"That's a lie." In this deep dive episode, we dissect "Tim McGraw" line by line, exploring how a teenage Taylor Swift crafted a deceptively complex narrative about young love, heartbreak, and the bittersweet nature of memory. From Chevy trucks and Georgia stars to little black dresses and faded blue jeans, we unpack the country iconography and examine how the meaning of key phrases shifts dramatically when we understand that the full timeline. Join us as we discover how Taylor's debut single established her as a master storyteller from day one, using nostalgic imagery and circular narrative structure to create a song that hits different every time you hear it.

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Mentioned in this episode:

The Last Song

Dirty Dancing

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Grease

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

The Good Place

Anita de Monte Laughs Last – Xochitl Gonzalez

***

Episode Highlights:

[00:55] How we do a deep dive

[02:07] “He said the way my blue eyes shined…”

[05:32] “And I was right there beside him all summer long”

[07:55] “When you think Tim McGraw”

[12:40] “September saw a month of tears”

[18:34] “And there’s a letter left on your doorstep / And the first thing that you’ll read”

[21:40] “... I said, that's a lie”

[27:12] 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 aptaylorswift@gmail.com

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.

“And baby, that’s show business for you!❤️‍🔥” Taylor Swift just announced TS12, "The Life of a Showgirl," on the New Heights Podcast, releasing October 3rd! Join us for an emergency bonus episode as we break down the album announcement, analyze the track list through our literary lens, and discuss what this new era means for Taylor's artistic evolution. From Shakespearean references in "The Fate of Ophelia" to the millennial energy of releasing on October 3rd (it's Mean Girls day!), we dive deep into the themes, collaborators, and visual storytelling of this highly anticipated album.

Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!

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Mentioned in this episode:

William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Elizabeth Taylor Biography

Mean Girls (2004)

New Heights Podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce

Max Martin and Shellback Collaborations Playlist

Britney Spears, Circus Album

Cindy Sherman Photography

& Juliet Musical (Max Martin songs)

E31: Show and Tell - Shakespeare

E81: Show and Tell - Female Artists

E55: Rhetorical Questions Episode (Are You Ready For It)

***

Episode Highlights:

[00:27] Emergency bonus episode announcement

[03:30] First reaction to album cover reveal

[16:30] "The Fate of Ophelia" Shakespeare discussion

[26:00] How long has she be writing this album?

[33:00] Taylor's View of the Eras Tour

[46:00] Clowning for a hot second

[50:00] See you October 3rd!

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 aptaylorswift@gmail.com

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.

"I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?" This week, we're diving deep into Taylor's ultimate summer anthem and Eras Tour favorite: "Cruel Summer" (Lover 2019). We unpack whether this song is about a problematic love interest or the speaker's own internal struggle with anxious attachment and self-imposed drama. The track brilliantly captures the gap between our cool, collected external personas and the chaotic thoughts running through our heads when we're falling for someone but trying to play it casual. Join us as we go line-by-line through one of Taylor's most iconic bridges and explore why "HE LOOKS UP GRINNING LIKE A DEVIL" resonates so deeply with fans. Whether you've screamed along at the Eras Tour or you're just discovering this track, this episode offers fresh insights into Taylor's masterfully crafted exploration of facades, vulnerability, and the relief that comes with finally being honest about your feelings.

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Mentioned in this episode:

“Cruel Summer” Bananarama

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Romeo and Juliet

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Attached

***

Episode Highlights:

[01:03] How we do a deep dive

[03:51] “Fever dream high in the quiet of the night”

[08:27] “Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes”

[10:03] The chorus

[16:13] “Hang your head low in the glow of the vending machine”

[22:03] “Cut the headlights, summer’s a knife”

[26:33] “I’m drunk in the back of the car”

[31:05] “He looks up grinning like a devil”

[37:20] 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 aptaylorswift@gmail.com

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.

"Freedom felt like summer then on the coast." What happens when we explore Taylor Swift's music through the lens of summer? In this episode, we explore how summer functions both as a setting and a symbol in Taylor's songwriting. From the cruel intensity of forbidden love to nostalgic August romances and the catastrophic blues of heartbreak, we explore how Taylor uses summer to capture everything from youthful freedom to emotional devastation. Join us as we discuss "Cruel Summer," "august," and "Hits Different" to uncover why summer hits different in Taylor's discography.

