THERAPIST REACTS to Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department (YOUR PICKS!)

[@HelloJellojrl]

"I didnt even know taylor knew Kim, what happened there?" swifties pouring some tea as they lean forward - "well you see Kanye. . ."

[@SwarryTyles]

Taylor does not give all her exes the fault. Also songs are a point of view in a moment. She gives clear reasons in so long London but also declares in how did it end that she doesn‘t understand how it ended.

[@PeaceIsWork]

Exactly, it’s so ludicrous how people love to blame her and say she lacks awareness and always plays the victims. She had incredible awareness since a teenager. And she’s artist, people will not take a novel or a fictional movies and think everything in their is like a documentary. She said it already, she process her feelings and deals with life through creating music. People are so silly, it’s no wonder this album has many songs telling people to mind their own business lol

[@honeytrap3635]

Right? Even says that on her album release. I can post the instagram… she posts “upon further reflection, a good number of them turned out to be self-inflicted” 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@hugomendoza5665]

I think the other crucial element to all this is how hard it is to date as a straight woman. Since I was 15 [I'm now 31] most of my friends have been women so I hear all the time about dating guys and what it's like. And the thing I have learned the most is that it's impossible to get any 'good' at picking a good guy. Guys can seem decent or perfect for weeks, months, even years at a time before the facade runs out. And women don't need help blaming themselves. My friends always blame themselves first, and it takes so long for them to accept that the guy was just pretending to be a decent for months and split after he didn't get what he wanted. It's insane.

[@Jojo-fh1ol]

@@hugomendoza5665Also, on top of that it’s just extra hard to date as Taylor herself. So many people either have bad intentions because of her fame or simply aren’t equipped to deal with just how big (monster on the hill) her fame is. I think it’s unfair when people compare Taylor’s relationships to normal people because she’s not normal

[@Mrs.Fezziwig]

I think the whole world wants to know what Matty Healey did because his publicist said "It was more polite than we were expecting," about The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived!

[@naylanihalpern-wight1130]

Holy shit!

[@rebeccabielow3176]

😂 that's insane, because that song is brutal!

[@annika9196]

I think they just didn't even understand the song lol

[@angiedemoncada2603]

I Know!! That's exactly what I thought...he was expecting worse??? How??

[@Mrs.Fezziwig]

@@angiedemoncada2603 Honestly, my very first thought after hearing it for the first time was 'this mf-er had better not have been pressuring her into trying dope!' It's naive to think she's not been offered all sorts of substances with how long she's been in the industry!

[@luiszapata513]

Never ever listened to Taylor swift but i gave this album a chance and i like it🙂

[@akashvalsan6609]

I hope nobody forced you

[@castiels_trenchcoat974]

That’s great! It’s fun to find new music to enjoy, especially when you didn’t expect to like it

[@alisong826]

You’d probably like her album ‘evermore’

[@alisong826]

I dig you’re also a Texan! Shoutout to Screwston TX!

[@castiels_trenchcoat974]

@@alisong826 evermore is absolutely incredible!

[@nikkis7375]

I was 12 when Taylor got famous. I’m 30 now. we are grown and I love that Taylor feels free enough to stop catering to young children by censoring herself and can make music she wants to. This is my fav Taylor album.❤❤

[@ReactionTherapyOfficial]

Thank you for this🙏

[@lubalethudube186]

Same! 29 now and glad she is less censored. At least in this album. I don’t know if she will be this raw moving forward

[@shinyy160]

same its so heartwarming and amazing seeing how much shes grown up and now taking a big leap in her music

[@hkandm4s23]

Fellow therapist here. Also a swiftie. In Chloe or Sam or Sofia or Marcus, i think a lot of people miss the word "decade" in the beginning. It's about her not pursuing a relationship with someone she loved, then watching them descend into addiction while she moved on with her life. She always wonders if she had known how to help him or decided to pursue the relationship back then, might everything be different. She mentions that they were both a mess when they first met and that she was too young to know what to do and she 'deserted' him. But they both watched each other move on through the years. That's why she says if he says "i loved you the way that you were" is how to break her cold heart. He turned her into an idea through the years, the one that got away - and they both always wondered "what if". By the time they reconnect and give it a shot, it doesn't work outbecause they are so changed by time. I've heard this story a lot from people who leave addicts and watch them sink further after they leave. I didn't know anything about Matty Healy on first listen so i second guessed my interpretation at first. Once i looked into it, i found that apparently they met in 2014 and seems like they had a short private affair of some sort, and he has been open about going into rehab for hard drugs in 2017. This song really puts the whole album into context for me since it seems she finally got the courage to end things with Joe because she wanted to try again with Matty since he was finally sober and they had both grown up. She found out quite quickly that he was not a reformed as he portrayed.

[@jaxonmcalley]

Oh my gosh, that song is dark af. I don't think I'd ever listen to it again the same way, you just destroyed me.

[@Violet316]

Swiftie

[@hkandm4s23]

@@Violet316 LOL my phone auto corrected it. Fixed ty

[@Violet316]

@@hkandm4s23 You definitely have to watch those phones.

[@MaggieMcDonald-v8z]

Travis and Taylor’s personalities match up perfectly. They are both super down to earth and family focused. Travis has said how he can’t wait to get married and have children. If you listen to his podcast with his brother you get to see who he really is. He is extremely close to his family, is able to laugh at himself, puts everyone in his life before himself, very involved in charity, super motivated and career driven. And the way they both love and light up around children… swoon. They both have tons of confidence and are not threatened by the other’s success. In my opinion, he’s the only person she has ever dated that matches who she is at her core.

[@MarieS610]

I agree, I don’t think Travis is this super unstable guy. You can tell he is very family oriented and grounded. Hes super successful in his own right so he isn’t threatened by hers. They seem to be able to just have fun. I could see it working out.

