Taylor Swift - Death By A Thousand -| Reaction

[@IvyCowboy]

This is one of my favorite all-time Taylor bridges. "Quiet my fears with the touch of your hand, paper cut stings from our paper-thin plans" scratches my brain in the best way. Her use of metaphor in all of her songwriting is unparalleled.

[@juanjeanjohnful]

Can you explain that lyric to me?

[@IvyCowboy]

@@juanjeanjohnful I see it as referring to the relationship as delicate and a little treacherous -- like going into it with the best intentions and then having it slip through your fingers and leave a mark. But mostly I just like the way it sounds all together -- it's very pleasing to the ear.

[@IBRADG]

@juanjeanjohnful -- she's saying that what they planned together or what he planned was not very dependable/sturdy (it was paper thin).... and despite the fact that it was supposed to be no big deal, it left behind a dreadful pain... much like how paper cuts can be so darn painful, even tho they are surface level. It truly is a brilliant lyric and it's always stayed with me.

[@IvyCowboy]

@@IBRADG ^^^^

[@nicoleterceira]

taylor doesn't get enough credit for her intelligence within her songwriting because her ability to use metaphors is tremendous

[@martas277]

there's a reason why her lyrics are studied at Harvard!! Shes an amazing storyteller

[@melindatintle9728]

There’s a woman on TT “ren” whose account is literally literary analysis of Taylor’s art. It’s mind blowing and reminds me how much I sucked at English Lit but it’s still incredible.

[@parkchithung2672]

Really??? I would pass the test lol

[@shannonm6633]

I mean she won a national poetry contest at 9 so words and lyricism have always been her bread and butter

[@itsame9780]

Had no idea so cool

[@chiyonleo3895]

so true

[@leahsmith3894]

I don’t care if people don’t like Taylor Swift’s music, but don’t come for our girls songwriting skills because she can out write any of your favourites! Cant wait for TTPD reaction! ❤

[@Violet316]

Taylor was awarded Songwriter of the Decade in 2022. She is one of a kind, great reaction.

[@JRay.R]

Ivy coming through for the Swifties! This is easily in my top 3 favorite live performances she’s ever done.

[@allensteph11]

ok truly she’s like the hamilton of today’s musicians. her pen is what got her into the scene. she wrote her way into this industry! magical lyricist IMO :) her charisma, vocal talents, drive, personality, stage presence are all amazing parts of what make her the star she is, but the true base of who she is is a WRITER 🥰❤️love the reaction!

[@AnjeannetteMarie]

She DOES have that Hamilton energy 🫶🤘

[@Sassyglbeauty]

Don’t ever apologize for talking too much. It’s why we watch your reaction (plus, if we were to get bored we can fast forward. lol).

[@Erin-ir6cw]

THIS!!!!!! ^^^^^ 🤍🤍🤍

[@tvil8]

"Songwriter bar person" haha well yes!! I will never get over coney island lyric "do you miss the rogue who coaxed you into paradise and left you there? Will you forgive my soul when you're too wise to trust me and too old to care" long time married folks get that shit deeeeeply

[@IvyCowboy]

those lines seriously give me CHILLS. Some of her best written lyrics are in evermore and coney island imo.

[@carolla_michelle]

How “rogue who coaxed you” sounds like a rollercoaster

[@KMParry]

I die

[@uta24]

The breath control during that bridge!!!

[@dogloversmith7139]

Your enthusiasm for Taylor is addicting..

[@TiffanyTeaLeaves]

5:26 the reason her songwriting fees atypical is because her songs are fully fleshed out poems which just happen to ALSO have their syllable counts set to a lyrical tempo that can be built upon. So, each of her poems are the most challenging and complex style of poem to write, because each of them have the specific guidelines allowing it to become a song bs regular spoken word poetry. She was thunderstruck by romance era poetry during lockdown when she visited the lakes district; where lyrical ballads was written. Ever since then her lyrics have evolved to another level, in my opinion. She’s been winning awards for poetry since she was seven years old. She didn’t start putting it to music until age 9 when she got her first guitar

[@jare63]

In an interview she said her favorite line that she ever came up with is "darling I'm a nightmare dressed as a daydream."

[@Anthology_of_Holly]

People often miss Taylor’s incredible lyricism because she manages to package it into catchy pop songs. She’s an incredible storyteller and has always said herself that she isn’t a singer who writes her own songs, she’s a songwriter who gets to sing her own songs.

