AP Taylor Swift

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
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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.

Revisiting Taylor Swift Parallels: Connecting the Dots Between Unexpected Song Pairings

"What if I told you none of it was accidental?" On this special NYE edition, we're revisiting our Parallel Songs episode, which means you’re getting six show-and-tell songs instead of three! In this episode, we explore the concept of parallel songs in Taylor Swift's discography, focusing on thematic and lyrical connections between pairs of songs. We discuss the similarities between the carefree hangout vibes of “22” and the more mature perspective of letting loose in “Bejeweled”; the contrasting views of fate in “Invisible String” and agency in “Mastermind”. And, we take a technical lens to the songs “Labyrinth” and “You're Losing Me”, highlighting how they embody experiences of love and loss.
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 and thank you for listening. Can't wait to continue to overanalyze and deep dive more Taylor Swift music in 2026!
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Eras Tour Surprise Song Mashup TikToks
Love Story Deep Dive 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[02:00] Introduction to Parallel Songs
[05:07] Exploring “22” (Red)  and “Bejeweled” (Midnights)
[13:20] Contrasting “Invisible String”(folklore) and “Mastermind” (Midnights)
[21:23] Analyzing “Labyrinth” (Midnights) and “You're Losing Me” (Midnights (from the vault))
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social! 
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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.

Happy Holidays from AP Taylor Swift - Holiday Songs Reprise

“I’ll be picking up bottles with you on New Year’s Day.” In honor of the holidays, we’re revisiting our 2023 Holidays 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! 
 
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: 
“Under the Tuscan Sun” 
“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” 
“Book Lovers,” Emily Henry 
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” JK Rowling
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” film
“Inside Out”
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[01:13] How do we define the holiday season?
[05:52] “New Years Day” I’ll be picking up bottles with you 
[22:20] “champagne problems” Your mom's ring in your pocket
[36:40] “‘tis the damn season” We could call it even
 
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 aptyalorswift@gmail.com 
 
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 End of an Era - Initial Reactions to Eps 1 and 2 of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

“We think of these bad things happening to me, or to us. If you flip it around correctly, and you react in a certain way, those things can be happening for you." Ever since we saw the cameras backstage at the Eras Tour, we’ve been waiting for a documentary to arrive, and this week we got to enjoy episodes one and two of this long-awaited glimpse behind the scenes. Check out this week’s episode where we dive into our reactions, the lessons we learned, and chat a bit about what else we hope to see in the next few episodes! 
 
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.

Revisiting TTPD and The Eras Tour

As we prepare for the release of the Eras Tour documentary series, we wanted to pause and revisit our experiences at the Eras Tour and the excitement we felt when The Tortured Poets Department was added to the set list. Take a moment and revisit this older episode of ours to get yourself in the mindset for the docuseries! 
 
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.

E111: “So High School” by Taylor Swift line-by-line analysis

"In the blink of a crinkling eye, I'm sinking, our fingers entwined." This week, we're deep diving one of The Tortured Poets Department's most nostalgic and playful tracks: "So High School." We explore how this Aaron Dessner collaboration captures the giddiness of adult romance that feels refreshingly simple and unguarded—like being transported back to those butterflies-in-your-stomach moments of teenage crushes. From twinkling lights to truth or dare, we unpack how Taylor Swift uses high school imagery not to describe where she is, but how love makes her feel. Spoiler: we giggle our way through this episode like the high schoolers we once were.
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:
High School Musical
American Pie
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The Hills
Clueless
"So Yesterday" by Hilary Duff
Travis Kelce's New Heights podcast appearance with Taylor Swift
***
Episode Highlights
[00:01] Introduction and continuation from the High School vs. High School Musical debate
[04:16] Breaking down the title: "So High School"
[16:03] "Tell me about the first time you saw me"
[25:08] "I'm watching American Pie with you on a Saturday night"
[39:02] "You know how to ball, I know Aristotle"
[48:46] No bridge? The structure of "So High School"
[50:18] Purpose discussion: Evoking feelings vs. lived experience
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!
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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.
 

E110: Taylor Swift's High School Songs - A High School Musical Comparison

"I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale." What happens when we look at Taylor Swift's music through the lens of high school—specifically, the cultural phenomenon that is “High School Musical”? This week, we explore how adolescence shapes storytelling in literature, film, and music. From the fairy tale expectations in "White Horse" to the transformative power of "Change" to the nostalgia of "So High School," we discuss how Taylor's perspective on high school has evolved over time, and why these coming-of-age narratives continue to resonate across generations.
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: 
High School Musical (2006)
The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger
A Separate Peace, John Knowles
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
The Breakfast Club
***
 
Episode Highlights
[01:08] Why High School Musical?
[02:42] Adolescence as a theme in literature
[07:22] "White Horse" and Gabriella's fairy tale
[20:09] "Change" and high school transformation
[29:20]  "So High School" and looking at teenage love as an adult
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.

We're All in This Together: Why High School Musical Became a Cultural Phenomenon (After School Paid Preview)

"How did a made-for-TV Disney Channel movie become the defining musical of a generation?"
This month on After School, we're discussing High School Musical, the 2006 Disney Channel original movie that launched a thousand basketball-playing singers and made "Get Your Head in the Game" an iconic song. For this bonus episode for paid subscribers, we dive deep into why this cheesy, swoopy-haired phenomenon resonated so strongly with millennials and continues to trend with Gen Z today.
From the cultural timing of musicals' renaissance to the universal themes of fitting in while staying true to yourself, we explore what made High School Musical iconic. We discuss the movie's connection to the broader musical theater landscape of the early 2000s, the genius of making a musical about musicals, and why Zac Efron's portrayal of Troy Bolton became the heartthrob template for a generation.
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.

E109: "seven" Line-by-Line Analysis | Taylor Swift's folklore hit

"Please picture me in the trees... before I learned civility." This week, we're deep diving one of folklore's most haunting and emotionally complex tracks: "seven." By popular request from our listeners, we explore this fan-favorite song that captures childhood innocence, the weight of adult responsibilities placed on young shoulders, and the bittersweet process of looking back at formative moments that shaped who we've become. From cross-your-heart promises to haunted houses, we unpack how Taylor Swift captures the complexity of childhood experiences that are simultaneously innocent and deeply serious.
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: 
Peter Pan 
Aaron Dessner interview with Vulture
folklore: the long pond studio sessions 
Unreliable narrators Substack
Ring Around the Rosie and the Black Plague
***
 
Episode Highlights
[00:40] Introduction and After School program announcement
[08:55] "Please picture me in the trees"
[12:10] “Feet in the swing”
[23:15] The bridge: "And I've been meaning to tell you"
[35:00] "Before I learned civility, I used to scream ferociously"
[50:10] Purpose discussion: What is this song really about?
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.