Stay ConnectedWelcome to AP Taylor Swift Podcast, the podcast for Swifties with English degrees (or those who just overanalyze everything). Each episode, we dive into a deep reading of Taylor Swift’s lyrics to uncover the literary themes, references, and inspirations behind the songs to better understand and interpret why Taylor Swift’s songs resonate so deeply with fans.
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Copyright: © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
“I've got some tricks up my sleeve, takes one to know one.” This week, we’re deep diving a fan request, “Cowboy like me” (evermore 2020). We go line by line, exploring the use of stylistic choices like starting with the word 'and.' Join us as we delve into the narrative structure of the song and attempt to understand the characters in the song, debate the fun factor of airport bars, and try to figure out exactly what exactly Taylor means when she says “cowboy like me.”
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Mentioned in this episode:
The Life and Adventures of Joquin Murieta by John Rollin (TW: violence, violence against women)
***
Episode Highlights:
[1:20] Introduction to “cowboy like me”
[3:30] “tennis court covered up with a tent-like thing”
[9:18] “sitting in an airport bar”
[13:45] Digging into the cowboy imagery
[22:33] The repeated stanzas
[30:25] “forever is the sweetest con”
[34:55] Getting into the purpose
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
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“We can plant a memory garden.” This week we have a show and tell episode on garden songs, exploring the theme of gardens and flowers across Taylor Swift’s lyrics. From the haunting imagery in Ivy to the rich symbolism of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in Cowboy Like Me, and the many different flowers in The Great War, we dig (get it?) into how Taylor uses garden and flower metaphors to evoke ideas of romance, loyalty, and loss.
Mentioned in this episode:
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Women in Love by D.H. Lawrence
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
In Flanders Fields by John McCrae
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The New Look on Apple TV+
***
Episode Highlights:
[03:56] “ivy” evermore
[16:42] “cowboy like me” evermore
[28:00] “The Great War” Midnights (3am Edition)
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
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Surprise! We have another exciting guest episode for you this week where we chat with Laura Bankers, who is a swiftie, book-lover, and an incredible artist who makes the cutest swiftie and bookish-themed stickers. Tune in to hear us talk about her business, inspiration, and community, and stick around for a special spin-the-wheel game at the end!
You can find Laura on Instagram with the handle @little.owlet.art, through her monthly newsletter, and on Etsy through her store LittleOwletArt.
Mentioned in this episode:
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***
Episode Highlights:
[00:15] Meet Laura Bankers of LittleOwletArt
[5:13] Inspiration process
[7:30] TS Collab Wishlist
[11:45] Changed by the fandom
[13:22] Creating a community
[18:52] Books & Taylor Swift
[21:16] Game time! Spin the Wheel
[40:17] The song that made Laura a Swiftie
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"You don’t get to tell me about sad.” This week, we deep dive into Taylor Swift's song “Who's Afraid of Little Old Me” from The Tortured Poets Department. For this TTPD and Eras Tour favorite, we unpack the song’s references to fame, power dynamics, and female identity. We explore how this song brings up our experiences of passive-aggressive workplaces, and being asked to change our behavior to fit other’s expectations. It’s a meaty episode–listen and let us know what you think!
Mentioned in this episode:
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Edward Albee
Episode Highlights:
[01:52] How we do a deep dive
[03:19] Unpacking references in the song’s title
[07:49] “The who’s who of who’s that”
[13:01] “If you wanted me dead, you should have just said”
[18:56] “So I leap from the gallows”
[21:20] “At all costs, keep your good name”
[32:25] “So tell me everything is not about me”
[37:57] "That's why you're still singing along"
[42:39] The purpose of the song
[52:00] Listener homework!
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
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“They’re burning all the witches even if you aren’t one.” Happy spooky season! This week, we dive into the topic of witches. From historical midwives to fantasy heroines, Taylor’s music has a little bit for everyone. In this episode, we look at the fiery witch imagery in “I Did Something Bad,” explore the visual choice of witchiness in “willow,” and discuss the fantasy of owning your power in “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me.” With plenty of Harry Potter references for all, this episode is perfect for the inner Hermione in us all. Because at the end of the day, aren’t we all just powerful witches who are also kind of giant nerds?
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Mentioned in this episode:
Witches, Midwives, and Nurses: A History of Women Healers by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English
The Power, Naomi Alderman
Shit Cassandra Saw, Gwen E. Kirby
Invisible Women, Caroline Criado-Perez
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:15] Introduction to Witches
[07:34] I Did Something Bad - “They’re burning all the witches even if you aren’t one”
[19:36] Willow - “Wait for the signal and I’ll meet you after dark”
[34:30] Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me - “So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
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“Lately I’ve been dressing for revenge.” This week we deep dive Eras tour favorite Vigilante Shit from Taylor Swift’s album “Midnights.” We discuss the meaning of “vigilante,” how the song challenges traditional gender roles, and the many potential pop culture references and parallels that make the song fit into the broader cultural narrative of women reclaiming their power. Is "Vigilante Shit" a feminist anthem or just a really fun revenge fantasy? Listen and find out!
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Mentioned in this episode:
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:20] “Draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man”
[06:45] “They say looks can kill and I might try”
[12:24] “Don’t get sad, get even”
[21:36] “Ladies always rise above…”
[30:10] “I don’t dress for villains”
[38:20] The purpose of the song
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“We never go out of style.” This week we have a very special guest joining us to talk about Style. Yes, we’re interviewing Queen of Taylor Swift Style herself Sarah Chapelle! Sarah joins us to talk about her new book Taylor Swift Style, how her blog and commentary have evolved over the years, and how Taylor’s fashion and music work in tandem to communicate a message. Then we dive into a show and tell featuring three songs that address the idea of style in one way or another: “Style”, “Dress”, and “Vigilante Shit”.
Mentioned in this episode:
@TaylorSwiftStyled on Instagram
@taylorswiftstyle.com on TikTok
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
“Call It What You Want” Necklace
Dressed to Kill Etymology
Elizabeth Holmes “So Many Thoughts” Blog
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:12] Interview with Sarah Chapelle of Taylor Swift Style
[31:50] “Style” 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
[44:00] “Dress” Reputation
[55:59] “Vigilante Shit” Midnights
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“It’s just a question!” In this week’s episode, we do a deep dive into the ultimate rhetorical question song from Taylor Swift - “Question…?” from Midnights. We get into our own questions, such as who is the “I,” the “you,” and the “her” in the story? What were the miscommunications? Was this a one-night stand or a longer situationship? While we never get any answers to the questions asked within the song, you'll have to tune in to see whether we answer our own questions about “Question…?”
Mentioned in this episode:
“Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Daisy Jones and the Six (book)
Daisy Jones and the Six (tv show)
Episode Highlights:
[00:30] Introduction to “Question…?”
[02:13] The characters in the song
[04:30] Starting with “I remember”
[09:17] Moving into the present tense
[16:20] The chorus of “Question…?”
[29:37] “Half moon eyes” and verse 2
[39:28] Politics and gender roles
[44:52] Who is “her” in this song
[56:06] The purpose of the song
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***
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
In our first guest episode this season, we welcome DJ Louie XIV of Pop Pantheon to talk all things pop and Taylor Swift. DJ Louie discusses how he analyzes pop music in his podcast, Pop Pantheon, and delves into Taylor Swift’s unique role within the pop music landscape. We discuss Taylor’s cultural impact, her mastery of storytelling, and the influence of Jack Antonoff on her music.
Mentioned in this episode:
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram
Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter
Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram
***
Episode Highlights:
[4:04] Why is pop music so fun to overanalyze?
[6:11] How Taylor Swift fits into the pop music Landscape
[15:25] Taylor Swift as “basic savant”
[27:30] Folklore Evermore Reset
[30:00] Taylor’s artistic evolutions through her albums
[34:28] The Jack Antonoff Partnerships
[36:44] Tortured Poets and Lyrical Editing
[41:07] The pop music formula
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Affiliate Codes:
Krowned Krystals - krownedkrystals.com use code APTS at checkout for 10% off!
Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
“…Are you ready for it?” No but really, are you? Today we’re talking rhetorical questions. Why does Taylor use them? Does she use them expecting an answer? Are those a rhetorical question? (We’ll stop now…) We’re covering “Is It Over Now?” from 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault), “...Ready for it” from Reputation, and “Question…?” from Midnights. Tune in to see if we get any answers!
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Mentioned in this episode:
The Office
Parks and Recreation
Law and Order
Legally Blonde
What is a Rhetorical Question? A rhetorical question is an inquiry that ends in a question mark but is asked for effect rather than to elicit an answer. It’s often used in persuasive writing but is also common in everyday conversation.
