愛污传媒

Skip to main content

'The Tortured Poets Department': A track-by-track listener's guide to Taylor Swift鈥檚 31-song double album

Share

Taylor Swift released 鈥淭he Tortured Poets Department鈥 on Friday, a 31-track surprise double album, and she鈥檚 clearly in an emotionally evolved era.

On its surface, the album offers a pretty mellow listening experience, sounding like a marriage of the haunting depths of 2020鈥檚 鈥淔olklore鈥 and the synthy riffs of 2022鈥檚 Midnights.

Underneath it all, however, you鈥檒l find a boldly vulnerable expression of the pop star poet鈥檚 innermost thoughts, and it takes some reading between the lines to understand the scope of her message 鈥 with some entries requiring a deeper dive than others. For that, we鈥檙e here to help:

1. 鈥楩ortnight鈥 (feat. Post Malone)

In an audio clip played during iHeartRadio鈥檚 Album Premiere Special on Friday, Swift said this song 鈥渞eally exhibits a lot of the common themes that run throughout this album,鈥 including 鈥渇atalism, longing, pining away, lost dreams.鈥

鈥淚鈥檝e always imagined that it took place in this, like, American town where the American Dream you thought would happen to you didn鈥檛, right? You ended up not with the person you loved and now you have to just live with that every day, wondering what would鈥檝e been, maybe seeing them out,鈥 she said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 a pretty tragic concept, really. So I was just writing from that perspective.鈥

2. 'The Tortured Poets Department'

It looks like the album鈥檚 title track may be about The 1975 band frontman , to whom Swift was first linked in 2014 and then later, briefly, after her 2023 split from British actor Joe Alwyn.

Clues include the opening in which Swift sings, 鈥淵ou left your typewriter at my apartment.鈥 (Healy expressed a fondness for typewriters in a 2019 with GQ magazine.) Honorable mentions in this track also go to Lucy and Jack 鈥 who could be Swift鈥檚 friend Lucy Dacus of the band Boygenius and Jack Antonoff, her friend and frequent collaborator 鈥 and Charlie Puth, who Swift in the song and declares 鈥渟hould be a bigger artist.鈥

3. 'My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys'

鈥溾橫y Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys鈥 is a song I wrote alone and it鈥檚 a metaphor from the perspective of a child鈥檚 toy being somebody鈥檚 favorite toy until they break you, and then don鈥檛 want to play with you anymore,鈥 Swift told iHeartRadio on Friday.

4. 'Down bad'

In one of the more synth-heavy tracks that leans into Swift鈥檚 recent 鈥淢idnights鈥 era, 鈥淒own Bad鈥 also feels slightly more contemporary in nature, with the modern-feeling refrain 鈥渃ryin鈥 at the gym鈥 in the chorus. The Grammy-winner told iHeartRadio that the song serves as a metaphor for 鈥渢he idea of being love bombed where someone, you know, rocks your world and dazzles you then kind of abandons you.鈥

5. 鈥楽o Long, London鈥

One of the more devastating tracks on 鈥淭ortured Poets,鈥 it鈥檚 a safe bet to presume this one is about Alwyn, Swift鈥檚 ex-boyfriend of six years. The song covers a wide array of feelings about saying goodbye to not just a city she loved and spent a significant amount of time in, but letting go of both the good times and heartbreak which the former couple surely experienced there.

Many see the song as an answer, however bleak, to her upbeat track 鈥淟ondon Boy,鈥 featured on her 2019 鈥淟over鈥 album, which is also believed to be about Alwyn during the heyday of their relationship. Swift and Alwyn were first romantically linked in 2016 and in April 2023.

6. 鈥楤ut Daddy I Love Him鈥

This slow-building and breezy track calls to mind some of Swift鈥檚 earlier eras from before 鈥1989鈥 and some listeners suspect a double meaning is at play. We鈥檒l leave it up to you to decide.

7. 鈥楩resh Out The Slammer鈥

The opening guitar riff here resembles something inspired by an Orville Peck song, and turns into an upbeat and breathy pop track that equates getting out of jail to getting out of a relationship.

8. 鈥楩lorida!!!鈥 (feat. Florence + the Machine)

Swift told iHeartRadio on Friday that she wrote this song with Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine, saying, 鈥淚 was coming up with this idea of what happens when your life doesn鈥檛 fit, or your choices you鈥檝e made catch up to you, and you鈥檙e surrounded by these harsh consequences and judgment, and circumstances did not lead you to where you thought you鈥檇 be and you just want to escape from everything you鈥檝e ever known, is there a place you could go.鈥

That place to escape, according to Swift and Welch? Florida!!! Oh, and as an FYI: Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone is also credited as a contributor on this song, according to .

