AP Taylor Swift

E75: Show and Tell - Romantic Love

“One single thread of gold tied me to you” This week on AP Taylor Swift, we are kicking off Valentine’s season with a show and tell on Romantic Love. ❤️ We explore how Taylor writes about romantic love—from the grand, sweeping gestures to the small, intimate moments that define a true connection. We break down three iconic songs— “You Are in Love”, “Lover”, and “Invisible String”—examining how each Taylor Swift song captures different facets of romantic relationships.
 
This week’s episode is sponsored by the new book “Stars Around My Scars: The Annotated Poetry of Taylor Swift” written by Dr. Elly McCausland, out now wherever books are sold. 
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com 
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Stars Around My Scars
Romeo and Juliet
E35: Royalty 
Jane Eyre
E73: Color 
E5: Toxic Relationships
Harry Potter
E70: Harry Potter Holiday Special
 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[07:16] “You Are In Love” 1989
[13:40] “Lover” Lover
[25:18] “Invisible String” folklore 
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 
 
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.
 

E74: Deep Dive - Maroon

“So scarlet it was, maroon.” What’s the true meaning behind Taylor Swift’s “Maroon”? This week on AP Taylor Swift podcast, we dive into the shades of red, love, and memory that define this “Midnights” favorite. We explore how Taylor uses colors to capture the complexity of relationships—the highs, the heartbreaks, and the legacy they leave behind. Listen as we unpack the layers of this fan-favorite track.
 
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com 
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
E73: Show and Tell - Color
The Big Lebowski
E66: Deep Dive - Holy Ground 
The Wizard of Oz
Van Gogh’s faded colors
Harry Potter
Every color referenced in Maroon
Eats, Shoots, and Leaves
 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[02:00] “When the morning came”
[08:30] “your roommate’s cheapass screwtop rosé” 
[12:53] “The burgundy on my cheeks”
[23:56] “When the silence came”  
[25:06] Our “ah ha” moment
[30:39] “the rubies that I gave up”
[38:07] 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.

E73: "Maroon", "Red," "Daylight" - Show and Tell - Color

“I once believed love would be black and white, but it’s golden.” In this week’s episode of AP Taylor Swift, we dive into the rich, poetic use of color in Taylor Swift's lyrics with a show and tell on…color! From "Red" to "Daylight" to "Maroon," we discuss how Taylor’s use of color evolves to reflect different stages of love and life. 
 
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com 
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
The Wizard of Oz
Wicked
The Great Gatsby
The Scarlet Letter
E32: Deep Dive - Love Story
E9: Fall Songs
The Color Purple
Les Miserable, “Red and Black”
E10: Deep Dive - Red
Pop Sugar Article, 2019
The Outsiders
Every color referenced in Maroon
 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[00:59] Adding color to today’s topic…color!
[05:04] “Red”
[12:47] “Daylight”
[22:46] “Maroon” 
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.

E72: Deep Dive - cardigan

“When you are young they assume you know nothing.” This week on AP Taylor Swift we deep dive into “cardigan” from folklore. We discuss the song’s nostalgia for teenage love and explore what it means to feel like an old cardigan–is that a good thing? We connect the song to last week’s Peter Pan discussion and the “teenage love trilogy” with august and betty. Is "Cardigan" simply a story of love lost and regained, or is it a meditation on self-discovery and growth? Find out when you listen to this week’s episode
 
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com 
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Harry Potter
Lord of the Rings
Peter Pan
Hits Different
The Hills
Virginia Woolf
e.e. cummings
“My Cousin Vinny” 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[02:43] The “teenage love triangle” trilogy
[05:51] “Vintage tee, brand new phone”
[13:00] “And when I felt like I was an old cardigan”
[18:49] “Heartbeat on The Highline” 
[23:52] “Once in twenty lifetimes” 
[31:23] “I knew you…”
[36:25] “Cause I knew everything when I was young” 
[45:00] 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.

E71: Show and Tell - Peter Pan

“Tried to change the ending, Peter losing Wendy.” This week on AP Taylor Swift podcast, we have a show-and-tell episode exploring “Peter Pan” and its influence on Taylor Swift’s music. We analyze three songs—“Innocent,” “Cardigan,” and “Peter”—uncovering connections between Taylor’s lyrics and Peter Pan’s themes of childhood, growing up, lost innocence, and the allure of staying young forever. From exploring Wendy's perspective as the “mother” figure to dissecting the complexities of Peter Pan syndrome, we delve into the literary and psychological depths of J.M. Barrie's classic tale and its resonance in Taylor Swift's lyrics.
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com 
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Peter Pan, JM Barrie
Peter Pan (Play), JM Barrie
Finding Neverland (Film)
Finding Neverland (Musical)
Peter Pan (1953)  Disney adaptation
Peter Pan (2003)
Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)
Peter & the Starcatcher
Hook
Hymn to Demeter
Lord of the Flies
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[01:07] Intro to Peter Pan
[08:31] “Innocent” Speak Now
[22:34] “Cardigan” folklore
[31:09] “Peter” The Tortured Poets Department
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.

