AP Taylor Swift

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.
 

One Month with Taylor Swift's “The Life of a Showgirl”: Our Honest Reactions (After School Paid Preview)

“Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes.” In this preview of our After School episode, we're reflecting on our first month with Taylor's latest album. We dive into why certain Taylor albums create earworms while others don't, how her genre-hopping creates completely different fan bases, and whether we just accidentally invented a personality test based on your top two Taylor albums (spoiler: it's better than Myers-Briggs). Plus, we debate whether "an album full of bops" can stand the test of time, or if that's exactly what we needed right now.
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
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.
 

E106: Stumble On Home to My Cats: Taylor Swift’s Cat Songs - State of Grace, Gorgeous, and Beautiful Ghosts

"I'll dance with these beautiful ghosts and I'll choose to be wild and free." What happens when we view Taylor Swift's music through the lens of our feline friends? In this week's Show & Tell episode, we explore three songs that connect to the world of cats in different ways. From the mysterious cat distribution system to reclaiming the "cat lady" trope, we discuss how cats represent independence, mystery, and the feminine in both literature and Taylor's music. Plus, we dive into why men who hate cats might be revealing more about themselves than they think.
 
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:
Cat Distribution System - internet phenomenon
Cats Musical - Andrew Lloyd Webber
TS Elliot Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats
Marx for Cats
Beautiful Ghost - Taylor Swift & Andrew Lloyd Webber, 2019
Cats (2019 film)
The Cheshire Cat - Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland
Professor McGonagall - J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter
The Black Cat - Edgar Allan Poe
 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[00:37] All about cats!
[09:22] "State of Grace" and the cat distribution system
[17:18] "Gorgeous" and reclaiming the cat lady trope
[27:08] "Beautiful Ghost" and choosing wild freedom
 
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.

Celebrating Our Favorite Childless Cat Lady: Dissecting Cats the Movie and Taylor Swift’s Role in It (After School Paid Preview)

"How high was Andrew Lloyd Webber when he wrote this and on what exactly?"
This month on After School, we're discussing Cats, the 2019 movie musical featuring Taylor Swift as Bombalurina. For this bonus episode for paid subscribers, we watched and dissected Tom Hooper's infamous film adaptation. From the uncanny CGI to Taylor's scene-stealing performance to the existential question of cat proportions, we explore what went wrong (and occasionally right) in translating Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 stage musical to the big screen.
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:
T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939)
Cats (2019 film) directed by Tom Hooper
Taylor Swift's "Beautiful Ghosts" (written for the film)
E3: Alice in Wonderland
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.

E105: I guess I'll never, ever know… “Now That We Don’t Talk” Deep Dive

“You part the crowd like the Red Sea, don't even get me started.” This week, we're deep diving "Now That We Don't Talk" from 1989 (Taylor's Version). This vault track is lyrically dense, structurally complex, and emotionally devastating in its exploration of uncertainty, insecurity, and the relationships that leave us wanting more. We analyze biblical references, rhetorical questions, enjambment, and why this song was ultimately too insecure to make the original 1989 album. Join us as we unpack how Taylor uses poetic devices to create a haiku-like meditation on the aftermath of an intimate relationship—whether romantic, platonic, or something in between.
 
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: 
Wicked, the book, movie, and musical
E102: Wicked 
E3: Alice in Wonderland
E98: Unreliable Narrators
E55: Rhetorical Questions
 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[01:53] “Now That We Don’t Talk” 
[05:06] “You went to a party/I heard from everybody”
[10:25] “And from the outside/ It looks like you're tryin' lives on”
[15:38] “I call my mom, she said that it was for the best”
[25:47] “Truth is I can't pretend it's platonic, it's just ended”
[37:00] “I don't have to pretend I like acid rock”
[42:48] “And the only way back to my dignity”
[49:02] The purpose of “Now That We Don’t Talk”
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.
 

E104: Just a Girl on a Mission: Connecting Wicked to Taylor Swift’s “A Place In This World,” “Treacherous,” and “Now That We Don’t Talk”

This week on AP Taylor Swift, we're doing something special, a Wicked-themed show and tell! With Wicked: For Good coming out soon, we're embracing our inner theater kids and connecting Taylor Swift's music to this beloved story. From the 1995 Gregory Maguire book to the 2003 Broadway musical to the upcoming film adaptation, we explore how “A Place in This World,” “Treacherous,” and “Now That We Don’t Talk” all perfectly capture the complex relationships and emotional journeys in the Land of Oz. 
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: 
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995 book by Gregory Maguire)
Wicked movie adaptation (2024-2025 film)
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (the original book that inspired Wicked)
Bridgerton 
Alice in Wonderland
 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
00:00:35
Intro to the topic of Wicked 
00:07:05
“A Place In This World” 
00:15:20
“Treacherous” 
00:28:34
“Now That We Don’t Talk”
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.

E103: Invisible String Deep Dive - How Taylor Swift Turned Fate into Folklore

"Isn't it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?" This week, we're deep diving "invisible string" (folklore 2020). We go line by line through this deceptively whimsical love song, exploring everything from Greek mythology to Jane Eyre references, the evolution of time from "curious" to "mystical" to "wondrous," and why Taylor chooses to believe in fate. Join us as we unpack the colors, the contrasts, and the surprising darkness hidden beneath this seemingly romantic fairy tale about finding your person against all odds.
 
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: 
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
Greek Mythology - The Fates
Ancient Chinese proverb - Red thread of fate
Hercules (1997 Disney film)
***
Episode Highlights: 
[01:27] The title: Invisible strings, fates, and marionettes
[3:33] Green and teal: Same but different colors
[11:13] “Bad was the blood of the song in the cab”
[18:16] "Time, mystical time" 
[24:30] “Something wrapped all of my past mistakes in barbed wire”
[36:22] "Time, wondrous time" - Blues to purple pink skies
[39:13] 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.
 

"The Life of a Showgirl" Album Release Reactions

"But you don't know the life of a showgirl, babe." Join us for our immediate reactions to Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl album! We break down our first impressions track by track, exploring the sophisticated lyricism hidden beneath high-energy pop production, the album's theatrical motifs, and how Taylor uses the showgirl concept as both performance and vulnerability. From the literary references in "Fate of Ophelia" to the musical callbacks throughout, we discuss how this album ties together themes from across Taylor's discography while introducing bold new perspectives on fame, relationships, and growing up in the spotlight.
Mentioned in this episode:
Hamlet 
Macbeth
Dante’s Inferno
Rapunzel fairy tale
Elizabeth Taylor
Jackson 5 
George Michael
The Godfather 
Scandal (TV show)
Episode Highlights: 
[00:30] Our initial reactions to “The Life of a Showgirl”
[07:39] Fate of Ophelia - Shakespeare references and literary vibes
[12:28] Elizabeth Taylor - Loneliness of fame and purple eyes
[14:34] Opalite - ABBA vibes and haunted houses
[17:42] Father Figure - Industry power dynamics and masculinity
[21:42] Eldest Daughter - Track 5 emotions and millennial core
[27:06] Ruin the Friendship - High school storytelling and Abigail callback
[30:55] Actually Romantic - Diss track energy but supportive message
[34:39] Wi$h Li$t - Evolving desires and life phases
[40:02] Wood - Adult themes with childhood superstitions
[45:03] Canceled! - Something wicked this way comes
[47:54] Honey - Terms of endearment and passive aggression
[52:00] The Life of a Showgirl - Behind the scenes vs performance
 
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.

E102: Taylor Swift Parallels: Connecting the Dots Between Unexpected Song Pairings

"What if I told you none of it was accidental?" This week, 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 
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Eras Tour Surprise Song Mashup TikToks
Love Story Deep Dive 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[00:22] Introduction to Parallel Songs
[04:00] Exploring “22” (Red)  and “Bejeweled” (Midnights)
[12:09] Contrasting “Invisible String”(folklore) and “Mastermind” (Midnights)
[19:57] Analyzing “Labyrinth” (Midnights) and “You're Losing Me” (Midnights (from the vault))
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.