Types of Rhetorical Questions:
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:20] What are rhetorical questions?
[06:57] “Is It Over Now?” 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)
[26:39] “...Ready for it” Reputation
[44:48] “Question…?” Midnights
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Can we always be this close? We’re celebrating our first anniversary! This week we’re reminiscing about our first year of this podcast by talking about some of our favorite podcast moments in Year 1, and the songs we surprisingly haven’t covered yet. And we’re responding to listener requests, diving into specific lyrics requested by our dear listeners.
Mentioned in this episode:
The Daily, “The Year of Taylor Swift”
E9: Fall Songs (aka Cornelia Street Moment)
E24: Deep Dive - Right Where You Left Me
E51: All Too Well (10 Minute Version) - Three Ways
All Too Well (10 Minute Version) Short Film
You Know How to Ball, I Know Aristotle on TikTok
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***
Episode Highlights:
[01:38] Songs we surprisingly haven’t covered yet
[08:46] “My Tears Ricochet” Bridge
[19:20] “Robin”
[22:51] “Right Where You Left Me” pre-chorus
[26:45] “When your Brooklyn broke my skin and bones” All Too Well 10 Minute Version
[32:36] “Do you miss the rogue who coaxed you into paradise and left you there” Coney Island
[38:28] “We can’t make any promises now can we babe?” Delicate
[44:28] Season 2 sneak peek
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"I'm so in love that I acted insane." This week we dive into “The Way I Loved You.” One guy’s screaming and fighting, the other is sensible and incredible. We go line-by-line to identify who’s involved in this love triangle, the emotions behind the narrator’s dilemma, and why the narrator doesn’t seem to want the sensible, incredible, comfortable partner. Is this a lyrical analysis or a relationship analysis? Listen and find out!
Mentioned in this episode:
E52: Psychoanalytic Theory
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Brontë
Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:53] Rhetorical triangle reminder
[02:18] Who are the characters in the song?
[08:38] The role of the love triangle
[13:29] Who’s acting insane?
[19:12] “I’m perfectly fine” “I’m comfortable”
[26:28] “He can’t see the smile I’m faking”
[31:38] “You were frustrating, intoxicating”
[38:14] The purpose of the song
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"I have this dream where I get older but just never wiser." In this episode, we use Psychoanalytic Theory to unpack the deeper meanings behind three of Taylor's songs: "That's The Way I Loved You," "Look What You Made Me Do," and "Anti-Hero." From our personal experiences to Freud’s writings, we explore how Taylor’s lyrics tap into the subconscious. Get ready to dive into the psyche of Taylor Swift's music!
Mentioned in this episode:
Civilization and Its Discontents
Switched on Pop: Beyonce’s Country
E31: Show and Tell - Shakespeare
Anti-Hero Music Video (featuring Mary Elizabeth Ellis a.k.a. “The Waitress” from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
Joseph Campbell: Hero With A Thousand Faces
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:57] Intro to Psychoanalytic Theory
[09:28] “The Way I Loved You” from Fearless
[24:04] “Look What You Made Me Do” from reputation
[44:29] “Anti-Hero” from Midnights
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
It was rare, I was there, I remember it. To kick off our second year (sophomore year?) of AP Taylor Swift, we’re tackling a song we have wanted to tackle since the very beginning: “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).” And to stay consistent with our Show & Tell format, we’re each bringing you a different lens through which we analyzed this song! Join us as we introduce you to narratology, revisit ecocriticism, and look for poetic repetition in this song to understand what makes it the epic favorite that we all know and love.
Mentioned in this episode:
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:40] Our topic for the day: ATWTMV 3-ways
[1:27] A new lens: narratology
[13:03] A literary theory: Ecocriticism
[30:35] A literary device: Poetic Repetition
[44:40] Bringing all the theories together
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“So Long London.” In our final Summer School episode, we say so long to summer as we revisit Episode 39: Cities within “The Tortured Poets Department.” London, Destin, Manhattan, Los Angeles–we explore these cities' role in the album and why Taylor Swift may have chosen these specific cities to tell her stories.
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 39: Show and Tell - Cities (Spotify | Apple)
Fry’s English Delight: Metaphors
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, Alison Bechdel
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:41] Introduction to Cities
[02:48] “So Long London”
[12:56] “Florida!!!”
[22:57] “Clara Bow”
[32:42] Summer School Extra Credit: “The Manuscript”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"You look like..." We’re throwing it back to Episode 27: Poetic Repetition, but this time we’re doing it Summer School style and looking at poetic repetition in “The Tortured Poets Department.” We cover AP English favorites like anaphora, epimone, alliteration, and assonance. And, we explore how poetic repetition can emphasize something important, create feelings of dwelling, evoke religious or holy imagery, or taunt someone.
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Mentioned in this episode:
Ted Lasso “Semantic Satiation” Episode
Episode 18: Death By A Thousand Cuts Deep Dive
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:51] What is Poetic Repetition?
[02:15] “The Tortured Poets Department”
[11:08] “So Long London”
[19:21] “Florida!!!!”
[27:18] "Clara Bow”
[30:11] “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus”
[37:39] “The Prophecy”
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“I was supposed to be sent away.” Today’s Summer School episode has us revisiting Episode 23: Mad Women (Spotify | Apple). We’ve discussed examples of mad women in Taylor’s Discography, but there hath been no woman scorned like the one in The Tortured Poet’s Department. After all, Taylor herself called it Female Rage: The Musical. But what about the other definitions of “madness” too? From the manic feeling of “Florida!!!” to the rage in “thanK you aIMee,” we get into it all in this week's episode!
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Mentioned in this episode:
Crime and Punishment by Dsotevyskey
Donald Glover stand up about crazy exes
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:50] Introducing Mad Women
[02:20] Fortnight
[10:28] Florida!!!
[17:00] ThanK You aIMee
[29:03] I Look In People’s Windows
[37:28] The Prophecy
[42:50] Honorable Mentions
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“Come one, come all, it’s happening again.”This week we’re going back to Episode 25 “Pride and Prejudice” to find parallels between the novel and “The Tortured Poets Department.” We analyze lyrics from some of our favorite TTPD songs and draw parallels to the story’s plot points, characters, and key relationships in Jane Austen’s novel.
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***
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 25 “Pride and Prejudice”
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:29] “But Daddy I Love Him”
[10:59] “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
[16:56] “The Alchemy”
[25:58] “How Did It End?”
[32:57] “I Hate It Here”
***
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“Lights, Camera, B*tch, Smile!” This week we’re covering a podcast-favorite topic: MUSICALS! Other than calling “The Tortured Poets Department” Eras tour set “female rage the musical,” we compare songs to “Hamilton,” “Les Miserable,” “A Chorus Line,” “Waitress,” “Six,” and “Wicked!” Can you guess which songs map to which musicals?
Mentioned in this episode:
“The Other Boleyn Girl,” Phillipa Greggory
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:30] “Guilty as Sin”
[08:53] “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me”
[16:17] “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
[24:47] “The Black Dog”
[31:18] “How Did It End?”
[32:54] “Cassandra”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“She fell through the ice and came out alive.” Today’s Summer School episode has us revisiting Episode 19: Satire (Spotify | Apple). We explore how Taylor uses different types of Satire on the album as a way of adding exaggeration, emphasis, and impact to her storytelling.
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Mentioned in this episode:
Oxford Dictionary definition of Satire
A Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:11] Introducing Satire
[03:37] But Daddy I love him
[12:06] I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
[17:54] The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived
[24:31] imgonnagetyouback
[31:40] The Bolter
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“Did you have to beam me up?” Today’s Summer School episode has us revisiting Episode 13: Metaphors (Spotify | Apple). There’s no shortage of metaphors across "The Tortured Poets Department," from alien abduction and a city to prison and high school. We unpack some of the metaphors woven through the lyrics to better understand the songs and the album as a whole.
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Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 13: Metaphors (Spotify | Apple)
Episode 14: Deep Dive - Getaway Car (Spotify | Apple)
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:56] Introducing Metaphors
[01:55] Down Bad “Did you have to beam me up”
[09:10] So Long, London “So long, London, You'll find someone”
[15:01] Fresh Out The Slammer “Handcuffed to the spell I was under”
[20:08] The Albatross “I’m the Albatross”
[24:28] So High School “Bittersweet sixteen suddenly”
[33:33] Cassandra “I was in my tower weaving nightmares”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"The sickest army doll purchased at the mall." In this Summer School episode, we delve into Marxist Theory (Episode 11) and its application to “The Tortured Poets Department”. We explore themes of power dynamics, ownership, control, and escape. We’ll introduce topics like Marxist Feminism, repressive state apparatus, ideological state apparatus…just a super light topic for summer!