[@Exhausted_Emily]

So High School isnt explicit at all after listening to Guilty as Sin?. But also shes a grown woman. All of her og fans are in there 30s - 40s. We dont expect her to stay childlike and nor should she have too. Its the parents job to monitor what their kids listen too.

[@catherinefaulkner1392]

I don't think So High School was as explicit as you made it out to be. Most of the references were specific to things they have said in interviews, podcast, videos of them in public etc. Yes she has younger fans, but remember she is 34 yrs old and most of her fans are 18 and older. The youngest fans are more than likely children of her fans in their 30/40s

[@TheNraveles]

So High School is definitely explicit

[@paigekotecki6143]

@@TheNraveleshow she doesn’t even curse in the song

[@khomey7971]

Its not the most explicit song she’s made I don’t see the problem

[@thetannaree]

@@TheNravelesno

[@thetannaree]

Exactly- touch could just be sweetly caressing an arm or neck - people are interpreting it as explicit says everything about them. Not the song.

[@carol-ina.]

Taylor is turning 35 this year. Her first real explicit songs came out when she was like 27, surely not when she was underage. Taylor has also never claimed to be making music for a specific young audience. She has fans supporting her since the beginning of her carreer in 2006 and these people are about her age. It's also not her responsibility to control what other people's children listen to! And it isn’t like her songs actually describe actual s3x explicitly. Sure, she mentions touches, taking clothes off and stuff like that, which is so normal! She is a woman, not a young girl! She can sing about getting laid without causing this kind of fuss.

[@Hortonfantastic4]

I need you to remember she is 34 years old. She may have younger fans but that’s because she was young when she recorded her old music and she can’t go back and make it less appealing to teens. However she is allowed to sing her age. The woman is an adult. For awhile

[@vivibify]

mm i'm fan since my 20's, now i'm 41

[@IfersInklings]

I've been a fan since 2006. I was already grown with kids by then. My kids have grown up with her, but I have lived her songs, too. It frustrates me that people say her audience is younger. At least 50% of her audience is 30 and older. The younger crowd is because their parents have introduced them to Taylor Swift.

[@melissamarrocco737]

The infanalization of this grown woman (and many who preceeded her) by a certain type of critic makes my eyes roll back into my head so hard I nearly black out. Ugh.

[@Hortonfantastic4]

@@melissamarrocco737 watch his reaction to Lunch by Billie Eilish, who is also an adult. But much younger. He’s vibing out, giggling. Not once did he say she should be concerned about the age of her fans. I just don’t get why so many people treat Taylor Swift differently

[@sarahelizavoldy]

​@@Hortonfantastic4 I haven't seen that reaction but I do randomly watch him. I'm shocked listening to this Taylor one how biased some of the things he says are. It's regurgitated opinions we have all heard for years. I have never heard little judgemental digs like this from him before. Interesting.

[@SingingMagick]

I’m so glad you got How Did It End? I think it’s the saddest song she’s written and no one is talking about it

[@ElisabethsTeam]

Kim made her “heal” by forcing TSwift to up her game and get super determined. Tell me I can’t and I so will.

[@pixi78]

Absolutely and Taylor has always been determined.

[@lizamurphy5844]

As regards Joe A, also listen to You're Losing Me.... She was begging him to choose her.... and he didn't, that song is devastating. The gossip was he was resentful of her success and didn't want to be seen as "Mr Swift". So by the end she was doing all the work...and his apathy killed it.

[@clarem8784]

I love "So HIgh School." Taylor was ... 17? when she became famous. I think she missed out on a lot of HS stuff because she was trying to learn how to write songs, recording, singing in parking lots, etc. Also, it seems like most of her boyfriends were people that she thought were better than her in some way- older, more experienced( and it also seemed to not treat her very well and dumped her in pretty mean ways it seems,) then she got with Joe who seemed like a good guy but he just couldn't do the public part of her life... And that was okay during quarantine and during the time she wasn't around because of the Kanye/ Kim incident but... She is bejeweled. She needs to shine. And with this record she really made a point that it was hard on her not being out in public with the person that was her person. I have a person like that and I understand it's. It's very frustrating and it's depressing. It makes you feel like they don't support you at all. So then she meets Travis Kelce who went out of his way to get an introduction-- Even though he is quite famous on his own. So meeting famous people isn't all that hard for him. So when they hit her off he doesn't actually care about being out in public with her. In fact, he is very impressed with her and likes to be out in public with her. One of her first videos was one where she is kind of jealous of a cheerleader... I can't remember what song it is. I'm an older swifty and I'm not the type that has every freaking thing memorized. But when I see her so excited about being appreciated. It's it's just really cool and I'm happy for her.

[@MarjaCamargo]

I think you’re spot on. And my guess is the video you’re talking about is “You Belong With Me”. In fact, she introduces this song during The Eras Tour by saying something like: “Do you guys wanna go back to high school with me?”.

[@carolynnewcomb2153]

She did write something at the end of the album saying she’s laid out everything, and now she’s done and moving forward. She’s no longer dwelling on these old hurts but is ready to write her next chapter.

[@cemcalex]

When people pause right before the drum fill in Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me, it makes me want to scream 😂😂😂

[@MidnightRain1389]

I knowwwww!!!! That’s my favorite part lol

[@DanielleInTheWild]

lol to the patriarchal take on her being 'explicit' as a 34 year old woman who was... NOT explicit (and I would love it if she was). A 'younger audience'... nah. She's not beholden to be a fake virginal good girl because a fraction of her fans are young. TALK about the things. Make the things normal. Studies have shown us that is how we destigmatize it and help young girls feel more powerful in their bodily autonomy (and escape Rpe culture) instead of everything being secretive and their fathers being in charge of their bodies and what their boyfriends can do with them. Nah. I'm not about that. She doesn't owe anybody a watered down version of her womanhood. Let parents do the parenting. Taylor has enough on her plate.

