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DarrielAndAshton
DarrielAndAshton

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The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology (Uncut)

The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology (Uncut)

Comments

Ashton, you’d probably love Peter Pan and her POV her is Wendy. It’s extraordinary writing if you understand the concept of Peter Pan. Just a thought and also, I love y’all. 🧚✨

Lynn Bibee

Y’all have to re visit “Peter”.

Lynn Bibee

The Black Dog is about Matty Healy.

Chip Tovey

Nah, we Swifties are a loyal bunch. I’ll agree the negative chorus against Taylor was loud, but we continued to love her. When she came out with Rep, we missed her and were ready for her. There’s nothing any of the naysayers or backbiters can do about it. Taylor is un-cancellable

Chip Tovey

Well the lyrics are about a child. Aaron’s kid is named Robin.

Chip Tovey

Also I feel like the ppl at the desks in the typewriter room that dressed in all black are the internet trolls, and the ceiling fans represent her actual fans, so when you see the papers flying all around on fire, the fans are fanning the flame (🤷🏼‍♀️) I dunno

Anna

“Is this how yall feel everytime she releases a music video?” Yes mf! Every damn time it’s like a trying to finish a house but U started with nothing and now we’re at building a new story on the house with the tools/supplies we get from TTPD. That prolly makes no sense, but hopefully U can see where I’m going with it

Anna

So the first verse was for MH and thr second verse was for John Mayer??? I never realized it before!!!

Mary Jzanelle Capacio

I feel like Robin is about Robin Williams. He was in the cast of the dead poets society, along with Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles(who were in the Fortnite music video).

Kristen Marie

Y’all worried about the wrong company 😭 lmfaooo

Isa

Wait hold on I need to know Ash’s last name 😭

Isa

I love you guys so much!!

Carol Javens

Finally got to see this half of your reaction! Something you missed on Cassandra that I didn’t see anyone else pointing out is the “The family, the pure greed, the Christian chorus line They all said nothing Blood's thick but nothing like a payroll” is a clear reference to the Kardashian family. She had been friends with Kendall leading up to the call but Kendall dropped her to back the family aka the payroll. Also after snake-gate Kanye was running the church services in his backyard that were full of gospel choruses! Everytime I hear it I picture the posts they would make of the family all in white every Sunday being the perfect Christian family praying for everyone (definitely not Taylor)

Catherine

Guilty as Sin is my favorite!

Alyssa Ehinger

I think while re-recording her old albums, she reflected on her life which inspired a lot of new songs

Alyssa Ehinger

You guys discovering easter eggs like the black dog in the video is the best!

Alyssa Ehinger

It’s the old-school Dictionary for meeeeeeeeee🥲😅🫶🫶🫶 Please let Alexa stay permanently on vacation, the physical comedy & timing of this bit is too good.

Hope

The Bolter gives Getaway Car. they both start with meeting each other and then it ends with a dramatic exit lol

Runan

Cassandra is about a greek mythology character. Cassandra accepted Apollo as a teacher, but not as a lover. Naturally, the god was insulted by this refusal. So he punished Cassandra. Apollo caused the gift that he gave Cassandra to be twisted, making everyone who heard her true and accurate foretelling's of future events believe that they were instead hearing lies. no one believed her, but it became quiet when the truth came out. She also mentions being in a cell with snakes, which I think tells the story of when taylor references a social media post where Kim Kardashian would sneak-diss Taylor, insinuating she's a "snake," after leaking an edited phone call between Taylor Swift and Kanye West, Kim's husband at the time. and in quotes; "Wait it's legit National Snake Day?!?!?!? they have holidays for everybody, I mean everything these days!" and a bunch of snake emojis after that. This tweet resulted in people filling Taylor's Instagram comments section with the snake emoji. She would later spin the narrative around and use the snake as a motif for her rep album. Kim's claim would later be disproved with the full unedited phone call between Taylor and Kanye releasing in 2020, revealing that Taylor was telling the truth about the conversation the whole time. This takes me back to Who's Afraid of Little Old Me, when she says "the bullet had just grazed". Makes me think that even though her reputation went down so far, and almost! made her career end, the bullet had only grazed