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 11: Marxist Theory (Apple | Spotify)
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Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:30] Introduction to Marxist Theory
[04:07] “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”
[10:40] “Fresh Out the Slammer”
[15:25] “Florida!!!”
[20:25] “Guilty as Sin?”
[29:25] “I Hate It Here”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"I had a marvelous time." In honor of the 4th of July, we're re-releasing our deep dive on “The Last Great American Dynasty,” from folklore. Initially released in November 2023, in this episode our hosts expand on what we learned in our Marxist Criticism episode to take an even closer look at Rebekah Harkness, who she was, and why Taylor Swift wrote a song about her. What do Taylor and Rebekah Harkness have in common, besides owning the same home? Is Rebekah Harkness really “middle class”? How does Taylor build empathy for someone called “mad” and “shameless”? We had a marvelous time diving into this one!
Mentioned in this episode:
Rebekah Harkness NYT Obituary, June 1982
"Is There a Chic Way To Go?" Blue Bloods NYT Book Review, May 1988
The Humble Beginnings Of an Elegant Mansion, NYT July 1971
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:11] Who is Rebekah Harkness?
[06:24] How Taylor’s country storytelling roots enrich the story
[11:14] What is an “American Dynasty”?
[16:13] Who’s mad, Rebekah or the townspeople?
[25:45] What's the purpose of the song?
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“A hurricane with my name when it came.” On today’s Summer School episode, we’re going back to Episode 7: Ecocriticism. We’ll cover how Taylor Swift uses nature language, imagery, and metaphors to capture the feelings and emotions she’s trying to convey in her songs on “The Tortured Poets Department.” From exploring nature vs cities, the idea of the civilized vs uncivilized, and ecofeminism, “The Tortured Poets Department” has a lot for us to work with!
Mentioned in this episode:
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***
Episode Highlights:
[02:20] Florida!!! “You can beat the heat”
[07:58] Clara Bow “Picked like a rose”
[12:43] I Hate It Here “I will go to secret gardens in my mind”
[16:23] The Prophecy “So I look to the sky and said”
[22:22] Peter “Promises ocean deep”
[27:49] Robin “Dragonflys above your bed”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"Mr. Steal Your Girl, then make her cry." This summer, we’re bringing you Summer School! Each week, we’ll revisit a topic from this past season within the context of songs from Taylor Swift’s latest album,“The Tortured Poets Department.” This week we’re covering the topic of toxic relationships from Episode 5.
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 5: Toxic Relationships (Apple | Spotify)
Mary Shelley and Percey Shelley’s Relationship tl;dr
The Lottery, Shirley Jackson
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Episode 25: Pride and Prejudice (Apple | Spotify)
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:19] Welcome to Summer School
[02:45] “The Tortured Poets Department”
[08:46] “But Daddy I Love Him”
[13:52] “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me”
[20:14] “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”
[23:45] “loml”
[26:46] “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Like we were in Paris. This week we’re over-analyzing Taylor Swift's song “Paris” from the album Midnights. We explore the imagery and metaphors used in the lyrics, like “stumbled down pretend alleyways” and how that relates to what it’s like to be early on in a relationship. Are they really in Paris? What does it mean to be “in Paris”? Why does she choose “Paris” and not another city? What makes “Paris” different? We try and unpack it all!
Mentioned in this episode:
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:40] How we do a deep dive
[5:00] “Drew a map on your bedroom ceiling”
[8:53] “Like we were in Paris”
[12:48] “Levitate above all the messes made”
[19:47] “I want to brainwash you into loving me forever”
[27:17] “My love, we were in Paris”
[30:04] The purpose of the song
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
The lights are so bright, but they never blind me. This week we’re taking a tour of Taylor Swift’s favorite cities to sing about. We explore the personification of different cities, and how Taylor uses these cities to tell her stories. In this episode, we’re covering “Welcome to New York” from 1989, “London Boy” from Lover, and “Paris” from Midnights.
Mentioned in this episode:
Jodi's London Boy Map of London
***
Episode Highlights:
[1:03] Introduction to Cities
[2:38] “Welcome to New York” 1989
[27:54] “London Boy” Lover
[46:16] “Paris” Midnights
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Who could ever leave me, darling? But who could stay? Love or hate The Archer (Lover 2019), we all agree that we have no idea what this song is about. Such an obscure song calls for a proper, literary style close reading. Join us as we go line by line to understand what Taylor is trying to say with the obscure lyrics of this incredibly poetic song.
Mentioned in this episode:
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***
Episode Highlights:
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
I don't need your closure. In this week’s episode, we discuss the art style of surrealism and explore how it relates to Taylor Swift. Abby Aleksinas, of @arthistoryabby on TikTok, joins us to help us understand how visual arts can connect to music. We dive into “The Archer” from Lover, then we look at “closure” from evermore, and wrap it up with “Lavender Haze” from Midnights. Join us as we dive into the unconventional pairings, unexpected imagery, and use of surrealism to convey emotions and create a dreamlike atmosphere!
Mentioned in this episode:
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***
Episode Highlights:
[00:29] Introduction to Surrealism
[01:15] Art History with Abby
[20:15] “The Archer”
[32:17] “closure”
[43:20] “Lavender Haze”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Salute to me I’m your American Queen. In this episode, we deep dive into Taylor Swift's song “King of My Heart” from reputation. Join us as we discuss the power dynamics and military references in the song, as well as themes of wealth, luxury, and the British Royal Family. We even attempt to dissect how the music changes to reflect the song’s themes and lyrics. We’re left wondering: is this just a schoolgirl crush? Infatuation? Or the love of the speaker’s life, the end of all the endings? Tune in and find out!
Mentioned in this episode:
Switched on Pop (Book)
Switched on Pop (Podcast)
“Satisfied,” Hamilton
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***
Episode Highlights:
[1:50] How we do a deep dive
[4:06] “Salute to me I’m your American Queen”
[9:23] “All the boys and their expensive cars”
[11:00] How the music changes to reflect the song’s lyrics
[13:47] “Now you try on calling me baby…”
[20:37] “Is this the end of all the endings?”
[29:23] What is the purpose of the song?
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Try and come for my job. We’ve got a special episode to discuss “The Tortured Poets Department” songs that Taylor Swift added to The Eras Tour setlist this weekend. We share our reactions and observations about the changes like the visuals in “But Daddy I Love Him,” the levitating platform in 'Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?' and how “So High School” feels like “Fearless”- era Taylor. We cover the UFO effects in “Down Bad” and how “Fortnight” mirrors the music video. Finally, we have to talk about the epic marching band in “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” and the Clara Bow and “A Chorus Line” references in “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart.” The TTPD section of the Eras tour is an emotional, fun, and powerful journey in The Eras Tour!
Episode Highlights:
[03:20] First reactions to the changes
[06:32] “But Daddy I Love Him”
[10:25] “So High School”
[11:43] “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me”
[16:10] “Down Bad”
[20:18] “Fortnight”
[24:51] “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”
[27:47] “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
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***
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you. Hear ye! Hear ye! This week’s show and tell topic is “Royalty!” We explore the historical and religious roots of royalty, and its portrayal in fantasy literature, and high school. Maansi discusses “Long Live” from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Jodi brings in “Castle's Crumbling” Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault). And finally, Jenn shares “King of My Heart” from Reputation.
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Mentioned in this episode:
Le Morte D’Artur by Thomas Malory
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
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***
Episode Highlights:
[00:01:00] Introduction to Royalty
[00:04:58] “Long Live” Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
[00:26:32] “Castle's Crumbling” Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)
[00:48:22] “King of My Heart” Reputation
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
They are the hunters we are the foxes, and we run. This week we’re covering “I Know Places” from 1989 (Taylor’s Version). Who’s running? Why are they running? What are the places they’re trying to get to? Does she actually know a place to hide? This is a dark and anxious song and we have questions! We explore how Taylor Swift uses metaphors to help make the relationship she’s singing about relatable. Then we examine how the music changes between the verses and the choruses, from anxious and scared to romantic and beautiful. And we’re left trying to answer the question: is this a reliable narrator? Tune in to find out!
Mentioned in this episode:
AIDA, Original Broadway Cast Recording
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***
Episode Highlights:
[01:15] How we do a deep dive
[04:30] “It’s a scene and we’re out here in plain sight”
[09:01] “Baby…I know places we won’t be found”
[16:30] “Just grab my hand and don’t ever drop it”
[21:52] Is there a bridge?
[28:48] What’s the purpose of the song?