Holidays Show and Tell - New Year's Day Re-Release

“I’ll be picking up bottles with you on New Year’s Day.” In honor of New Year’s Day 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 to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
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 aptaylorswift@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.

E70: Show and Tell - Harry Potter Holiday Special

“We can leave the Christmas lights up til January.”  Tis the damn season, so we’re bringing you a Harry Potter Holiday Special episode! This week we do a special Show and Tell episode bringing together two of our favorite topics: Harry Potter and Taylor Swift’s lyrics. Jenn imagines “Look What You Made Me Do” as Snape’s song to Voldermort. Jodi makes the case that “Lover” perfectly captures Lavender Brown’s feelings toward Ron. And Maansi envisions “You’re On Your Own Kid” as an anthem about Harry Potter’s arc throughout the entire series. Whether you’re a fan of the books, the movies, or both, we fully dork out on this episode. Join us!
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com 
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Harry Potter
Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma 
TikTok creator who does “Harry Potter Characters as Taylor Swift Songs” Jake L @Jakobcl1989
 
***
Episode Highlights: 
[01:30] Introduction to Harry Potter and Christmas
[05:25] “Look What You Made Me Do”
[13:30] “Lover” 
[24:08] “You’re On Your Own, Kid”
 
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.

E69: Deep Dive - my tears ricochet

“I can go anywhere I want, just not home” This week on AP Taylor Swift, we take on “my tears ricochet,” the gut-wrenching Track 5 from “Folklore”. From its funeral imagery to what it means for a tear to “ricochet,” we explore themes of grief, regret, and power dynamics. Whether this song is about romantic heartbreak, a friendship gone sour, or even a toxic job, we explore why this song resonates so deeply with so many, and what it means for each of us.
 
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date: www.aptaylorswift.com 
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
E67: Greek Mythology
E54: Anniversary Episode
E32: Love Story Deep Dive 
The Little Book of Shakespeare's Insults: The Bard's Best Barbs
Reputation album letter
Jane Eyre  
The Phantom of the Opera
The Little Mermaid
Harry Potter
E56: Guest Episode - DJ Louie XIV 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[00:35] Introducing “my tears ricochet” and our initial thoughts 
[06:51] “I didn’t have it in myself to go with grace”
[10:48] “Look at how my tears ricochet” 
[17:31] “You know I didn’t want to have to haunt you”
[24:49] “When I’d fight you used to tell me I was brave”
[29:11] “And I can go anywhere I want, just not home”
[36:41] “You had to kill me but it killed you just the same”
[41:10] What might it mean for tears to ricochet?
[44:50] 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.

E68: Bonus Episode - Taylor Swift by the Book with Tiffany Tatreau and Rachel Feder

“Don’t read the last page” This week we’re joined by Rachel Feder and Tiffany Tatreau, authors of the new release Taylor Swift By the Book. In their incredible new release, Rachel and Tiffany go song by song through Taylor’s discography and discover the literature behind the lyrics, from fairy tales to tortured poets. They join us to share what inspired them to write this book, the themes and narratives that came up most often in Taylor’s music, and so much more!
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Taylor Swift by the Book by Rachel Feder and Tiffany Tatreau
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Florida by Lauren Groff
Shakespeare’s works, including Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Lady of Shalott, Alfred Tennyson
The Odyssey by Homer
Mary Wollstonecraft
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Works of Plato
Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim
The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber
 
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: 
[00:58] Introduction to Taylor Swift by the Book
[9:36] The process of deciding what went into the book
[22:10] Taylor Swift and the poetess tradition 
[37:08] Taylor Swift’s literary eras
[45:48] The songs that made Tiffany and Rachel swifties 
 
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
Contact us at aptaylorswift@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.

E67: Show and Tell - Greek Mythology

“Fatefully, I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me” This week, we're diving into the timeless influence of Greek mythology in Taylor Swift's music by exploring connections between Taylor's songs and classic Greek myths. Jodi finds links between Demeter and Persephone’s sorrow in The Hymn to Demeter and the Folklore song "My Tears Ricochet.” Maansi shows us how  "Long Story Short” sounds like Odysseus recounting his epic journey as he returns home. And Jenn gets into the ancient story of the Labyrinth and how it reflects themes of self-discovery and transformation in "Labyrinth." Is Taylor Swift a modern-day Homer? Listen and find out! 
 
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date: www.aptaylorswift.com 
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Mythology, Edith Hamilton
The Iliad, Homer
The Odyssey, Homer
Metamorphoses, Ovid
Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
E44: Metaphors + “The Tortured Poets Department”
E22: Mastermind 
Homeric Hymns 
The Hymn to Demeter
Hadestown (musical)
Hercules (Disney animated film)
E54: One Year Anniversary of AP Taylor Swift
Circe, Madeline Miller
Fantasyland by Kurt Andersen
The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
Stephen Fry’s Mythos, Heroes, and Troy 
Episode Highlights: 
[01:40] Introduction to Greek Mythology
[08:25] "my tears ricochet" folklore
[19:49] "long story short" evermore
[32:11]  "Labyrinth" Midnights
Follow us! 
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.