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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

52:26

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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8:14

Celebrating Our Favorite Childless Cat Lady:...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/10/29

"How high was Andrew Lloyd Webber when he wrote this and on what exactly?"This month on After School, we're discussing Cats, the 2019 movie musical featuring Taylor Swift as Bombalurina. For this bonus episode for paid subscribers, we watched and dissected Tom Hooper's infamous film adaptation. From the uncanny CGI to Taylor's scene-stealing performance to the existential question of cat proportions, we explore what went wrong (and occasionally right) in translating Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 stage

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58:10

E105: I guess I'll never, ever know… “Now That We...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/10/22

“You part the crowd like the Red Sea, don't even get me started.” This week, we're deep diving "Now That We Don't Talk" from 1989 (Taylor's Version). This vault track is lyrically dense, structurally complex, and emotionally devastating in its exploration of uncertainty, insecurity, and the relationships that leave us wanting more. We analyze biblical references, rhetorical questions, enjambment, and why this song was ultimately too insecure to make the original 1989 album. Join us as we unpack how

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40:28

E104: Just a Girl on a Mission: Connecting Wicked to...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/10/15

This week on AP Taylor Swift, we're doing something special, a Wicked-themed show and tell! With Wicked: For Good coming out soon, we're embracing our inner theater kids and connecting Taylor Swift's music to this beloved story. From the 1995 Gregory Maguire book to the 2003 Broadway musical to the upcoming film adaptation, we explore how “A Place in This World,” “Treacherous,” and “Now That We Don’t Talk” all perfectly capture the complex relationships and emotional journeys in the Land of

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50:23

E103: Invisible String Deep Dive - How Taylor Swift...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/10/08

"Isn't it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?" This week, we're deep diving "invisible string" (folklore 2020). We go line by line through this deceptively whimsical love song, exploring everything from Greek mythology to Jane Eyre references, the evolution of time from "curious" to "mystical" to "wondrous," and why Taylor chooses to believe in fate. Join us as we unpack the colors, the contrasts, and the surprising darkness hidden beneath this

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61:33

"The Life of a Showgirl" Album Release Reactions

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/10/03

"But you don't know the life of a showgirl, babe." Join us for our immediate reactions to Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl album! We break down our first impressions track by track, exploring the sophisticated lyricism hidden beneath high-energy pop production, the album's theatrical motifs, and how Taylor uses the showgirl concept as both performance and vulnerability. From the literary references in "Fate of Ophelia" to the musical callbacks throughout, we discuss how this album ties together

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32:33

E102: Taylor Swift Parallels: Connecting the Dots...

AP Taylor Swift ·

2025/10/01

"What if I told you none of it was accidental?" This week, 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 views of fate in “Invisible String” and agency in “Mastermind”. And, we take a

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138 results

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