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Now it’s too late for you and your white horse. What do white horses, foxes, vultures, and wolves all have in common? They all show up in our favorite Taylor Swift songs! This week, we’re looking to understand how Taylor Swift uses animals in her lyrics, through the lens of animal studies! Jenn takes us back to medieval times to help us understand the origins of the white horse and what that means for “White Horse” (Fearless, 2008). Then Jodi talks to us about the many connotations associated with foxes and vultures, which are referenced in “I know places,”(1989, 2014). And finally, Maansi talks us through the song “Daylight” (Lover, 2014) where there are implications of the animalistic concept of hibernation, and also references to wolves.
Mentioned in this episode:
Looking for an audio book? Check out our Libro.fm playlist https://tidd.ly/47uhRVI
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:12] Introduction to Animal Studies
[03:36] White horses in “White Horse,” Fearless, 2008
[23:05] Foxes & vultures in “I know places,” 1989, 2014
[38:19] Wolves in “Daylight,” Lover, 2019
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
All’s fair in love and poetry. The long-awaited album The Tortured Poets Department is officially out, and of course, we have thoughts! This bonus episode strays from our usual format to bring you as comprehensive of an overview as we can provide in one (rather long) episode. Be warned: you won’t find speculation about Taylor’s love life here. True to our usual content, we focus on the lyrics, the themes, and the literary choices Taylor makes to better understand what this album is all about. Join us as we give our first reactions, talk about Taylor’s “In Summation poem,” and briefly dissect a handful of songs that stood out to each of us.
Mentioned in this episode:
Check out our “The Tortured Poets Department” Booklist on Bookshop.org/APTS
E29: Show and Tell - Aestheticism
E27: Show and Tell - Poetic Repetition
E23: Show and Tell - Mad Women
E7: Show and Tell - Ecocriticism
Bonus: "The Tortured Poets Department" Announcement
Episode Highlights:
[02:48] Our initial album reactions
[17:22] “In Summation” Poem overview
[29:53] Is this what we expected TTPD to be?
[38:16] loml
[44:39] I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
[53:24] So High School
[56:34] Florida!!!
[59:20] Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?
[01:05:04] Down Bad
[01:13:28] So Long, London
[01:18:27] But Daddy I Love Him
[01:27:00] How Did It End?
[01:37:49] The Manuscript
[01:46:08] What do we think the album is about?
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
You were Romeo, I was a Scarlet Letter. This week we’re covering an oldie but goodie–Taylor Swift’s “Love Story”, from Fearless (Taylor’s Version). In this very narrative-driven song, we get a chance to explore who the protagonists are and what they’re trying to say about their love “story. We explore why Taylor Swift references high school favorites “Romeo and Juliet” and “Scarlet Letter,” and what those metaphors may mean. The “Scarlet Letter” reference makes us look at this song from a whole new lens, forcing us to look at pronouns, verb tenses, and points of view–we promise you’ll never hear this song the same way again.
Mentioned in this episode:
Love Story, Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
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***
Episode Highlights:
[1:30] How we do a deep dive
[08:19] “You’ll be the prince and I’ll be the princess” The fairytale references
[14:50] “I was a Scarlet Letter” What this reference may mean
[20:32] “All that’s left to do is run” Where it all takes a turn
[28:42] “When I met you on the outside of town” We approach the bridge
[41:11] What we think the purpose of “Love Story” really is
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Fever dream high in the quiet of the night. What’s an AP class without a not-so-brief discussion about Shakespeare? Join us as we compare Taylor Swift to William Shakespeare, and find out why we think Shakespeare may have been the original pop star of his day. Shakespeare’s plays remain so relevant even today, so it’s only natural that Taylor Swift would find ways to allude to his works in her music. In this Show & Tell, we each pick one Shakespeare play and a Taylor Swift song that we feel best references and represents that play. Maansi ties Romeo & Juliet to “Love Story” (Fearless 2008), Jenn talks us through Julius Caesar references in “Bad Blood” (Reputation 2017), and Jodi draws parallels between Midsummer Night’s Dream and “Cruel Summer” (Lover 2019). We really put the AP in APTS with this discussion so push up your reading glasses, dust off your old Shakespeare text books, and get ready to get nerdy with us!
Mentioned in this episode:
The Tempest, William Shakespeare
The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer
Come Clean, Hilary Duff
Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare
Love Story, Fearless 2008
William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, 1996 film version
Romeo and Juliet, 1968 film version
Jenn’s Zac Efron version of 1960 Romeo and Juliet
Bad Blood, Reputation 2017
Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare
Julius Caesar, Performed at the Globe Theater, 2015
Shakespeare in a Divided America, by James Shapiro
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream1999 film version
Cruel Summer, Lover 2019
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***
Episode Highlights:
[01:00] Shakespeare: The original pop artist
[09:38] Romeo & Juliet’s Love Story
[30:34] Julius Caesar’s Bad Blood
[51:06] Cruel Midsummer Night’s Dream
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
What must it be like to grow up that beautiful? In this episode, we deep dive into the beautiful “gold rush.” We dive into the historical context of the real-life gold rush and how the gold rush was presented to us as kids versus today as adults. Then, we dive into how the reality of history affects how we interpret this song. We also explore how fame or popularity connects to this song. Finally, we examine the siren call motif and the speaker's ultimate decision to resist the temptation of the gold rush. Ultimately, our takeaway is the importance of agency, boundaries, and the speaker’s decision to not engage with a gold rush.
Mentioned in this episode:
Empty Mansions by Bell Deadman and Paul Clark Newell
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
“You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt
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***
Episode Highlights:
[05:15] - Introduction to historical context of the gold rush
[09:12] - The speaker’s perspective
[14:38] - The temptation to “jump in”
[24:08] - The siren call
[31:10] - The structure of the song
[38:52] - The convenience of a dream
[48:50] - Is this person worth it?
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Every bait and switch was a work of art. It’s time to get theoretical! In this week’s episode, we cover Aesthetic Theory–the experience of beauty, for the sake of beauty. Jodi starts us off quite literally with “Gorgeous” from reputation (2017). This prompts a discussion of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde, and the similarities between the song’s obsession with the subject’s beauty, and the book’s fixation on the beauty and youth of Dorian Gray. Naturally, we talk about gender roles and the negative sides of focusing exclusively on a person’s beauty. Then, Jenn brings in “willow” from evermore (2020) as an example of a song that gave her an aesthetic experience. And Maansi brings it home with “gold rush,” also from evermore (2020), focusing on the detailed, artistic descriptions of beauty throughout the song.
Mentioned in this episode:
“The Picture of Dorian Gray,” Oscar Wilde
The Pit and the Pendulum, Edgar Allen Poe
Important definitions:
Aestheticism: aestheticism promoted an "art for art's sake" philosophy, celebrating beauty as free of moral or utilitarian considerations
Hedonism: the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence.
Ekphrasis: the use of detailed description of a work of visual art as a literary device.
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***
Episode Highlights:
[01:10] Introduction to Aestheticism
[08:59] “Gorgeous,” reputation
[26:03] “willow,” evermore
[40:37] “gold rush,” evermore
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
That’s What People Say (ooh ooh). In this deep dive episode, we get into the groove of Taylor Swift's “Shake It Off” from her album 1989 (Taylor’s Version). We start by discussing how the song acts as a strategic move by Swift to rebrand herself as a pop artist and connect with a larger audience. We look at how Taylor addresses the haters and criticisms she’s received over the years through her lyrics. And we make the case that this is not a simple song–it’s a therapeutic anthem of resilience, empowerment, and growth. Jodi and Jenn get flashbacks to grad school thinking about this song, and Maansi…well, listen to hear what Maansi really thinks about this song.
Mentioned in this episode:
How Taylor Swift Made Me a Better Marketer
TIME Person of the Year profile
Risky Business, the rock band at Ross
Affiliate Codes:
Krowned Krystals - KrownedKrystals.com use code APTS at checkout for 10% off
Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:15] How “Shake It Off” fits into Taylor’s musical catalog
[07:01] “It’s gonna be alright”
[10:44] Taylor as a marketing GENIUS
[16:41] “I stay out too late”
[22:52] Looking at this song 10 years later
[30:30] Was there another option as the first single?
[37:25] The purpose of the song
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me. Let’s get ready for "The Tortured Poets Department" and explore the concept of poetic repetition in Taylor Swift's songs. From understanding epizeuxis and anaphora to seeing how Taylor uses these devices in “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”’ “Shake It Off” and “This Love,” we discuss how repetition can seem deceptively simple while still communicating a clear message. Understanding the purpose of any text can help enrich your experience of that art, and this week’s episode helps us understand the power of some of Taylor’s less complicated lyrics. Tune into this week’s conversation to see why simplicity can be powerful, and perhaps we may even convince you to appreciate a song you don’t necessarily want to listen to on repeat.
