AP Taylor Swift

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!
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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! 
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Contact us at aptaylorswift@gmail.com
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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
 
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Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
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Contact us at aptaylorswift@gmail.com
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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.

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
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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
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YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift
Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
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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.

E66: Deep Dive - Holy Ground

“Back when you fit my poems like a perfect rhyme.” This week, we deep dive into Holy Ground from Taylor Swift’s album Red. We unpack the song’s themes of time, memory, and the contrast between New York City’s hustle and those still, reflective moments where we realize what truly matters. Is Holy Ground a nostalgic ode to a past relationship, a metaphor for personal growth, or both? Listen to find out!
 
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Lauren Rowe @rowe.reads on Instagram
Hamilton
Scott Pilgrim vs The World 
Let Go, Avril Lavigne Album 
Avril Lavigne conspiracy theory
Fantasyland, Kurt Anderson
Tribeca’s Holy Ground in the 1700s
 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[01:27] Reminiscing on our romance novels episode
[02:50] “I was reminiscing just the other day”
[08:40] “Back when you fit in my poems like a perfect rhyme”
[14:41] “Right there where we stood was holy ground”
[22:25] “And for the first time I had something to lose”
[32:22] “And I see your face in every crowd”
[34:48] “tonight I’m gonna dance for all that we’ve been through”
[44:15] The purpose of the song
 
Follow us on social! 
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Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
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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.
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

E65: Show and Tell - Romance Novels featuring Lauren Rowe

“I see Sparks Fly whenever you smile.” This week on AP Taylor Swift, we’re thrilled to welcome book content creator and Bookish Bestie Lauren Rowe (@rowe.reads) as we explore the romance novel-worthy worlds of Taylor Swift’s songs. We learn how Lauren reviews books and the connections between Taylor’s songs and romance novels. Then we break down the romantic themes and tropes in Sparks Fly, Holy Ground, Starlight, and Dress, drawing connections between Taylor's storytelling and beloved romance novel tropes like forbidden love, second chances, and enemies to lovers. We explore why Taylor’s songs resonate so powerfully with romance readers, how she creates vivid narratives through her lyrics, and why Swifties and romance lovers alike connect so deeply with stories of love, loss, and longing. 
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Lauren Rowe @rowe.reads on Instagram
A Beautiful Work in Progress by Mirna Valerio
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 
E32: Love Story 
A Cinderella Story
The Notebook
Always Be My Maybe
The Prince & Me
The Seven-Year Slip by Ashley Poston
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Sunday Morning by Jewel E. Ann
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
You’ve Got Mail
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[00:41] Introducing Lauren Rowe @rowe.reads
[07:29] How Lauren reviews books
[12:55] Parallels between Taylor’s marketing and book series marketing
[17:00] The song that made Lauren a Swiftie
[19:16] “Sparks Fly” Speak Now
[24:44] “Holy Ground” Red
[32:00] “Starlight” Red
[38:40] “Dress”  Reputation 
Follow us on social! 
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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.

E64: Deep Dive - Cowboy like me

“I've got some tricks up my sleeve, takes one to know one.” This week, we’re deep diving a fan request, “Cowboy like me” (evermore 2020). We go line by line, exploring the use of stylistic choices like starting with the word 'and.' Join us as we delve into the narrative structure of the song and attempt to understand the characters in the song, debate the fun factor of airport bars, and try to figure out exactly what exactly Taylor means when she says “cowboy like me.”
 
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Mentioned in this episode: 
E19: Show & Tell - Satire 
Robin Hood 
The Life and Adventures of Joquin Murieta by John Rollin (TW: violence, violence against women) 
The Lone Ranger 
White Collar 
 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[1:20] Introduction to “cowboy like me”
[3:30] “tennis court covered up with a tent-like thing”
[9:18] “sitting in an airport bar”
[13:45] Digging into the cowboy imagery
[22:33] The repeated stanzas
[30:25] “forever is the sweetest con”
[34:55] Getting into the purpose
Follow us on social! 
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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.
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

E63: Show and Tell - Garden Songs

“We can plant a memory garden.” This week we have a show and tell episode on garden songs, exploring the theme of gardens and flowers across Taylor Swift’s lyrics. From the haunting imagery in Ivy to the rich symbolism of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in Cowboy Like Me, and the many different flowers in The Great War, we dig (get it?) into how Taylor uses garden and flower metaphors to evoke ideas of romance, loyalty, and loss. 
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
E7: S&T-Ecocriticism
The Bible 
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence 
The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett 
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde 
E32: DD-Love Story
Gardens of Babylon Photo 1 
Gardens of Babylon Photo 2 
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf 
Women in Love by D.H. Lawrence 
Crimson Clover
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 
In Flanders Fields by John McCrae
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum 
The New Look on Apple TV+
 
***
 
Episode Highlights: 
[03:56] “ivy” evermore
[16:42] “cowboy like me” evermore
[28:00] “The Great War” Midnights (3am Edition)
 
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
 
Follow us 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
 
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.
 
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

E62: Bookish Chat With Laura Bankers of Little Owlet Art

Surprise! We have another exciting guest episode for you this week where we chat with Laura Bankers, who is a swiftie, book-lover, and an incredible artist who makes the cutest swiftie and bookish-themed stickers. Tune in to hear us talk about her business, inspiration, and community, and stick around for a special spin-the-wheel game at the end!
 
You can find Laura on Instagram with the handle @little.owlet.art, through her monthly newsletter, and on Etsy through her store LittleOwletArt.
Mentioned in this episode: 
@Little.owlet.art on Instagram
Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
August Days on Etsy
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Cinderella
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Princess Diaries 2
Happy Place by Emily Henry 
Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Duma Key by Stephen King
Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Six The Musical
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
A Cinderella Story
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The OC
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
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: 
[00:15] Meet Laura Bankers of LittleOwletArt
[5:13] Inspiration process 
[7:30] TS Collab Wishlist 
[11:45] Changed by the fandom
[13:22] Creating a community
[18:52] Books & Taylor Swift
[21:16] Game time! Spin the Wheel
[40:17] The song that made Laura a Swiftie
 
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.

E61: Deep Dive - Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me

"You don’t get to tell me about sad.” This week, we deep dive into Taylor Swift's song “Who's Afraid of Little Old Me” from The Tortured Poets Department. For this TTPD and Eras Tour favorite, we unpack the song’s references to fame, power dynamics, and female identity. We explore how this song brings up our experiences of passive-aggressive workplaces, and being asked to change our behavior to fit other’s expectations. It’s a meaty episode–listen and let us know what you think!
 
Mentioned in this episode: 
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Edward Albee
Apex Predator, Mean Girls  
E23: Mad Women
The Great Gatsby
Pirates of the Caribbean 
Les Misérables
Wicked 
Episode Highlights: 
[01:52] How we do a deep dive
[03:19] Unpacking references in the song’s title
[07:49] “The who’s who of who’s that”
[13:01] “If you wanted me dead, you should have just said”
[18:56] “So I leap from the gallows”
[21:20] “At all costs, keep your good name”
[32:25] “So tell me everything is not about me”
[37:57] "That's why you're still singing along"
[42:39] The purpose of the song
[52:00] Listener homework!
 
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
 
Follow us 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
 
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.
 
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