AP Taylor Swift

AP Taylor Swift Podcast

Welcome to AP Taylor Swift Podcast, the show for Swifties who love to overanalyze lyrics! Join hosts Maansi Dommeti, Jenn Holcomb, and Jodi Innerfield as they delve into Taylor Swift’s music to uncover the literary devices, themes, and inspirations that make her songs resonate with millions of fans. From Shakespeare to feminist theory, we explore the academic side of Taylor’s songwriting, no English degree required, just curiosity. New episodes weekly. Subscribe for updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe

  1. 21小時前

    What Does "Elizabeth Taylor" Really Mean? “Elizabeth Taylor” Lyrical Analysis | AP Taylor Swift Podcast E129

    "What could you possibly get for the girl who has everything and nothing all at once?" What happens when you reach a level of fame so singular that there's almost no one left who can truly understand your life? That's the question at the heart of "Elizabeth Taylor" (The Life of a Showgirl, 2025), and it's why Taylor Swift had to go all the way back to Hollywood's golden age to find her patron saint. This week, we go line by line through one of the standout tracks from “The Life of a Showgirl”, unpacking the Portofino references, the white diamonds, and why the bridge answers the song's central question in the most unexpected way. 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: Elizabeth Taylor, Wikipedia "Elizabeth Taylor," The Life of a Showgirl (2025) Portofino, Italy Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris Musso & Frank Grill, Hollywood Elizabeth Taylor's White Diamonds perfume How I Write podcast, Ward Farnsworth interview Episode Highlights: [00:00] Intro to "Elizabeth Taylor" [03:00] Who was Elizabeth Taylor? The Vince Canby quote that sets up everything [04:30] "Do you think it's forever?"  [13:00] "All the right guys promised they'd stay"  [17:00] "Been number one, but I never had two" [30:00] "Be my NY when Hollywood hates me"  [36:45]  "The girl who has everything and nothing all at once" [40:00] “I would trade the Cartier for someone to trust (just kidding)" [45:00] “Yhey say I'm bad news, I just say thanks" [52:00] The bridge: White Diamonds, lovers, and what's actually forever [57:45] Purpose round: Elizabeth Taylor as patron saint, mentor, and mirror 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.

    1 小時 3 分鐘
  2. 4月29日

    E128: I bet you think about the bejeweled life of Elizabeth Taylor and other luxuries

    “Best believe I’m still bejeweled” and diving into an incredibly rich discussion this week! In this week's show and tell episode, we’re examining the age-old literary theme of luxury in Taylor Swift's music, through the songs “Bet You Think About Me” (Red Taylor’s Version, 2021), “Bejeweled” (Midnights, 2022), and “Elizabeth Taylor” (Life of a Showgirl, 2025). Join us as we dive into how the meaning and significance of luxury changes through each of these songs that span across Taylor’s discography, and how luxury can be used to comment on social status, identity, and emotional depth. 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:  The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald Jane Austen The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wild   *** Episode Highlights [00:00] Introduction to luxury as a theme in literature and music [03:00] “Bet You Think About Me” - the contrast in social classes [10:50] “Bejeweled”- precious jewels and self-worth [20:36] The luxurious, lonely life of “Elizabeth Taylor” [34:31] Conclusion: The Multifaceted Nature of Luxury in Taylor's Music 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.

    36 分鐘
  3. 4月27日

    After School Paid Preview: Part 2 of Deep Diving into Taylor Swift's Debut Album

    This week, we are continuing our full album deep dive series for our paid subscribers, and finishing up our analysis of Taylor Swift's self-titled debut (2006). In this preview, we dig into the second half of this album where we start to really get a sense of who Taylor Swift was and the budding talent of the Taylor Swift we know today!  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   🔒 Subscribe on Substack to hear the full episode, including: Track 8: “Stay Beautiful” (Written by Taylor Swift and Liz Rose; produced by Nathan Chapman) Track 9: “Should've Said No” (Written by Taylor Swift; produced by Nathan Chapman) Track 10: “Mary's Song (Oh My My My)” (Written by Taylor Swift, Liz Rose, and Brian Maher; produced by Nathan Chapman) Track 11: “Our Song” (Written by Taylor Swift; produced by Nathan Chapman) Unreleased Vault Song: “I’d Lie” (Written by Taylor Swift; produced by Nathan Chapman) Album Purpose: All three of us hosts go around to discuss what we think the overall purpose of Taylor Swift’s debut album was, how she accomplished it, and how this album gives us a peak into the mind of the pop superstar to come.   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

