Welcome to AP Taylor Swift Podcast, the podcast for Swifties with English degrees (or those who just overanalyze everything). Each episode, we dive into a deep ...
“When you are young they assume you know nothing.” This week on AP Taylor Swift we deep dive into “cardigan” from folklore. We discuss the song’s nostalgia for teenage love and explore what it means to feel like an old cardigan–is that a good thing? We connect the song to last week’s Peter Pan discussion and the “teenage love trilogy” with august and betty. Is "Cardigan" simply a story of love lost and regained, or is it a meditation on self-discovery and growth? Find out when you listen to this week’s episode
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Mentioned in this episode:
Harry Potter
Lord of the Rings
Peter Pan
Hits Different
The Hills
Virginia Woolf
e.e. cummings
“My Cousin Vinny”
***
Episode Highlights:
[02:43] The “teenage love triangle” trilogy
[05:51] “Vintage tee, brand new phone”
[13:00] “And when I felt like I was an old cardigan”
[18:49] “Heartbeat on The Highline”
[23:52] “Once in twenty lifetimes”
[31:23] “I knew you…”
[36:25] “Cause I knew everything when I was young”
[45:00] The purpose of the song
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!
TikTok → tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift
Instagram → instagram.com/APTaylorSwift
YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift
Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
Bookshop.org → bookshop.org/shop/apts
Libro.fm → tinyurl.com/aptslibro
Contact us at [email protected]
Affiliate Codes:
Krowned Krystals - krownedkrystals.com use code APTS at checkout for 10% off!
Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
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57:14
E71: Show and Tell - Peter Pan
“Tried to change the ending, Peter losing Wendy.” This week on AP Taylor Swift podcast, we have a show-and-tell episode exploring “Peter Pan” and its influence on Taylor Swift’s music. We analyze three songs—“Innocent,” “Cardigan,” and “Peter”—uncovering connections between Taylor’s lyrics and Peter Pan’s themes of childhood, growing up, lost innocence, and the allure of staying young forever. From exploring Wendy's perspective as the “mother” figure to dissecting the complexities of Peter Pan syndrome, we delve into the literary and psychological depths of J.M. Barrie's classic tale and its resonance in Taylor Swift's lyrics.
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com
Mentioned in this episode:
Peter Pan, JM Barrie
Peter Pan (Play), JM Barrie
Finding Neverland (Film)
Finding Neverland (Musical)
Peter Pan (1953) Disney adaptation
Peter Pan (2003)
Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)
Peter & the Starcatcher
Hook
Hymn to Demeter
Lord of the Flies
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:07] Intro to Peter Pan
[08:31] “Innocent” Speak Now
[22:34] “Cardigan” folklore
[31:09] “Peter” The Tortured Poets Department
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!
TikTok → tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift
Instagram → instagram.com/APTaylorSwift
YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift
Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
Bookshop.org → bookshop.org/shop/apts
Libro.fm → tinyurl.com/aptslibro
Contact us at [email protected]
Affiliate Codes:
Krowned Krystals - krownedkrystals.com use code APTS at checkout for 10% off!
Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
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46:32
Holidays Show and Tell - New Year's Day Re-Release
“I’ll be picking up bottles with you on New Year’s Day.” In honor of New Year’s Day we’re revisiting our 2023 Holidays episode. But…did we actually pick holiday songs? We start by defining what the “holiday season” even means in an attempt to answer the question. Jodi discusses “New Year’s Day,” with the thesis that it’s a song about the everyday, not necessarily the holidays. Jenn brings on the holiday melancholy with “champagne problems,” sparking a hot conversation about holiday engagements and the challenges of family gatherings during the holidays. And Maansi, naturally, shares “tis the damn season,” prompting a conversation about how we really feel about the holiday season and whether they “linger like bad perfume” for us. Are Taylor Swift holidays actually happy holidays? Listen and find out!
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com
Mentioned in this episode:
“Under the Tuscan Sun”
“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”
“Book Lovers,” Emily Henry
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” JK Rowling
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” film
“Inside Out”
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:13] How do we define the holiday season?
