Welcome to The Tortured Podcasters Department. On the agenda for today…

• Hosts: Amy, McCormick, and Karmen
• Swift Facts: Despite being a fan favorite from the debut era, the song “I’d Lie” was never released. Fans knew it from live performances of it on GAC Shortcuts and Billboard Live.
• Department Findings: We dive into the background, production, and lyrics of “I’d Lie.”
• An unreleased song from the Debut Era, “I’d Lie” became a fan favorite due to a leaked recording and some live performances.
• This song has fun juxtapositions between rattling off facts about someone, while denying that they mean anything to you. 
• We’re now thinking way too much about “I’d Lie” Guy and his 1,000-yard stare.
• Tay-Lore: The Mandela Effect is strong with this one. Many fans (including Karmen) swear that it was released on a special edition of the Debut album, but that is a Swifite wives tale started by false information on Wikipedia. 

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Send a department memo or follow us on social media by clicking here.


Music/Sound Credits:
Intro Music: "A Stylish Beat (Infinite Echoes)" by ONALDIN via Pixabay
Tay-Lore: “Lullaby Sleeping” by Music_for_Videos via Pixabay
Taylor Terminology: “Classical Royal British Music” by DELOSound via Pixabay
Various sound effects: Pixabay

Welcome to The Tortured Podcasters Department. On the agenda for today…

• Hosts: Amy, Liz, and Karmen
• Swift Facts: When the Beautiful Eyes EP was released, it replaced Taylor’s debut album as #1 on the Top Country Albums Billboard chart. “Taylor Swift” moved into the #2 spot, making Taylor the first artist to hold the top two positions on the chart since LeAnn Rimes did it in 1997. 
• Department Findings: We dive into the background, production, and lyrics of “I Heart ?.”
• Just like “Beautiful Eyes,” this song was also written when Taylor was just 13 years old. 
• It’s fun and quirky.
• The rhyme scheme is so insanely catchy, especially on the first verse!
• Is anyone else reminded of Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated”?
• He’s trying to get her back and she’s like, “We are never ever getting back together. Like ever.”
• Weaponizing millennial hand doodling is genius.
• The Cats Have It: In honor of our favorite cat lady, we’re each going to pick a line from this song and replace one word with “cat.”

Connect with Us:
Send a department memo or follow us on social media by clicking here.


Music/Sound Credits:
Intro Music: "A Stylish Beat (Infinite Echoes)" by ONALDIN via Pixabay
Tay-Lore: “Lullaby Sleeping” by Music_for_Videos via Pixabay
Taylor Terminology: “Classical Royal British Music” by DELOSound via Pixabay
Various sound effects: Pixabay

Welcome to The Tortured Podcasters Department. On the agenda for today…

• Hosts: Amy, Liz, and Karmen
• Swift Facts: The Beautiful Eyes EP was released in July 2008 to “tide fans over until the next album.” The EP was a Walmart Exclusive release because Taylor didn’t want it released too widely and confusing people into thinking it was her next full length album.
• Department Findings: We dive into the background, production, and lyrics of “Beautiful Eyes.”
• Taylor wrote this song when she was just 13 years old, according to a now archived MySpace post.
• The first live performance of this song on record happened in 2005, three years before it would be released on the EP.
• “Beautiful Eyes” is one of the few songs never performed on the Eras Tour.
• The music video features clips from Taylor’s 18th birthday celebration.
• This song encompasses the feelings of having an all-consuming crush for the first time. 
• Taylor often describes falling in love as feeling like flying.
• We know a lot of Taylor’s early love songs were based on observing other people or fictional characters. Our hosts start some wild rumors about what movies this song is based on.
• Tay-Lore: We discuss the release of the “Beautiful Eyes” EP and everything that was on the physical discs.

Connect with Us:
Send a department memo or follow us on social media by clicking here.


Music/Sound Credits:
Intro Music: "A Stylish Beat (Infinite Echoes)" by ONALDIN via Pixabay
Tay-Lore: “Lullaby Sleeping” by Music_for_Videos via Pixabay
Taylor Terminology: “Classical Royal British Music” by DELOSound via Pixabay
Various sound effects: Pixabay

Welcome to The Tortured Podcasters Department. On the agenda for today…

• Hosts: Amy, Nicole, and Liz
• Swift Facts: Taylor Swift’s debut album was released in the US and Canada in 2006, but didn’t get a wider international release until two years later in 2008.
• Department Findings: We dive into the background, production, and lyrics of “A Perfectly Good Heart.”
• Amy is not this song’s biggest fan. 
• Liz likes it because it is very different from other tracks, making it unique.
• We find out a little more about the co-writers on this track, who had a massive hit with Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel.”
• This song starts with a chorus, which is a bit out of the ordinary for Taylor. 
• Nicole explains her take on why the lyrics are so repetitive, with the song mimicking how a mind can spiral and circle in this type of situation. 
• Is this the shortest bridge to ever exist in a Taylor Swift song?
• The Cats Have It: In honor of our favorite cat lady, we’re each going to pick a line from this song and replace one word with “cat.” 

