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PODCAST

AP Taylor Swift

AP Taylor Swift Podcast

Welcome to AP Taylor Swift Podcast, the show for Swifties who love to overanalyze lyrics! Join hosts Maansi Dommeti, Jenn Holcomb, and Jodi Innerfield as they delve into Taylor Swift’s music to uncover the literary devices, themes, and inspirations that make her songs resonate with millions of fans. From Shakespeare to feminist theory, we explore the academic side of Taylor’s songwriting, no English degree required, just curiosity. New episodes weekly. Subscribe for updates:

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All Episodes

52:34

E117: Flashback When You Met Me - Taylor Swift's...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2026/02/11

"Only bought this dress so you could take it off." This week, we're deep diving "Dress" (reputation, 2017). We go line by line through this intimate friends-to-lovers anthem, exploring the transition from public persona to private moments, the dress as both armor and vulnerability, and why this song perfectly captures the spark that ignites a shift from friendship to something more. Join us as we unpack intentionality, agency, emotional nakedness, and discover why this song is the perfect soundtrack

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12:54

The Meaning Behind Taylor Swift's "Opalite" Lyrics:...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2026/02/07

"You had to make your own sunshine, but now the sky is opalite." In honor of the “Opalite” music video, we’re giving our After School Paid Subscribers early access to our “Opalite” deep dive! We explore why Taylor chose “opalite” over “opal,” what it means to create your own luck instead of waiting for it, and the song’s shift from being stuck in a cycle to finding resilience. Along the way, we debate who’s really speaking—is Mama Swift talking the whole time?—trace the song’s self-referential

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47:24

E116: Taylor Swift Songs That Are Basically...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2026/02/04

"I don't want you like a best friend." What happens when we view Taylor Swift's music through the lens of Regency era romance? In this week's Show & Tell episode, we explore Taylor Swift’s songs through Shonda Rhimes's Netflix adaptation of Julia Quinn’s “Bridgerton” novels to uncover how Taylor's songs capture the tension, longing, and swoony moments that define the series. From secret romances in crowded rooms to enemies-to-lovers slow burns, we connect three iconic Bridgerton couples to

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56:20

E115: "When the Lights Go Out It's Hard to Breathe" -...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2026/01/28

"I'd say I love you even at your darkest, and please don't go." This week, we continue our winter songs conversation with a deep dive into "Forever Winter" from Red (Taylor's Version). Content warning: This episode discusses mental health struggles, suicide, and grief. We explore the song line by line, examining themes of helplessness, survivor's guilt, the weight of supporting someone through mental illness, and how Taylor captures the raw emotions of loving someone at their darkest. Join us as we

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39:21

E114: Taylor Swift Winter Songs: "Back to December,"...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2026/01/21

"But then the cold came, the dark days when fear crept into my mind" What happens when we explore Taylor Swift's coldest, most melancholic songs? In this week's Show and Tell episode, we examine three winter songs—"Back to December," "The Moment I Knew," and "Forever Winter"—to uncover how Taylor uses winter as a literary device to explore themes of regret, loss, and missed opportunities. From the isolation of snowy landscapes to the clarity that comes with reflection, we discuss how winter

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77:11

E113: The Fate of Ophelia - A Line-by-Line Analysis...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2026/01/14

"All that time I sat alone in my tower, you were just honing your powers. Now I can see it all, see it all." This week, we're deep diving "The Fate of Ophelia" (The Life of a Showgirl, 2025). We go line by line through the lead single from Taylor's latest album, exploring everything from Hamlet references to fairy tale imagery, the contrast between "high brow" poetic language and colloquial modern speak, and why this song is actually packed with green flags about healthy relationships. Join us as we

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52:26

E112: Taylor Swift & Hamlet: Breaking Down "Hamlet"...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2026/01/07

"Pretend he doesn’t know that he’s the reason why you’re drowning." This week we're exploring Shakespeare's "Hamlet" through Taylor Swift's lens, diving into the psychological depths of revenge, agency, and the fate of being a silenced woman. From the “Real Housewives of Shakespeare” (yes, really) to the drowning weight of societal expectations, we unpack how Taylor uses one of literature's most tragic figures to explore modern questions about independence, relationships, and female

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10:49

Hamlet: Sad, Beautiful, Tragic (Shakespeare’s...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2026/01/07

"Ophelia lived in tragedy." In this preview of our paid subscriber bonus episode, we’re diving deeper into Hamlet. We all study it, and love it or hate it, there’s something about this particular play that keeps people talking about it. What about Shakespeare’s Hamlet, remains so relevant almost 500 years later? We talk briefly about its history, how it’s taught, why it’s culturally so important, the role of tragedy in theater and in Taylor Swfit's music, amongst other topics related to this

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33:36

Revisiting Taylor Swift Parallels: Connecting the...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/12/31

"What if I told you none of it was accidental?" On this special NYE edition, we're revisiting our Parallel Songs episode, which means you’re getting six show-and-tell songs instead of three! In this episode, we explore the concept of parallel songs in Taylor Swift's discography, focusing on thematic and lyrical connections between pairs of songs. We discuss the similarities between the carefree hangout vibes of “22” and the more mature perspective of letting loose in “Bejeweled”; the contrasting

