Swiftory

Hemlock Creatives
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Taylor Swift's music has given a voice to millions of people who've found the narrative arcs of their own lives in Swift's endlessly engaging songs. With Swiftory, two Gen X besties - Alicia, from Trashy Divorces, and Melissa, from Love Letters To... - have a whole new take on Taylor's work, exploring the music as it is, but also as the duo sees it best: as a lens into history. If Taylor's greatest gift is the universality of her experiences, join Alicia and Melissa as they follow those experiences to all the places, personalities, and eras where they lead - and share your takes along the way. As always, we want your Midnights. Reach out at swiftorypodcast@gmail.com.

  1. 2 HR AGO

    The Love Affair of Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester | Part Two

    Welcome to the finale of the love affair of Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, today’s Trashy Royals crossover. When Elizabeth assumed the throne in 1558, she made it clear to the members of her court that they shouldn’t plan to have their wives or female companions around the place. She intended to be singular as she consolidated power, but perhaps she had another motive as well; by banishing the wives, Robert Dudley, newly appointed Master of the Horse to Her Majesty the Queen, was not required to send for his wife, Amy Robsart, to join him in London. Elizabeth and Robert were not overly discreet in their enjoyment of one another’s company, while the young queen’s advisors, especially William Cecil, her Secretary of State, grew more and more insistent that Elizabeth find a suitable strategic marriage to enter into with some titled European. This, of course, was not to be. Her relationship with Robert became such a scandal that Cecil himself decided it would cause her government to fall, and everything carried on very precariously until the morning of September 8, 1560, when Amy Robsart was discovered dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs at her home at Cumnor Place. The scandal banished Robert from court for more than a year, and while he and Elizabeth remained close for the rest of his life, the intense romance that characterized the beginnings of her reign was over. As always, we want your Midnights! Share your Swiftory stories at swiftorypodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail at 404-594-3658. We may use your Swiftories on a future episode! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to ⁠info@amplitudemediapartners.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    50 min

  2. 2 HR AGO

    The Love Affair of Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester | Part One

    While Queen Elizabeth I of England famously never married, her close relationship with Robert Dudley began when the two were small children together in the court of Henry VIII. Elizabeth was a princess who was downgraded to a lady after her mother, Anne Boleyn’s, death. Robert was the grandson of an advisor to King Henry VII who was executed for treason upon the ascension of Henry VIII, forcing the Dudley family to struggle mightily to rehabilitate its noble image at court. All of which is to say that these two could really relate to each other, tossed about as they were by their families’ fortunes and the whims of a King both had reasons to love and hate. But when Mary I seized the throne in 1553, everything changed for both of them. Robert’s father had engineered the ascension of Lady Jane Grey, his daughter in law, to the throne over Henry VIII’s eldest daughter, Mary, and after The Nine Days’ Queen was deposed, the male Dudleys were imprisoned in the Tower of London, condemned to death. Catholic Mary also imprisoned her protestant half-sister Elizabeth, fearing a credible challenge to her reign. Alicia imagines – with the help of some Taylor Swift lyrics – what the months Elizabeth and Robert spent together in The Tower must have been like, doomed as they both believed themselves to be, confidants since they were toddlers. As always, we want your Midnights! Share your Swiftory stories at swiftorypodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail at 404-594-3658. We may use your Swiftories on a future episode! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to ⁠info@amplitudemediapartners.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    50 min

  3. 4 DAYS AGO

    TS12 TLOAS Intuitions

    Alicia takes it super high level this week for her best intuition about what might be going down on The Life of a Showgirl. Part of the fun of being in a Swiftie is the clowning, and Alicia has a feeling that each track may correspond to an actual era. Tune in for the maybe details of how it all breaks down in Alicia’s heart, and wishing YOU the very best new era release possible! As always, we want your Midnights! Share your Swiftory stories at swiftorypodcast@gmail.com, or leave us a voicemail at 404-594-3658. We may use your Swiftories on a future episode! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to ⁠info@amplitudemediapartners.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    23 min

  4. 6 DAYS AGO

    Listener Letters and Book Giveaway!