Runan

the papers flying everywhere to me is her letting go, and just letting it be what it is. especially in Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me, she talks about the narcotics and record scratching as she screams, the levitating and so on is her just going with the "Taylor is crazy" allegations. People say a lot that there's no way she's not doing some kind of witchcraft to have such a big community that she's built when really she's just an amazing lyricist and person in general. the papers flying everywhere in the Fortnight mv to me, insinuates that she's just kinda like whatever yk. You think im crazy well so be it XD. I also get the similar vibe from The Prophecy, when she says "Gathered with a coven round a sorceress' table", takes me back to Willow mv but not only that, when she says "Cards on the table mine play out like fools in a fable" reminds me of tarot. Sometimes people go to psychics and get tarot readings from them, just for someone to tell them what is going on and things like that. The story of The Fool card is The Fool is lost in her reverie, doesn’t see the cliff and is likely to fall and look foolish.

Runan

I agree. I don’t know what the haters are saying, but I agree that you’re both insightful and have made me think of the lyrics in ways I hadn’t before. And who doesn’t use a dictionary when listening to Ms. Swift??? If anything, it makes me appreciate that you’re willing to look deeper into the meanings

Foxy_Tatty

The Anthology to me is very 'Blue-esque' Joni ref.

Mark Barnwell

you two are so adorable! Stephen, don't listen to the mean remarks, you don't need to prove jack, you're super insightful, which is why I subscribed. Also - who here has not had to look up a word from any of Taylor's albums?! I loved how you pointed out, that she had to put something dark even in the happy songs. I kind of didn't think much of the marry kiss kill - all three. What did I see, is that even the happy songs are about mental health and ways of coping. She is regressing into her teen years in So High School, which is an escapist coping mechanisms. In The Alchemy she's singing about bouncing back after a hospital visit and talking about chemicals hitting her.

Beretta

The Black Dog is absolutely post break-up.

Wendy Davis

OMG! I can't wait to see ' So High School ' LIVE. I cannot stop listening to that song. 'Guilty as Sin ' is another one. These 2 new Albums are incredible and the more I listen to them the more I Love them. 💕

Shai

Need a new reaction video to the updated Eras Tour! 🙏🏽

Sarra Mohn

"One last souvenir from my trip to your shores." Her touring and gifting us her songs.

MarisoL

Taylor actually said at the grammys that Lana was a inspiration and female artists wouldnt be here without here, cool that you picked up on it. Also, a youtuber Ally Sheehan made a connection to the Manuscript and how its Taylors experience of rerecording the All Too Well 10 min verison music video, just something I thought was interesting as well.

Chels

I still can't believe that Ashton talks about my favorite books ( D-Y-I-N-G) hahaha. I loved the video you guys, I'm obsessed with your opinions. <3

Ana Victória

Love the breakdowns. It's funny I think Ashton's interpretations come naturally when he's heard the whole song first but Stephen's when he can pause throughout the song so he doesn't have to search through lyrics at the end. I think I like the pauses but you're the artist! Thanks for the content

Thomasina

Can i just say I'm obsessed with both of your guys' reactions to Taylor Swift. Its so genuine, no bullshit and you guys are totally invested. Such a joy to watch!

tay howley

Did you guys fully react to Evermore album? I don't remember ever seeing a reaction to the actual song Evermore

Sanai H

How are you not subscribed to YT Premium?? 😆

Jenna Bolmgren

Ashton I think you might be a visual learner. Your interpretations of the video are on point and so much more intuitive.

