Earlier than The Lifetime of a Showgirl was ever a glimmer in Taylor Swift's eye, the singer peppered her music with references to basic literature.
As early as 2006, Swift included a nod to Robert Frost's poem “The Highway Not Taken” within the tune “The Outdoors” from her self-titled debut album. “I attempted to take the street much less traveled by,” she sang. “However nothing appears to work the primary few instances, am I proper?”
The traces have been the primary of many literary references to come back, with Swift later folding in allusions to works by authors together with Charles Dickens and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Maybe most famously, her Fearless single “Love Story” borrows from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. In 2010, Swift mentioned that finding out the play in ninth grade partially impressed the observe.
“Lots of people who gravitate towards music are actually, actually type of drawn to poetry as a result of the phrases all have a rhythm and it comes collectively excellent,” she mentioned throughout a chat at Scholastic headquarters. “I like poetry, as a result of if you happen to get it proper, if you happen to put the precise rhymes on the proper ends of the sentences, you may nearly make phrases bounce off a web page.”
Preserve studying for a whole, alphabetical information to all the literary references in Swift's discography:
‘Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'
Swift's first tribute to Lewis Carroll's beloved youngsters's e-book got here in 2014 on 1989 by way of the bonus observe “Wonderland.” Within the tune, the narrator and her lover fall “down a rabbit gap” and get misplaced in a “wonderland” collectively. “Didn't you calm my fears with a Cheshire Cat smile?” she sings at one level.
Swift revisited Carroll's work on “Lengthy Story Quick” from 2020's Evermore with the road, “I fell from the pedestal, proper down the rabbit gap.”
‘All's Effectively That Ends Effectively'
Shakespeare's comedy will get a fast nod in “All Too Effectively (10 Minute Model)” from Pink (Taylor's Model), which dropped in 2021. Swift begins the fourth verse with the traces, “They are saying all's properly that ends properly, however I'm in a brand new hell / Each time you double-cross my thoughts.”
She beforehand referenced the play on “Lover” from the 2019 album of the identical title, singing, “All's properly that ends properly to finish up with you.”
‘American Pie'
To millennials of a sure age, American Pie is literature — don't @ Us. Swift references the intercourse comedy on TTPD's “So Excessive College,” which is nearly actually about her romance with Travis Kelce.
Aristotle
“So Excessive College” additionally features a nod to the Greek thinker Aristotle, who is taken into account by many to be the primary scientist. “You know the way to ball, I do know Aristotle,” Swift sings, seemingly referencing memes that examine Kelce and Swift's intelligences.
The Bible
“Now That We Don't Speak” from 1989 (Taylor's Model), launched in 2023, consists of an allusion to a Bible story from the e-book of Exodus. “You half the gang just like the Pink Sea, don't even get me began,” Swift sings, referencing Moses main the Israelites out of Egypt.
Swift drew on her Sunday faculty data once more on “Responsible as Sin?” from TTPD, referencing Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection with the traces, “What if I roll the stone away? / They're gonna crucify me anyway / What if the best way you maintain me is definitely what's holy?”
TTPD's “The Prophecy” additionally features a nod to the Genesis story of Adam and Eve within the first verse with the road, “I bought cursed like Eve bought bitten.” (John Milton stans, that is apparently as shut as we're attending to a Paradise Misplaced reference.)
Cassandra
Swift makes one among her many references to Greek mythology on TTPD's “Cassandra,” which options the refrain, “So, they killed Cassandra first 'trigger she feared the worst / And tried to inform the city / So that they stuffed my cell with snakes, I remorse to say / Do you imagine me now?” Cassandra was the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. She had the reward of prophecy, however the god Apollo cursed her in order that her predictions wouldn't be believed.
‘Compassion'
Within the tune “Ivy” from 2020's Evermore, Swift borrows a line from Miller Williams' poem “Compassion,” printed in 1997. “I'd meet you the place the spirit meets the bones,” she sings within the first verse. Williams' poem, in the meantime, reads, “You have no idea what wars are happening down there the place the spirit meets the bone.”
