THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT is the 11th studio album from Taylor Swift, and it is a beautiful and cohesive work of art that tells the story of Swift’s recent struggles.
On April 19 at Midnight, Swifties worldwide were settled in for this highly anticipated album. It was a lot to take in at once, but here are my thoughts on the first 16 songs.
Opening with “Fortnight” (ft. Post Malone) was a strong choice that worked out well for Swift. I came into this album with a lot of anxiety about what it was going to sound like. I was worried I might not like it, but after hearing “Fortnight,” I was instantly hooked.
This song and many others on the album had a sort of synth-pop sound to them thanks to Swift’s producer and close friend Jack Antanoff, and it was captivating, coupled with the poetic and thought-provoking lyrics coursed through the album.
Similarly, the more poetic and calmer songs were produced by another long-time friend of Swift’s, Aaron Dessner.
The opening line of this song shares a unique parallel with the last song on her previous album, Midnights (The Till Dawn Edition), “Hits Different,” in which Swift sings the lines “I heard your key turn in the door down the hallway, Is that your key in the door?. . Or have they come to take me away?. .” and similarly “Fortnight” starts with the lines “I was supposed to be sent away, But they forgot to come and get me.” This lyric makes fans think and, in a way, allows Swift to continue telling this story of her relationship right where she left off in October of 2022.
Starting with so many topics and depth, “Fortnight” is a strong opener and perfect for what follows it in the rest of the album.
The title track for the album “The Tortured Poets Department” is a song that, like many on this album, I enjoy more and more with each listen, and I like the difference it brings in comparison to Swift’s discography.
This song also has a lot of people asking who it may be about because, of course, everyone has to make Swift’s songs about one specific guy. There seems to be a lot of speculation about 1975 lead singer Matty Healy, whom many believe Swift had a fling with due to the line “I scratch your head, you fall asleep, like a tattooed golden retriever,” and as far as the public knows, her previous and official ex-boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, did not have any tattoos.
Swift also uses a creative comparison in this song with the lines “You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith, this ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’re modern idiots,” which is referring to two famous poets and the Chelsea Hotel, which is known for being visited by acclaimed writers.
“My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys” is the third track on this album. I think it has a unique sense of depth by implying that her previous significant other eventually got tired of her. She continually refers to herself as a toy and an object, which can be taken to a whole other level if you put it in the perspective of women often being treated like objects by men. Every verse tells this narrative with different analogies, making a solid point.
“Down Bad” is full of passion and pain. This song captures the feeling of abandonment after investing so much time and emotions into a relationship.
“So Long, London” is track 5, Swift’s most vulnerable song, as she says, and she was not going easy on this one. This was my most anticipated track from the album, and it did not disappoint.
With complete transparency, I did not like it when I first listened to it and felt like it lacked a sense of passion and lyricism, but after a few listens, I realized that could not be farther from the truth.
Swift has made several references in her past songs to Joe Alwyn and him being from London, but those have been much happier than these lyrics. This song wreaks devastation and parallels her song “You’re Losing Me (From The Vault).”
“I stopped CPR, after all, it’s no use” is a line from “So Long, London” about giving up on trying in the relationship due to it becoming so one-sided, and in “You’re Losing Me (From The Vault)” Swift sings “I can’t find a pulse, my heart won’t start anymore, for you.”
Similarly, the line “I died on the altar waiting for the proof” is an apparent reference to marriage in some capacity, and we see references like this in the album.
“But Daddy I Love Him” is another commentary-esque song as it is, at its core, about how Swift is perceived in the media, specifically regarding her relationships.
Throughout her career, Swift has been poked at, speculations have been made about who she is and is not dating, and the media paints her. Swift uses a lot of powerful lyrics in this song to prove her point. Still, I think “I’ll tell you something about my good name, it’s mine alone to disgrace” really does the best job, as essentially Swift is saying, back off about my personal life because it’s mine to ruin. You should stay out of it; it seems both her fanbase and the general public struggle with that.
“Fresh Out The Slammer” is the following track, and I am obsessed with the production of it. I feel like this song has something we have not heard from Swift or Antanoff and has a theatrical vibe. I feel as though this song uses an analogy of being in prison to being trapped in a relationship, and she also seems to sing about losing sight of what matters.
Another anticipated track of mine was “Florida!!!” (ft. Florence and the Machine), and I hate to say that I think this is my least favorite track from the album. Do not get me wrong; the lyrics are great, and Florence and the Machine was an excellent choice, but I feel like it’s an almost busy song, and I do not get whatever story Swift is trying to tell.