[@thetannaree]

YES!!!

[@angiepeterson1282]

Who’s afraid of little old me? Is not about a person, it is the media and how they portray her, shaped by the record industry.

[@nikkis7375]

Yeah he said in the video found that out right after saying that lol

[@KrimsonRose87]

Scooter Braun 🌚

[@candimccann]

You listened in a 'shuffle' pattern, so sonically you heard it differently. A lot of people on first listen from start to finish thought it was 'same sounding' but after time or with shuffling or when focusing on individual tracks, they realize it really isn't. This album tells a story of the breakup of a long-term relationship, the immediate rekindling of a long-lived flirtation/old flame with someone unstable and creative that many didn't approve of that burned hot and died fast. So she was then suffering double heartbreak. Then we touch on her new love. Such an experience here.

[@lubalethudube186]

I listened to it in order the first time and I thought it sounded different. It was very sad though so I had to take a break every 5 songs to just process everything.

[@anibindi3752]

I thought it sounded the same first listen too 😆 not anymore!

[@MaggieMcDonald-v8z]

I can see some people getting bored with it if they thought she was singing songs about the same person the entire time. Knowing the lore definitely adds so much to the album.

[@SMeow-zr2ho]

As a parent, I don’t mind the lyrics in “ I’m so high school”. My kid is 17. But I remember when my daughter was singing Katy Perry’s “I kissed a girl” at age 4. 😂. So I wouldn’t mind this one, when she was little. Plus Taylor is an 34, I think. The majority of her fans grew up with her and are adults too.

[@BuilderBobda]

Listen to Dress from her 2016 Reputation album and So High School will seem tame lol. There’s the misconception that her fans are 13-year-old little girls. But the thing is is that we grew up too and didn’t stay that age forever. The majority of her fans are adults now; I went to the Eras tour and nearly everyone was my age (27yo). And if there were kids, it was fans who had grown up and had kids that became fans. She’s been in the music game for close to 20 years now 🙂 btw, this wasn’t written with a snarky tone; just wanted to clear up some misinformation I hear a lot.

[@karenm5556]

The heroin with an e refers to him saying she was his heroine and good luck charm at the games.

[@avery5160]

With the Olivia and Tyalor situation many many people have framed it incorrectly, claiming Taylor sued Olivia for a bridge she did (for deja vu) when she didnt, at all, Taylor never asked for credits and never sued. Olivia had just stated the bridge was inspired by Taylors Cruel Summer and credited her whether it was by her own will or advised by her team, Taylor never sued. That was just a narrative the media has portrayed as the truth when we know for a fact she never sued. That "That ill sue you if you step on my lawn" line would be about how everyone thinks she does stuff like that, where anyone who crosses into her lane or touches whats hers (idk the charts and songs and stuff) theyll be in trouble. Its real funny bc people are still claiming this. Hundreds of people are under some odd belief Taylor is out to get Billie bc she released some voice memos around the same time Billie released her album, apparently she was "blocking" her or wtv, bc Taylor just loves to horde the charts and thats apparently the only reason she releases stuff. Its ridiculous. The irony since this song has been out for like a month now lmao.

[@nikkis7375]

Thank you!! lol love those girls and hate people wanting to make drama with them.

[@itsnoterica]

While that’s true you can’t also deny that something shifted between the two of them after the whole Deja Vu/Cruel Summer bs went down. She might not have sued Olivia but it’s not far fetched to think that there was likely some pressure from Taylor’s team to credit her & Jack. Taylor didn’t have to accept those credits bc let’s be real, it’s unwarranted. Whatever similarities the two songs have are so subtle you had to be looking for them to notice. Or, she could’ve at least acknowledged that the credits aren’t necessary like Paramore did w Misery Business/Good 4 U & those particular riffs are MUCH MORE similar to each other. Olivia might’ve given credit without being literally sued but you can’t tell me nothing went down between the two behind the scenes or that it’s as simple as Olivia willingly giving credit without any input from Taylor & her team. It makes no sense for there to be palpable tension between Taylor & Olivia if Olivia gave those credits without being prompted by Taylor’s team. So, I don’t believe that Taylor never asked for credits. I think what ppl are forgetting is that Taylor’s legal team is massive & powerful. She doesn’t ever have to literally sue to put legal pressure on most other parties to do what she wants. There’s also the factor that had Olivia not given into whatever pressure she was put on to give those credits that would’ve been more disastrous for her career. Had Taylor literally sued, even w her massive legal team, she would’ve likely lost bc she has no evidence that’s enough to hold up in court. However, the real jury that would’ve sank Olivia’s career is Taylor’s incredibly loyal-sometimes to a fault-fanbase. There are so many Swifties out there who literally think she could do no wrong so even if Taylor loses that court battle, she’d still come out on top & there goes Olivia’s career! Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of Taylor but I don’t agree w the idea that she’s a victim of false perception when it comes to that whole Deja Vu/Cruel Summer drama. What it seems like to me is she or someone in her team heard that Olivia was inspired by a tiny part of Cruel Summer & she or someone in her team thought that means she’s deserving of songwriter credits in Deja Vu when Deja Vu became as big as it did. Whether the driving factor was greed or power play, idk but I don’t believe for a second that she’s a completely innocent party. We all know how passive aggressive & petty Taylor can get-she acknowledges it herself in “who’s afraid of little old me?”. Inviting Sabrina AND Hayley Williams to open for her wasn’t exactly subtle. Yeah, her & Hayley have been friends for years but let’s bffr-it’s also statement.