‘The Divine Comedy'
On The Lifetime of a Showgirl's first observe, “The Destiny of Ophelia,” Swift provides what could possibly be a quick nod to Dante's masterpiece, singing, “And if you happen to'd by no means come for me / I would've lingered in purgatory.”
Dylan Thomas
Swift name-drops the Welsh poet in TTPD's title observe, singing, “I laughed in your face and mentioned, ‘You're not Dylan Thomas, I'm not Patti Smith.'”
‘The Godfather'
Swift sings the Mafia-coded line, “You'll be sleeping with the fishes earlier than you already know you're drownin'” on The Lifetime of a Showgirl's “Father Determine,” seemingly nodding to Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather, which served as inspiration for the Francis Ford Coppola movie of the identical title.
‘Grand Theft Auto'
Once more, Grand Theft Auto is literature to millennials of a sure age, so don't @ Us. The online game pops up in TTPD's “So Excessive College” within the line, “Contact me whereas your bros play Grand Theft Auto.”
‘The Nice Gatsby'
Swift made her first reference to the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel on “This Is Why We Can't Have Good Issues” from 2017's Fame with the lyric, “Feeling so Gatsby for that complete yr.” As former highschool college students could recall, titular character Jay Gatsby (a.okay.a. Jimmy Gatz) is known for throwing lavish events that conceal his shady background.
Three years later, Swift nodded to the e-book once more in “Happiness” from Evermore. The lyric, “I hope she'll be a good looking idiot who takes my spot subsequent to you” is a play on the character Daisy's comment that she hopes her daughter will likely be a “stunning little idiot,” whereas the road, “All you need from me now could be the inexperienced gentle of forgiveness” recollects the e-book's well-known inexperienced gentle, which symbolized the unattainable nature of Gatsby's desires.
‘Hamlet'
Swift's love for Shakespeare continues on her twelfth album, The Lifetime of the Showgirl, which incorporates “The Destiny of Ophelia,” a complete tune referencing the heroine in Hamlet. Within the observe, Swift seemingly credit Kelce with saving her from “the destiny of Ophelia,” who famously drowns after her boyfriend, Hamlet, gaslights her into insanity.
‘Humpty Dumpty'
“The Archer” from Lover quotes the basic nursery rhyme “Humpty Dumpty” with the lyrics, “All of the king's horses, all of the king's males / Couldn't put me collectively once more.”
‘The Iliad'
1989 bonus observe “You Are in Love” consists of an indirect reference to The Iliad within the line, “And also you perceive now why they misplaced their minds and fought the wars.” Whereas it's not specific, this appears to be a nod to the mythological Trojan Warfare, the place the Greeks and the Trojans fought over Paris taking Helen from her husband, Menelaus, the king of Sparta.
“State of Grace” from Pink consists of an allusion to Achilles, a hero of the Trojan Warfare, with the lyric, “These are the palms of destiny, you're my Achilles heel.” Homer's Iliad, nevertheless, makes no point out of Achilles having a weak spot in his heel.
King Midas
Swift is outwardly one thing of a mythology buff as a result of “Champagne Issues” contains a reference to King Midas, who might flip something to gold by touching it. Swift mentions the mythological royal whereas describing a personality within the tune, singing, “Your Midas contact on the Chevy door.”
‘Macbeth'
The Showgirl/Shakespeare connection resurfaces on “Cancelled!” when Swift quotes the well-known Macbeth line, “One thing depraved this manner comes.”
Nancy Mitford
Whereas some Swifties thought “The Bolter” can be a few viral paparazzi shot of Joe Alwyn fleeing a automotive, the TTPD observe truly appears to be impressed by a personality in Mitford's novels often called The Bolter. Mitford was an English creator well-known for writing 1945's The Pursuit of Love and 1949's Love in a Chilly Local weather.