[@dirkus3722]

Taylor is an incredible storyteller and a master of the metaphor. It's one of the reasons why there are colleges starting to offer courses that study her lyrics and poetry. Stanford's is "The Last Great American Songwriter," which is a play on her 'folklore' track "The Last Great American Dynasty." Though, it is a student-taught course, but still. She is no joke.

[@frank.e.underwood]

My favourite Taylor bridge.

[@kelloneill74]

It made me feel so happy hearing you compare her songwriting skills to Paul Kelly and John Lennon. So many uptight middle aged men in my generation get so mad when she’s compared to the greats of their time. But her lyricism DOES deserve to be put right up there with musicians like Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. I grew up on these guys and revered indie female artists like Bjork and Tori Amos. Taylor is every bit as talented as these folk but I still hear people whine that she “only writes break up songs”. Well, she writes about plenty of other things too but when she does write a song about being broken hearted at least it’s unique. Great reaction! ❤

[@IvyCowboy]

Ughhhh the way I identify with this. And literally *every* artist writes about heartbreak and love. Taylor loves love and she writes about it a lot. I'd love for them to name even one artist who doesn't write about breaking up.

[@jazzynicks]

loove this song so much. she truly is an incredible songwriter! ALSO her voice 100% matured over the years and i suspect she had some vocal training but she really did get EXCELLENT at singing.

[@kerrichristian7991]

“I’m scared too because I’m too honest” is me all the time 😂

[@Mdg20_]

Cornelia street (live from paris) is one of my favorite performances!! She sounded so good on that stage that day in particular, the same show as this performance. I listen to the live from Paris version more than the studio version

[@LinGil23]

Yes, would love a reaction to "Cornelia Street" live from Paris, as well. It's better than the Lover album version, IMO.

[@martinatopalova5088]

He has a video reacting to that one, look it up 😉

[@martinatopalova5088]

​@@LinGil23He did a videi reaction to it, you should look it up 😊

[@LinGil23]

@@martinatopalova5088 Found it.Thank you!

[@tigercher93]

I love how you can tell within the first 15 seconds of a song starting whether you are going to like it or not as you do this smirk as though going okay you got me 😂

[@robertthompson7242]

She spent a few minutes explaining the genesis of the song at her Tiny Desk Concert. You might look at that, too -- a different setting, so not as much punch, but damn she's good (and good with the guitar).

[@UnholyKat]

It's poetry..her writing is poetry to music

[@jessicathompson2895]

I’m so glad you finally did this one (and this specific version). It’s my favorite bridge she’s ever written. But damn right, the songwriting here is just fucking next level!!

[@psyche.9262]

"i asked the traffic lights if it'll be alright, they said ""I don't know " is my fave taylor swift lyrics took me a while to get it bc eng is not my first language but as we all know, traffic lights put cars in order.. like when to stop, slow, or go. but their love was too complicated that even the traffic lights don't know what to do hehe

[@jasonkolker]

This lyric is so good and filled with emotion and relatability. It’s so creative and like damn 🥲 just makes you think

[@liammcfarlane13]

One of my favourite Swiftisms (and it’s from a song I don’t even love all that much) is instead of “I forgive but I don’t forget” she says “I bury hatchets but I keep maps of where I put them”

[@MinervaLavender2371]

This is one of my favorite songs by her, and one of my favorite performances too. The lyric, "I took the long way home...I asked the traffic lights if it'll be alright, they say, I don't know" is in my Top 10 Taylor Swift lyrics. How many times, when you have the weight of the world on you, and you're behind the wheel trying to process it out and clear your mind, do you focus hard on the traffic light at a stop, because you're so deep in thought, you don't want to zone out, miss it turning green, and pissing off the person behind you because you're not moving? This has been a frequent scenario for me from the time I started driving, so to hear her put it into words, in a poetic way that sounds normal instead of neurotic, is healing to me. I didn't know someone like her would understand a solo, unspoken moment like that, but it is comforting to know that you're not alone in those weight of the world moments.

[@yezzN02]

This!! This line is underrated. Also the visualization (assuming you were already stopped at red) of the "I (🟢), don't (🟡), know (🔴), has always made think, like you said, of seeing all three lights go by, but you never moved because of being so lost in thought. Sounds simple, but it encapsulates the heavy moments.

[@robertthompson7242]

Writing: she thinks in metaphors --- saw an interview where she credits her Mom for that. For a song that is metaphor from end to end, look at Red (she does it different ways in different venues, some acoustic, some electric).

[@kbb5448]

The Tiny Desk Concert performance of this song is top TIERRRR.