Note: This episode was recorded before the "The Tortured Poets Department" announcement. We hope it helps us all prepare for the album!
Helpful definitions:
Epizeuxis (a.k.a. palilogia) - the immediate repetition of a word or phrase for rhetorical or poetic effect. For example, "the children squealed with glee, with glee” or “Shake it off, shake it off”
Anaphora - repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect. For example, Lincoln's "we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground.” OR “Please don’t be in love with someone else, please don’t have somebody waiting on you.”
Epistrophe - repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect. For example, Lincoln's "of the people, by the people, for the people.” or “And it was enchanting to meet you / All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you”
Mentioned in this episode:
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
King Lear by William Shakespeare
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist tinyurl.com/aptslibro
Affiliate Codes:
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:25] Introduction to Poetic Repetition
[06:43] “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Red (Taylor’s Version)
[22:00] “Shake It Off,” 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
[40:45] “This Love,” 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"It’s coming over you like it was all a big mistake." In this week’s episode, we dive into the Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) classic “Haunted.” We discuss how Taylor Swift’s song captures the haunting and fragile nature of relationships, the devastation of loss, and the immediate aftermath of a breakup. In true form, we also tie the idea of a haunting break up back to our careers, and what it can feel like when you are constantly wondering “what if” about your past decisions. Whether you want some strong emotions or a bit of verb tense analysis, we get into it all in our conversation about “Haunted.”
Mentioned in this episode:
“The Crown” Netflix
"The Year of Taylor Swift” from The Daily
Looking for an audio book? Check out our Libro.fm playlist https://tidd.ly/47uhRVI
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:25] Introduction to "Haunted"
[02:35] The theme of haunting in Taylor’s music
[14:18] When you’re haunted by work or other relationships
[22:24] When you’re haunted by the “what if”
[37:56] The purpose of “Haunted”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
All they keep asking me, is if I’m gonna be your bride. We’re a literary-focused Taylor Swift podcast, so it was only a matter of time before we brought Jane Austen into the mix. In this episode, we explore three songs in relation to Pride and Prejudice. Jenn focuses on the sisterly relationship between Elizabeth and Jane with “I’m Only Me When I’m With You.” Maansi zooms into the moment Darcy confesses his love to Elizabeth, only to be brutally rebuffed, with the song “Haunted.” And Jodi explores the connections between the societal pressure to get married in Pride and Prejudice and “Lavender Haze.” It is a truth universally acknowledged that any conversation on this podcast will find literary and pop culture references to Taylor Swift, and this episode is no different!
Mentioned in this episode:
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
“I’m Only Me When I’m With You,” Taylor Swift
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte
“Haunted”, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Looking for an audio book? Check out our Libro.fm playlist https://tidd.ly/47uhRVI
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:14] Introduction to Pride and Prejudice
[05:39] “I’m Only Me When I’m With You” - Taylor Swift
[27:23] “Haunted” - Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
[43:31] “Lavender Haze” - Midnights
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen? In this week’s deep dive episode, we discuss the evermore bonus track, “right where you left me.” We explore themes of feeling stuck, the haunting presence of the narrator, the plea for help, and how we see attitudes in the song mirrored in society. This beautiful and ultimately sad song also inspired a wide range of references from Elle Woods to Charles Dickens to Foucault. This song definitely has some layers, so join us as we unpack their meaning and ultimately try to get to the purpose of “right where you left me.”
Mentioned in this episode:
School Spirit (show on Netflix)
"Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
The Man Who Can’t Be Moved (song)
"The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde
"The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue"
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by J.K. Rowling
"Discipline and Punish" by Foucault
"Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury
Looking for an audio book? Check out our Libro.fm playlist https://tidd.ly/47uhRVI
***
Episode Highlights:
[0:35] - Introduction to “right where you left me”
[2:45] - Setting the scene of the song
[7:07] - Metaphorically and literally being stuck
[10:00] - The characters in this song
[17:50] - “the glass shattered on the white cloth”
[24:52] - The Panopticon and society’s expectations
[36:15] - Taylor’s use of “haunting” as imagery
[43:09] - The song as a metaphor for mental health
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
There’s nothing like a mad woman, what a shame she went mad. What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with some songs about women scorned? In this episode, we bring to you three songs that represent mad women. Maansi kicks off the discussion with the scornful, vengeful mad woman in “Better Than Revenge,” Jodi walks us through the woman who’s driven to insanity in “mad woman,” and Jenn wraps up the discussion with an example of the mad woman who is stuck in bonus track “right where you left me.” We close out the discussion by acknowledging how all of these songs are indicative of a movement that’s giving women everywhere the opportunity to reclaim the “mad woman” stigma.
Did we know this episode would drop on Valentine’s Day when we recorded it? No. Are we mad about it? Not at all!
Mentioned in this episode:
“Before He Cheats,” Carrie Underwood
“Mama’s Broken Heart,” Miranda Lambert
“Vigilante shit,” Taylor Swift
The Country of the Blind, HG Wells
Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen
The Female Malady, Elaine Showalter
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Cinderella’s Sisters: A Revisionist History of Foot Binding, Dorothy Ko
“Mama’s broken heart,” Miranda Lambert
Looking for an audio book? Check out our Libro.fm playlist https://tidd.ly/47uhRVI
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:47] Intro to “mad women” & hysteria
[09:43] “Better than revenge,” Speak Now
[33:52] “mad woman,” folklore
[50:52] “right where you left me,” evermore
[1:13:02] Reclaiming the mad woman
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
We’ve all been in a lot of lonely places. In this week’s deep dive, your hosts take you back to one of the original sad songs from Taylor’s debut album, “The Outside.” Perhaps more of a deep cut, this song cuts straight to the heart of what it feels like to be left out. Join us to discover what this song meant to us in our high school years vs today. We’ll explore how Taylor’s writing and musical styles may have changed, but she’s always known how to capture some of the most universal experiences, particularly for women! TW: We do discuss eating issues and disorders in this episode. We are fortunately recovered so the ultimate result is body positivity, but FYI!
Mentioned in this episode:
Looking for an audio book? Check out our Libro.fm playlist https://tidd.ly/47uhRVI
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:56] Introduction to “The Outside”
[02:59] Lizzie McGuire captures the spirit of “The Outside”
[09:11] Taylor references Robert Frost
[17:01] “I’ve never been on the outside”
[21:35] Is there a bridge in this song?
[24:09] Feeling on “the outside” when you start a new job
[30:48] The purpose of “The Outside”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
And so I enter into evidence…In this very special BONUS episode, your Unofficial Professors of Taylor Swift go deep into the artifacts that Taylor has released for her upcoming album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” From the album art, the title, and the poem, to the track titles, we discuss it all! Is this album going to be more intellectual or emotional? Is Taylor on defense or offense? How wrong will all of our predictions be when the album is actually released? Well, we give you our hypotheses for the first two questions, but we will all have to wait until April 19th to see how well this conversation ages!
Mentioned in this episode:
Euphues by John Lyly (origin of “all’s fair in love and war”)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Potter Puppet Pals: The Mysterious Ticking Noise
Tick, Tick…Boom! by Jonathan Larson, Directed by Lin Manuel Miranda
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***
Episode Highlights:
01:08 - Analyzing the Album Cover
03:07 - The Title: "Chairman of the Tortured Poets Department"
07:12 - The Poem: "And So I Enter Into Evidence"
36:30 - All's Fair in Love and Poetry
45:36 - Tracklist Analysis
54:11 - The Back Cover Image
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
If I was a [rich] man, I’d be the man. Curtain up! Light the lights! Today we are finally devoting an entire episode to one of our favorite topics: MUSICALS. Jenn identifies “The Outside,” from Taylor Swift, as the perfect song for the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera. (Never seen it? No worries, Jenn gives a full synopsis!). Then, Jodi finds parallels between “The Man” and “If I Were a Rich Man,” from Fiddler on the Roof. And finally, we can’t talk about musicals without Hamilton! Maansi brings it home by comparing “Midnight Rain” to “Satisfied,” and we wonder if (and when!) Lin Manuel Miranda and Taylor Swift will bring their lyrical genius minds together.