Whereas The Bolter of Mitford's books was fictional, she was impressed by an actual individual: Idina Sackville, who's the topic of Frances Osborne's nonfiction e-book The Bolter: The Story of Idina Sackville, Who Ran Away to Turn out to be the Chief Seductress of Kenya's Scandalous “Comfortable Valley Set,” which was printed in 2008. Osborne is the great-granddaughter of Sackville, who was recognized for getting married and divorced a number of instances and flaunting conventions within the early twentieth century.
‘One for the Cash'
“Champagne Issues” additionally features a nod to the basic youngsters's rhyme “One for the Cash,” which has been round for the reason that nineteenth century. Swift's lyrics learn, “One for the cash, two for the present / I by no means was prepared, so I watch you go.”
Patti Smith
Smith additionally seems in “TTPD” alongside Thomas. Whereas she's recognized primarily as a singer-songwriter, Smith can also be a prolific creator, having written the memoirs Simply Youngsters and M Prepare in addition to a number of books of poetry.
Peter Pan
On the Folklore observe “Cardigan,” Swift references the fictional character created by J.M. Barrie. At one level, she names Peter straight, saying, “Tried to alter the ending / Peter dropping Wendy.” Later within the observe, she discusses “chasin' shadows within the grocery line,” which appears to be an allusion to the best way Peter chases his personal shadow whereas visiting the Darling youngsters.
TTPD: The Anthology features a complete observe about Peter Pan, fittingly titled “Peter.” Swift sings about by no means rising up and features a line the place she says her love curiosity was “misplaced to the Misplaced Boys chapter” of his life. The Misplaced Boys have been Peter Pan's friends in Neverland who famously by no means grew up.
‘Rapunzel'
Swift flexes her fairy-tale muscular tissues once more on TTPD's “The Albatross,” when she sings the road, “Locked me up in towers however I'd go to in your desires.” This could possibly be a reference to the story of Rapunzel, who was locked in a tower. The witch who locked her there would go to by climbing Rapunzel's hair.
The Pink Thread of Destiny
“Invisible String” from Folklore attracts inspiration from the concept of the pink thread of destiny, an idea from East Asian mythology. The pink thread of destiny is an invisible twine tied across the fingers of people who find themselves destined to satisfy. Within the Chinese language model of the story, Yue Lao, the god of marriage and love, is accountable for binding individuals with the pink thread.
Robert Frost
Swift has not however three songs that embody nods to Frost's “The Highway Not Taken.” The primary got here on “The Outdoors” from her 2006 debut album when she sang, “I attempted to take the street much less traveled by, however nothing appears to work the primary few instances, am I proper?”
She then quoted the identical line on “Illicit Affairs” from Folklore, singing, “Take the street much less traveled by, inform your self you may all the time cease.” The street seems yet another time on “‘Tis the Rattling Season” from Evermore within the lyric, “And the street not taken appears actual good now.”
Swift presumably referenced Frost once more on TTPD's lead single, “Fortnight,” nodding to his poem “Mending Wall” within the refrain with the lyric, “Now you're in my yard, was good neighbors.” Frost's poem famously consists of the road, “Good fences make good neighbors.”
‘Romeo and Juliet'
Swift's most well-known literary reference got here in “Love Story” from 2008's Fearless, the place the narrator is Juliet to her love curiosity's Romeo. In contrast to Shakespeare's tragedy, this model has a cheerful ending, with Romeo getting permission from Juliet's dad to marry her. The tune ends with the proposal, however presumably Dad's approval means they don't need to faux their very own deaths to tie the knot.
On the TTPD observe “The Albatross,” Swift nods to Romeo and Juliet once more when she says, “A rose by some other title is a scandal.” Within the play, Juliet says of Romeo, “What's in a reputation? That which we name a rose / By some other title would odor as candy.”
