We are finally covering a song from Speak Now! I’m so sorry to all the Speak Now stans that it took this long, but we got here. Uncle Jerry takes us through Taylor’s word choice throughout Enchanted, and how it reveals the specific fairy tale inspiration behind the song. Angela explains the lore of this being Taylor’s only completely self-written album and the moment that inspired the song. Works Cited:Trochee / Trochaic MeterSmiling Faces Sometimes – The Undisputed TruthWe Wear the Mask – Paul Laurence DunbarCaesuraMending Wall – Robert FrostIndirect DiscourseMetonymySome Enchanted Evening – South PacificFollow Us:YouTubeTikTokInstagramAngela’s Instagram
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52:58
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52:58
The Gothic Tradition of The Black Dog
In this episode, we dig into one of most requested songs of late, The Black Dog. Taylor Swift mentioned in an interview that no one really understood this song, so we got Uncle Jerry on the case. Tune in to hear his take!Works Cited:Roland Barthes – The Death of The AuthorShe Walks in Beauty – Lord ByronThe Hound of the Baskervilles – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – Aff LinkThe Malleus Maleficarum – Heinrich Kramer, James Sprenger – Aff LinkFor The Love of London Pubs – Doug Harper, Vic Norman, Andie Lafrentz – Aff LinkThe Pub: A Cultural Institution – Pete Brown – Aff LinkPolysyndetonOf Mice and Men – John Steinbeck – Aff LinkTo a Mouse – Robert BurnsFollow Us:YouTubeTikTokInstagramAngela’s Instagram
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1:11:07
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1:11:07
The Loss of Youth and Innocence in Peter
Well friends, I think we did it. Stay all the way to the end for a big surprise out of Uncle Jerry.In this episode, we're covering one of Angela's favorite TTPD tracks, Peter. Uncle Jerry finds layer after layer in the poem, and decides that this is a beautiful, melancholic reflection on the loss of innocence and youth, told through the lens of Peter Pan.Works Cited:Peter Pan - the Original 1911 Classic – J.M. Barrie – Aff LinkIllustrated Peter Pan: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens – J.M. Barrie – Aff LinkThe Dead Poets Society (1989)I'm sorry for the Dead—Today – Emily Dickinson This Is Just To Say – William Carlos WilliamsIn Just – Spring – e.e. cummings Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening – Robert FrostLove's Labor's Lost – William Shakespeare Lyric VideoPeter Surprise SongFollow Us:YouTubeTikTokInstagramAngela’s Instagram
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57:10
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57:10
The Traditional Tropes of Love Story
We’re taking it back to high school this week and exploring the country phenomenon that is Love Story. This is our first track from Fearless (2008), and Uncle Jerry explores all of the themes and tropes that are missing from the poem when compared to her current work, like complex metaphors and twisted idioms.Works Cited:Romeo and Juliet – William Shakespeare – Affiliate LinkCatullus – Roman PoetLet Us Live and Love (5) – CatullusThe Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne – Aff LinkEasy A (2010)Doctor Zhivago – Boris Pasternak – Aff LinkDeconstructionismFollow Us:YouTubeTikTokInstagramAngela’s Instagram
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54:57
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54:57
The Cinematic Imagery of Father Figure
Step into our office and leave it with us. We protect the family! Join us as we walk through Father Figure from The Life of a Showgirl. Uncle Jerry gives his theories on the inspiration for the song, including many different movies, and Angela works out where she thinks the narrator changes mid-track.Pour yourself some brown liquor and you won’t be sleeping with the fishes.Works Cited:A Star is Born – All Versions RankedAll About Eve (1950)Goodfellas (1990)The Godfather (1972)The Freshman (1990)Ragged Dick: The 1868 Classic Rags to Riches Tale – Horatio Alger – Affiliate LinkFollow Us:YouTubeTikTokInstagramAngela’s Instagram
A weekly podcast exploring the lyrics, lore, and literary legacy of Taylor Swift. Hosted by Angela McDow, the Swiftie, and Dr. Jerry Coats, the Scholar, we read between the lines AND the liner notes. Join us each week for lyrical deep dive through Taylor Swift's eras.
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