album Taylor Swift - 'THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT'

[State of Grace.]

1 minute ago, Cruel Summer said:

I’m hoping that I Can Fix Him is just about Joe. Every person is imperfect, and it’s always possible to sort of delude yourself into feeling like you can or should “fix” a person who doesn’t need fixing and is actually just not perfectly compatible with you. That’s what I expect it to be about, rather than Matty, and I think that would ultimately make for a more nuanced and interesting song, but of course she could do anything.

That's exactly what I want. She definitely was hitting the copium so hard, especially during the last few years, and thought she could fix some of his traits.

 

I also thought about her referring to his social anxiety and him being a really private person. I don't believe that he necessarily "forced" her to be less public and out there because I think Taylor herself started prioritizing her privacy a lot more post-2016, but he definitely played a role in that as well.

[Cruel Summer]

I haven’t mentioned this yet, but I’m honestly not the biggest fan of the specific photo chosen for the cover. I wouldn’t change it, really, since it fits the title really well IMO, but it’s just kinda there for me. I love the aesthetic of the album in general though, and this pic in particular is one of my favorites ever of her and (excuse my delusion) is kinda giving me Evermore:

 

 

Like a cropped version of this could be an album cover itself, no edits. Maybe not a cover for this album, depending on how it ends up sounding, but some album somewhere!

[Magickarp]

3 hours ago, Klein said:

My current thoughts on the tracks, might change in the next few days or hours

 

1. “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone: Most people have said they think it'll be about the two weeks of The Eras Tour before it was announced that Joe and her broke up. I personally think it'll be about the first crack in the relationship. A moment where they might have been on pause or something similar. A small period of time during which there was a big uncertainty about the future of their relationship. 

 

2. “The Tortured Poets Department”: I think this one will touch on the subject of Joe being someone very "artsy" and tortured in the sense he was not the most joyous person and maybe prone to depressive moments. Entirely speculative of course, but it aligns with the fact he had a group-chat called "The Tortured Man Club". Maybe she will touch on how it might have been difficult to be with him in these moment, but that she stayed because she truly loved him. Kinda "hoax"-coded in a way. 

 

3. “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”: I think this one will have a sarcastic turn. It might be a commentary on the fact that broken souls have this tendency to take it out on the people that they love the most and the people that love them the most. Re-enforcing this idea that even though she loved him, it was hard to love him and be with him. Maybe a call back to the "I love you, it's ruining my life" on the back cover.

 

4. “Down Bad”: A bit hard to say for me. I have two theories. Either it's going to be about being so in love she just cannot quit this relationship even though it's become unhealthy for her, or it's right after the break-up and she's feeling profoundly sad because 1) she didn't manage to make it work out and 2) because she put up with a lot only to be left feeling like she lost so much time and energy for nothing. 

 

5. “So Long, London”: I want this one to be about the lingering hurt that a failed relationship leaves on you. How London, which was once a place of warmth, of joy and relief, has now become tainted by the failed relationship. Like she won't ever be able to enjoy the place in the same way, without feeling down.

 

6. “But Daddy I Love Him”: I just want this one to be about the metaphor of The Little Mermaid. I want her to give her perspective on what shutting-down a part of her has done to her. 

 

7. “Fresh Out the Slammer”: I think this one will be about her feelings right after they finally ended things. A mix of relief, sadness, angst, bitterness, hopelessness and being hopeful of brighter things coming ahead. 

 

8. “Florida!!!” featuring Florence + The Machine: Florida was her first public appearance after the news of them breaking up. It's hard to tell what would this one be about. I actually don't really have an idea. EDIT: maybe talking about how the love she received from the fans when she was on stage truly helped her.

 

9. “Guilty as Sin?”: I imagine this one will be about wondering if she made the right choice, and wonder who's really to blame for the break-up. She might as well touch on the idea that she started to feel guilty for seeing Ratty so soon after the break-up. Like feeling bad for Joe. 

 

10. “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”: This will probably be the most sarcastic song on the entire album. Everyone is afraid of Little Old Taylor. She was at her most scathing point ever. Not really sure who will be cooked on this one, but someone's losing his wig. 