Thomasina

You were one of the first reaction videos I looked for when her album dropped and couldn't find you anywhere! I'm glad you're back online :)

Thomasina

So the “I’m hearing voices like a madman” in So High School is in contrast to the rest of the going a little crazy on the album. She’s hearing him telling jokes in her head and wanting to laugh, instead of actually being in that bad place again.

Brittany Fitzgerald

Ooooo I love this take. Also I need a minute with it because OUCH 💀

Brianna

idk if this is right but i feel like Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus could be how she feels that she has to change and act like so many different people to fit everyone around her that she doesn’t know who she is and that if we told her at the beginning that she didn’t need to change for anyone and we loved her the way she is that she would feel all her efforts be wasted and that she has been driving herself mad for no reason. but i could be wrong

Scarlett Spradlin

About the lyric in I hate it here - she has said before that she’s imagined herself to be a Victorian lady. Many people (it’s probably mainly white women tbf) have watched Jane Austen movies and romanticised about olden times - but then when you really think about it, the world was an awful place for many people. That’s basically what she means but it’s been twisted to say make out she’s racist

emilyy19

You talking about “this is whole yall feel when you know the lore??!”. And it reminds me of all the comparisons of Taylor swift fans to like wwe or anime or opera fans. Like when you KNOW all the background shit you can see it for the insane amazing world it is. But when you’re on the outside it’s hard to understand what all the fuss is about!

Martina S.

I was watching this on the plane and when you mentioned my commented I almost screamed lol

Emmy

This is a good book with audio poetry . Great comment

K L

i CANNOT with stephen breaking that thing and ashton about flew from his chair😭

Torrance Montgomery

LOML. Loss of my life. The other are the guy telling her he’s the love of her life.

Lora D

You guys did so good dissecting the video! You should do a series of her music videos! 😍

alestri

ok ive tried so hard to ignore the things chat says haha this but i can't any longer haha. Read anything by Sarah J Maas shes amazing! Fourth Wing however IMO i feel is not really that good at all and it barely feels like fantasy - it also doesn't hit emotionally deep like SJM while still being epic in fantasy. I would actually suggest The Priory of the Orange Tree if you want a kickass dragon story. It's a thick book but don't be intimidated. It's so epic and has a great love story too!

Aly Lourim

Dying at Steven having to break something cuz so high school was so good XD

Aly Lourim

So if you read the albatross poem - the rime of the ancient mariner (highly recommend) the albatross is actually a good omen and is only bad because the man shot it down (after he killed it bad luck followed) so if you treat the albatross right, good things happen 😊

Heather Herron

I was also speechless with How Did It End? It's a true Track 5, gut wrenching and heartbreaking.

Kristin Love (repTVgirly)

Y'all have fallen down the rabbit hole with us, and I have loved watching it happen! Referencing other albums and looking for tie ins make you true blue 100% Swifties! Love you guys, keep it coming!

Kristin Love (repTVgirly)

Stephen that was the best fuckin mic drop I've ever seen. Hahahahahahaha 💥Ashton! nice catch on the "Black Dog" Easter egg. Welcome to our world. You guys are just so much fun to watch with. 💜 Thanks for this. Can't wait for the next Watch Party!!

Shai

Did you guys see the dates on the pill bottle her birthday and then it expires on the day ttpd was dropped

Rachel Cervantes

Back in my day, we had something called "the white pages" where everyone's name, address, and phone number were published.

Lady Q

Thank you for your amazing reactions and interpretations! You're the best out there. I'm wondering how everyone is processing the album given its length and breadth. Loving the pain but there's so much to fathom! As a POC, I'm struggling with so much of it being about problematty. I don't think anyone has the right to tell her who to date obviously, but it does make it a bit harder to swallow for me without thinking about him directly. I know she said to think of our exes and not hers, but it's hard! Also struggling with the 1830s line, tbh. I fully consider the context and the message the song is giving; I don't think she had ill intentions, but it doesn't feel fully thought out. Some people, specifically in the U.S., don't have the privilege of hearing "1830s" without thinking of their ancestors and such a violent time in our history, so I just wish it wasn't there. I love the rest of the song so much! Some other faves are Peter, loml, Chloe (etc), but my top 3 change daily! Overall, such a wide spectrum of emotions on this one and the lyricism is insane. I was so glad to experience it with you guys! Curious to hear how others are fathoming it all now that it's been a week!

