Draft:The Bolter (song)

"The Bolter" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It is co-written and co-produced with Aaron Dessner.

Background
Swift started working on The Tortured Poets Department immediately after she submitted her tenth studio album, Midnights, to Republic Records for release in 2022. She continued working on it in secrecy throughout the US leg of the Eras Tour in 2023. The album's conception took place when Swift's personal life continued to be a widely covered topic in the press. She described The Tortured Poets Department as her "lifeline" album which she "really needed" to make. Swift announced "The Bolter" edition of The Tortured Poets Department during the first Melbourne show of the Eras Tour. The standard album, alongside "The Bolter" edition was released on April 19, 2024, and a double album edition subtitled The Anthology was surprise-released two hours later. "The Bolter" is taken from The Anthology and is track number 29 from the album.

Lyrics and composition
"The Bolter" was co-produced with Aaron Dessner; Alli Rosenbloom noted the production’s similarity to Swift’s eight studio album, Folklore (2020).

A person on Reddit connected "The Bolter" to Lady Idina Sackville, whom the 2008 book of the same name was written about.

Critical reception
Lucy Ford and Nathalie Kermot of GQ called the song a "cheeky wink to Swift’s own legacy as a serial monogomer", connecting it to a book by Nancy Mitford, The Pursuit of Love.