[@marycullars4621]

I’ve been watching all your TSwift vids and I love your reactions. If you want to see the true Taylor please PLEASE consider her long pond sessions. Like exile, tears ricochet, and this is me trying. Most swifties believe her folklore and evermore albums are *chefs kiss* her lyricism and the way she sings is just amazing. It’s definitely a slow sad song Taylor but if you do react to these make sure to watch the interviews before the songs and pay attention to the lyrics bc her story telling is something outta this world

[@IvyCowboy]

He'll be doing a live reaction to Evermore sometime soon -- you should keep an eye out and join us on Twitch!! It's always a fun time. Links are in the description.

[@carolynnewcomb2153]

Yes, she’s a lyricist who also sings! Great reaction!

[@carolla_michelle]

Yessss Paul Kelly!!! Now you’ve heard how good her songwriting is, you’ll hear it in every song. She literary, he use of similie, allusion, metaphor, allegory, assonance, alliteration etc etc is formidable. She has been writing with maturity and depth for a very long time

[@Koreankimmie]

true!! sometimes some songs don't connect with me first listen; then it hits, especially when going through something, why i love Folklore so much is that I was working in medical/hospitals during the pandemic. I did not listen to "epiphany until the the eras tour, and I broke down, cause didn't realize how much we had to hold in and hold it together; and 20 mins of just breathing and disconnecting was so true,

[@savvymegs675]

I honestly think history will show that that is one of the best songs of the pandemic. She nailed it.

[@lwray0311]

She's not just an ordinary song writer. She writes poetry & puts it to song & music. She's legendary.

[@dogloversmith7139]

She’s a poet really

[@alexiafrench254]

Yessss , I honestly never went out of the way to listen to this song until I heard this version and Cornelia street. Urgh so good

[@elizatoscano3610]

Eagerly awaiting the reaction to the entire Folklore and Evermore album! Please

[@donnahall3040]

That is one of Tays, Strongest part of her work is absolutely amazing story Teller.❤ That's one of the reasons of many of her talents and a 14 time Grammy winner 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 one left for the Grammys she's gonna win this next year as well. Love her,.❤

[@ThatBeckywatches]

Thank you Ivy! Love this performance!

[@IvyCowboy]

Thanks for joining us in the live stream!

[@ThatBeckywatches]

@@IvyCowboy it was a blast! I heard songs I would have never ever discovered. Probably wouldn’t relisten to most, but 1/8 slowly builds a new playlist.

[@IvyCowboy]

@@ThatBeckywatches It's really fun, isn't it? It's fun being exposed to stuff I'd never normally listen to.

[@Talia_M_Adams]

But also the fact that she wrote this song after getting inspiration from a movie she watched on Netflix.... like hello?!

[@heavenbarras8262]

Yessss! Someone Great! Which is funny because the woman who wrote the movie wrote it while listening to Taylor!

[@Talia_M_Adams]

@@heavenbarras8262 I know! I love it!!

[@PsyGeek7]

That was inspired by another one of her songs. 😂 It's so meta!

[@cristalsanchez9915]

people don’t know that taylor actually worked as a song writer for sony when she was in like 8th grade so she a songwriter before a singer

[@HadilCharafeddine]

folklore long pond sessions!! its her singing with minimal instruments amazinggg

[@puglady9488]

I love that EVERY song he says she sounds really good here like he’s still so surprised.

[@caitbrigid86]

Yes this is what’s so great about her song writing, how she finds unique ways to say common things or relate fairly normal experiences. In the song champagne problems she has lyrics that go “Your Midas touch on the Chevy door November flush and your flannel cure” which is just such a sifferent way of saying he opened the car door for her, and gave her his jacket when she was cold in November. The song maroon is another really cool example of her writing imo.

[@roo_the_day]

Thank you for recognizing she’s going to be compared to John Lennon in the future! I constantly say she’s going to be compared to the Beatles with her song writing in the future. Hell, even now! She’s a once in a generation talent.

[@scotthamp8540]

Not many pop artists will just pull up a chair, with a guitar and sing live and alone.

[@dianafaustina]

The fact that people STILL discredit her songwriting is baffling to me. There's this game called Shakespeare or Swift and most people get it wrong. She's so good that people confuse her writing with SHAKESPEARE and there's still people who say she's not good.

[@Hey_Jamie]

Finally you uploaded this one so people could stop asking for it! Haha

[@ThatBeckywatches]

Oh good, I know you’ll know the answer, approximately how long after making a PayPal donation are the reactions recorded?