 

11. “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”: I really can't see it being about any other thing than Ratty. Especially so far into the tracklist (assuming it's chronological). Talking about fixing Joe AFTER "So Long, London" would feel a bit out of place imo.

 

12. “loml”: I think she purposefully used an acronym. I think it'll talk on the rebound with Ratty. And I really like the theory that she left it an acronym so that she'll start the song saying "Love Of My Life" and then switch to something else. Kinda referencing how she was saying i love you to Ratty on stage after like a few weeks only. Might touch on the idea that she ran head-first in this relationship to escape the hurt of the break-up with Joe when actually, it wasn't it AT ALL. 

 

13. “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”: I think it'll touch on The Eras Tour, and how she had to pull through her being heart-broken and go on with the tour. She'll probably touch on how hard it must have been to summon the physical and psychological energy to do all that while falling apart.

 

14. “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”: I wonder if it's gonna be about Travis Kelcey tbh, obviously as a joke based on his physical size but in reality in the intimacy he's very caring and sweet? But once again at that point I don't think it's about Joe, it's just too late in the track-list for a cooking-class. Or else, it's could be about how dating Travis has made her view her relationship with Joe completely differently. 

 

15. “The Alchemy”: I really like the theory I've seen saying that alchemy was about changing basic metals into gold, and the parallels with the fact that Taylor has always described Joe with the word "golden" or "gold". I wonder if it's going to be a song about realizing you just cannot change someone, no matter what you do. Or maybe that the relationship with Travis made her feel like she was no longer like basic metal but made her feel like gold (again). I'm terrible at explaining the metaphor, that's why Taylor is the songwriter and not me.

 

16. “Clara Bow”: I think we're in for a "the last great american dynasty" moment. It's going to draw the parallels between Clara Bow and Taylor. I think it'll particularly emphasize on the scrutiny regarding their love life.

Love this sis

 

u put my chronological tracklist theory into better words that i could've, i'm so hyped after reading this  TSMWEL is a great idea, i never thought about that. Travis being 6'5  I just need the producers to leak so i can know which songs to dehype myself from.

[Klein]

3 hours ago, Klein said:

My current thoughts on the tracks, might change in the next few days or hours

Well... 

 

3 hours ago, Klein said:

10. “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”: This will probably be the most sarcastic song on the entire album. Everyone is afraid of Little Old Taylor. She was at her most scathing point ever. Not really sure who will be cooked on this one, but someone's losing his wig. 

Been thinking about this one. We all know Taylor loves a bait and switch. This song is the one that seems the most logical for a very scathing moment. What if it's actually about the deep fear that she'll never find someone again because her reputation precedes her (pun intended)? Which would be a very logical fear to have right after a break-up. 

[YellowRibbon]

Heard she was cancelled, I expect a 174K debut SPS in the US now

[Dear Reader]

1 minute ago, YellowRibbon said:

Heard she was cancelled, I expect a 174K debut SPS in the US now

No matter what they try to push, they will always lose and she will win. You’d think they’d learn by the 8th time or so. 

[YellowRibbon]

1 minute ago, Dear Reader said:

No matter what they try to push, they will always lose and she will win. You’d think they’d learn by the 8th time or so. 

I'm crying, they really think this will change anything 

[Mandalore]

10 minutes ago, Klein said:

Well... 

 

Been thinking about this one. We all know Taylor loves a bait and switch. This song is the one that seems the most logical for a very scathing moment. What if it's actually about the deep fear that she'll never find someone again because her reputation precedes her (pun intended)? Which would be a very logical fear to have right after a break-up. 

The title could be an ode to "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", a play that got a movie adaptation starring Liz Taylor and Richard Burton (he can be my jailer, Burton to this Taylor) about a couple's marriage unraveling during a single night. "George and Martha have evaded the ugliness of their marriage by taking refuge in illusion. "The play demonstrates "how these characters must rid themselves of falsehood and return to the world in which they must live."

Edited February 9 by Mandalore

[Klein]

If she opened with 1M and had the biggest US tour ever after snake gate, I'm not sure what they think they'll accomplish this time. 