[05:52] “New Years Day” I’ll be picking up bottles with you
[22:20] “champagne problems” Your mom's ring in your pocket
[36:40] “‘tis the damn season” We could call it even
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!
TikTok → tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift
Instagram → instagram.com/APTaylorSwift
YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift
Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
Bookshop.org → bookshop.org/shop/apts
Libro.fm → tinyurl.com/aptslibro
Contact us at [email protected]
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
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56:23
E70: Show and Tell - Harry Potter Holiday Special
“We can leave the Christmas lights up til January.” Tis the damn season, so we’re bringing you a Harry Potter Holiday Special episode! This week we do a special Show and Tell episode bringing together two of our favorite topics: Harry Potter and Taylor Swift’s lyrics. Jenn imagines “Look What You Made Me Do” as Snape’s song to Voldermort. Jodi makes the case that “Lover” perfectly captures Lavender Brown’s feelings toward Ron. And Maansi envisions “You’re On Your Own Kid” as an anthem about Harry Potter’s arc throughout the entire series. Whether you’re a fan of the books, the movies, or both, we fully dork out on this episode. Join us!
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com
Mentioned in this episode:
Harry Potter
Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma
TikTok creator who does “Harry Potter Characters as Taylor Swift Songs” Jake L @Jakobcl1989
***
Episode Highlights:
[01:30] Introduction to Harry Potter and Christmas
[05:25] “Look What You Made Me Do”
[13:30] “Lover”
[24:08] “You’re On Your Own, Kid”
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!
TikTok → tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift
Instagram → instagram.com/APTaylorSwift
YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift
Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
Bookshop.org → bookshop.org/shop/apts
Libro.fm → tinyurl.com/aptslibro
Contact us at [email protected]
Affiliate Codes:
Krowned Krystals - krownedkrystals.com use code APTS at checkout for 10% off!
Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
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45:38
E69: Deep Dive - my tears ricochet
“I can go anywhere I want, just not home” This week on AP Taylor Swift, we take on “my tears ricochet,” the gut-wrenching Track 5 from “Folklore”. From its funeral imagery to what it means for a tear to “ricochet,” we explore themes of grief, regret, and power dynamics. Whether this song is about romantic heartbreak, a friendship gone sour, or even a toxic job, we explore why this song resonates so deeply with so many, and what it means for each of us.
Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe
Stay up to date: www.aptaylorswift.com
Mentioned in this episode:
E67: Greek Mythology
E54: Anniversary Episode
E32: Love Story Deep Dive
The Little Book of Shakespeare's Insults: The Bard's Best Barbs
Reputation album letter
Jane Eyre
The Phantom of the Opera
The Little Mermaid
Harry Potter
E56: Guest Episode - DJ Louie XIV
***
Episode Highlights:
[00:35] Introducing “my tears ricochet” and our initial thoughts
[06:51] “I didn’t have it in myself to go with grace”
[10:48] “Look at how my tears ricochet”
[17:31] “You know I didn’t want to have to haunt you”
[24:49] “When I’d fight you used to tell me I was brave”
[29:11] “And I can go anywhere I want, just not home”
[36:41] “You had to kill me but it killed you just the same”
[41:10] What might it mean for tears to ricochet?
[44:50] The purpose of the song
Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!
TikTok → tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift
Instagram → instagram.com/APTaylorSwift
YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift
Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
Bookshop.org → bookshop.org/shop/apts
Libro.fm → tinyurl.com/aptslibro
Contact us at [email protected]
Affiliate Codes:
Krowned Krystals - krownedkrystals.com use code APTS at checkout for 10% off!
Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro
This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.
Welcome to AP Taylor Swift Podcast, the podcast for Swifties with English degrees (or those who just overanalyze everything). Each episode, we dive into a deep reading of Taylor Swift’s lyrics to uncover the literary themes, references, and inspirations behind the songs to better understand and interpret why Taylor Swift’s songs resonate so deeply with fans.
Subscribe to get new AP Taylor Swift Podcast episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe