Taylor Swift’s latest album The Tortured Poets Department was released with a bang -- and five name-drops within one song alone!
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The total 31 (yes, 31!) tracks Swift released have caused a huge stir among fans, and the title song itself has some gossip in its lyrics. The Tortured Poets Department is an easy-listening pop song, not quite a ballad or slow song but not a dance hit either. Rather, the song’s most unique feature is found within the writing, and via a Charlie Puth shout out no less.
Following the story of a casual yet confusing relationship, Taylor sings, “You smokеd, then ate seven bars of chocolate / We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist.” The two artists have long expressed support for one another - Puth has repeatedly covered Swift songs at his own concerts, and Swift once called him "the piano prince." Her fans, however, are rather split about the shout out.
Some are glad that Puth got Swift’s ultimate nod of approval, while others find the "See You Again: singer cringey due to his online antics. One fan wrote of the lyric, “Charlie Puth, Underrated Legend. She knows. I know.” But another listener, seemingly less of a fan, wrote, “CHARLIE PUTH mention is a Jumpscare.”
But Charlie Puth wasn’t the only name-drop. In fact, the TTPT title song mentions five artists by name and alludes (though quite plainly) to others. With each chorus, Swift sings, “I laughed in your face and said / ‘You're not Dylan Thomas, I'm not Patti Smith / This ain't the Chelsea Hotel, we're modern idiots.” By referencing the two songwriter and poetry icons alongside their famously artistic dwelling, Swift uses Patti Smith and Dylan Thomas to implore her partner to not take themselves too seriously. She is essentially saying that he’s not one of the greats and doesn't need to hold himself to a higher philosophical standard.
The bridge brings another two names: that of boygenius’ Lucy Dacus and longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff. She sings: “But you told Lucy you'd kill yourself if I ever leave / And I had said that to Jack about you, so I felt seen / Everyone we know understands why it's meant to be / 'Cause we're crazy.” The "Lucy" is very likely to be Lucy Dacus, who toured alongside Taylor as part of the supergroup and Eras Tour opening band boygenius. The two became friends, with Swift even barging in on boygenius’ GRAMMY press interviews to congratulate them. And the "Jack" mention? It’s safe to say that name refers to Jack Antonoff, Swift’s fellow songwriter, producer and bestie. The two have fawned over each other endlessly, and show no signs of ending their collaborations any time soon.
Though not mentioned as directly, Matty Healy is also referenced throughout The Tortured Poets Department. The lyric about eating "seven bars of chocolate" is a possible reference to the frontman’s standout hit "Chocolate" with band The 1975. That same line continues on to describe her partner falling asleep in her lap, “like a tattooed golden retriever” - and Healy is Swift’s only recent ex with tattoos. What’s more, the aforementioned Lucy Dacus is also reported to be a mutual friend of Healy and Swift, making the he-said-she-said lyric point back towards the couple’s relationship.
Check out ‘TTPD’ and the whole new Era by tuning into Tay All Day radio on the free Audacy app. The station will only be around for a few more days, so make sure to get your listening in as we celebrate the one and only tortured poet, Taylor Swift!
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