 

All she'd be getting if she was cancelled is yet another narrative of rising from the ashes... which is what ultimately led us to where we are. 

[Cleanromantic]

3 hours ago, Klein said:

My current thoughts on the tracks, might change in the next few days or hours

 

1. “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone: Most people have said they think it'll be about the two weeks of The Eras Tour before it was announced that Joe and her broke up. I personally think it'll be about the first crack in the relationship. A moment where they might have been on pause or something similar. A small period of time during which there was a big uncertainty about the future of their relationship. 

 

2. “The Tortured Poets Department”: I think this one will touch on the subject of Joe being someone very "artsy" and tortured in the sense he was not the most joyous person and maybe prone to depressive moments. Entirely speculative of course, but it aligns with the fact he had a group-chat called "The Tortured Man Club". Maybe she will touch on how it might have been difficult to be with him in these moment, but that she stayed because she truly loved him. Kinda "hoax"-coded in a way. 

 

3. “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”: I think this one will have a sarcastic turn. It might be a commentary on the fact that broken souls have this tendency to take it out on the people that they love the most and the people that love them the most. Re-enforcing this idea that even though she loved him, it was hard to love him and be with him. Maybe a call back to the "I love you, it's ruining my life" on the back cover.

 

4. “Down Bad”: A bit hard to say for me. I have two theories. Either it's going to be about being so in love she just cannot quit this relationship even though it's become unhealthy for her, or it's right after the break-up and she's feeling profoundly sad because 1) she didn't manage to make it work out and 2) because she put up with a lot only to be left feeling like she lost so much time and energy for nothing. 

 

5. “So Long, London”: I want this one to be about the lingering hurt that a failed relationship leaves on you. How London, which was once a place of warmth, of joy and relief, has now become tainted by the failed relationship. Like she won't ever be able to enjoy the place in the same way, without feeling down.

 

6. “But Daddy I Love Him”: I just want this one to be about the metaphor of The Little Mermaid. I want her to give her perspective on what shutting-down a part of her has done to her. 

 

7. “Fresh Out the Slammer”: I think this one will be about her feelings right after they finally ended things. A mix of relief, sadness, angst, bitterness, hopelessness and being hopeful of brighter things coming ahead. 

 

8. “Florida!!!” featuring Florence + The Machine: Florida was her first public appearance after the news of them breaking up. It's hard to tell what would this one be about. I actually don't really have an idea. EDIT: maybe talking about how the love she received from the fans when she was on stage truly helped her.

 

9. “Guilty as Sin?”: I imagine this one will be about wondering if she made the right choice, and wonder who's really to blame for the break-up. She might as well touch on the idea that she started to feel guilty for seeing Ratty so soon after the break-up. Like feeling bad for Joe. 

 

10. “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”: This will probably be the most sarcastic song on the entire album. Everyone is afraid of Little Old Taylor. She was at her most scathing point ever. Not really sure who will be cooked on this one, but someone's losing his wig. 

 

11. “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”: I really can't see it being about any other thing than Ratty. Especially so far into the tracklist (assuming it's chronological). Talking about fixing Joe AFTER "So Long, London" would feel a bit out of place imo.

 

12. “loml”: I think she purposefully used an acronym. I think it'll talk on the rebound with Ratty. And I really like the theory that she left it an acronym so that she'll start the song saying "Love Of My Life" and then switch to something else. Kinda referencing how she was saying i love you to Ratty on stage after like a few weeks only. Might touch on the idea that she ran head-first in this relationship to escape the hurt of the break-up with Joe when actually, it wasn't it AT ALL. 

 

13. “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”: I think it'll touch on The Eras Tour, and how she had to pull through her being heart-broken and go on with the tour. She'll probably touch on how hard it must have been to summon the physical and psychological energy to do all that while falling apart.

 

14. “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”: I wonder if it's gonna be about Travis Kelcey tbh, obviously as a joke based on his physical size but in reality in the intimacy he's very caring and sweet? But once again at that point I don't think it's about Joe, it's just too late in the track-list for a cooking-class. Or else, it's could be about how dating Travis has made her view her relationship with Joe completely differently. 

