AP Taylor Swift

E119: "Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in" | Taylor Swift's "hoax" line-by-line analysis

"Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in." This week, we're deep diving "hoax" from folklore (2020), written by Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner. As a continuation of last week's Wuthering Heights episode, we go line by line through one of Taylor's most quietly devastating songs. We unpack the definition of "hoax" itself—humorous or malicious?—and find that the answer might be both. Along the way, we debate who's holding the twisted knife, trace religious undertones from the Lord's Prayer through "faithless love," connect Robert Burns and Of Mice and Men to Taylor's "best laid plan," and sit with the devastating wordplay of "my broken drum, you have beaten my heart." This is a song about betrayal by someone who knew exactly where it would hurt most—and the confusing, adult reality of choosing to stay anyway.
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Mentioned in this episode:
Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
"To a Mouse," Robert Burns (1785)
The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord's Prayer
Episode Highlights:
[00:25] Introduction to "hoax" and the definition of a hoax
[02:11] "My only one, my smoking gun, my eclipsed sun"
[08:48] "Stood on the cliffside screaming, give me a reason"
[13:36] "Don't want no other shade of blue but you"
[18:14] "My barren land, I am ash from your fire"
[22:32] "You knew the hero died, so what's the movie for?"
[29:23] "My kingdom come undone"
[34:24] Purpose: vulnerability weaponized, betrayal by someone who knew you best
[39:10] The Wuthering Heights of it all
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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.
 

E118: Wuthering Heights & Taylor Swift: Love, Revenge, and Gothic Romance

"Trust me, I can handle me a dangerous man" Can obsessive love survive across social classes, death, and generations? This week, we're diving into Emily Brontë's 1847 Gothic masterpiece, “Wuthering Heights,” to explore themes of revenge, class struggle, and the illusion of choice in a society that offered women precious few options. We connect three Taylor Swift songs to this brutal, beautiful tale of Catherine and Heathcliff's destructive passion and its ripple effects on the next generation. From unrequited longing to toxic attempts at redemption to the devastating reality of betrayal, we unpack why this novel feels both deeply romantic and disturbingly amoral.
Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!
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Mentioned in this episode: 
Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Brontë
Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
E23: Mad Women
 
Episode Highlights
[01:14] “Wuthering Heights” Intro
[10:52] “Foolish One,” Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
[21:36] “Hoax,” Evermore
[29:14] “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can),” The Tortured Poet’s Department
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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.

E117: Flashback When You Met Me - Taylor Swift's Dress Deep Dive

"Only bought this dress so you could take it off." This week, we're deep diving "Dress" (reputation, 2017). We go line by line through this intimate friends-to-lovers anthem, exploring the transition from public persona to private moments, the dress as both armor and vulnerability, and why this song perfectly captures the spark that ignites a shift from friendship to something more. Join us as we unpack intentionality, agency, emotional nakedness, and discover why this song is the perfect soundtrack for choosing your person.
Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com
Mentioned in this episode:
Hamlet, William Shakespeare
Summer I Turned Pretty (TV series)
Bridgerton (Episode 65 reference)
 
Episode Highlights:
[02:52] The title: What does the dress symbolize and represent?
[21:49] Taylor embracing more sensual lyrics 
[46:44] Friends to lovers: The journey condensed in one song
[52:37] The dress as transition: From friends to lovers, the spark that initiates change
 
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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

The Meaning Behind Taylor Swift's "Opalite" Lyrics: After School Paid Preview

"You had to make your own sunshine, but now the sky is opalite." In honor of the “Opalite” music video, we’re giving our After School Paid Subscribers early access to our “Opalite” deep dive! We explore why Taylor chose “opalite” over “opal,” what it means to create your own luck instead of waiting for it, and the song’s shift from being stuck in a cycle to finding resilience. Along the way, we debate who’s really speaking—is Mama Swift talking the whole time?—trace the song’s self-referential connections to “Daylight,” “Fearless,” “right where you left me,” and more, and unpack how this bubblegum pop track is actually a deeply philosophical song about agency, community, and paying it forward.
Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com 
 
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!
TikTok → tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift
Instagram → instagram.com/APTaylorSwift
YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift
Link Tree → linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
Bookshop.org → bookshop.org/shop/apts
Libro.fm → tinyurl.com/aptslibro
Contact us at aptaylorswift@gmail.com
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
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.