Connect with Us:
Send a department memo or follow us on social media by clicking here.


Music/Sound Credits:
Intro Music: "A Stylish Beat (Infinite Echoes)" by ONALDIN via Pixabay
Tay-Lore: “Lullaby Sleeping” by Music_for_Videos via Pixabay
Taylor Terminology: “Classical Royal British Music” by DELOSound via Pixabay
Various sound effects: Pixabay

Welcome to The Tortured Podcasters Department. On the agenda for today…

• Hosts: Amy, Nicole, and Karmen
• Swift Facts: Taylor’s lucky association with the number 13 started early on – with her noting that she turned 13 on Friday the 13th and her debut album went gold in 13 weeks.
• Department Findings: We dive into the background, production, and lyrics of “Invisible.”
• According to an Instagram post by Taylor’s co-writer and the producer of this track, Robert Ellis Orrall, this song was recorded in 2004. 
• The song is about unrequited love.
• Invisible can reference how Taylor feels, how her crush feels since his love interest doesn’t seem to be returning his affections, and also describes the inexistence of Taylor and the guy being an item. 
• We have more references to eyes. 
• Wanting to love someone isn’t the same as actively loving them. 
• “Like shadows in a faded light” is a very poetic way to say that without light, there are no shadows, and therefore they are invisible. 
• Did this boy know her? Did she know him? We’d love to know.
• Tay-Lore: We explore more of the details of the release of the Taylor Swift Deluxe Edition album.

Connect with Us:
Send a department memo or follow us on social media by clicking here.


Music/Sound Credits:
Intro Music: "A Stylish Beat (Infinite Echoes)" by ONALDIN via Pixabay
Tay-Lore: “Lullaby Sleeping” by Music_for_Videos via Pixabay
Taylor Terminology: “Classical Royal British Music” by DELOSound via Pixabay
Various sound effects: Pixabay

Welcome to The Tortured Podcasters Department. On the agenda for today…

• Hosts: Amy, Karmen, and Lucy
• Swift Facts: Following its initial success, Taylor Swift’s debut album got a deluxe edition, released on November 6th 2007, featuring 3 additional tracks.
• Department Findings: We dive into the background, production, and lyrics of “I’m Only Me When I’m With You.”
• This song is one of the earliest written tracks to be recorded. 
• The production and overall sound is very reminiscent of songs released by Martina McBride and Faith Hill around this same time period.
• The music video features home video footage taken by Taylor herself, showing life on the road with her family, friends, and band. 
• Despite not making the cut for the original release of the debut album, “I’m Only Me When I’m With You” has been performed live over 100 times. 
• This song captures young friendships really well. 
• The Cats Have It: In honor of our favorite cat lady, we’re each going to pick a line from this song and replace one word with “cat.”

Connect with Us:
Send a department memo or follow us on social media by clicking here.


Music/Sound Credits:
Intro Music: "A Stylish Beat (Infinite Echoes)" by ONALDIN via Pixabay
Tay-Lore: “Lullaby Sleeping” by Music_for_Videos via Pixabay
Taylor Terminology: “Classical Royal British Music” by DELOSound via Pixabay
Various sound effects: Pixabay

Welcome to The Tortured Podcasters Department. On the agenda for today…

• Hosts: Amy, McCormick, and Caraline.
• Swift Facts: Taylor originally wrote and performed “Our Song” for her 9th grade talent show.
• Department Findings: We dive into the background, production, and lyrics of “Our Song.”
• Taylor has been quoted to say that she “stood by this one and made sure it got recorded.” We’re so glad she did!
• “Our Song” was the third single off of the debut album. 
• The music video is very cute and holds so much of what would continue to be Taylor’s aesthetic throughout her career even through the changing eras. 
• Another banger with a recognizable fiddle rift. 
• There’s a special rhythm to the verses, delivering a punch to emphasize certain words.
• In the 2026 New York Times Magazine interview, Taylor explained why she chose the words “real slow” instead of “real low.”
• This song is the opposite of “the grass is always greener.” There will never be any song better than the one they’ve written for themselves.
• We love the author reveal at the end of the song. 
• The Collaborators Archive: We learn more about Nathan Chapman, who produced or co-produced on Taylor’s first five albums plus The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection EP. 

Connect with Us:
Send a department memo or follow us on social media by clicking here.