    Swiftorians, what an episode this is! Alicia is finally catching up with Listener Letters from all the way back, with so many poignant themes. Sad songs, heartbreak songs, and a historical bend too! We always love a little Tudor action around here. Also included, the winners of our book giveaway of Dear Reader by Viktoria Capek too!  As always, we want your Midnights! Share your Swiftory stories at swiftorypodcast@gmail.com, or leave us a voicemail at 404-594-3658. We may use your Swiftories on a future episode! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    42 min

  5. 24 SEPT

    Happiness

    In this surprise Swiftory episode, Alicia dusts off a vintage file to dig into the song “Happiness” from Evermore. This blast from the past, recorded with Stacie years ago, connects through the current storylines this week on both Trashy Divorces and Done and Dunne as the life, loves, and literature of F. Scott Fitzgerald were featured. This sad elegy to the past relationships has many references to The Great Gatsby and the lives of Scott and Zelda, but on a larger level provides a guiding light for getting through a breakup.  Check out the full Scott & Zelda saga at Trashy Divorces. As always, we want your Midnights! Share your Swiftory stories at swiftorypodcast@gmail.com, or leave us a voicemail at 404-594-3658. We may use your Swiftories on a future episode! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Sources ⁠⁠Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind the Songs⁠⁠, by Annie Zaleski (Amazon.com) ⁠All 274 of Taylor Swift’s Songs, Ranked⁠, by Rob Sheffield. Rolling Stone, April 2024. Taylor Swift - happiness (Official Lyric Video) (YouTube) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min

  6. 19 SEPT

    A Movie? A Movie! And a Book Giveaway Too!

    What a day, friends! In this episode, Alicia began with all the rumors surrounding a potential Taylor Swift movie coming to theaters, which happened by the time recording was done! Tune in to find out the rumored details, followed by the facts we know as of this moment. The Swift news is happening fast these days! Tickets are on sale now for the limited showings of The Official Release Party for Life of A Showgirl! Also included in this episode is a listener giveaway! Send your name to swiftorypodcast@gmail.com to enter to win! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    20 min

  7. 13 SEPT

    Dear Reader: An Immersive Literary Journey Through Taylor Swift’s Lyrics With Author Viktoria Capek

    In this episode, Alicia is joined by Viktoria Capek, author of Dear Reader: An Immersive Literary Journey Through Taylor Swift’s Lyrics - now available at your local bookseller! This book is a delightful gem of an interactive journal blending literature and lyrics, uniting Taylor Swift’s worlds of storytelling and songwriting in a new and unique way. In this episode, Viktoria gives us tour through her songs, eras, and inspiration into making this magical release. Buy the Book! ⁠Dear Reader: An Immersive Literary Journey Through Taylor Swift's Lyrics⁠, by Viktoria Capek ⁠Sign up for the Class!⁠ As always, we want your Midnights! Share your Swiftory stories at swiftorypodcast@gmail.com, or leave us a voicemail at 404-594-3658. We may use your Swiftories on a future episode! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min

  8. 6 SEPT

    Monologue Song

    In today’s episode, we harken back to November 2009 when Taylor Swift hosted Saturday Night Live with perhaps the very best musical monologue in SNL’s history, appropriately enough titled “Monologue Song (La la la).” Stacie joins Alicia in this one for the song’s history and lyrics, in anticipation of a special Trashy Divorces episode coming this weekend about the teenage breakup of Taylor and Joe Jonas, one of the guys that Swift sings about in this very polite diss track. As always, we want your Midnights! Share your Swiftory stories at swiftorypodcast@gmail.com, or leave us a voicemail at 404-594-3658. We may use your Swiftories on a future episode! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Sources Taylor Swift Monologue Song - SNL (YouTube) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    18 min
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About

Taylor Swift's music has given a voice to millions of people who've found the narrative arcs of their own lives in Swift's endlessly engaging songs. With Swiftory, two Gen X besties - Alicia, from Trashy Divorces, and Melissa, from Love Letters To... - have a whole new take on Taylor's work, exploring the music as it is, but also as the duo sees it best: as a lens into history. If Taylor's greatest gift is the universality of her experiences, join Alicia and Melissa as they follow those experiences to all the places, personalities, and eras where they lead - and share your takes along the way. As always, we want your Midnights. Reach out at swiftorypodcast@gmail.com.

Information

  • Channel
    Hemlock Creatives
  • Creator
    Hemlock Creatives
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    50
  • Copyright
    © (c) 2025 Hemlock Creatives
  • Show Website
    Swiftory

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