9. 鈥楪uilty as Sin?鈥

鈥淎m I allowed to cry?鈥 she asks. Sounds like the same question we鈥檙e all asking ourselves while listening to this album, to be honest.

10. 鈥榃ho鈥檚 Afraid of Little Old Me?鈥

Written solely by Swift, she declares here, 鈥淲ho鈥檚 afraid of little old me?鈥 and then warns, 鈥淵ou should be.鈥 Reminder: stay on Swift鈥檚 good side.

The construction of the song title also calls to mind Edward Albee鈥檚 1962 play 鈥淲ho鈥檚 Afraid of Virginia Woolf?鈥 about a troubled marriage, which in turn also references the famously tortured writer and poet Virginia Woolf.

11. 鈥業 Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)鈥

We鈥檝e all argued this case at some point in our lives, right?!

12. 鈥榣oml鈥

Translation: 鈥渓oml鈥 is internet-speak for 鈥渓ove of my life.鈥

Written with Aaron Dessner, Swift sings on this moody track, 鈥淚 wish I could un-recall how we almost had it all.鈥 After singing the words 鈥測ou said I鈥檓 the love of your life鈥 several times over the course of the song, she concludes, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e the loss of my life.鈥 Ouch.

13. 鈥業 Can Do It With a Broken Heart鈥

Imagine going through a breakup and then having to go on stage, put on a shimmering smile and perform for tens of thousands of people. That鈥檚 what Swift examines in this track. 鈥淚鈥檓 so depressed, I act like it鈥檚 my birthday every day,鈥 she sings.

14. 鈥楾he Smallest Man Who Ever Lived鈥

This is a brutal song with notes of anger aimed toward someone (who may or may not be Healy) who ghosted her after 鈥渞usting鈥 her 鈥渟parkling鈥 summer, presumably the summer of 2023 when they were thought to have briefly dated (Healy and Swift were at each others鈥 concerts around that time, among other indications). Other potential Healy references include one at the top of the song, when Swift mentions 鈥測our Jehovah鈥檚 Witness suit,鈥 which calls to mind The 1975 frontman鈥檚 preferred fashion choices.

15. 鈥楾he Alchemy鈥

Swift鈥檚 boyfriend, three-time Super Bowl champ Travis Kelce, appears to be the subject of this track, which also happens to be one of the only classic love songs on the album. The tell? It includes a number of football references with buzzwords like 鈥渢ouchdown,鈥 鈥渨arm the benches鈥 and 鈥済reatest in the league.鈥

Swift, of course, Kelce鈥檚 football games throughout last season, including the Super Bowl where his team the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers. 鈥淲here鈥檚 the trophy? He just comes runnin鈥 over to me,鈥 she sings, perhaps a reference to the long embrace and kiss the couple shared on the field following the trophy presentation.

16. 鈥楥lara Bow鈥

While the title to this track references the famed silent film star from the 1920s and 鈥30s (surely a visual inspiration for Swift鈥檚 ), Swift also sings here about Stevie Nicks 鈥 who about both music stars鈥 past relationships in the liner notes to physical copies of the album.

The chorus for the song may or may not be an easter egg for Swifties and Marvel fans alike, who have in her friend Ryan Reynolds鈥 sure-to-be blockbuster 鈥淒eadpool 3鈥 this summer, as a musically gifted mutant named Dazzler. Telling lyrics include 鈥淧romise to be dazzling鈥 and the final line, 鈥淭he future鈥檚 bright, dazzling.鈥

17. 鈥楾he Black Dog鈥

While entirely speculative, this song may reference a well known pub in London鈥檚 Vauxhall area. Swift longingly sings about trying to understand why an ex lover doesn鈥檛 miss her and then mentions how the subject she is singing about forgot to turn off their location, so, we鈥檒l let you read between the lines.

18. 鈥榠mgonnagetyouback鈥

Swift can鈥檛 decide whether she wants to 鈥渟mash up鈥 an on-again-off-again lover鈥檚 bike or be his wife. Either way, as the title suggests in this song, she鈥檚 determined to get him back.

19. 鈥楾he Albatross鈥

鈥淪he鈥檚 the albatross,鈥 Swift sings. 鈥淪he鈥檚 here to destroy you.鈥 鈥楴uff said.