E116: Taylor Swift Songs That Are Basically Bridgerton Episodes | AP Taylor Swift Podcast

"I don't want you like a best friend." What happens when we view Taylor Swift's music through the lens of Regency era romance? In this week's Show & Tell episode, we explore Taylor Swift’s songs through Shonda Rhimes's Netflix adaptation of Julia Quinn’s “Bridgerton” novels to uncover how Taylor's songs capture the tension, longing, and swoony moments that define the series. From secret romances in crowded rooms to enemies-to-lovers slow burns, we connect three iconic Bridgerton couples to Taylor Swift songs that perfectly capture their love stories. Whether you're Team Daphne and Simon, obsessed with Kate and Anthony, or rooting for Colin and Penelope, this episode has something for every Bridgerton fan.
Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!
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Mentioned in this episode:
Bridgerton Series, Julia Quinn
The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1), Julia Quinn
The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgerton #2), Julia Quinn
Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Bridgerton #4), Julia Quinn
Bridgerton Netflix Series
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Marie Antoinette (2006), Sofia Coppola
Romeo + Juliet (1996), Baz Luhrmann
Moulin Rouge (2001), Baz Luhrmann
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
E31: Shakespeare 
 
Episode Highlights: 
[00:26] Bridgerton Overview
[13:05] “I Wish You Would,” 1989
[24:08] “Wildest Dreams,” 1989
[34:18] “Dress,” 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.
 

E115: "When the Lights Go Out It's Hard to Breathe" - Taylor Swift's Forever Winter Deep Dive

"I'd say I love you even at your darkest, and please don't go." This week, we continue our winter songs conversation with a deep dive into "Forever Winter" from Red (Taylor's Version). Content warning: This episode discusses mental health struggles, suicide, and grief. We explore the song line by line, examining themes of helplessness, survivor's guilt, the weight of supporting someone through mental illness, and how Taylor captures the raw emotions of loving someone at their darkest. Join us as we unpack what it means to promise "I won't go away" and why this vault track remains one of Taylor's most emotionally devastating songs.
Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com
Episode Highlights:
[00:01] Introduction and content warning - mental health and grief discussion
[02:53] Why Taylor has never performed this song live - the pattern of deeply personal songs
[16:44] Red era context: Mental health conversations in 2010 vs. today
[32:52] "I'll be summer sun for you forever" - The impossibility of being someone's savior
[34:06] Bridge analysis: "If I was standing there in your apartment"
[45:04] "Believe in one thing, I won't go away" - Poetry of immortalization
[59:32] The toll of supporting someone: When care requires its own support system
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!
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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

E114: Taylor Swift Winter Songs: "Back to December," "The Moment I Knew" & "Forever Winter"

"But then the cold came, the dark days when fear crept into my mind" What happens when we explore Taylor Swift's coldest, most melancholic songs? In this week's Show and Tell episode, we examine three winter songs—"Back to December," "The Moment I Knew," and "Forever Winter"—to uncover how Taylor uses winter as a literary device to explore themes of regret, loss, and missed opportunities. From the isolation of snowy landscapes to the clarity that comes with reflection, we discuss how winter symbolizes both endings and the quiet before renewal. Spoiler alert: these songs all appear on Spotify's "Saddest Taylor Swift Songs" playlist, so bring tissues. [And we have a content warning for our last song for themes and discussions of depression and self-harm]
Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!
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Mentioned in this episode: 
 
The Shining, Stephen King
Frozen (2013)
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," Robert Frost
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis
Fall Episode
Summer Episode
Holiday Episode
Greek Mythology Episode
“Right where you left me” deep dive
All Too Well 10 Minute Version Episode
Episode Highlights
[00:42] Winter as a literary device 
[07:16] "Back to December" 
[18:02] "The Moment I Knew" 
[26:52] "Forever Winter" (content warning, themes of self-harm)
 
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social! 
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Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
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Contact us at aptaylorswift@gmail.com 
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
 
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.
 