“Guilty as Sin” adds a bit of an upside to this album as it is not nearly as sad as the rest of the lyrics and seems to be a bit more on the romantic side. In simplest terms, it is a song about missing someone in a more romantic way, which provides a nice juxtaposition to the other tracks.
Is it a new Taylor Swift album if it did not come with a song about her nasty experiences in the industry?
“Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” is another of my favorite tracks, and Swift’s vocals pop off on this one. One lyric that stands out to me is ‘putting narcotics into all of my songs, and that’s why you’re still singing along.” Every verse continues with examples of how the industry and media have had their run on both Swift and her career, and it is an excellently crafted song that gives listeners one of many perspectives Swift has to provide on the topic.
Similarly to “But Daddy I Love Him,” the 11th track, “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can),” discusses how Swift’s fans perceive her relationships, but this one tackles it in a somewhat different way. This song is much more lighthearted and less severe with lyrics such as “they shake their heads saying, “God help her,” when I tell them he’s my man, but your good Lord doesn’t need to lift a finger, I can fix him, no, really, I can” which is just implying that sometimes people do not necessarily approve of who Taylor is rumored to date. Still, she is so hooked on them that she thinks she can fix him (no, really, she can).
“loml” is a creative title for the next track, as it helps tell a story. Typically, “loml” stands for “love of my life,” but in the song, Swift changes love to loss in the last verse, which hits when you sit and listen to it.
“You talked me under the table, talking rings and talking cradles, I wish I could un-recall, how we almost had it all” is another set of lyrics on this album discussing marriage and a serious future. I feel it put in perspective just how serious this relationship was, how much Swift lost, and the grief it caused.
“loml” is a gorgeous song that deserves to have its lyricism and craftsmanship appreciated, and I think it captures the whole poet’s goal of the album.
Towards the end of the album, at full swing, is possibly one of the most upbeat and saddest songs I have ever heard, “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart.” This is a song all about Swift performing her phenomenon of a tour while being at the peak of heartbreak and struggling with extreme depression but going through it all with a smile.
I cannot even begin to describe the sound of this song as it is almost too upbeat; think of something like “Shake it Off” but on a sugar high.
Taylor did not attempt to hide what this song was about as the videos on Spotify that often accompany songs are stitched-together clips of the Eras Tour, and in the background of the music, you can also hear Swift’s in-ear monitor for her song “Mastermind” which she performs on tour. This song packs a punch and honestly makes my jaw drop. I would probably have to say that, at the moment, this is my favorite from that album.
“The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” is a track thatgoes in on this man who crushed Swift’s vibe. They were clearly in a happy relationship, but he had to get her down and ruin it all. She spends the song begging him for answers as to why it ended the way it did, and it’s a heartbreaking listen if you ask me. The lyrics of this song indeed read like poetry, full of deep emotion and longing.
“The Alchemy” is a song many people wonder if it is about Travis Kelce, Swift’s current boyfriend. I see why people think this, as it’s full of sports references and confessions of true love, but I am unsure if I will reach any conclusions yet.
The last song on the album, “Clara Bow,” had me gasping in shock after each verse. She describes women who have become renowned inspirational figures, such as old Hollywood actress Clara Bow and singer Stevie Nicks, and she acknowledges their part in her fame as inspirational figures.
Similarly to her song from the Red album “The Lucky One,” Swift speaks in the third person and describes her journey to stardom and how she never thought it would happen, and at the end, she passes on the torch in a way.
Closing the song with “you look like Taylor Swift, In this light, we’re loving it. You’ve got edge she never did, the future’s bright” and just like every other song, there is speculation and rumors about who the lyrics are targeted towards, but I think these are more broad and just directed to the strong women in the industry in general and not one specific person. I believe this is a lovely song that ties a bow on the whole album.
THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT is admittedly a lot to get through. Many people theorize it’s supposed to feel like that, as Swift wants the listener to feel burnt out and beat by the end of the album as she felt by the end of her relationship. Whether that is true or not, it is exciting to consider, as many of these songs are relatively heavy with emotion.
One thing I admire about Swift is that it seems her music and craft grow with her fans as the more we go on, the more mature her music gets, and I think it adds just an extra layer of depth and a slight touch that it is not a big deal, but I feel it acknowledges the fans in a way.