[@beckhampang191]

​@@itsnotericayou're literally the people that bought into her line 'that I'll sue if you step on my lawn' And the people OP is talking about. Trying to STIR up drama and investigate every tiny thing to claim there is. Just shut it. Everything you said is speculation. Everything you're basing on is also speculation and coincidences.

[@itsnoterica]

@@beckhampang191 Telling someone who’s only voicing their opinions on the matter to “shut it” is weird af especially right after you’ve just voiced your opinions lmfao I’m not trying to stir up any drama. I was simply stating my observations. It’s not “stirring up drama” to point out what I see as evidence of hypocrisy on Taylor’s end with the way she handled that whole situation. Calling out a famous person for their actions when they try to say otherwise isn’t “stirring up drama.” It’s not speculative to say that something clearly went down between the two of them bc anyone w basic deduction skills could see a massive shift that happened conveniently right after the whole Deja Vu/Cruel Summer bs went down. You’d have to be downright delusional to believe that the cause of the rift isn’t the credits 😂 coincidence my ass. Oh well. Feel free to live in denial worshiping at almighty-Taylor-Swift-she-can-do-no-wrong’s holy altar. I really couldn’t care less 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@MaggieMcDonald-v8z]

@@itsnotericawe have no idea what happened behind the scenes. Taylor could have literally said those lyrics to Olivia and she used them.

[@DanielleInTheWild]

Totally disagree about the person who wanted to serve hate via 'The common denominator is you'. Well... number one that's theoretically true for ALL OF US who have negative opinions of every ex we've had (to one degree or another) you'd be hard pressed to find people who think all their ex's are peachy. And she has NOT had negative remarks for every relationship. In fact, she was with Joe for SIX YEARS and didn't attack his character or say he was an addict who was out to destroy her like Matty is... but only that he couldn't CHOOSE her and he made her feel alone and that he couldn't get out from under his cloud. Those are just sad truths about a fairly long term relationship, and VERY different to Matty. Sure, if you want to go back 14 years to when she was basically a teenager, you'll see two other relationships that were problematic but like... that's just being a human. It's better to have the information when speaking so critically of someone.

[@mariahhkate]

Ya that was an annoying comment. And dating Taylor Swift is much different than dating a regular person. There's a lot of obstacles to overcome that have nothing to do with her as a person!

[@sheilamason1895]

i often think she never had a typical teenage crush. She is enjoying the dynamics of the football star she’s crushing on and elated he returns it. She also has the awareness of an adult enjoying a very mature love. It’s a pretty joyful song, and i love it!!!

[@rory4623]

I think she did because of fifteen but I don't think the teenage feeling of it lasted long

[@elisamaer4739]

She is so good and honest in writing these songs about herself, circumstances,, friends, family and people in her life ! You feel it as you listen to her songs. Thank you so much for this reaction!

[@claudinem6207]

I love “The Prophecy” this is exactly how I felt after my divorce. It touches the depths of my soul. I swear Taylor Swift❤ is the soundtrack to my life

[@monimoo88]

Who’s afraid of little old me isn’t just about the media but the general public who always find reasons to attack her for no reason. In any situation they criticize her and she tries to constantly mold herself to please people but they find new reasons to hate her. “I am what I am cause you trained me.” She had to learn to be calculated because at the start of her career she was kind and polite and had to adapt to protect herself . “I was tame I was gentle til the circus life made me mean. Don’t you worry folks we took out all her teeth.” A reference to what role old circus leaders did to circus animals so that they could abuse them without being hurt.

[@michaelkeller5555]

50:40 - it's only a guess but I THINK that How Did It End is referencing the absolutely rabid response to the news that she and Joe Alwyn split up after 6 years. Everyone was speculating and gossiping and seemed to think they were entitled to know why they broke up. "Did you hear they called it all off? One gasp and then "how did it end"?" That perfectly echos the way people were shocked and sympathetic for about 3 seconds before demanding all the "juicy" details. Edit: made this comment at the time stamp I mentioned.

[@honeytrap3635]

Matty and Taylor knew each other for a decade. But nice try on that one. She got love bombed.

[@jaylynn8630]

I like the way you broke The Manuscript down, but there's a second meaning you missed. Speculation among fans is that this song is about All Too Well (and by extension, every other song she writes), which she directed a short film for (and probably wrote a literal manuscript for). She's said before that she initially found it incredibly difficult to perform the song, because it was about such a painful experience, but after she performed it for fans, that began to transform what the song meant to her, and turn it into a song she could enjoy performing. You could also say it's kind of death-of-the-author; she writes based on her experiences, and when she puts out those songs, they gain new life and meaning in the way her listeners connect with and relate to them. And that's the other meaning of her saying "the story isn't mine anymore."

[@kaylapaige7458]

At the end of the day, her fans are old enough to enjoy GTA, Spin the bottle, American Pie. Everyone really puts her in his "she sing to young kids" but really she doesnt... She sings about her life. Who it pertains to is subjective.

[@fionamainey7686]

Joe didn't want to share Taylor with her fans, with the world. They became entangled through Covid but he is such a private person so marrying the most famous woman on the planet was always going to be a deal breaker. It took Taylor a couple more years after emerging from pandemic to realise.

[@minnielife9509]

She’s 34 years old… the fact that touching each other is shocking is crazy. And why does touching immediately mean explicit. Let’s get out of the gutter folks.

[@mrskitty7929]

Definitely, it’s not where my mind goes. There’s romantic touch that isn’t sezual at all, and is what most women crave

[@creekfreak05]

It's funny because everyone likes to say that she's the common denominator....well yeah, it's her music. This is her diary of sorts. It's the story from the perspective of the moments when she's pouring it out out of heartbreak and pain. When the hurt is fresh It's hard to have full perspective until you recover, but after healing writing about a situation seems like going backwards.