Abbra

Remember who she is writing to... This pretentious guy who sees himself as Dylan Thomas... Of course she's going to use the high value Scrabble words

Lady Q

To fully understand this album, this thread about Taylor+Matty is essential... So many references to 1975 videos, themes, symbolism... https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLuda93H/

Lady Q

Damn. Just realized that she died at the end of the black dog. Brutal.

Lady Q

Ugh the Throne of Glass is a ride but it's amazing and I think better than ACOTAR!

Miranda Alvey

It's so interesting to look at her music catalog as a whole and the evolution of her songwriting. Her songs have gotten more and more word heavy the older she has gotten, seemingly because they are being adapted from her self written poems. Feeling aren't permanent and when she is writing these painful things, she's probably writing down her deepest, most intrusive thoughts from the lowest point of a situation. We all have those worst thoughts. She will heal and move past those awful thoughts and feelings, just like the rest of us, but the poem and lyrics she wrote still exist and shouldn't be thrown out. She also does such a good job at making an impression through a song, and describing her feelings about something, that she can now pull from her past work to say more then what's on the page. Being on her 11th album she can go back and subtly reference a single song and her long time listeners can understand a deeper meaning to something being said without her needing to reexplain why the situation makes her feel a certain way, while still making sense to casual or new listeners. I think the most obvious is "...Is it okay? Is it you? Or have they come to take me away?" from Hits Different leads directly into "I was supposed to be sent away but they forgot to come and get me" from Fortnight

quincy martin

So a lot of the Fortnight video is based on the life And death of the poet Sylvia Plath. She was institutionalized for mental health and her husband of 6 year cheated on her and right before she committed suicide she called him from a payphone. But he didn't answer because he was off with another woman.

Mollie Von T

Please let me call in, Delilah

Sarah Healy

Cassandra- a character from Homer's the Illiad from the poem Trojan Woman. She was "bless with gift of "prophecy" and cursed that No one would believe her.

Mollie Von T

The precious and precocious confusion had me dead! 😭💀

Makayla Bailey

Okay the breakdown of the music video of things I noticed. The typewriters and the set are nod to TTPD. The pill bottle says forget him aka the get over him drug. The scene where they are laying and reading is an a call back to the wildest dream music video. The book says US a reference to her song Story of Us. The papers spinning around them is the cyclone she chose. The head piece she wears while being strapped down looks like a crown. The ekg also says I love you it’s ruining my life. Ethan Hawk and Josh Charles were apart of the original Tortured Poets Department. The telephone booth I think is a call back to London since they are known for them. So Highschool is about her and Travis which is shown in the“ you know how to ball I know Aristotle” line. She alluded to some times of her and Travis having some fun when she says “ your friends are around be quite in tryin to stiffle my sighs” and “ then pull me to the back seat no one’s ever had me not like you”( there are photos of them getting out of the backseat and lipstick is smudged on both of them) and of course “ touch me while your bros play Grand Theft Auto” The Kiss Mary kiss kill reference comes from an old interview where Travis played. I Hate it Here is about hating where she’s at in reality. The secrete garden in her mind she was escaping to became Folklore & Evermore. (She had said those works came to be based on stories she created, other people, and other media. )The secrete garden is a very popular kids book that she references reading as a child. ThanK you aIMee is her referencing the Kim & Kanye phone call / Famous situation basically saying thank you because it taught her lessons and gave her business to stand on (which is a huge part of reputation) It also gave her the snake metaphors she pulls from because KK used snakes when tweeting about her. Also North K&K’s oldest daughter has made Tik Toks using Taylor’s songs a bunch of times before which she referenced in “ your kid comes home singing a song that only us two know it’s about you” In Casandra she is mainly speaking on the Kim and Big Machine Records( christian values). She also says on Rep “ They’re burning all the witches even if they aren’t one” Robin is the name of Aaron Dessner’s kid so it’s suspected that she wrote it to him