20. 鈥楥hloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus鈥

Some Swifties are speculating that one of the names in this song is the still-unknown moniker of Reynolds and Blake Lively鈥檚 fourth child. The couple are close friends with Swift, who has the names of three of their daughters 鈥 Betty, James and Inez 鈥 in a number of tracks on 鈥淔olklore,鈥 and featured the voice of one of their daughters on her 2017 song 鈥淕orgeous鈥 from 鈥淩eputation.鈥

21. 鈥楬ow Did it End?鈥

With a rolling piano melody, she conducts a 鈥減ost mortem鈥 on the end of a relationship, and devastatingly so. 鈥淭he deflation of our dreaming / Leaving me bereft and reeling,鈥 she sings. Grab the tissues.

22. 鈥楽o High School鈥

If it feels like Swift and Kelce鈥檚 relationship has publicly been playing out like a romance between the coolest kids in high school, you鈥檙e not alone. Swift sings, 鈥淵ou knew what you wanted and, boy, you got her,鈥 a line that is perhaps a reference to the fact that of his desire to date Swift led to the beginning of their romantic relationship. She also references the game of 鈥渒iss, marry, kill,鈥 which Kelce was seen playing (and choosing to 鈥渒iss鈥 Swift) in a 2016 interview that recently .

23. 鈥業 Hate it Here鈥

鈥淭his place made me feel worthless,鈥 Swift sings. We don鈥檛 know where she is that she hates so, but certainly hope she鈥檚 no longer there.

24. 鈥榯hanK you aIMee鈥

Oh boy. This one is wild. While it may sound like Swift is singing about a mean girl in high school named Aimee, the references in this song 鈥 and there are many 鈥 clearly point to Swift taking shots at Kim Kardashian, with whom she鈥檚 had a鈥 . The most obvious factor here being the letters that Swift chose to capitalize in the title of the song spell out 鈥淜IM.鈥

Other clues: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think you鈥檝e changed much / I changed your name and any real defining clues / And one day, your kid comes home singin鈥 a song that only us two is gonna know is about you.鈥

25. 'I Look in People鈥檚 Windows'

It鈥檚 not as creepy as it sounds, we promise. It鈥檚 more of a metaphor about being on the outside, looking in.

26. 'The Prophecy'

Maybe keep that tissue box close by during this tragic song, too.

27. 鈥楥assandra鈥

Some Swifties think this song may also be about Kardashian, since it references snakes (Kardashian in to the #taylorswiftisasnake meme in the past). Others have connected the Cassandra that Swift sings about to the in Greek mythology, a priestess whose accurate prophecies were not believed.

28. 鈥楶eter鈥

The references here on the surface are about the Disney animated classic 鈥淧eter Pan,鈥 which she previously referred to in 2020鈥檚 鈥淐ardigan.鈥 鈥淧eter鈥 could very well be a continuation of the lore from that track, but the jury鈥檚 still out on who Peter may truly be based on 鈥 if anyone.

29. 鈥楾he Bolter鈥

鈥淎s she was leaving it felt like breathing,鈥 Swift sings. The instrumentation and guitar strumming is reminiscent of the sounds on 鈥淔olklore,鈥 her 2020 album on which Swift worked with Dessner, who is also credited to have co-written 鈥淭he Bolter.鈥

30. 鈥楻obin鈥

Maybe this is Lively鈥檚 and Reynolds鈥 baby鈥檚 name?!

31. 鈥楾he Manuscript鈥

This is a devastatingly sad song that will leave you breathless as you come to the end of this poetically 鈥渢ortured鈥 journey. With just a piano and Swift鈥檚 voice, she seems to be reflecting on the experiences described in the previous 30 songs, singing, 鈥渓ooking backwards might be the only way to move forward.鈥

The powerful lyrics suggest Swift is coming to terms with the realization that 鈥渁t last she knew what the agony had been for,鈥 and even though she looks back on these memories, 鈥渢he story isn鈥檛 mine anymore鈥 now that she鈥檚 shared it with the world.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The federal government allowed 30-year mortgage amortizations for first-time homebuyers purchasing new builds in August, and the new rules are set to expand in December to everyone looking to buy a newly-constructed home.

Crews removed approximately 50 tonnes of 'fatbergs' from the sewer system in Richmond, B.C., earlier this month, according to Metro Vancouver.

BREAKING

BREAKING

A Montreal man is charged with first-degree murder in connection to the stabbing death of a woman at a park in Ottawa鈥檚 south end on Thursday.

Local Spotlight

A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.