[@Mrs.Pritchard]

Oh my goodness I was solid until the alchemy and you said 25 years later and you still feel the same about “your jill” 😭😭 been with my husband 11 and it’s true, I still feel the same. Wow, just got goosebumps when you said that. We got lucky that’s for sure:)

[@ivrine96]

I'm surprised I Can Do It With a Broken Heart, The Bolter, and I Hate It Here aren't included.

[@meganwoida3475]

Me too, really love I can do it with a broken heart.

[@WandyPaolaGalvezSolares]

Me too, also I can Fix Him... such a good example of hero complex

[@S.S.web4003]

So long London- I think she was in a dark place in the beginning of the relationship from media scandal and depression. She needed the solitude. She said they bonded over sad songs. I think that she grew out of that, and he was probably resentful of her. Because he's introverted etc. maybe the relationship was what they needed for a time. At least she said you'll find someone.

[@MizukiLovesDraco]

4:42 So Long, London: I don't think Taylor is saying that Joe was a bad or crazy guy, they just grew apart and she seems to acknowledge that it's not exactly rational to be "pissed" about "wasting her youth" but it's still how she feels. As you said, six year is a long time and they definitely were not like this during the entirety of their relationship, but somewhere down the line they fell out of love and she had been with him for so long, she was terrified to lose what they had.

[@stinaboden]

41:49 she means that Travis is essentially the first guy she has ever dated that is okay with her being “Taylor Swift” and okay with her being more famous than him. He is “allowing” her to “Taylor Swift”.

[@tinawhite8835]

This song(loml), to me, is so representative of the devastation of gas lighting. The loss of the life promised, the dream, and it wasn't real at all. It was counterfeit. It's not the words, it's the promise those words evoke. Her pain is obvious. Feeling loss over something that wasn't real just makes that pain so much worse. As for Kim..... when Kim/Kenye put the recording out, they called it proof that TS lied. That led to backlash on Twitter. "TS the party is over" started trending on Twitter, went to #1. That's millions of people expressing how much they hate TS. She disappeared for a year. Many thought her career was over. She came back with her Reputation album, which was a hit, and her tour was huge. Kim's son's name is Saint, so if you know the back story, there is so much word play in the song.

[@michaelkeller5555]

36:35 - the guy that song is about is someone she knew and was friends with for 10 years. There was interest on both sides, even when they were in other relationships, and when they finally actually got together for real, publicly when it was "okay" for them to be together then he just dropped her. "It wasn't sexy once it wasn't forbidden".

[@avery5160]

The hurt Taylor express in the Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, seems like its was a heartbreak made worse since she was already heartbroken. Its been speculated matty and taylor had a situationship for awhile, on and off before she dated joe and possibly having feelings on and off for matty,, and they made it official shortly after Joe and Taylor broke up. Whether or not thats true, its like shooting someone whos already on the verge of death, just to make sure they felt it. Thats what I understand from the bridge alone. Also in terms of Taylor being friends before dating, I really agree with that, tho its also pretty out there that her and Joe were friends originally, and then became something more after time. Joe was good to her, I dont believe he was a bad guy or intended to hurt her, it would've been something over time which had changed in the both of them realising they dont want the same thing (learning steps to different dances type of thing) I think Taylor is just desperate, like she wont just pt herself out like "Im free to date anyone" or anything but shes always sung about finding someone like the one person for her. I hope Travis and her last, and I hope they can be happy, I also hope the public stays as much out of it as they can bc thats also what effects relationships.

[@PeaceIsWork]

The media would criticize her for things would never criticize Beyounce for example. Taylor having started in the country music then turned pop and became extremely successful even there irked the liberal media because they believed her to be conservative, add to that misogyny in general in all sectors of society. She was bullied in the music industry as well, and by feminists when she’s actually THE feminist icon for millions of girls. Taylor had to fight to own her music, to put the truth out there when people smeared her and lied about facts almost ending her career, and also against the constant sexism about women in general. You can’t get along when people are coming for you, you have to defend yourself. She gets along with her exes who were respectful of her and works with them, but manipulators should be exposed this helps the little girls who listen to her to understand what is out there and to learn from her mistakes and recognize the signs of groomers and manipulators. She also has many songs on her own mistakes and faults (I wouldn’t marry me either, a pathological people pleaser) but people never speak of that and continue to repeat the same BS that she only blames others. That’s because she exposed as a teenager Mayers who was a legend at the time and destroyed him, so many in the industry and media hate her for it. To be fair she isn’t the only woman who said he was toxic but she was masterful in doing it. She’s fearless and that irks powerful men and women. Even now, she doesn’t care about industry rules. She does what she believes is right and her fans support her, and those holding the gates are MAD

[@amycoleman3688]

They got together in 2018. She had one tour before the pandemic. They lived together the entire pandemic and afterwards. The Eras tour was her first tour in 5 years. I think he wanted to settle down. He didn't want to settle down with someone so much in the public eye. I honestly think he thought her career was slowing down. No one expected folklore/evermore to grow her career so much.

[@sarabeth6897]

Came here to say this. I think you’re spot on.

[@sulathenewfie4277]

I agree. In her documentary, Miss Americana, she says this was her last chance to be successful due to her age… then her star rose when they both least expected it. He wasn’t possessive. She went on tv shows, put out albums, did a tour, etc. When they got together she too wanted to be out of the public eye and repeatedly said they BOTH wanted their relationship private. But I think she changed her feelings on that once she became popular again.