Makayla Bailey

One - love the call out for Dead Poets Society with the two actors from the movie. also there are a lot of Sylvia Plath parallels in this video, it's incredible - definitely look up her story if you want a good backstory

Tasha Votava

Cassandra- the phone call - when KK lied about the phone call and no one believed Taylor and then the truth came out

Lisa

Oh my god, your take on the Fortnight video and the themes (the monetization of her grief, her love dressed in a lab coat conducting experiments to make her a better writer…) just blew my mind. I’ve been listening for days but I hadn’t connected those dots yet

JR

I Hate It Here - if maladaptive day dreaming had a theme song…

Ashley

And my second thought....why are people so fucking creepy?! Looking up all your shit like that when you showed your President's List certificate! (congrats on the award btw-that shit isn't easy!) I know we are listening to TS albums and dissecting them and her life as it relates, but she willingly she put this part out there for us. That is way different than trying to stalk out where she lives or other info she does not want people to have. Respecting privacy should apply to everyone-yours included guys! People, stop being weird!

Bailey

You guys are mu absolute favorite. I have always been a Swiftie but your channel is introducing me to other music I haven't listened to yet! So many other reactors seem real fake and gimmicky but you guys just have a real vibe and I love the way you guys think about these songs and break them down!

Bailey

You guys do fantastic break downs!!

Shai

Because he makes her feel young again 😌

Meghan Hameister

I feel like I haven’t seen anyone talking about this. The movie references in the music video and when Ashton said that the songs sound like a movie in the first video…it’s because he is a cenophile. It just adds another layer to the whole album.

Meghan Hameister

You both are my absolute favorite reactors. You put so much into making sure you are properly expressing how you feel about the song emotionally while also getting so intellectual in the breakdown of the lyrics. And seeing your absolute LOVE for her music (and music in general) is sooooo refreshing since so many men wont give her music the time of day

Andrea

The So High School reaction is REAL 😂😂 I felt transported back to the 2000s

Anasaria Cabato

Loved the video interpretation

Lisa

Love yall reactions, by the way. Glad I finally joined the patreon.

K.N. Banet

I never laughed harder than seeing the dictionary pulled out.

K.N. Banet

The piano in Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus is the same notes as the very very end of champagne problems

Karen

I love your sincerity. Your honest responses are everything. Watching you just get speechless at the end of the stunners, and then listening to your analysis and comparison to her other works! Beautiful job, guys!

donnadaffy

I can’t believe I just paid for this but I love you guys and t swift :)

Heathery

If you look at original typewriters, they didn't have a "1" button because they just used "I".

quincy martin

The Prophesy just reads pure loneliness to me. It cuts deep.

Conna 🙂

To add onto to the video. The other to scientist were actors Ethan Hawks and Josh Charles who were in a movie called "Dead Poets Society" when they were younger.

Thali H.

Agree with a Pulitzer. She’s hall of fame

Michelle Boudreaux

Where is it? HELLO 😂😂😂 😂 too funny!!

Shai

I can't stop listening to this Album, especially "So High School" I love that track so much

Shai

I would love a lyric book 😍

Jade Loveless

I think the albatross is the other perspective of peace 🥲

Jade Loveless

watching you guys catch your first easter egg felt like a proud swiftie moment!!!

Nicole laub

In the video you can see on the type writer the number 1 is removed and replaced with blank space!

