AP Taylor Swift

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))
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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.

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! 
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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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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
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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.

E108: "That's a Real Legacy to Leave": Taylor Swift and the Art of Intentional Ambiguity in seven, Maroon, and loml

"That's a Real Legacy to Leave." This week, we're diving deep into the art of double meanings in Taylor Swift's songwriting! Join us as we explore how Taylor crafts lyrics that can be interpreted in multiple ways simultaneously, and how she uses this technique to add layers of depth to her storytelling. We analyze three songs where the titles themselves contain double meanings: "seven" from folklore, "Maroon" from Midnights, and "loml" from The Tortured Poets Department. From the ambiguity of hitting your peak at seven (feet? years old?) to the devastating transformation from "love of my life" to "loss of my life," we uncover Taylor's intentional wordplay and what it reveals about her meticulous craft.
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:
Hamilton
Homer's The Odyssey
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
The Summer I Turned Pretty
Episode Highlights:
[00:00] Introduction and After School content announcement
[01:37] What is double meaning? (Plus the difference from double entendre)
[04:53] "Seven" - Peak at seven feet or age seven?
[15:58] "Maroon" - The color and being marooned
[24:06] "LOML" - From love to loss of my life
[36:40] Pattern discovery: Why titles matter
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.
 

E107: State of Grace Deep Dive: Taylor Swift's Transition from Fantasy to Reality on Red

"I'm walking fast through the traffic lights, busy streets and busy lives." This week, we're deep diving "State of Grace" from Red (2012), exploring how this opening track marks a turning point in Taylor's approach to love songs. We unpack the religious meaning of "state of grace" and what it reveals about forgiveness and fresh starts, discuss how the gritty reality of New York City replaces the fairy tale imagery of earlier albums, and examine what it means to navigate love as a 22-year-old trying to prove you're an adult. From Catholic theology to the "freshman year of the real world," this episode explores how Taylor transitions from fantasy romance to the messy, complicated truth of real relationships.
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: 
Definition of “State of Grace” 
Enchanted
The Summer I Turned Pretty
Plato’s Symposium and Twin Flames
The Odyssey
E102: Parallel Taylor Songs 
 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[01:25] “State of Grace” title and meaning
[04:36] “I’m walking fast through the traffic lights”
[10:25] “We are alone with our changing minds”
[12:56] “I never saw you coming, and I’ll never be the same”
[13:53] “You come around and the armor falls”
[19:37] “You were never a saint and I loved in shades of wrong”
[26:27] “This is the worthwhile fight” 
[35:30] The purpose of the song
 
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.