AP Taylor Swift
Welcome to AP Taylor Swift Podcast, the podcast for Swifties with English degrees (or those who just overanalyze everything). Each episode, we dive into a deep reading of Taylor Swift’s lyrics to uncover the literary themes, references, and inspirations behind the songs to better understand and interpret why Taylor Swift’s songs resonate so deeply with fans. Subscribe to get new AP Taylor Swift Podcast episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Episodes
Wednesday Sep 25, 2024
E54: One-Year Anniversary of AP Taylor Swift
Wednesday Sep 25, 2024
Wednesday Sep 25, 2024
Can we always be this close? We’re celebrating our first anniversary! This week we’re reminiscing about our first year of this podcast by talking about some of our favorite podcast moments in Year 1, and the songs we surprisingly haven’t covered yet. And we’re responding to listener requests, diving into specific lyrics requested by our dear listeners.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sisyphean task
Bookshop.org/shop/APTS
The Daily, “The Year of Taylor Swift”
E42: Ecocriticism + TTPD
Animal Theory Substack
E9: Fall Songs (aka Cornelia Street Moment)
E24: Deep Dive - Right Where You Left Me
E51: All Too Well (10 Minute Version) - Three Ways
All Too Well (10 Minute Version) Short Film
“Reformed Rake” trope
E33: Animal Theory
You Know How to Ball, I Know Aristotle on TikTok
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:38] Songs we surprisingly haven’t covered yet
[08:46] “My Tears Ricochet” Bridge
[19:20] “Robin”
[22:51] “Right Where You Left Me” pre-chorus
[26:45] “When your Brooklyn broke my skin and bones” All Too Well 10 Minute Version
[32:36] “Do you miss the rogue who coaxed you into paradise and left you there” Coney Island
[38:28] “We can’t make any promises now can we babe?” Delicate
[44:28] Season 2 sneak peek
Follow us 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
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.
Wednesday Sep 18, 2024
E53: Deep Dive - The Way I Loved You
Wednesday Sep 18, 2024
Wednesday Sep 18, 2024
"I'm so in love that I acted insane." This week we dive into “The Way I Loved You.” One guy’s screaming and fighting, the other is sensible and incredible. We go line-by-line to identify who’s involved in this love triangle, the emotions behind the narrator’s dilemma, and why the narrator doesn’t seem to want the sensible, incredible, comfortable partner. Is this a lyrical analysis or a relationship analysis? Listen and find out!
Mentioned in this episode:
E52: Psychoanalytic Theory
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
E25: Pride and Prejudice
Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Brontë
Matchmaker Maria
Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller
E5: Toxic Relationships
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:53] Rhetorical triangle reminder
[02:18] Who are the characters in the song?
[08:38] The role of the love triangle
[13:29] Who’s acting insane?
[19:12] “I’m perfectly fine” “I’m comfortable”
[26:28] “He can’t see the smile I’m faking”
[31:38] “You were frustrating, intoxicating”
[38:14] The purpose of the song
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Follow us 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
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.
Wednesday Sep 11, 2024
E52: Show and Tell - Psychoanalytic Theory
Wednesday Sep 11, 2024
Wednesday Sep 11, 2024
"I have this dream where I get older but just never wiser." In this episode, we use Psychoanalytic Theory to unpack the deeper meanings behind three of Taylor's songs: "That's The Way I Loved You," "Look What You Made Me Do," and "Anti-Hero." From our personal experiences to Freud’s writings, we explore how Taylor’s lyrics tap into the subconscious. Get ready to dive into the psyche of Taylor Swift's music!
Mentioned in this episode:
Sigmund Freud Reader
Civilization and Its Discontents
Carl Jung
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Miss Americana
Lizzie McGuire
Switched on Pop: Beyonce’s Country
E31: Show and Tell - Shakespeare
Victorian man meme
Anti-Hero Music Video (featuring Mary Elizabeth Ellis a.k.a. “The Waitress” from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)
Joseph Campbell: Hero With A Thousand Faces
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:57] Intro to Psychoanalytic Theory
[09:28] “The Way I Loved You” from Fearless
[24:04] “Look What You Made Me Do” from reputation
[44:29] “Anti-Hero” from Midnights
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Follow us 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
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.
Wednesday Sep 04, 2024
E51: All Too Well (10 Min Version) - 3 Ways
Wednesday Sep 04, 2024
Wednesday Sep 04, 2024
It was rare, I was there, I remember it. To kick off our second year (sophomore year?) of AP Taylor Swift, we’re tackling a song we have wanted to tackle since the very beginning: “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).” And to stay consistent with our Show & Tell format, we’re each bringing you a different lens through which we analyzed this song! Join us as we introduce you to narratology, revisit ecocriticism, and look for poetic repetition in this song to understand what makes it the epic favorite that we all know and love.
Mentioned in this episode:
The Last Five Years
E7: Ecocriticism
E9: Fall Songs
E27: Poetic Repetition
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
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:40] Our topic for the day: ATWTMV 3-ways
[1:27] A new lens: narratology
[13:03] A literary theory: Ecocriticism
[30:35] A literary device: Poetic Repetition
[44:40] Bringing all the theories together
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Follow us 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
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.