 

15. “The Alchemy”: I really like the theory I've seen saying that alchemy was about changing basic metals into gold, and the parallels with the fact that Taylor has always described Joe with the word "golden" or "gold". I wonder if it's going to be a song about realizing you just cannot change someone, no matter what you do. Or maybe that the relationship with Travis made her feel like she was no longer like basic metal but made her feel like gold (again). I'm terrible at explaining the metaphor, that's why Taylor is the songwriter and not me.

 

16. “Clara Bow”: I think we're in for a "the last great american dynasty" moment. It's going to draw the parallels between Clara Bow and Taylor. I think it'll particularly emphasize on the scrutiny regarding their love life.

I love the angle about her feeling like she wasted a lot of time only to end up amounting to nothing. That's such a heartbreaking thing to go through and it's relatable to people even if they're not in a relationship. I want that to be the core theme of the album, like the lyrics to Bye Bye Baby "I want you bad but it comes down to nothing" & "Lost in the gray and I try to grab at the fray"

I also think she revealed the main theme of the album in this Time POTY quote "Me locking myself away for years, I'll never get that time back" so we're definitely getting a party/ celebration song, I hope it'll be Disco 

[vale9001]

This album will sell more than 1M copies in the first week ...just outside the US 

Edited February 9 by vale9001

[PoisonedIvy]

I’m fine with them getting their kiis. That’s all they’ll ever get  

 

They can have “viral” social media posts, because that’s all it’s confined to — social media. In the real world nothing has changed 

[Klein]

I didn't really want a lead single, but let's just hope she announces one on the Superbowl right after the Chiefs won. They're just going to collapse out of bitterness and despair. 

[Lille]

7 minutes ago, Klein said:

I didn't really want a lead single, but let's just hope she announces one on the Superbowl right after the Chiefs won. They're just going to collapse out of bitterness and despair. 

When she releases a new song every week until April 19th to block everyone, and ends it with another top ten takeover.

 

[wastedpotential]

12 minutes ago, Klein said:

I didn't really want a lead single, but let's just hope she announces one on the Superbowl right after the Chiefs won. They're just going to collapse out of bitterness and despair. 

When she does a 30 second teaser for the lead single's music video aired during the final ad break of the game and puts it on every TV screen in the US, with a 2/16 release date 

[Mandalore]

Oddly, I don't want a pre-release single. I just love clicking play on track 1 and having no idea what to expect AT ALL. 

[YellowRibbon]

But daaaaarling.... Idk what to say.... 

[wastedpotential]

4 minutes ago, Mandalore said:

Oddly, I don't want a pre-release single. I just love clicking play on track 1 and having no idea what to expect AT ALL. 

Oh I don't either, AH and Middy were both helped because we had no idea what they'd sound like, buttttttttttt as a chart ***** I'd kill for a pre-released single 

[burninredhot]

I hope Fortnight is a banger and a good opener. I still remember pressing play on folklore for the first time and being so gagged by the 1  let's hope she tops that

[Lille]

7 minutes ago, Mandalore said:

Oddly, I don't want a pre-release single. I just love clicking play on track 1 and having no idea what to expect AT ALL. 

I'm with you there. I genuinely love listening to these albums with no preconceived expectations about their sound or lyrical content. I complain about not knowing producers/co-writers/sound etc, but it's honestly for the best.

 

Pressing play at midnight Hits Different™ when everything is unknown

[Mandalore]

2 minutes ago, burninredhot said:

I hope Fortnight is a banger and a good opener. I still remember pressing play on folklore for the first time and being so gagged by the 1  let's hope she tops that

it's giving sad midtempo with electric guitare riffs 

[Mandalore]

Just now, Lille said:

I'm with you there. I genuinely love listening to these albums with no preconceived expectations about their sound or lyrical content. I complain about not knowing producers/co-writers/sound etc, but it's honestly for the best.