[@PeaceIsWork]

She called coming out of the slammer…. She is more fun, it’s not just about fame. She eats life, you can’t lock up TS to household life. She’s just starting to find herself… I expect so much more from her art

[@youremymymymyLOVERRR]

I think she needed him at her lowest, but I don't think it would've lasted this long without covid because they wanted different things in life and covid slowed the things that she wanted down, but because of that they didn't realize they wanted different things

[@AlphaLimaXray]

Yeah, in the songs apparently about Joe, Taylor seems to meditate more on the tortured demise of what had been a promising relationship with a good man, and some of the prime years essentially wasted trying to carry on with what would ultimately be a failed venture. She doesn't really bear him any ill will, she's simply mourning the end of their time together and trying to figure out where it went wrong. The (surprisingly many) songs about Matty are altogether different. There's more anger and disgust with him and how he manipulated her - especially right after her relationship with Joe ended. Regardless of whether his struggles with drug addiction were the prime reason, his treatment of her was rather reprehensible. Then again, what Healey did probably helped break the spell he'd long had over her, making her more open to being courted by someone who is rather different from the guys she'd fallen for, in the past. So far, so good. Let's hope it stays that way.

[@CindyEvens-nh2tm]

I'm sure someone has said, Kim edited a tape of a phone call with Kanye. Supposedly Taylor okayed Kanye saying it was okay for him to call her a Bitch in his song. When Taylor was upset about the B-word, Kim released the edited tape that made it look like Taylor was a liar and a snake. Several years later, the real un-edited tape came out showing Taylor didn't lie. Kim refused to apologize. Kim wants Taylor to move on. Like all bullies do, right? You need to get over it. Only bullies say that.

[@terimullins8223]

Cassandra deals with that as well, but the Kardashian clan as a whole as well.

[@tiffanysd925]

She compares their relationship to a war twice on two different albums, like damn that’s gotta be hard….

[@PeaceIsWork]

I disagree with the idea that she’s the common denominator in all bad relationships. People who say that are superficial and don’t even know that she’s had diff kind of relationships ending in different ways. Many women face similar situation of toxic men because that’s what is out there…It’s not the 50s. Young girls and women date a lot, as do boys and men, and they are all still too young to understand what love and relationships are. That’s how they get to know each other. It’s totally fine. Stop being puritans. As they mature so do their relationships. And let’s not forget her life , none of us have e half of her experience, or know the kind of men she gets to meet. Most women get sexually abused in the music industry. It’s so easy to judge without bothering to understand. Plus people who are always challenging boundaries and status quo, take risks constantly, and that’s what she does with people, her music, and men. What mega pop star would date a footballer? Yet, she doesn’t care about what people think. And she has said that in this Album over and over. If she wants to end her career for a boy, it’s her fkn choice.

[@deshipper2397]

regarding the kim drama and how much she's holding into it -> I would say, you gotta the know the whole story to judge. Last year it finally became public knowledge that Taylor was not guilty of what kim accused her of (you can look up reputation album and its lore to know), so this theme was renewed and it explains her going back to it to reflect on this album. It's also okay to keep getting your revenge :)

[@tamaraleonhardt4697]

She was friends with him for 10 years before they dated

[@aimeemarie5462]

Your reaction to the Travis songs was so wholesome 😁

[@SannaGNR]

I mean, Taylor is 35 and most of her fans are her age or older (I'm 43 lol) so I don't think her being slightly explicit is weird. It would be weird to still make songs like Love Story lol

[@NennieC123]

I’m 49 and I 100000 agree

[@SamuelSampayo]

People who say Taylor swift can’t write are either living in delusion or haven’t listened to her at all.

[@drugreen123]

Reading the comments i was prepared to be irritated by she "she's the common denominator" thing but i think you were nuanced and spot on. It doesn't mean the men she speaks about negatively didn't do the bad things she says they did, but she did fall for them. As women we need to learn to identify our trauma and heal it before we waste our lives with gaslighters and sparlke stealers that we accidently choose because that trauma in us is pulled to something in broken parts of them.

[@jaylynn8630]

About thanK you aIMee, I do suspect that she is talking to more people than just Kim Kardashian, here. A couple times, she has mentioned being bullied sometimes at school. I don't know to what degree or for how long, but I strongly suspect that there are actual people from her childhood who really will have their kid come home singing this song that only they will know is about them. Heck, maybe one of them is actually named some variation of "Amy"!

[@Mar_val26]

Texas Swiftie here! Whataburger after high school football games was the cool thing to do with your friends. Love your reactions!

[@tsounism526]

1:07:56 “the same searing pain” I think she’s relating this line to the massive bullying she experienced in school and how that followed her into fame by so many but Kim & Kanye rlly set the bar by framing her thru an edited phone call (out of the blue - even after Kanye & Taylor made amends for the award stunt, i shud mention, the full call was leaked years later after the damage was done) Kim went to lengths of calling her a snake 🐍 As a result, Taylor was bombarded by the media, some “fans”, celebs (tooo many ppl) bullying her online and canceling her. She completely disappeared from the public for a little over a year I think, that’s when she bonded with Joe (6yr relationship) so one can imagine how attached to him she felt. When everyone turned their back on her, he was there. She made her return to the public by dropping her studio album ‘Reputation’ w/zero indication before doing so just Bam 💥. It’s all pretty deep, everything with her is deep and so brutally honest hence you start to feel like you’re actually getting to know her in a sense as opposed to an artists “character” she is loved and appreciated by an abundantly large scale of ppl from all walks of life and ages. She’s also done a lot to improve the music industry and has conquered/created awareness over challenges Prince & MJ tried so hard to make the public aware of. Her lyrics have become a little more explicit b/c while she cares for the youth and does a decent job at keeping them in mind, she is genuinely & authentically expressing her experiences as a 34yo women (in a cathartic way no less). Yep, I love her 🫶

[@evanwinseck4036]

I know I’m late to comment, but I hope it helps. When you were listening to so high school and talking about how she sings to young girls and you weren’t sure how you felt about her talking more explicitly about things. Taylor is 34, I’m 29 and grew up listening to her. Her target audience isn’t really little girls anymore. I know she has that label attached to her, but it’s not quite accurate these days. I have an 11 year old step daughter who loves Taylor. The songs she hears and loves aren’t really from TTPD. TTPD, in my opinion, is like her first true “adult” album. And it’s not really a mainstream album, like you have to be deep into the lore to truly appreciate it. So for those of us who grew up listening to her, this album is really relatable. I just don’t see her core audience as small children anymore since many of us have grown into adulthood and the majority of her music that’s moved into the younger generation is her older stuff and the more “radio friendly” type songs.