[@Hey_Jamie]

@@ThatBeckywatcheshi Becky! He films about every day but can get backed up and also has the twitch videos to put up as well, but shouldn’t usually be longer than a week and a half at most :)

[@ThatBeckywatches]

@@Hey_Jamie thank you! Hoping to catch Evermore if it’s this weekend. Counting the minutes until 4/19!

[@AnnaleeD]

She’s a visual writing musical genius. The growth in her writing is so good. YOU NEVER talk too much 😊

[@lisahillis8973]

Same 🔥 level: Wildest Dreams live at the Grammy museum!!!

[@lifeisgoodll]

I fell in love with her 100% because of her songwriting. Granny Swiftie here and proud of it. I’m in complete awe of her talents. Hard to get excited about other music tbh. She has spoiled me.

[@MaryR75]

She is not just a songwriter she is a poet.

[@robertthompson7242]

Location: L'Olympia Theatre in Paris --- historic venue . They have a website. Wikipedia says:/The hall was opened in 1893 by one of the two co-creators of the Moulin Rouge venue, and saw many opera, ballet, and music hall performances / . Newly renovated a few years ago. Seats about 3000. She did this in the fall 2019, a few months before she was due to start her tour for Lover. When she cancelled the tour, she put an abbreviated concert film on Disney Plus in March of 2020; it was taken down the day she launched folklore, in July, so the chat between songs is mostly lost. During the concert, she sang older songs as well, but she couldn't include them in the distributed film ---- it was too soon for re-recording the music, so the film was just her new music. No idea why she took it down so soon! unless she just wanted to focus the public on folklore.

[@ingobordewick6480]

As a songwriter she reminds me a lot of Bob Dylan, he is also able to paint really detailed pictures with words, in a way not many people would do it.

[@marcel021065]

Nice, you are the man, always love youre honnesty, thnxxx

[@bethandickenson5801]

Loving the transition from a better not be the Shake It Off during your first video to this lol

[@ElizabethTaylor98]

I'm so so glad you watched this live first & not the studio version, this is one of my favorites overall but you need to hear it live to really appreciate it. The background instrumentals some people don't love but great reaction!

[@Emerica.]

“If the story’s over, why am I still writing pages?”

[@priscillafennessey4746]

“Who thinks to write it in that kind of way?” … A poet

[@ChipsSavage]

Also just imagine death by a thousand cuts it’s a form of torture which makes it even deeper

[@isobelmoore7025]

She’s a poet. Her songwriting is pure poetry. She said if she hadn’t made it as a singer songwriter she’d have been an English literature teacher, or something to that effect haha

[@mwoods8988]

I enjoyed your reaction! 👍👍 I like how you commented on "I take the long way home I ask the traffic lights if it'll be all right They say, 'I don't know'", which are great lines. She paints the scenario so well with these lines. ...the 1st line is a metaphor ...the 2nd line is a continuation of the driving/walking metaphor, but the rhetorical question lets you know that whenever her thoughts can wander, the looming "goodbye" is on her mind ...the 3rd line is a response to the rhetorical question that emphasizes that the answer's either unknown, or she can't bear to process the inevitable answer. As you pointed out, the house metaphor is also top-notch. It's a bit ambiguous whether the 🏚️ (i.e., their relationship) is her home, so either she's taking the long way from the 🏚️ back to home, or she's taking the long way to go back to her 🏚️ that's still her home. Taylor is great at painting a vivid emotional picture that fits multiple situations. I agree with you video thumbnail's "the writing is wildly elite". This is from her "Lover" album, and this song was an experiment to see if she could write sad breakup songs while she was in love...and most obviously, she can. It's awesome that Taylor's genius doesn't depend on her personal tragedy.

[@PoppyJ1419]

Taylor paints vivid, unique, incredible stories that you can not help but see clearly.👏❤

[@morrigan_fayre3778]

She writes like a movie scene or a novel, it gives you perfect images and feelings

[@scolva]

She explains in perfect words what women/girls feel.

[@Bandofthieves]

Fun fact: Even though she’s been nominated multiple times, she’s actually never won Song of the Year at the Grammys.

[@deaditeera]

Haters are gonna come for her lyrics bc of “Me!” or Shake It Off, but there’s meaning behind those songs too even though they are fun songs.

[@Debbie-m7f]

Yes more Taylor❤️

[@zimmy_love]

The thing about the Lover album is that lyrically, it’s some of her most impeccable writing. Sonically thoigh, it can be a tough one to swallow if you don’t love the poppy-boppy stuff.

[@nancytysor7098]

She is an amazing wordsmith and poet....poetry always expressed things in a unique, almost mysterious way that has to be delivered.