Music/Sound Credits:
Intro Music: "A Stylish Beat (Infinite Echoes)" by ONALDIN via Pixabay
Tay-Lore: “Lullaby Sleeping” by Music_for_Videos via Pixabay
Taylor Terminology: “Classical Royal British Music” by DELOSound via Pixabay
Various sound effects: Pixabay

Welcome to The Tortured Podcasters Department. On the agenda for today…

• Hosts: Amy, McCormick, and Nicole.
• Swift Facts: Taylor plays four instruments – Guitar (acoustic and electric), piano, ukulele, and banjo… though it’s unclear if she plays a traditional banjo or not since she’s been known to tune it like a guitar. 
• Department Findings: We dive into the background, production, and lyrics of “Mary’s Song (Oh, My, My, My).”
• This song is inspired by the love story of a couple who used to be neighbors to the Swifts.
• McCormick is back, and so are the rabbit holes. 
• This song is unique in Taylor’s early songwriting due to it having no repeating parts. The verses and choruses are all unique.
• We discuss the significance of the first two words “she said” and how the narrative of the song is constructed to go from third person to first person.
• “Oh, my, my, my” seems to have a different connotation every time it's said in the song.
• Tay-Lore: Fans were quick to pick up on the strange coincidence of this love song using the line “I’ll be 87, you’ll be 89,” when so many years later 87 would come to be associated with Travis Kelce’s jersey number and 89 would be recognizable as 1989, Taylor’s birth year and the name of her fifth studio album.

Connect with Us:
Send a department memo or follow us on social media by clicking here.


Music/Sound Credits:
Intro Music: "A Stylish Beat (Infinite Echoes)" by ONALDIN via Pixabay
Tay-Lore: “Lullaby Sleeping” by Music_for_Videos via Pixabay
Taylor Terminology: “Classical Royal British Music” by DELOSound via Pixabay
Various sound effects: Pixabay

Welcome to The Tortured Podcasters Department. On the agenda for today…

• Hosts: Amy, Karmen, and Liz.
• Swift Facts: Taylor reportedly finished her junior and senior year of high school coursework in just 12 months, doing so remotely due to her music career. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA. 
• Department Findings: We dive into the background, production, and lyrics of “Should’ve Said No.”
• This is the only song on the debut album written in a minor key. 
• “Should’ve Said No” was the 5th and final single off of the album.
• A young Taylor Swift confirmed that this particular song was about a situation with a high school boyfriend who cheated on her. 
• This song was performed live on the Fearless Tour, the Reputation Stadium Tour, and as a surprise song at The Eras Tour on three separate occasions.
• There are some things you just can’t come back from… This song illustrates one of those.
• Word gets around. 
• The fiddle in this song goes hard.
• “You need one chance” serves double duty. He wants one more chance, but also, all it took was one chance for him to take it and ruin the relationship. 
• Gaslighting at its finest.
• Tay-Lore: The 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards performance of “Should’ve Said No” is iconic, and was arguably the beginning of Taylor being recognized as an incredible entertainer as well as songwriter. 

Connect with Us:
Send a department memo or follow us on social media by clicking here.


Music/Sound Credits:
Intro Music: "A Stylish Beat (Infinite Echoes)" by ONALDIN via Pixabay
Tay-Lore: “Lullaby Sleeping” by Music_for_Videos via Pixabay
Taylor Terminology: “Classical Royal British Music” by DELOSound via Pixabay
Various sound effects: Pixabay

Welcome to The Tortured Podcasters Department. On the agenda for today…

• Hosts: Amy, Caraline, and Karmen.
• Swift Facts: During the debut era, Taylor was an opening act on tour with a lot of big names from country music. She opened for Rascal Flatts, George Straight, Brad Paisley, and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
• Department Findings: We dive into the background, production, and lyrics of “Stay Beautiful."
• This song has been performed over 30 times live as of the recording of this episode.
• We’re severely confused by the first verse of this song.
• We hope the window is open and that it’s on the first floor, otherwise no wonder they’re “words nobody knows.” Speak up, Cory! Why are you whispering?
• One of the sweetest songs in Taylor’s discography.
• Turns out, “Stay Beautiful" is perfect greeting card material.
• Is the tempo change on the bridge a way to communicate falling back into reality versus the daydream of the rest of the song?
• The Cats Have It: In honor of our favorite cat lady, we’re each going to pick a line from this song and replace one word with “cat.”

Connect with Us:
Send a department memo or follow us on social media by clicking here.


Music/Sound Credits:
Intro Music: "A Stylish Beat (Infinite Echoes)" by ONALDIN via Pixabay
Tay-Lore: “Lullaby Sleeping” by Music_for_Videos via Pixabay
Taylor Terminology: “Classical Royal British Music” by DELOSound via Pixabay
Various sound effects: Pixabay