[@marchingon19]

After listening to all the songs up until The Alchemy then after makes me believe that just think of Taylor in love, possibly more the songs she can write and makes us feel WOW.

[@beckyacoates]

To understand how the Kanye West/ Kim K thing affected Taylor's career, you really need to watch Miss Americana.

[@ElisabethsTeam]

Her therapy is songwriting.

[@caarline654]

Who's Afraid of Little Old Me is a messy one because it's sounds like it's about a lot of different situations

[@IfersInklings]

I think it has a lot to do Scooter and Scott, too.

[@tramhuynh264]

I really love your reaction because it is very similar to how i listen to her song, especially your reaction during lomf. As a lazy swiftie, i just listen for her music and am not really interested in her side story, tho i do tho about them as it helps me understand the song better. What drew me to her music is how beautifully she write her lyrics in the way that you can really paint the picture and feel the emotion, almost as if you're watching a movie. And ofc it youve been through the feelings it hits wven harder. So when I see you reacting to lomf and you feel sad for the character in the song, how she fell from her imaginary paradise and couldnt wake up in the morning, i really relate to it, as a human to another human. I feel her pain and loss and sadness despite not knowing (or caring) who she dated or what exactly happened.

[@anibindi3752]

42:34 the Alchemy 😅you’re dancing and the big smile is so joyful 😄

[@pedroalgo3990]

The sue you part its not about olivia rodrigo, fans of this woman really wanna involve her into TS narrative, and shes not even a part of it.

[@nikkis7375]

It’s her saying y’all are trying to say I sued her but I didn’t.

[@pedroalgo3990]

@@nikkis7375 not her specifically, theres been multiple lawsuitts regarding her music like wiht shake it off, i dont think she means her at all, i dont think she cares about olivia rodrigo beyond them just knowing eachother, but remember olivia its 20, and while famous, its not about fame.

[@amycoleman3688]

She was friends with Matty for 10 years....

[@MaggieMcDonald-v8z]

Kim “made her heal” because it pushed her into self reflection about how her whole identity was about making people like her. Kim cancelled Taylor. She disappeared for an entire year. During that time she worked through depression, her mother was also diagnosed with cancer during that time, and she came to realize that she needed to love herself and not depend on others admiration. Without Kim, Taylor might not have evolved the way that she did. She wrote Reputation during that year, a huge deviation/risk from her regular music, which was a huge success. She has continued to make music for herself ever since.

[@t0conner]

You are very good at deducing what's going on without context of Taylor's life. I'm impressed.

[@thebundybear5557]

Re; ThanK you aIMee, i'll tell you how long she holds onto things. She wrote Dear John when she was 19, which ended him overnight. Then came back at him when she was 32 (his age when he dated her at 19) with Would've Could've Should've to make sure his carear was still under the jail hahahahahahahaha

[@donnahall3040]

Taylor is Brilliant down to ever last detail, I love the fact that Taylor is a genius, She has a IQ. OF 160. AWESOME. LOVE HER.

[@shelleynull6532]

Listen for so highly school she is in her mid 30's so she is allowed to be an adult and grow as an artist so she doesn't have to pander to 14 year olds

[@colleencarrillo7929]

I think the Manuscript is about Jake Gyllenhal and how she wrote all too well, made the video and has moved on. When she wrote All too well it was from a point of true pain. Her fans have helped turn it into something different and better. Her perspective is differ t now.

[@abhilashabs8789]

I love in alchemy she says heroine with an E. As in the previous fling matty was on drugs and stoned and was trying to buy pills from her friends etc aka heroin., but this time, the guy is on heroine but not the drug kind but ME kind.

[@sofialoccisano3160]

Taylor admits when she's wrong, she has so many songs where she takes blame for things in her relationships

[@emilyelser1779]

absolutely phenomenal that the shuffle was loml and then was followed by the smallest man who ever lived

[@kylies6343]

The fun you were clearly having during The Alchemy had me laughing out loud 🩶😂😍🩶

[@whysodamloud]

Loml is about Matty - she had a relationship with him 10 years ago they broke up ( him saying he wasn’t mature enough for relationship) she talks about how she went back to him ‘rekindled flames ‘ after she broke up with Joe last year thinking it would be different this time since they were kids before

[@lizamurphy5844]

Utterly heartbreaking you can hear the hurt in her voice.

[@mrskitty7929]

No… it’s Joe completely

[@randomtrinkets7929]

Clearly being friends for years first doesn't work because look what Matt H. did to her

[@tarawilson5405]

She disappeared for a long time after this and that why her come back album was reputation

[@escalarc]

Great reaction! I loved your approach. I hope that Taylor stops being proud about not going to therapy and starts going, I am sure it will help.

[@mylittlepeonies8693]

55:49 last thing I heard she said she doesn’t go to therapy, she talks to her mom and honestly, that explains a lot

[@KEVFRAGRANCE]

It really does

[@bunnymoon9130]

that piece of information about her not going to therapy is like 10 years old or more atp. i mean we don’t really know her current relationship with therapy and stuff

[@Kerry-LeeCharlton-f3e]

The Manuscript is about her re reading the script for and shooting the shoot for the All Too Well (10 Min Version).