 

Pressing play at midnight Hits Different™ when everything is unknown

I'll never forget my first play through folklore and evermore  Gag after gag after gag and I guarantee not knowing what to expect was the best experience. Please no singles, she has (mostly) the worst single choices anyway and I don't want to taint my perception of the album 

[Cleanromantic]

The meltdowns when this sells 2 million first week are going to be glorious, and no, we are not going to witness any of them. The threads will serve tumbleweeds, but just knowing that the oth will legit be suffering in real life because she won again gives me joy . 

[Lille]

2 minutes ago, Mandalore said:

I'll never forget my first play through folklore and evermore  Gag after gag after gag and I guarantee not knowing what to expect was the best experience. Please no singles, she has (mostly) the worst single choices anyway and I don't want to taint my perception of the album 

The way so many of the fans complain about no pre-release singles without acknowledging that we're being protected from Taylor picking yet another s**t first single.

[Maroon legacy]

 

1. “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone: Single material, but not the lead. Lyrically about the crack in their relationship, or the end of them "how much the things can change in the fortnight" a guitar song. Just a vibe opener.

2. “The Tortured Poets Department”: This one is still a hit, but the structure and rhymes are not so pop, compared to Fortnight. Lyrically... Since it's her first breakup album from Red and overall first heartbreak since a long ago, she might talk about how she's back again in this awful state where her songs are made from her deep pain. And how's the artists need to suffer to create their best pieces.

3. “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”: This is where the cooking part starts  It's gonna be either a dramatic heart aching song with grand production or more stripped down and sarcastic one. About how she truly loves him, but it's so hard since he's ruining her life.

4. “Down Bad”: This one hard to guess. I was thinking about her and how she's down bad with broken heart, then I thought maybe she's gonna say "You were so tough and cold and now YOU'RE the one who's down". But it's also can go like "WE are down bad. And there's no more US, but it's hard to say such thing"

5. “So Long, London”: Masterpiece. I guess she's gonna talk about all the time that she spend in London and how it's been so long, but now she can't consider it home and she needs to go, cause there's too many places that reminds her of Joe. Crazy devastating bridge incoming. Either piano ballad or a synth song (like Corn Street, but way sadder)

6. “But Daddy I Love Him”: I also want it to be Little Mermaid reference about silencing. It's either that or overall theme of when your family tells you that you're not good, but you want to defend your man whatever it takes.

7. “Fresh Out the Slammer”: "AHH I WAS IN DA JOE'S BASEMENT FOR TOO LONG. But now I'm free and it's so good"

8. “Florida!!!” featuring Florence + The Machine: Hm.. I have no idea why there's exclamation points. It's either a song about how joyful she feel hanging out in Florida or a depressing story of her breakdown before/after the show?? But why exclamation points? Idk it's confusing. Florence posted about haunted houses, but the !!! are giving joy.

9. “Guilty as Sin?”: It's giving gothic anthem with goood vocals. Either a talk about her persona in the media and maybe women overall OR shootout to Carolina "that I was guilty as sin and slept in the liars bed" thinking about her guilt of keeping this relationship alive or trying to fight gaslighter Joe "I am guily? B*tch look at yourself 

10. “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”: Now THIS. I'm claiming this song. Bring back that haunted low register girlie and serve us a thrilling hit. Either this or GaS? gonna be mad woman coded. Would like some drums and crazy build up, but wouldn't mind if it's actually a calm and steady one.

11. “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”: I don't wanna hear about Ratty  I'm betting on another Joe song, since she wanted him to change on Renegade. 

12. “loml”: She might twist the meaning from love of my life to something else, but If she won't, then she made it an acronym cause what she thought was love of her life now's just a memory. Either a grand heartbreaking song with massive production or stripped down masterpiece.

13. “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”: Either about holding tight to her job, no matter how down she is and pretending to public that she's alright, or about pretending that she's alright to everyone. Musically similar to long story short maybe.

14. “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”: About how he made her feel so small, but in reality he's even smaller. The ultimate Joe-ender.

15. “The Alchemy”: how's everything she thought was gold now just looks so colourless. Since the alchemy is trying to make something that's not gold turn into gold, she's looking back at her life and realise how there's no more gold left.

16. “Clara Bow”: Ending the album with cryptic story about Clara Bow and then turning it into her own story. Something like Lucky One, but darker and smarter.