AP Taylor Swift

“You can beat the heat, if you beat the charges too.” Is Florida!!! the wildest track on The Tortured Poets Department? In this chaotic, heartfelt, and unfiltered episode, we break down Taylor Swift’s "Florida!!!" line by line—from the millennial whiplash of “my friends all smell like weed or little babies” to hurricane metaphors, fugitive fantasies, and haunted mansions.

Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substa...

“He was sunshine, I was midnight rain.” Dive into how Taylor Swift masterfully uses weather imagery - from romantic rain in 'Fearless' to metaphorical storms in 'Midnight Rain' and destructive hurricanes in 'Florida!!!' (feat. Florence Welch). Join us for an exploration of meteorological metaphors in Swift's songwriting across different eras.

Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe

Stay up to da...

“I said I love you, you say nothing back.” This week, we're deep diving into "Say Don't Go," from 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault). Picking up from last week's circus-themed episode, we unravel how Taylor crafts a lyrical nightmare of helplessness, packed tight with metaphors and rhetorical questions that leave listeners suspended in emotional free fall.

Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subsc...

“I was tame, I was gentle til the circus life made me mean.” This week on AP Taylor Swift, we delve into the recurring motif of the circus in Taylor Swift’s discography. From the tightropes of emotional vulnerability to the grand illusions of public persona, we analyze how Taylor employs circus imagery to convey themes of performance, control, and otherness.

This episode includes discussions on the historical exploitation within ci...

“Me and Karma vibe like that.”  This week on AP Taylor Swift Podcast we dive deep into “Karma” from Midnights and its surprising literary connections. Continuing from last week's exploration of Emily Dickinson, we unravel how Taylor Swift plays with themes of fate, justice, and reincarnation in this song. We analyze the song's vivid metaphors, from keeping your side of the street clean to flexing like a goddamn acrobat—wait, but wh...

“And I was catching my breath, barefoot in the wildest winter…” What happens when a 21st-century American poet meets a 19th-century one? In this Show & Tell episode, we explore the literary lineage between Taylor Swift and Emily Dickinson—two iconic writers whose work spans centuries but shares unmistakable DNA (literally—did you know they might be distant cousins?!). From slant rhymes and stylized punctuation to themes of isol...

“It’s a thug story tell me can you handle that”  In honor of April Fool’s Day, we’re diving into Taylor Swift’s funniest, most unexpected performances — from self-parody and satire to flat-out absurdity. This week, we explore Thug Story (2008), her 2009 SNL monologue, “Monologue Song (La La La)”, and the 2021 SNL Three Sad Virgins sketch to understand how Swift uses humor to subvert expectations, reclaim her narrative, and show off...

“What if he’s written “mine” on my upper thigh” This week we dive into “Guilty as Sin?” from The Tortured Poets Department. We explore how Taylor Swift uses religious metaphors, what the imagery of cages and wolves might mean, the complexities of fantasies, desires, and moral dilemmas, particularly in the context of relationships and societal expectations. Just another light episode from your unofficial Professors of Taylor Swift...

“You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you’re talking to me” What happens when we view Taylor Swift’s music through the lens of female artists? In this week’s Show & Tell episode, we explore the work of three iconic women in art—Mary Cassatt, Remedios Varo, and Hildegard von Bingen—and connect their paintings to Taylor Swift’s songs. From the intimacy of motherhood to the surreal exhaustion of creating something greater t...

“I’ll show you every version of yourself tonight” In this episode, we delve into Taylor Swift's song 'mirrorball' from Folklore, exploring its themes of identity, reflection, and the performance of femininity. We discuss the significance of the mirror ball as an object that always shows a reflection. We also touch on the song's structure, the emotional nature of the lyrics, and the implications of the 'hush' in the chorus. It’s a l...

"Girls go out and have your fun, then they hunt and slay the ones who actually do it." What does it mean to view Taylor Swift's music through a feminist lens? On this week’s show and tell episode, we look at three songs from the lens of Feminist Theory—"Mean," "Nothing New," and "Mirrorball"—to examine how they critique patriarchal expectations, the limitations placed on women, and the struggle for self-definition. From the societa...

“When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me” This week on AP Taylor Swift, we’re going line by line through “Tim McGraw”—the debut single that introduced Taylor Swift to the world. From the country music storytelling structure to the nostalgic time loop embedded in the lyrics, we explore every lyrical shift, hidden meaning, and emotional evolution in the song.

Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/...

You need to calm down, but we know it’ll be hard because in this episode, we are diving into historical criticism! We explore the context in which Taylor’s songs were created, starting with “Tim McGraw,” the first Taylor Swift single of all time. We then transition into the world of Lover with “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince” and “You Need to Calm Down.” Join us as we explore how looking at the historical context of these...

“You can hear it in the silence.” This week on AP Taylor Swift, we deep dive into “You Are In Love”  from Taylor Swift’s album 1989. We break down how Taylor captures the essence of love—not through grand gestures but instead through small, intimate moments: a look across a room, coffee at midnight, and the silence that says it all. We explore the significance of mundane details throughout the song and discuss its lyrical structure...

“One single thread of gold tied me to you” This week on AP Taylor Swift, we are kicking off Valentine’s season with a show and tell on Romantic Love. ❤️ We explore how Taylor writes about romantic love—from the grand, sweeping gestures to the small, intimate moments that define a true connection. We break down three iconic songs— “You Are in Love”, “Lover”, and “Invisible String”—examining how each Taylor Swift song captures differ...

“So scarlet it was, maroon.” What’s the true meaning behind Taylor Swift’s “Maroon”? This week on AP Taylor Swift podcast, we dive into the shades of red, love, and memory that define this “Midnights” favorite. We explore how Taylor uses colors to capture the complexity of relationships—the highs, the heartbreaks, and the legacy they leave behind. Listen as we unpack the layers of this fan-favorite track.

Subscribe to get new epi...

“I once believed love would be black and white, but it’s golden.” In this week’s episode of AP Taylor Swift, we dive into the rich, poetic use of color in Taylor Swift's lyrics with a show and tell on…color! From "Red" to "Daylight" to "Maroon," we discuss how Taylor’s use of color evolves to reflect different stages of love and life. 

Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe

Stay up to date at a...

“When you are young they assume you know nothing.” This week on AP Taylor Swift we deep dive into “cardigan” from folklore. We discuss the song’s nostalgia for teenage love and explore what it means to feel like an old cardigan–is that a good thing? We connect the song to last week’s Peter Pan discussion and the “teenage love trilogy” with august and betty. Is "Cardigan" simply a story of love lost and regained, or is it a meditati...

“Tried to change the ending, Peter losing Wendy.” This week on AP Taylor Swift podcast, we have a show-and-tell episode exploring “Peter Pan” and its influence on Taylor Swift’s music. We analyze three songs—“Innocent,” “Cardigan,” and “Peter”—uncovering connections between Taylor’s lyrics and Peter Pan’s themes of childhood, growing up, lost innocence, and the allure of staying young forever. From exploring Wendy's perspective as ...