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
In what appears to be the one Romantic poetry reference on TTPD, Swift titled a tune “The Albatross.” She doesn't point out Coleridge by title, however his most well-known work is “The Rime of the Historic Mariner,” which is a few sailor who kills an albatross. After the hen's dying, unhealthy issues begin taking place, and his fellow seamen make him put on the useless albatross round his neck.
‘The Scarlet Letter'
Swift has two references to Hawthorne's 1850 novel in her discography. The primary got here in “Love Story” with the lyric, “Trigger you have been Romeo, I used to be a scarlet letter.”
The second got here in 2014 on the 1989 bonus observe “New Romantics,” which incorporates the road, “We showcase our totally different scarlet letters, belief me, mine is best.”
For slightly highschool English class refresher: The Scarlet Letter is a few lady named Hester Prynne who should put on a pink “A” after she conceives a baby out of wedlock. (The “A” is for adultery.)
Octavio Jones/TAS23/Getty Pictures for for TAS Rights Administration If musical soulmates exist, Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner can be sturdy contenders for the title. The pair have collaborated on a number of albums collectively, together with Swift's hotly anticipated eleventh file, The Tortured Poets Division. Dessner, a founding member of the rock band The Nationwide, has lent his […]
‘The Secret Backyard'
Swift alludes to a different basic youngsters's e-book on the TTPD observe “I Hate It Right here,” which mentions Frances Hodgson Burnett's 1911 novel, The Secret Backyard. “I hate it right here so I'll go to secret gardens in my thoughts,” she sings. “Folks want a key to get to, the one one is mine / I examine it in a e-book after I was a precocious baby.”
‘Slaughterhouse-5'
Along with having a tune titled “So It Goes” on Fame, Swift makes use of the phrase in each “Type” and “You Are in Love” from 1989. It's not clear whether or not she's deliberately referencing Kurt Vonnegut in any of those tracks, however “so it goes” is an oft-repeated line within the creator's 1969 novel, Slaughterhouse-5.
‘Snow White'
Swift references the Brothers Grimm fairy story in “The Finest Day” from Fearless. “Don't know if Snow White's home is close to or far-off,” she sings. “However I do know I had the most effective day with you immediately.”
Later within the observe, she nods to Snow White's companions when she says, “It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs.”
‘A Story of Two Cities'
The opening line of “Getaway Automobile” from Fame is a play on the opening line of Dickens' 1859 novel, A Story of Two Cities. Swift's model reads, “It was the most effective of instances, the worst of crimes,” whereas the Dickens quote begins, “It was the most effective of instances, it was the worst of instances.”
‘Valley of the Dolls'
This one is a bit on the market, however on TTPD's “Florida!!!,” Swift and Florence Welch sing, “Inform me I'm despicable, say it's unforgivable / A minimum of the dolls are stunning / F*** me up, Florida.” It's not clear whether or not “dolls” refers to people, however in Jacqueline Susann's 1996 novel, Valley of the Dolls, the characters check with drugs as “dolls.” Since this complete tune is about Florida being a “hell of a drug,” is it actually an excessive amount of of a stretch to suppose “dolls” means “drugs” right here too?
William Wordsworth
Years earlier than saying The Tortured Poets Division, Swift nodded to the Romantic poet in her Folklore bonus observe “The Lakes.” The tune features a pun on Wordsworth's title within the lyric, “I've come too far to observe some name-dropping sleaze inform me what are my phrases price.”
Within the refrain, she sings, “Take me to the Lakes, the place all of the poets went to die.” Wordsworth, who steadily wrote about England's Lake District, died at his residence within the space in 1850 and was buried at St Oswald's Church in Grasmere.
‘A Wrinkle in Time'
“So Excessive College” from TTPD features a reference to the basic younger grownup fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, which follows 13-year-old Meg as she journeys via house and time to rescue her dad. “The brink of a wrinkle in time,” Swift sings on the observe. “Bittersweet sixteen abruptly.”