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55:50

Happy Holidays from AP Taylor Swift - Holiday Songs...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/12/24

“I’ll be picking up bottles with you on New Year’s Day.” In honor of the holidays, 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

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64:15

E112: The End of an Era - Initial Reactions to Eps 1...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/12/17

“We think of these bad things happening to me, or to us. If you flip it around correctly, and you react in a certain way, those things can be happening for you." Ever since we saw the cameras backstage at the Eras Tour, we’ve been waiting for a documentary to arrive, and this week we got to enjoy episodes one and two of this long-awaited glimpse behind the scenes. Check out this week’s episode where we dive into our reactions, the lessons we learned, and chat a bit about what else we hope to see in

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43:42

Revisiting TTPD and The Eras Tour

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/12/10

As we prepare for the release of the Eras Tour documentary series, we wanted to pause and revisit our experiences at the Eras Tour and the excitement we felt when The Tortured Poets Department was added to the set list. Take a moment and revisit this older episode of ours to get yourself in the mindset for the docuseries! 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

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55:02

E111: “So High School” by Taylor Swift line-by-line...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/12/03

"In the blink of a crinkling eye, I'm sinking, our fingers entwined." This week, we're deep diving one of The Tortured Poets Department's most nostalgic and playful tracks: "So High School." We explore how this Aaron Dessner collaboration captures the giddiness of adult romance that feels refreshingly simple and unguarded—like being transported back to those butterflies-in-your-stomach moments of teenage crushes. From twinkling lights to truth or dare, we unpack how Taylor Swift uses high school

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42:07

E110: Taylor Swift's High School Songs - A High...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/11/26

"I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale." What happens when we look at Taylor Swift's music through the lens of high school—specifically, the cultural phenomenon that is “High School Musical”? This week, we explore how adolescence shapes storytelling in literature, film, and music. From the fairy tale expectations in "White Horse" to the transformative power of "Change" to the nostalgia of "So High School," we discuss how Taylor's perspective on high school has evolved over time, and why these

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6:24

We're All in This Together: Why High School Musical...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/11/26

"How did a made-for-TV Disney Channel movie become the defining musical of a generation?"This month on After School, we're discussing High School Musical, the 2006 Disney Channel original movie that launched a thousand basketball-playing singers and made "Get Your Head in the Game" an iconic song. For this bonus episode for paid subscribers, we dive deep into why this cheesy, swoopy-haired phenomenon resonated so strongly with millennials and continues to trend with Gen Z today. From the cultural

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47:45

E109: “I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You”: A Line-by-Line...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/11/19

"Please picture me in the trees... before I learned civility." This week, we're deep diving one of folklore's most haunting and emotionally complex tracks: "seven." By popular request from our listeners, we explore this fan-favorite song that captures childhood innocence, the weight of adult responsibilities placed on young shoulders, and the bittersweet process of looking back at formative moments that shaped who we've become. From cross-your-heart promises to haunted houses, we unpack how Taylor

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35:41

E108: "That's a Real Legacy to Leave": Taylor Swift...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/11/12

"That's a Real Legacy to Leave." This week, we're diving deep into the art of double meanings in Taylor Swift's songwriting! Join us as we explore how Taylor crafts lyrics that can be interpreted in multiple ways simultaneously, and how she uses this technique to add layers of depth to her storytelling. We analyze three songs where the titles themselves contain double meanings: "seven" from folklore, "Maroon" from Midnights, and "loml" from The Tortured Poets Department. From the ambiguity of

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48:07

E107: State of Grace Deep Dive: Taylor Swift's...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/11/04

"I'm walking fast through the traffic lights, busy streets and busy lives." This week, we're deep diving "State of Grace" from Red (2012), exploring how this opening track marks a turning point in Taylor's approach to love songs. We unpack the religious meaning of "state of grace" and what it reveals about forgiveness and fresh starts, discuss how the gritty reality of New York City replaces the fairy tale imagery of earlier albums, and examine what it means to navigate love as a 22-year-old trying

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13:50

One Month with Taylor Swift's “The Life of a...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/11/03

“Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes.” In this preview of our After School episode, we're reflecting on our first month with Taylor's latest album. We dive into why certain Taylor albums create earworms while others don't, how her genre-hopping creates completely different fan bases, and whether we just accidentally invented a personality test based on your top two Taylor albums (spoiler: it's better than Myers-Briggs). Plus, we debate whether "an album full of bops" can stand the

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39:11

E106: Stumble On Home to My Cats: Taylor Swift’s Cat...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/10/29

"I'll dance with these beautiful ghosts and I'll choose to be wild and free." What happens when we view Taylor Swift's music through the lens of our feline friends? In this week's Show & Tell episode, we explore three songs that connect to the world of cats in different ways. From the mysterious cat distribution system to reclaiming the "cat lady" trope, we discuss how cats represent independence, mystery, and the feminine in both literature and Taylor's music. Plus, we dive into why men who

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