kotche – drums, percussion
 * James McAlister – engineering, synthesizer, percussion, keyboards
 * J.T. Bates – drums
 * Thomas Barlett – engineering, synthesizer, keyboards, piano
 * Robert Ames – conductor
 * Abi Hyde-Smith – cello
 * Brian O'Kane – cello
 * Max Ruisi – cello
 * Reinoud Ford – cello
 * Chris Kelly – double bass
 * Dave Brown – double bass
 * Sophie Roper – double bass
 * Elisa Bergersen – viola
 * Matthew Kettle – viola
 * Morgan Goff – viola
 * Nicholas Bootiman – viola
 * Amy Swain – viola
 * Akiko Ishikawa – violin
 * Cara Laskaris – violin
 * Iona Allan – violin
 * Kirsty Mangan – violin
 * Nicole Crespo O'Donoghue – violin
 * Ronald Long – violin
 * Sophie Mather – violin
 * Dan Oates – violin
 * Eloisa-Fleur Thorn – violin
 * Emily Holland – violin
 * Anna de Bruin – violin
 * Galya Bisengalieva – violin
 * Agata Daraskaite – violin
 * Jlian Azkoul – violin
 * Marianne Haynes – violin
 * Serban Ghenea – mixing
 * Bryce Bordone – mix engineer
 * Jonathan Low – engineering
 * Jeremy Murphy – engineering
 * Bryce Dessner – recording arrangement
 * Bella Blasko – additional engineering
 * Laura Beck – engineering assistance
 * Randy Merrill – mastering
 * Ryan Smith – mastering