    9 分鐘
  4. 4月22日

    E127: "Opalite" line-by-line analysis | "You had to make your own sunshine"

    "You had to make your own sunshine, but now the sky is opalite." This week we’re deep diving the second single from “The Life of a Showgirl,”  Opalite! We’ll explore why Taylor chose “opalite” over “opal,” what it means to create your own luck instead of waiting for it, and the song’s shift from being stuck in a cycle to finding resilience. Along the way, we debate who’s really speaking—is Mama Swift talking the whole time?—trace the song’s self-referential connections to “Daylight,” “Fearless,” “right where you left me,” and more, and unpack how this bubblegum pop track is actually a deeply philosophical song about agency, community, and paying it forward. 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:  Right Where You Left Me - Deep Dive The Fate of Ophelia - Deep Dive Metaphors Show & Tell  Hamlet, William Shakespeare Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson   Episode Highlights:  [01:57] What is “Opalite”? [08:06] “I had a bad habit…” [16:14] “Life is a song, it ends when it ends” [20:59] “Dancing through the lightning strikes” [28:38] “Sleepless in the onyx night” [33:23] “You finally left the table” [46:51] “All of the foes, and all of the friends” [50:21] “This is just a temporary speed bump” [59:48] “Oh my lord never met no one like you before” [01:01:11] The Purpose: “But now the sky is Opalite” 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.

    1 小時 12 分鐘
  5. 4月15日

    E126: Taylor Swift, Mother Earth, and Transcendentalism, oh my! | The Lakes, Bigger Than the Whole Sky, Opalite

    "Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die." What's an AP class without a not-so-brief discussion about touching grass? In honor of Earth Day, we're exploring Transcendentalism — the 19th-century movement that said the divine lives in nature, not in dusty pews — and finding it everywhere in Taylor Swift's music. Jenn returns to "the lakes" (folklore, 2020) and pairs it with Ralph Waldo Emerson's foundational essay Nature to explore how Taylor's retreat from society mirrors the transcendentalist search for truth in the natural world. Maansi takes on "Bigger Than the Whole Sky" (Midnights, 2022), tracing its imagery and cosmic grief through themes of universal divinity and interconnectedness. And Jodi brings "Opalite" (The Life of a Showgirl, 2025) to pose a question: is this song an acceptance of transcendentalism — or a rejection of it? Dust off your Emerson, lace up your hiking boots, and get ready to go touch grass with us. 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 Discover all our book recs and episode guides: https://swift-recs-explorer.lovable.app/ Mentioned in this episode: Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson Walden, Henry David Thoreau E7: Ecocriticism — our original nature episode E8: Deep Dive - the lakes Ralph Waldo Emerson Henry David Thoreau Walt Whitman Margaret Fuller *** Episode Highlights: [00:30] Introduction to Transcendentalism  [08:29] "the lakes,” folklore [18:28] "Bigger Than the Whole Sky," Midnights [30:16] "Opalite” The Life of a Showgirl 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.

    49 分鐘
  6. 4月8日

    E125: "You'll Do Things Greater Than Dating the Boy on the Football Team": A Line-By-Line Analysis of Taylor Swift's 'Fifteen'