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
E50: Cities + “The Tortured Poets Department”
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
“So Long London.” In our final Summer School episode, we say so long to summer as we revisit Episode 39: Cities within “The Tortured Poets Department.” London, Destin, Manhattan, Los Angeles–we explore these cities' role in the album and why Taylor Swift may have chosen these specific cities to tell her stories.
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 39: Show and Tell - Cities (Spotify | Apple)
A Very Potter Musical
Fry’s English Delight: Metaphors
“Florida,” Lauren Groff
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, Alison Bechdel
Fun Home: The Musical
Suffs
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
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:41] Introduction to Cities
[02:48] “So Long London”
[12:56] “Florida!!!”
[22:57] “Clara Bow”
[32:42] Summer School Extra Credit: “The Manuscript”
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Follow us 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
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.
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
E49: Poetic Repetition + "The Tortured Poets Department"
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
"You look like..." We’re throwing it back to Episode 27: Poetic Repetition, but this time we’re doing it Summer School style and looking at poetic repetition in “The Tortured Poets Department.” We cover AP English favorites like anaphora, epimone, alliteration, and assonance. And, we explore how poetic repetition can emphasize something important, create feelings of dwelling, evoke religious or holy imagery, or taunt someone.
Subscribe to Substack to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 27: Poetic Repetition
Ted Lasso “Semantic Satiation” Episode
Episode 18: Death By A Thousand Cuts Deep Dive
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:51] What is Poetic Repetition?
[02:15] “The Tortured Poets Department”
[11:08] “So Long London”
[19:21] “Florida!!!!”
[27:18] "Clara Bow”
[30:11] “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus”
[37:39] “The Prophecy”
Follow us 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
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.
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
E48: Mad Women + “The Tortured Poets Department”
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
“I was supposed to be sent away.” Today’s Summer School episode has us revisiting Episode 23: Mad Women (Spotify | Apple). We’ve discussed examples of mad women in Taylor’s Discography, but there hath been no woman scorned like the one in The Tortured Poet’s Department. After all, Taylor herself called it Female Rage: The Musical. But what about the other definitions of “madness” too? From the manic feeling of “Florida!!!” to the rage in “thanK you aIMee,” we get into it all in this week's episode!
Subscribe to our Substack to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 23 - Mad Women
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Harry Potter
Mad Men
Florence + the Machine
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Crime and Punishment by Dsotevyskey
Donald Glover stand up about crazy exes
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:50] Introducing Mad Women
[02:20] Fortnight
[10:28] Florida!!!
[17:00] ThanK You aIMee
[29:03] I Look In People’s Windows
[37:28] The Prophecy
[42:50] Honorable Mentions
Follow us 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
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.
Wednesday Aug 07, 2024
E47: Pride and Prejudice + "The Tortured Poets Department"
Wednesday Aug 07, 2024
Wednesday Aug 07, 2024
“Come one, come all, it’s happening again.” This week we’re going back to Episode 25 “Pride and Prejudice” to find parallels between the novel and “The Tortured Poets Department.” We analyze lyrics from some of our favorite TTPD songs and draw parallels to the story’s plot points, characters, and key relationships in Jane Austen’s novel.
Subscribe to our Substack to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
***
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 25 “Pride and Prejudice”
Pride and Prejudice
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:29] “But Daddy I Love Him”
[10:59] “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
[16:56] “The Alchemy”
[25:58] “How Did It End?”
[32:57] “I Hate It Here”
***
Follow us 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
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.
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
E46: Musicals + "The Tortured Poets Department"
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
“Lights, Camera, B*tch, Smile!” This week we’re covering a podcast-favorite topic: MUSICALS! Other than calling “The Tortured Poets Department” Eras tour set “female rage the musical,” we compare songs to “Hamilton,” “Les Miserable,” “A Chorus Line,” “Waitress,” “Six,” and “Wicked!” Can you guess which songs map to which musicals?
Mentioned in this episode:
“Waitress”
Girls5Eva
“Six”
“The Other Boleyn Girl,” Phillipa Greggory
Alison Weir
“Wicked”
“A Chorus Line”
“Hamilton”
“Les Miserables”
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
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:30] “Guilty as Sin”
[08:53] “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me”
[16:17] “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
[24:47] “The Black Dog”
[31:18] “How Did It End?”
[32:54] “Cassandra”
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Follow us 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
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.
Wednesday Jul 24, 2024
E45: Satire + The Tortured Poets Department
Wednesday Jul 24, 2024
Wednesday Jul 24, 2024
“She fell through the ice and came out alive.” Today’s Summer School episode has us revisiting Episode 19: Satire (Spotify | Apple). We explore how Taylor uses different types of Satire on the album as a way of adding exaggeration, emphasis, and impact to her storytelling.
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 19: Satire
Oxford Dictionary definition of Satire
SNL
1984, by George Orwell
Animal Farm, by George Orwell
A Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift
Love Story, Taylor Swift
Gilmore Girls
Mastermind, Taylor Swift
Blank Space, Taylor Swift
Forrest Gump
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:11] Introducing Satire
[03:37] But Daddy I love him
[12:06] I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
[17:54] The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived
[24:31] imgonnagetyouback
[31:40] The Bolter
Follow us 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
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.
Stay in Touch!
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