Mentioned in this episode:
“The Outside,” Taylor Swift, 2007
Phantom of the Opera Movie
Phantom of the Opera, Gaston Leroux Book
Phantom of the Opera: Live from London
“Musicals that wouldn’t exist if the man had just gone to therapy”
“The Man,” Lover, 2019
“If I Were a Rich Man,” Chiam Topol, Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
“Midnight Rain,” Midnights, 2022
“Satisfied,” Hamilton
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Looking for an audio book? Check out our Libro.fm playlist https://tidd.ly/47uhRVI
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:01] Curtain up: Introduction to Musicals
[06:47] “The Outside” and Phantom of the Opera
[23:34] “The Man” and “If I Was a Rich Man,” Fiddler on the Roof
[36:50] “Midnight Rain” and “Satisfied,” Hamilton
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
None of it was accidental. This week we’re going deep into Midnights favorite “Mastermind.” After looking at this Taylor Swift song from the perspective of satire in our previous episode, we take another look to examine what Taylor is actually “mastermind”-ing. Is it a relationship? Or is it a nod to her many (many) easter eggs she leaves her fans? Maansi explores how Taylor weaves strategic language into the lyrics to reclaim the idea that she’s “calculating.” Jodi finds connections to The Odyssey, Oedipus Rex, and Greek mythology to bring this to an AP-level conversation. And Jenn shares more context about why “all the wisest women had to do it this way,” has deep roots in literature and history. Join us as we unpack this cryptic and potentially Machiavellian song!
Mentioned in this episode:
TIME Magazine December 7, 1981 “Crazy Over Cats”
TIME Magazine Person of the Year 2023
The Odyssey, Homer, Emily Wilson translation
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Founding Mothers, Cokie Roberts
The Voices of Neims, Suzannah Lipscomb
The Woman in Me, Britney Spears
Looking for an audio book? Check out our Libro.fm playlist https://tidd.ly/47uhRVI
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:23] “And now you’re mine” - WHO?
[05:05] Mastermind: Benji’s Vision
[10:00] “The planets, and the fates…” Greek mythology
[16:26] “We were born to the the pawn in every lover’s game”
[26:44] “I’ve been scheming like a criminal ever since” The Bridge!
[33:40] “I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian cause I care”
[43:31] “Check Mate: I couldn’t lose”
[47:23] What is the purpose of this song?
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig akaScotty Z.
I’m dying to see how this one ends. We talk about satire - what it is, how it’s different from parody or hyperbole, how Taylor uses it and why. Jodi starts with the quintessential satirical example from Taylor’s catalog - “Blank Space,” Jenn argues that Reputation is actually a satirical album, and Maansi makes a case for satire in “Mastermind.” Find out what witch hunts and chess have to do with it all. We acknowledge that satire is an intellectual form of comedy, which requires us to examine what Taylor is saying in a more nuanced way. Hear our first read interpretations, and then hunker down for the second read interpretations that unravel the threads of satire a bit to get to the heart of what she’s trying to say.
Mentioned in this episode:
Looking for an audio book? Check out our Libro.fm playlist https://tidd.ly/47uhRVI
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:38] What is satire and how is it different from Parody?
[04:33] Jonathan Swift satire
[07:33] Blank Space
[20:28] I did something bad
[32:28] Mastermind
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
My, my, my, my. We get deep into our feelings on this deep dive today with “Death By a Thousand Cuts,” from Lover. With a title referencing an imperial form of torture, what is this Taylor Swift song really about? As always, our hosts look at the lyrics from very different perspectives based on our own personal experiences, from moving out of a childhood home (“chandelier still flickering here”) to a breakup (“You said it was a great love”) to Spiderman (“I see you everywhere”). We talk about idioms, loss, grief, the emotional burden of pain, and how asking the traffic lights for answers maybe isn’t as far-fetched as some of us originally thought. Will we ever hear this song the same way again? “I don’t know!”
Mentioned in this episode:
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:15] Defining “death by a thousand cuts”
[08:18] My, my, my, my: What is this opening?
[15:50] United we stand: The things shared in a relationship
[20:03] Paper thin plans: Connecting this song to “Paper Rings”
[22:11] Trying to find a part of me you didn't take up: Why this love is so hard to get over
[28:11] I ask the traffic lights: Looking anywhere for answers
[34:00] It's just a thousand cuts: The purpose of the song
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Feeling so Gatsby for that whole year. Taylor Swift loves to make direct and indirect references to the classic American novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. So we decided to dive into those connections and see what all the fuss is about. In this week’s episode, we each picked a song that we wanted to relate to The Great Gatsby. Join us as Maansi brings the party with “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” Jenn explores Gatsby’s motivations with “Death by a Thousand Cuts,” and Jodi brings it all together by digging into the character of Daisy with “happiness.”
Mentioned in this episode:
“This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” reputation
“Death by a Thousand Cuts” Lover
"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Taylor’s 2014 Gatsby-Inspired People Magazine cover
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by J.K. Rowling
Zelda Fitzgerald - The History Chicks Podcast
"Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald," by Therese Anne Fowler
"The Edible Woman" by Margaret Atwood
"Romeo & Juliet," by William Shakespeare
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:30] Introduction to The Great Gatsby
[07:25] “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” reputation
[23:21] “Death by a Thousand Cuts,” Lover
[34:35] “happiness,” evermore
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Enchanted to (re)meet you. Revisit one of our favorite early episodes with us! As a holiday treat, we are giving our Deep Dive into “Enchanted” its own time to shine. In our first deep dive episode, we did a deep reading of Taylor Swift’s song “Enchanted” from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). We’re wonderstruck as we learn how to analyze a text using the rhetorical triangle to better understand who is speaking, who they are speaking to, and the purpose of the text. We find connections to “Pride and Prejudice,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” Barbie, Cinderella, college, and Greek mythology…all in one 5ish minute song. We left no lingering questions to keep us up!
Mentioned in the episode:
“Enchanted” by Taylor Swift
“Pride and Prejudice,” by Jane Austen
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:30] APTS 101: How to analyze a text
[02:54] Who is this speaker forcing laughter, and does she fit in?
[04:21] Why “Enchanted” is “Pride and Prejudice”-coded
[06:28] Exploring word choice to examine the time period
[08:44] How the song ruminates on a single moment and feeling
[10:48] Who is the song speaking to? A person? The Universe?
[16:53] Why “Hey Stephen” and “Enchanted” feel so different
[19:02] The words and phrases that create mystique and depth
[22:15] “Flawless,” “Forever,” and the power of hyperbole
[24:00] Our takeaways from our playful conversation
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Messy as the mud on your truck tires. We couldn’t let a holiday season go by without THE song about THE damn season, could we? Continuing the conversation from our Show and Tell episode on holidays, this week we deep dive “tis the damn season,” from evermore (2020). We start by diving into Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” to get a better understanding of the song. Then our hosts spend a lot of time trying to figure out who the characters are, what their relationship is to one another, and what exactly they’re trying to call “even.” From examining what makes this a small town song, to figuring out why it “always” leads to “you” and “my hometown,” to imagining this song as a movie–we go on a whole deep dive journey on this one, with a lot of film, TV, and music references. Listen to see what “300,” “Groundhog Day,” and “Friends” all have in common with this song!
Mentioned in the episode:
“tis the damn season,” evermore (2020)
“The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost
“Midnight Rain,” Midnights (2022)
“Say don’t go,” 1989 (Taylor’s Version), 2023
“You’re On Your Own Kid,” Midnights (2022)
“300” (2007)
“Friends: The One With the Red Sweater” (S8 E2)
“Don’t Blame Me,” reputation (2017)
“Enchanted,” Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) 2023
“The Great” (2020)
“Everything Everywhere All At Once” (2022)
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:09] We could call it even: Who are the characters here?
[06:25] The road not taken looks real good now: The role of Robert Frost’s poem
[08:58] You can call me babe for the weekend: What’s the relationship here?
[12:45] Remember how you watched me leave: Why do they only have the weekend together?
[19:16] So I’ll Go Back to LA: Choosing big-city life over small town life
[22:26] And the heart I know I’m breaking is my own: Y tho?
[29:40] To leave the warmest bed I've ever known: Debating the emotions of the song
[33:15] And I’ll be yours for the weekend: It’s always the bridge!
[39:40] It always leads to you in my hometown: What is the purpose of this song?
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Soon they’ll have the nerve to deck the halls. On this week’s episode we attempted to lean right into the festivities of the season with a Holidays themed episode. But…did we actually pick holiday songs? We start by defining what the “holiday season” even means in an attempt to answer the question. Jodi discusses “New Year’s Day,” with the thesis that it’s a song about the everyday, not necessarily the holidays. Jenn brings on the holiday melancholy with “champagne problems,” sparking a hot conversation about holiday engagements and the challenges of family gatherings during the holidays. And Maansi, naturally, shares “tis the damn season,” prompting a conversation about how we really feel about the holiday season and whether they “linger like bad perfume” for us. Are Taylor Swift holidays actually happy holidays? Listen and find out!