    "Take a deep breath and you walk through the doors. It's the morning of your very first day." This week, we're going line by line through "Fifteen.” From the significance of 15 as an age that rarely gets its pop culture moment, to Abigail and the quiet power of female friendship, to the devastating simplicity of "and we both cried," we unpack why this deceptively simple song keeps hitting harder with every passing year. We dig into who the "I" and the "you" really are, debate whether that night ends on a high or a heartbreak, and explore what it means to pay it forward to a generation of girls who are still walking through their very first doors.  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: Fearless, Taylor Swift (2008 album) "Beautiful Ghosts" — Taylor Swift (from Cats, 2019) "You're On Your Own, Kid" — Taylor Swift (Midnights) "All Too Well" — Taylor Swift "Seven" — Taylor Swift (folklore) "22" — Taylor Swift (Red) Inside Out (2015 film) — Pixar / core memories concept Episode Highlights: [02:42] The title: Why Taylor chose “Fifteen”  [16:23] "Feeling like there's nothing to figure out," and the count-to-10 anxiety hack [23:07] Abigail, in-groups and out-groups, and the adolescent psychology of finding your people [33:22] Second chorus debate: Does the night end on a high or a heartbreak?  [43:00] The flower metaphor, purity culture, and what "everything she had" really means in context [54:55] Getting to the purpose of “Fifteen”    Follow AP Taylor Swift Podcast on Social! tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift instagram.com/APTaylorSwift youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift linktr.ee/aptaylorswift bookshop.org/shop/apts 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

    1 小時 4 分鐘
  7. 4月1日

    E124: How does Taylor Swift play with time? | “Fifteen,” “Timeless,” and “All Too Well”

    “Time won’t fly, it’s like I’m paralyzed by it.” What happens when you try to pin down something as slippery as time itself? This week’s episode gets philosophical as we explore how Taylor Swift uses time as a literary device—as narrative structure, as metaphor, as a way to measure how much we’ve changed. From flashbacks and tense shifts to nostalgia and the ache of looking back, we unpack how time shapes Taylor’s storytelling. Maansi traces the dramatic irony of “15” (Fearless, 2008), Jenn explores how “Timeless” (Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), 2023) removes time to reveal the purest form of love, and Jodi breaks down the stream-of-consciousness time travel of “All Too Well” (Red, 2012). Grab your clocks, calendars, and time-turners—class is in session. 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 Discover all our book recs & episodes: https://swift-recs-explorer.lovable.app/ Mentioned in this episode: Memento (2000 film) The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel Inside Out (2015 film) The Merge, [Author] StoryGraph Atonement, Ian McEwan The Ministry of Time, Kaliane Bradley Outlander, Diana Gabaldon The Unmaking of June Farrow, Adrienne Young The Good Place (Jeremy Bearimy)   ***   Episode Highlights: [01:12] Time as a literary device: structure, theme, and symbolism [08:52] “Fifteen,” Fearless [20:23] “Timeless,” Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)   [31:39] “All Too Well,” (Red)   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.

    45 分鐘
  8. 3月25日

    E123: “I Cry a Lot But I’m So Productive”: Line-by-Line Analysis of Taylor Swift’s “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart”

    “I cry a lot but I am so productive, it’s an art.” This week, we’re doing a deep dive on “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart” (The Tortured Poets Department, 2024, Track 13), written by Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff. A continuation of our Strong Women series, this episode goes line by line through one of Taylor’s most devastatingly relatable songs. We explore the rhetorical triangle of the I, the you, and the they; the “performative perkiness” of the chorus; why the poetry meter literally snaps to the beat of a performance; the crucial evidence hiding in drawers; and how dark humor becomes a coping mechanism. Whether you’re a Type A eldest daughter, a new mom, or anyone who has ever had to show up for work when their heart was broken, this one hits. Try and come for our job.   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 The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift (2024) The Eras Tour Concert Film / Documentary Moulin Rouge! (2001 film) Harley Quinn / Birds of Prey (2020 film) Barbie (2023 film) Episode Highlights [02:17] Verse one: “She’s having the time of her life” — glittering prime, sequined stars, and the opening twist [08:23] Pre-chorus: “I’m a real tough kid” — internalizing what we’re told as little girls [20:23] The chorus: “I’m so depressed I act like it’s my birthday every day” — dark humor as coping [39:24] “Try and come for my job” — who is she talking to? [50:54] Why this is a twofer song: the sad version and the celebration version   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.

    49 分鐘

關於

Welcome to AP Taylor Swift Podcast, the show for Swifties who love to overanalyze lyrics! Join hosts Maansi Dommeti, Jenn Holcomb, and Jodi Innerfield as they delve into Taylor Swift’s music to uncover the literary devices, themes, and inspirations that make her songs resonate with millions of fans. From Shakespeare to feminist theory, we explore the academic side of Taylor’s songwriting, no English degree required, just curiosity. New episodes weekly. Subscribe for updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe

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