Taylor Swift is an incredible lyricist whose storytelling paints beautiful imagery and evokes heartfelt, candid feelings within her listener. The National is known for creating unique, subtly powerful instrumentals that give their songs a tangible atmosphere. These two incredible artists combine their gifts to create the perfect storm on the song “Coney Island.”

The poignant, plucking guitar and the quiet echoes of a drum at the start of the song are what initially caught me, but the lyrics are what made me stay. Through dueling perspectives, the song travels through several relationships, and really an entire lifetime, wondering how something once carefree with limitless possibilities has turned to disappointment and regret. The best part of this song is the way it transports the listener. The simple melody and story of loss and mistakes sink into your bones, and it’s impossible not to feel as if you are “sitting on a bench at Coney Island” and watching as the once vibrant park grows cold, empty, and broken.

“Coney Island” is one of the many incredible tracks off Swift’s album Evermore. This is the only song on the album to feature The National, but the band’s co-founder, Aaron Dessner, produced and co-wrote almost all of the songs on this album and her previous release, Folklore. If you’re as enamored with this collaboration as I am, look no further than the rest of the songs on these albums for more magic.