[@dogloversmith7139]

She’s unique..

[@calliegraphy12]

If you really want to get into understanding her songwriting, her process, and how she thinks, watch the Miss Americana documentary. You’ll have even more respect for how freaking genius she is.

[@NYandAZ]

Fantastic song. Flawless delivery, as always. She never fails to surprise us. ❤

[@oth4ever818]

Taylor has always said she's a songwriter first! I'm excited to see what The Tourtured Poet's Department will bring on April 19th! I think we are all not prepared! But this song here is so good and so underrated like when she gets to that bridge I'm like HOLY. she's also written songs for other artists!

[@MarisaSanchez-fj1xr]

If you like her song writing in this song, you are going to LOVE her albums Folklore and Evermore

[@TracyScherrer]

She is a WRITER! Before all else - a writer

[@TracyScherrer]

Also - the rest of Paris Live is amazing - you might like it :)

[@elizabeth9674]

I’d love to hear you react to Haunted from the Speak Now Live Tour (remastered)…. Her inner “Rocker Taylor” is out for stroll and the stage set is crazy. Catchy as hell song too.

[@paulae9579]

She paints a picture with her lyrics and music.

[@mirandacorriveau7225]

I love your appreciation for her song writing. She is a very unique storyteller ❤

[@sue5158]

This song is how I felt when my husband died at 34. The pain was torture. Perfectly expressed.

[@DebbiesHomeplace]

Love her amazing storytelling, she's rad.

[@jillleblang3631]

Great reaction! I love your insight to her lyrical skills. The deeper you dive the more incredible you will find her brain! Welcome Swiftie! ❤

[@Donna-C]

You would love watching Taylor’s Acoustic songs at The Era’s Tour In Feb 2024, Melbourne I enjoyed “You’re losing me” on piano. Taylor has now included Mash Ups of 2-3 songs with a common theme - the songwriter in her knows who that works well! Taylor shines acoustically on guitar & piano! 😊

[@IBRADG]

Her use of metaphors, tropes, and allegories is in a class on its own. So many lines have double or triple meanings, or they mirror a widely known phrasing but cleverly changes out a word or three to be so poignant and genius that it gives me chills. I get my heart racing when I think about what lies ahead with the Tortured Poet album because it's very obvious the is going to be the most poetic she's ever been. And pretty sure she is using Emily Dickinson as a muse -- and that her PR team fed the bit about her being related to ED as an Easter egg. Because I believe some SwiftTokers have tied in the 4 bonus songs to poems of ED. Please tell me you are going to be reacting to that album when it's out. I actually am almost as excited for that as I am the album itself!!!

[@stephaniejackson923]

This song is what dove me headfirst into Swiftie-dom ❤❤❤❤

[@jodiclement7667]

I've been waiting for this one. I spent an insane amount to have the Paris heart shaped vinyl just to have this version of this song.

[@christinahamburg2945]

Your reactions bring me joy!! You are an amazing vocalist and such a fun new Swiftie!! ❤

[@jayelle822]

This is my favorite version of this song ❤

[@aleigh1975]

no cause miss swift don't play about her lyricism like she's insane

[@belle-hb6bn]

She writes a feeling that people dont know there feeling.

[@NinjaBooKitty]

Country music is full of great storytellers. Taylor started writing at 12.

[@OprahZoprahZ]

Correct response to this song.

[@nashnewton]

Please please PLEASE do Carolina, it is a hidden gem I beg you

[@Donna-C]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5jbqoWJl8SLqqssi=vhyKR6FBz1L1K4yF

[@Donna-C]

Yes - Taylor building her own artistic legacy & knowing it’s probably not a song that will be released on radio

[@RMcSwizzle]

This is not the only place on this album that uses traffic light metaphor! Check it against the lyrics from Cornelia street 💕

[@taylorstanzy]

PLS, REACT TO "LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO" AND "GORGEOUS" FROM THE REPUTATION STADIUM TOUR 😭 i just know you'll love it, specially bcs she includes her back up singers and some dancers that are black!! 😭💘

[@kaymanuel17]

Lover is about finding your person and the video shows a house of their love. I always imagined this song about that relationships end. A house with the windows boarded up but lights still flickering

[@marlene1708]

I don't love this song but the ending "trying to find parts of me you didnt touch..". It's the same as Illicit affairs, I like the don't love the song but "don't call me kid. Don't call me baby..." that part gets me. That ending is it.

[@jennyleepaints8128]

Dang I really love your reactions. They’re what they should be lol

[@jillianstamatelos9459]

The metaphors!!