Mentioned in the episode:
“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” JK Rowling
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” film
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:28] How do we define the holiday season?
[06:56]New Years Day:I’ll be picking up bottles with you
[23:24] champagne problems: Your mom's ring in your pocket
[37:49] tis the damn season: We could call it even
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“It was the best of times, the worst of crimes.” In this episode, we do a deep dive into “Getaway Car” to explore why this particular metaphor is so powerful. We first explore the historical context by discussing the true story of Bonnie and Clyde, and then we dive into the lyrics to discuss the themes of agency, deception, and the shifting dynamics of relationships. Come along for the ride as we figure out what Don Draper has to do with this song, the layered meaning of “poisoning the well,” and why this song is cemented as one of the greats.
Mentioned in this episode:
FBI webpage on Bonnie and Clyde
"A Tale of Two Cities," Charles Dickens
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:15] How to analyze metaphors
[03:00] The original getaway car
[5:55] We were jetset. The real-life Bonnie & Clyde
[12:43] We're driving in a...Getting into “Getaway Car”
[17:05] He poisoned the well
[22:05] The continuity of reputation
[29:04] Left you at the motel bar.Interpreting the bridge
[38:17] The purpose of “Getaway Car”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"Some things you just can’t speak about." Taylor Swift’s superpower is being able to convey very specific emotions to millions who may or may not have ever experienced those emotions before. The way she uses metaphors is one of the ways she makes these songs universally relatable. But not only does she use metaphors in her lyrics, sometimes the songs are metaphors. In this show & tell episode, we each bring a song in which the whole song seems to be a metaphor for something else. Tune in to hear us discuss “Clean,” “Getaway Car,” and “epiphany,” and join us as we try to “make some sense” of the language Taylor uses to so effectively communicate some very powerful emotions.
Mentioned in the episode:
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:25] Songs that are metaphors
[01:18] “Clean,” - Gone was any trace of you
[14:13] “Getaway Car,” - Nothing good starts in a getaway car
[23:55] “epiphany,” - Somethings you just can’t speak about
[40:18] What do these metaphors have in common?
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"I had a marvelous time..." Take a step back in time with us as we deep dive into “The Last Great American Dynasty,” from folklore. Our hosts expand on what we learned in our Marxist Criticism episode to take an even closer look at Rebekah Harkness, who she was, and why Taylor Swift wrote a song about her. What do Taylor and Rebekah Harkness have in common, besides owning the same home?Is Rebekah Harkness really “middle class”? How does Taylor build empathy for someone called “mad” and “shameless”? We had a marvelous time diving into this one!
Mentioned in the episode:
Rebekah Harkness NYT Obituary, June 1982
"Is There a Chic Way To Go?" Blue Bloods NYT Book Review, May 1988
The Humble Beginnings Of an Elegant Mansion, NYT July 1971
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:49] Who is Rebekah Harkness?
[06:03] How Taylor’s country storytelling roots enrich the story
[10:53] What is an “American Dynasty”?
[15:52] Who’s mad, Rebekah or the townspeople?
[25:24] Why did Taylor write this song?
***
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
What does a 19th century philosopher and economist have to do with Taylor Swift? In this week’s episode we put on our Marxist Theory glasses to consider how the ideas of ownership, value, and class differences help us understand Taylor’s music in a whole new way. Maansi teaches us what it means to belong to someone in “Mine.” Jenn digs into the political metaphors in “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince.” And Jodi teaches us about social class differences with the incredible true story behind “the last great american dynasty.” Tune in to learn all of this and see how much fun it can be to play with new literary lenses (even if you don’t necessarily agree with the underlying philosophy).
Mentioned in the episode:
“Mine," Speak Now
“Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince," Lover
“the last great american dynasty," folklore
Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner by Katrine Marçal
“Politics of Love and Love of Politics: Towards a Marxist Theory of Love” by Raju Das
1984 by George Orwell
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Bluebood by Carl Unger (Rebekah Harkness biography)
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:25] Introduction to Marxist Theory
[04:07] “Mine” from Speak Now
[23:05] “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince” from Lover
[38:57] “the last great american dynasty” from folklore
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Loving him was like…what? You may know all the words to this old favorite song, but do you know what they mean? In today’s deep dive, we’re unpacking “Red” from Red (Taylor’s Version). After our previous episode on Fall where we talked about why this is an autumn-coded song, our hosts spend more time trying to understand the many (many) metaphors (or is it similes? Analogies?) Taylor Swift uses to describe this relationship. We’ll get a High School English lesson, references to some Millennial-favorite TV shows, and a chance to explore Red as an analogy for Taylor’s transition from country to pop. And then we realize…there’s no right answer!
Mentioned in the episode:
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
E6 - Deep Dive - It’s Time to Go
“Picture to Burn,” Taylor Swift
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:20] Introducing today’s deep dive song, “Red”
[01:42] 1st person, 2nd person…whose experience is this?
[04:38] How Taylor uses metaphors to make things universal
[08:07] Similes, Metaphors, Analogies, oh my!
[11:50] Are these tangible, universal metaphors?
[16:59] Red as a metaphor for Taylor’s career
[20:06] Our favorite part of any Swift song: the bridge!
[26:40] Do we actually understand this song?
***
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
It’s fall, y’all! From chai cookies to a whole new color palette, we have officially entered into the season of fall, and we want to celebrate it with some of our favorite Taylor songs! Join us as Jenn talks about why “You Belong With Me” is forever a fall song in her midwestern mind; Jodi gives us an overview of the fall-themed marketing that came with the release of Red; and Maansi shocks us all by proving that “Cornelia Street” is 100% a Fall song even though it’s on a summer album. Make sure to listen all the way to the end to get a glimpse into a heated topic of debate among your professors as well ;)
Mentioned in this episode:
Shortcut: How Analogies Reveal Connections, Spark Innovation, and Sell Our Greatest Ideas
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Taylor Swift Style, @taylorswiftstyled, Sarah Kucharski
@taylorswiftinstapostss for cataloging Taylor’s old Instagrams
“Basic Autumn Lovers Rise” TikTok, Tumblr re-enactment, Oct 2021, Taylor Swift
The Curious Symbolism of Autumn in Literature and Myth, Interesting LIterature.com
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:32] Intro to Fall topic
[01:00] “You Belong With Me,” Fearless (Taylor’s Version) 2021
[09:43] “Red,” Red (Taylor’s Version) 2021
[22:51] “Cornelia Street,” Lover 2019
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
"Take me on vacation, take me to anywhere, take me to the lakes!" After our Show & Tell on Ecocriticism, we’re ready to Deep Dive head-first into “the lakes,” bonus track 17 on “folklore (deluxe version).” Join us as we walk through Taylor Swift’s nature imagery and consider the lyrics in some historical context. We'll also unpack the speaker’s relationship with nature as we consider what the speaker is escaping from, where she is going, and why she is running away. And, we introduce a word of the day (“P-A-L-I-M-P-S-E-S-T”) and pull in references from the dictionary, textbooks, classic novels, and poetry for this one, with hopes of understanding the “waves of hurt” that are packed into this song.
Mentioned in the episode:
Palimpsest: something having usually diverse layers or aspects apparent beneath the surface
Town & Country - Emily Doherty 2023
Victorian Flower Symbolism
Lady Chatterley's Lover, DH Lawrence
Douglass Livingstone “symbiosis or death”
The Spell of the Sensuous, by David Abram
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:16] A quick recap of ecocriticism
[03:29] Palimpsest: Heart-stopping waves of hurt
[06:56] The cause of grief: Some name-dropping sleaze
[10:32] Why does she want to escape: Hunters with cell phones
[12:14] Seeking refuge: Not without my muse
[16:59] The speaker and nature: I don’t belong
[21:49] Nod to Romantics: Is it romantic?
[26:17] Final thoughts: What do we think this song is about?
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
“But the monsters turned out to be just trees.” Are trees good? Are trees bad? Why the tree imagery? In this episode of AP Taylor Swift, your hosts dive into the world of ecocriticism to explore and analyze how Taylor uses nature in her lyrics to create powerful metaphors that resonate with her listeners. Join us as Jodi discusses the dichotomy of the domestic vs the wild in “Out of the Woods,” Jenn shares some surprising history about William Wordsworth that may change the way you listen to “the lakes” forever, and Maansi teaches us about the sublime with “Snow on the Beach.”
