Taylor Swift’s ‘Tortured Poets’ Lyrics Fuel Rage and Heartbreak in Joe Alwyn, Matty Healy Relationships
Taylor Swift is delving deep into her personal experiences on her latest album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’ The singer lays bare a tumultuous period in her life while simultaneously enjoying yet another peak in her career.
While many anticipated the album to be a reflection solely on her six-year relationship with former boyfriend Joe Alwyn, Swift has once again surprised her fans. Several tracks seem to narrate her brief affair last year with The 1975 musician Matty Healy.
Also Read: Taylor Swift Claims The ‘Sorrowful’ Chapter of Her Life Is ‘Closed’ After Tortured Poets’ Release
In discussions with her fans during a tour earlier this year, Swift expressed how creating this music became a lifeline for her. She revealed, “It reminded me why songwriting actually gets me through my life. I’ve never had an album that I needed songwriting more than I needed it on ‘Tortured Poets’.” Indeed, the album’s tracks resonate with longing, heartache, anger and disbelief, not just towards her past lovers but also toward the public’s scrutiny of her love life.
The opening track, ‘Fortnight,’ sees Swift nostalgically contemplating the estrangement from a former lover, pondering over unspoken betrayals. The title track sees her making specific references, possibly alluding to her relationship with Healy and interactions with mutual friends.
In ‘My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,’ Swift reflects on feeling toyed with by her beloved, while ‘Down Bad’ unveils her vulnerability, expressing loneliness and disillusionment amidst fame.
In ‘So Long, London,’ Swift heartbreakingly recounts her efforts to salvage a failing relationship and the ensuing solitude. References to her move to London amid public controversies are intertwined, adding depth to her lyrics.
Feelings of isolation persist in ‘Fresh Out the Slammer,’ where Swift expresses feeling misunderstood and seeks solace in a new lover. She subtly references The Starting Line, a band associated with The 1975, hinting at her past with Healy.
Further allusions to Healy appear in ‘Guilty As Sin,’ where Swift paints a picture of longing and regret amidst city lights. On tracks like ‘Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me’ and ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,’ she confronts her ex for disappearing and leaving her with unresolved emotions.
‘loml’ sees Swift grappling with regret over reigniting a relationship with someone she now views as a con artist, lamenting the promises that turned out to be false.
Even amid heartache, Swift maintains resilience, as seen in ‘I Can Do It with a Broken Heart,’ where she acknowledges past lovers’ broken promises but refuses to be defeated. The album reaches its pinnacle of anger on ‘Smallest Man,’ where Swift scorns her ex for his derogatory remarks about “normal girls” before abruptly leaving her.
