The Taylor Seminars

We have a special guest for this episode! Elly McCausland is a professor of English Literature at Ghent University, Belgium where she teaches the course "English Literature (Taylor’s Version)."

Elly has a book coming out called "Stars Around My Scars," which annotates 46 of Swift's songs. When we heard about this project, we knew we had to have her on to discuss one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking songs on The Tortured Poets Department, "Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus."

Listen in as they discuss Elly's upcoming book and go through the song, line by line, analyzing the lyrics and poetic devices Taylor uses throughout this masterpiece.

Connect with Elly McCausland!

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Hannah and Exquisite explore this beautifully evocative song that references poems like "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "The Albatross," Taylor's own "Blank Space" and "peace," and more.

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Art by Alef Vernon:

Hannah and Exquisite explore this extremely sexy, extremely chaotic song that's the second of the The Anthology tracks!

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@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Hannah

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Art by Alef Vernon:

We're finally on The Anthology tracks! Join Exquisite and Hannah as they discuss "The Black Dog" and how it's a perfect breakup song, with connections to "Sad Beautiful Tragic," "All Too Well," and an evermore song that made Exquisite almost cry. Oh, and stick around to the very end of the episode for a final connection to a Speak Now song!

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@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Hannah

@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Exquisite

Art by Alef Vernon:

Can you believe we made it to the end of TTPD standard? In this episode, Exquisite and Hannah analyze the speakers (yes, speakers) in this song, and revisit the omnipresent theme of fame.

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@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Hannah

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Art by Alef Vernon: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alefvernon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Taylor Swift writes the perfect love story/sports anthem in "The Alchemy." Listen as Exquisite and Hannah talk through the sports metaphors and how the song shows healing and growth and, of course, love.

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Art by Alef Vernon: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alefvernon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Let's get scathing and angry as we talk Track 14 of The Tortured Poets Department. We talk about not only the devastating lyrics, but also the performance of the song in the Eras tour. Also--do you think there's a double muse?!?

Also, our comment section is now open! Feel free to leave feedback for this or any other episode!

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We're so depressed we act like there's a TTPD seminar every day! Tune in as we talk Track 13 (!!!) "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart." Hannah & Exquisite talk about how Taylor used her tour to push through and find herself again. And listen for all the references they found in the song.

Also, our comment section is now open! Feel free to leave feedback for this or any other episode!

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@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Hannah

@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Exquisite

Art by Alef Vernon: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alefvernon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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You thought we were done talking about loml? Turns out there's more support for the double muse theory for the song. See Exquisite and Hannah fasten "loml" to "Glitch" with an embroidered stitch in this short bonus episode. We hope you enjoy.

Also, our comment section is now open! Feel free to leave feedback for this or any other episode!

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@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Hannah

@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Exquisite

Art by Alef Vernon: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alefvernon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Let's breakdown loml lyrics while having a breakdown! Exquisite and Hannah take on this devastating song line by line as we Taylor writing the blended muses as her songwriting skill is at its highest level. See her vulnerability, sadness, and anger as she hits rock bottom. explore the anger of this wild and spooky track in the latest episode of "The Taylor Seminars.

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@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Hannah

@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Exquisite

Art by Alef Vernon: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alefvernon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alef's Patreon⁠⁠