***
Mentioned in the episode:
Recollections of the Lakes and the Lake Poets
Wordsworth & Coleridge Lyrical Ballads
Walden: A Fully Annotated Edition
Walt Whitman: The Complete Poems
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
***
Episode Highlights:
[0:27] Introduction to ecocriticism
[3:06] “Out of the Woods”
[21:06] “the lakes”
[38:22] “Snow on the Beach”
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
It’s been a long time coming! To celebrate the release of the Eras Tour Movie, we’re releasing our first special episode: our Eras Tour Reactions! Back in July, our hosts sat down to relive the magic of our own Eras Tour concert experiences. Learn who went in blind, and who had a playlist of the entire set before they went to the show. Hear from Maansi as she reflects on hearing “Long Live” and “All of the Girls You Loved Before” at the Santa Clara show less than 24 hours after seeing Taylor Swift live; Try to hold back jealousy as Jodi recounts her not one, but two floor-seat experiences (including the “Speak Now” (Taylor’s Version) announcement); and remember the magic of those light-up wristbands with Jenn and hear all about her life-changing experience of hearing “Hits Different” live.
***
Episode Highlights:
***
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
GTFO. After our last Show and Tell on Toxic Relationships, on this episode we do a deep dive into “it’s time to go,” Track 17 from "evermore" (2020). We explore how Taylor Swift uses universal experiences like infidelity and betrayal to help us empathize with her own (very unique) experience of losing her masters. It wouldn’t be an AP class without some literary devices, so we learn about internal rhymes and Taylor’s use of anaphora. What do “Cheetah Girls,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “The Little Mermaid,” and the January 6th insurrection have with this song? Listen and find out!
Mentioned in the episode:
“You’re on Your Own Kid,” Midnights
Anaphora: the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:28] How we do a deep dive analysis on AP Taylor Swift
[02:30] “15 years, 15 million tears” - How Taylor makes us empathize with her own personal experience
[09:16] “Then the son of the boss gets the spot that was yours” - Getting into poetic analysis with internal rhymes and anaphora
[13:39] “When the words of a sister come back in whispers” - Who is Taylor talking to?
[18:33] “The snaps from the same little breaks in your soul” - Trusting your gut
[24:25] “Something walking out is the one thing” - Why word choice matters
[27:33] “it’s time to go” - Where we make a connection to January 6th
[30:15] “And you know in your soul” - Finding the purpose of the song
***
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
To stay, tolerate it, or go? Today’s assignment was to bring in a Taylor Swift song that represents toxic relationships. Toxic relationships exist in real life, and therefore show up frequently in art and literature – and Taylor’s music is no exception. Jenn walks us through “Stay Stay Stay” and discusses how these lyrics can carry a very different meaning depending on the age and context of the speaker; Maansi brings in “tolerate it” which sparks some conversations on feminism; and Jodi takes us home with “it’s time to go,” and shines a light on different kinds of toxic relationships. It’s a loaded episode, but you won’t want to miss a second of it. So grab your favorite blanket and maybe a pint of ice cream, and come along with us as we discuss how Taylor Swift’s music brings toxic relationships to life.
Mentioned in this episode:
“Stay Stay Stay,” RED (Taylor’s Version)
“All you had to do was stay,” 1989
Psychology today’s definition of toxic relationship
The Edible Woman, Margaret Atwood
To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf
Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:48] Introducing today’s theme, toxic relationships - what is a toxic relationship?
[03:20] “Stay stay stay” - Romantic in the moment, but maybe not so much in retrospect
[13:50] “tolerate it” - A caricature of a disbalanced marriage, especially from times past
[30:53] “it’s time to go” - Different kinds of toxic relationships, not just the romantic ones
[38:32] When we start to realize how all these songs are connected
***
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Going Down the Rabbit Hole. Today we’re doing a deep dive on Taylor Swift’s song, “Wonderland,” from the album 1989. This episode builds on Episode 3 focused on Taylor Swift’s lyrical influences from the book “Alice in Wonderland.” In this episode, we explore whether the Cheshire Cat is calming or creepy; if New York City really is “Wonderland”; How Taylor Swift’s music, lyrics, and album branding are often at odds with one another; and how this song seems to reference “A Tale of Two Cities” and “The Great Gatsby” all at the same time.
Mentioned in the episode:
“Wonderland,” written by Taylor Swift, Max Martin, Shellback
Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
Alice in Wonderland, 1951 Disney Film
Alice in Wonderland, 2010 Tim Burton Film
“A Tale of Two Cities,” by Charles Dickens
“The Great Gatsby,” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:42] We fell down a rabbit hole: How we do a deep dive
[04:13] Didn’t you calm my fears with a Cheshire Cat smile: Je suis calme!
[06:50] I should have slept with one eye open at night: A false sense of security
[15:06] Nothing’s as it seems: How Taylor's lyrics, music, and imagery inform the story
[19:03] Too in love to think straight: This love is not what it seems
[21:04] In Wonderland, we both went mad: When it all shifts in the bridge
[29:27] We found wonderland: How she used this literary reference
***
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Today we’re getting lost in wonderland! In this Show & Tell episode, your professors of Taylor Swift came prepared with songs connected to or inspired by the story of “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll. Maansi explores the direct references found in “Wonderland,” Jodi argues that “It’s Nice to Have a Friend” captures the spirit of the story, and Jenn focuses on the power of tea time in “Anti-Hero.” So pour yourself a cup of tea, put on your favorite hat, and join us for a conversation about how Taylor Swift’s music captures both the whimsy and the complexity of this classic story.
Mentioned in the episode:
“Wonderland” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq4nEzEiegA
“It’s Nice to Have a Friend” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaP1VswBF28
“Anti-Hero” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqN2qFvY64U
“Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll: https://tinyurl.com/2d2vcpbp
“Alice in Wonderland” Disney animated film: https://amzn.to/3OVgeZM
“Alice in Wonderland” 2010 live-action film: https://tinyurl.com/3v7xpbhr
Edgar Allan Poe Poetry: https://tinyurl.com/43yc69vc
Emily Dickenson Poetry: https://tinyurl.com/5n7rv47v
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:56] Alice in Wonderland: Topic Introduction
[04:00] Alice in Wonderland: 2010 Live Action Film
[06:30] Wonderland: falling down the rabbit hole
[18:45] It’s Nice to Have a Friend: stay in bed the whole weekend
[35:04] Anti-Hero: at tea time, everyone agrees
***
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
In our first deep dive episode, we do a deep reading of Taylor Swift’s song “Enchanted” from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). We’re wonderstruck as we learn how to analyze a text using the rhetorical triangle to better understand who is speaking, who they are speaking to, and the purpose of the text. We find connections to “Pride and Prejudice,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” Barbie, Cinderella, college, and Greek mythology…all in one 5ish minute song. We left no lingering questions to keep us up!
Mentioned in the episode:
“Enchanted” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igIfiqqVHtA
“Cinderella” https://bookshop.org/lists/episodes-1-2-songs-that-made-us-swifties
“Pride and Prejudice,” by Jane Austen https://bookshop.org/lists/episodes-1-2-songs-that-made-us-swifties
“Singin’ in the Rain,” https://bookshop.org/lists/episodes-1-2-songs-that-made-us-swifties
“Barbie,” 2023 movie, https://amzn.to/45W3klA
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:48] APTS 101: How to analyze a text
[03:15] Who is this speaker forcing laughter, and does she fit in?
[04:56] Why “Enchanted” is “Pride and Prejudice”-coded
[06:40] Exploring word choice to examine the time period
[10:13] How the song ruminates on a single moment and feeling
[12:56] Who is the song speaking to? A person? The Universe?
[17:02] Why “Hey Stephen” and “Enchanted” feel so different
[20:21] The words and phrases that create mystique and depth
[23:04] “Flawless,” “Forever,” and the power of hyperbole
[24:51] Our takeaways from our playful conversation
***
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Welcome to our very first episode of AP Taylor Swift! In this “Show and Tell” episode, get to know your hosts Jenn, Maansi, and Jodi, through the Taylor Swift songs that made us Swifties. In a show and tell episode, we each pick a song that relates to the theme or topic. Jenn relives her high school revenge fantasies with “Picture to Burn”; Jodi feels seen in “Hey Stephen”; and Maansi romanticizes the magic of everyday moments through “Enchanted”.
Mentioned in the episode:
“Picture to Burn," Taylor Swift
“Hey Stephen," Fearless (Taylor's Version)
“Enchanted," Speak Now (Taylor's Version)
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:50] Introducing today’s theme, songs that made us Swifties
[02:35] “Picture to Burn” - A teenage revenge fantasy?
[13:30] “Hey Stephen” - When you can’t tell your crush that you’re crushing
[22:15] “Enchanted” - The art of being wonderstruck by everyday moments
[32:46] Selecting our very first Deep Dive song
***
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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
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