[@rhymeswithfate8112]

Just here to say, between "Watch their feet, not their mouth" and "reflect on the past, don't dwell on the past" you've really given me some bangers that I'll be thinking about for a very long time.

[@MzTsZ]

I don’t suspect they would have been together as long without the pandemic

[@acronyxx]

I absolutely don't disagree with you on the talk after The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived and Taylor has had a bad track-record of picking men up until Joe (her six year relationship) which I have a lot to say about but won't take up time with. The ironic thing about the Matt Healy relationship is that they were friends for a long time before they got together. They had a brief romance years back but then stayed in touch, worked on some songs together that never got released, and he seemingly promised to provide her everything her long-term relationship hadn't given her. As she says in one song "[he] knew the price [of being with her] going in [to it]" but then as soon as they got together, the fans turned against him and he left her. A lot of fans were shocked when this album was released because we all expected it to be about Joe but it is almost exclusively about Matty and none of us really knew how incredibly deeply that two month relationship had scarred her. It does make sense though, when listening to the album, because it seems that she has never really been able to let go of the idea of them, even while she was with Joe, and he seems to have fed that flame, making all sorts of promises. And then, as soon as they actually get together he decides he can't handle the reality of being with her and leaves her high and dry. "What a valiant roar, what a bland goodbye." I recommend checking out Peter, which is written when she has managed to work through the worst of the heartbreak and is looking back on their entire arch.

[@ladychelseatheundead]

Totally thought "step on my lawn" was a loose reference to Clint Eastwood hahaha

[@sassiezzz]

Parents.just have to parent and monitor what their kids listen to just like our parents did. A Adult listen is just that.

[@ceslestrialfairy]

explicit? So highschool--this song is tame!....Go listen to Dress, False God, Guilty as Sin(again)...This is nothing compared to those songs! Plus she's 34 and adult. I'm a year older then her and 2000's highschool experience..it was very much like this sort of thing, just switch GTA to Anime marathons haha.....plus it's about high school, and high school is allowed to be cringe in a good way.

[@ziii6484]

36:27 this is why she felt more pain about what happened with matty because they were long time friends. but he f her over after love bombing her. She wanted to get married but (joe) never proposed and now someone comes along (matty) and told her all the things she wanted from that relationship. But end up ghosting her prob because of all the hate they were both getting at that time.

[@ElisabethsTeam]

How Did It End-it’s a post-mortem, funereal.

[@ElisabethsTeam]

A lot of the songs on this album are about Matty Healey. They had a relationship 10 years ago when they were around 25. They stayed friends and became closer as friends (platonically) as the Joe Alwyn relationship was petering out. When Taylor finally left Joe, just as the Eras tour got underway, she called Matty and he flew to FL where she was performing. They built a love relationship on their friendship that was very passionate (rebound) and then Matty (who has an acknowledged drug problem) ghosted her after a month and it really broke her because he was her friend who helped get her through the end of that previous relationship and so it was the end of both a great passion and a longtime friendship.

[@Exhausted_Emily]

People say loml couldn't possibly be about Matty Healy bc how could she feel that way about him and not a 6 year relationship. I think people fail to understand is he was a 10 year pining/friendship. They took a chance and she lost not only a potential love but a best friend in one fail swoop. Like what do you do when the person you lose is the one you would normally confide in? Thats absolutely devastating. 😥

[@beckhampang191]

It's both. Both guys probably told her that she's their love of their life. And in the end they were the loss of her life

[@elenam6335]

@@beckhampang191 only one of them fits the phrase Who's gonna stop us from waltzing Back into rekindled flames

[@beckhampang191]

@@elenam6335 two men told her shes the love of their life. She repeats 2 lines but referred to different people because one is Legendary, one is momentary.

[@sheilamason1895]

When she left Joe, started the Eras tour, she ran to matty as a friend and then as a love developed quickly, she felt secure that she knew him but he left without even a goodbye after a few weeks . He ghosted her. She felt this deeper than the swifties ever knew. It is all revealed in this album. One minute gut go back to other albums and see Matty secretly in her mind and heart whereas we thought it was others.

[@barbaramazzaferro605]

She is very self-aware. “I’m the problem, it’s me”

[@sarenachowning5801]

When it comes to her songs that have language in them, a good thing to remember is that she releases "clean" versions that have those words replaced or just "blipped". I listen to those versions and they are suitable for the younger audiences

[@SippingT123]

5:40 I think she went along with it even as it was dying because that’s what they were supposed to do. They both gave up. And both seem better for it.

[@wendygilbert8134]

You need to watch Miss Americana if you want to understand the pain of the whole Kanye, Kim, and media tearing her down. Her fighter spirit keeps her moving forward and her writing allows a powerful release for her.

[@conniecenters8482]

I was assuming that was Matty Healy.in the smallest man alive. And chloe, ......and marcus,....possibly loml.

[@cathymorreale2072]

I enjoy your show so much! You are delightful to listen to as you explore the works of musicians and singer songwriters! Thank you sir for sharing with us your unique perspective and insights.

[@sarabeth6897]

You need to do a Kim/Kanye and Taylor walk through. You’d need a Swiftie to curate it for you, but would be interested in seeing you react to all the stuff laid out including the tracks that are alleged to be about the situation.

[@sarabeth6897]

Also adding that my take on how Kim made Taylor heal is that the whole situation made her confront her people-pleasing applause seeking tendencies. I wouldn’t venture to say it cured her of that, but it brought it to the surface and made her grapple with it in a way she hadn’t really before. (See Miss Americana for more on that)