E113: Keep It 100 On the Land, The Sea, The Sky | "The Fate of Ophelia" Analysis

"All that time I sat alone in my tower, you were just honing your powers. Now I can see it all, see it all." This week, we're deep diving "The Fate of Ophelia" (The Life of a Showgirl, 2025). We go line by line through the lead single from Taylor's latest album, exploring everything from Hamlet references to fairy tale imagery, the contrast between "high brow" poetic language and colloquial modern speak, and why this song is actually packed with green flags about healthy relationships. Join us as we unpack the land, the sea, the sky, and discover why keeping it 100 might just be the antidote to drowning in melancholy.
Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com
Mentioned in this episode:
Hamlet, William Shakespeare
Becoming, Michelle Obama
10 Things I Hate About You (1999 film)
Greek Mythology - Persephone and the Underworld
Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
Cleopatra, William Shakespeare
Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra
Episode Highlights:
[02:42] The title and opening verse: Megaphones, pyros, and public declarations
[05:50] Drowning in melancholy: The Tortured Poets Department connection
[13:20] Pre-chorus analysis: Towers, graves, and lighting up the sky
[29:00] "Keep it 100 on the land, the sea, the sky" - Jenn's breakthrough moment
[36:33] Pledge allegiance vs. swore my loyalty: Communal vs. individualistic language
[43:44] Verse two: Fantasy, scorpions, and Cleopatra references
[56:32] "Wrap around me like a chain, a crown of vines" - Self-referential Taylor
[01:02:17] The bridge: "'Tis locked inside my memory" and the Laertes connection
[01:09:32] The purpose: Rewriting endings and finding people who show up
 
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!
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Link Tree → linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
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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

E112: Taylor Swift & Hamlet: Breaking Down "Hamlet" themes in Anti-Hero, I Knew You Were Trouble & The Fate of Ophelia

"Pretend he doesn’t know that he’s the reason why you’re drowning." This week we're exploring Shakespeare's "Hamlet" through Taylor Swift's lens, diving into the psychological depths of revenge, agency, and the fate of being a silenced woman. From the “Real Housewives of Shakespeare” (yes, really) to the drowning weight of societal expectations, we unpack how Taylor uses one of literature's most tragic figures to explore modern questions about independence, relationships, and female agency. 
 
Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!
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Mentioned in this episode: 
 
Hamlet, William Shakespeare
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Tom Stoppard
The Lion King
The Traitors
Real Housewives
E92: Revenge Narratives
The Sound of Music
Sister Act
The Female Malady, Elaine Showalter
E31: Show and Tell - Shakespeare
E23: Mad Woman
***
 
Episode Highlights
[01:03] Hamlet 101
[11:02] “I Knew You Were Trouble,” RED
[23:50] “Anti-Hero,” Midnights
[34:56] “The Fate of Ophelia,” The Life of a Showgirl
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social! 
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Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
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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
 
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.
 

Hamlet: Sad, Beautiful, Tragic (Shakespeare’s Version) (After School Paid Preview)

"Ophelia lived in tragedy." In this preview of our paid subscriber bonus episode, we’re diving deeper into Hamlet. We all study it, and love it or hate it, there’s something about this particular play that keeps people talking about it. What about Shakespeare’s Hamlet, remains so relevant almost 500 years later? We talk briefly about its history, how it’s taught, why it’s culturally so important, the role of tragedy in theater and in Taylor Swfit's music, amongst other topics related to this incredible play.
If you enjoyed this sneak peek and want to hear the full episode plus additional monthly episodes of AP Taylor Swift After School, subscribe at aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. 
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Mentioned in this episode:
The Lion King
Thor
Thomas Kidd's The Spanish Tragedy
Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta De Norum
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Tom Stoppard
Something Rotten
Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[02:00] Introduction to Hamlet and Its Influence
[3:10] Hamlet's Influence on Modern Films
[4:06] Revenge and Psychological Themes
[5:50] Adaptations and Comedic Perspectives
[9:04] Literary Connections and References
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social! 
TikTok → tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift
Instagram → instagram.com/APTaylorSwift
YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift
Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
Bookshop.org → bookshop.org/shop/apts
Libro.fm →  tinyurl.com/aptslibro
Contact us at aptaylorswift@gmail.com 
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
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.