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Mentioned in this episode:

• • The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • A Room with a View, E.M. Forster
  • Harry Potter
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespeare
  • My Antonia, Willa Cather

• EXX: Fall Songs

• E31: Shakespeare

• Grease
• The Summer I Turned Pretty
• White Houses, Vanessa Carlton
• What Happened to Goodbye, Sarah Dessen
• A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle

Episode Highlights:

[01:12] Introduction to Summer in Literature [08:11] "Cruel Summer" Lover [17:03] "august" folklore [30:11] "Hits Different" Midnights

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 aptaylorswift@gmail.com

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.

July 31st is Harry Potter’s birthday, so why not celebrate with a repeat of our favorite Harry Potter Holiday Special episode!? This week, let your inner Swifties and Potterhead unite as we discuss the crossovers between 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!

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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

[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 aptyalorswift@gmail.com

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.

“You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you’re talking to me” What happens when we view Taylor Swift’s music through the lens of other female artists, particularly painters? In this Summer favorite repeat, we explore the work of three iconic women in art and connect their paintings to Taylor Swift’s songs. From the intimacy of motherhood in Mary Cassatt’s work, to the surrealism of Remedios Varo, to the medieval renderings of Hildegard von Bingen, we discuss how these themes appear in both art and Taylor’s songwriting. Listen to hear how artist reframes familiar Swiftian themes like mother‑daughter bonds, dream‑logic escapism, and spiritual longing through paint, not lyrics.

Since this is a visual episode, check out the full video episode on YouTube or Spotify!

Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe

Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Mary Cassatt, Wikipedia

De Young Museum, “5 Things to Know About Impressionist Mary Cassatt”

Mary Cassatt – Bathing the Young Heir (1890-1891)

The Dutch House, Ann Patchett

Surrealism and the Art of Remedios Varo

Starmaker, Remedios Varo (1958)

Hildegard von Bingen

Hildegard von Bingen's Physica

***

Episode Highlights:

[00:19] This week’s topic: Famous female painters

[01:09] Mary Cassatt and “The Best Day”

[13:40] Remedios Varo and “This Is Me Trying”

[26:58] Hildegard von Bingen and “Guilty as Sin”

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 aptaylorswift@gmail.com

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.

"Don't blame me, love made me crazy. If it doesn't, you ain't doing it right." This week, we're deep diving into "Don't Blame Me" from the reputation album. We explore the song's gospel influences, religious imagery, and transformation themes as we analyze Taylor's most unhinged declaration of love. From poison ivy to daisies, from halos to falling from grace, join us as we unpack this intoxicating Taylor Swift tale of desire, addiction, and spiritual transcendence.

Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe

Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com

Mentioned in this episode:

E94: Show and Tell - Frankenstein

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Paradise Lost, John Milton

Ellie Goulding - "Love Me Like You Do"

50 Shades of Grey

Rocky Horror Picture Show

***

Episode Highlights:

[02:02] - “Don’t blame me, love made me crazy”

[09:00] - “I’ve been breaking hearts a long time”

[13:07] - “For you I would cross the line”

[22:40] - “My name is whatever you decide”

[33:08] - “I get so high, everytime you’re touching me”

[41:25] - 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 aptaylorswift@gmail.com

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.

“I don’t trust nobody and nobody trusts me.” In this episode, we're diving into one of literature's most enduring classics: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. From Victor's scientific ambition to the creature's desperate search for companionship, we explore how Taylor's lyrics illuminate the Gothic themes of isolation, creation, and the consequences of playing God. Join us as we examine "Don't Blame Me," "Look What You Made Me Do," and "False God" through the lens of literature's first science fiction novel—and discover why this 1818 masterpiece feels more relevant than ever in our age of artificial intelligence.

Subscribe to get new episode updates: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe

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Mentioned in this episode

• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• Paradise Lost by John Milton
• Young Frankenstein (Mel Brooks film)
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• E7: Ecocriticism
• The Handmaid's Tale

***

Episode Highlights:

[1:45] Quick overview of Frankenstein

[8:00] “Don’t Blame Me” reputation

[15:56] “Look What You Made Me Do” reputation

[30:24] “False God” Lover

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 aptaylorswift@gmail.com

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.