Stephanie Harris

I think it's actually about ALL of us, the fans, and the pain we unintentionally cause her through our parasocialism. She loves us but imo she's comparing the insurmountable pain and loss she is feeling to our minimization of those feelings as "come on Taylor, spill the tea." It's about all of us I think and I respect her so much for really checking us on the fact that sometimes our love of her, her life and her writing goes too far. It made me very sad, one of the saddest on the album for me because we are her biggest supporters but we are also hurting her.

bits

I LOVED your take on the music video! I didn't even think about the fact that it was all in her head until you said and I just want to add to that.... when they're looking at each other her gaze changes to sadness and notice all the pages, aka her mind, are flying around them in upheaval. The book is also titled "Us" aka "the story of us" and at the end the pages of that story are burning down around her as she stands their stoically. Also, going off what Ashton threw down, the telephone scene's landscape could symbolize two things .. the emotional unrest (stormy weather and the cliff they're on top of) the two characters are experiencing and (the pan out of the wide landscape when they're on the phone talking) the emotional distance felt between the two characters even though she's technically right there beside him waiting for him to reach out to her 😭 Oh gosh Taylor

bits

What's important to know about the albatross poem and why the song IS about her is: an albatross is not strictly a bad thing; it's actually very good - the bird is a seagull and in old mariner lore was a blessing: it took sailors to shore if they were lost at sea ... But in the poem, hurting it, because it's a beautiful creature, leads to tragedy, grief and loss. It isn't until the man who killed the bird saw it's worth and beauty that he was free of its curse, although he still lived with the guilt of what he had done. He left the experience sadder but wiser. So basically it's a very "tortured poets" way of saying what teen Taylor once said -- “if guys don't want me to write bad songs about them, they shouldn't do bad things.” 👍

bits

Great watch party guys. This was a really cool one. Thanks so much. Don't think that it goes unnoticed how hard you guys are working! Appreciate that! I know it's been alot💜 The only thing I can say about this Album is "WOW" just " WOW"

Shai

The Manuscript = Her story. Her discography. She touches on meaningful past lovers here- good and bad. But she’s moving on. She’s done with those stories. She’s healed, she’s found her true love, and she’s letting go of the past 🫶🫶🫶 first verse is Matty. They had the emotional affair without touching each other for sooooooo long, so if the sex was half as good as the conversation- soon they’d be married with kids. The next is about Jake. She made coffee in a French press to feel grown up because he had one in his cool grown up apartment. She talks about this during the ATW short film interviews. John Mayer gets a line here, about her being so wise for her age that he wasn’t wrong for sleeping with her when she was so young….she wasn’t sure. Then re-recording Red Taylor’s Version (including the all too well short film, ie- the actors were hitting their marks) she realized her tears were falling in real time along with those stories, because she was again in an unhappy relationship (this time Joe) where she felt unloved, unseen, and unwanted 💔💔💔

Brandi Smith

The Bolter = Taylor knowing when it’s time to GO! She’s leaving Joe here… always starts with a town car speeding is giving Getaway Car vibes. She also says he accuses her of cheating and calls her a whore, and in the beginning of Florida which was the first stop on her tour after their split, she says something about them saying she was a cheat so I guess it’s true…..

Brandi Smith

Peter….come on. Peter losing Wendy? CARDIGAN!!!!

Brandi Smith

Cassandra is to the entire kardashian family- I.e. family’s cool but payroll is crazy 🤯🤯 their family is literally their payroll. Sunday chorus is a shot at Kanye’s Sunday services and them calling themselves such a Christian family. She tried to warn them about Kanye but no one wanted to listen. And look now.

Brandi Smith

Ashton’s face/body language at the end of The Manuscript was all of us who really listened to the lyrics of the album. I enjoyed following along with this one!

Natalee Aiello

How did it end- I think she’s talking about the judgmental folks. Same as in But Daddy I Love Him. She can’t be telling us to stay out of her business literally, because she gives it to us as art. She has purposefully left clues and tied old songs to help us see the timeline of she and Matty’s love affair, but she is NOT doing so to be judged and gossiped about.

Brandi Smith

Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus is DEVASTATING. She is talking about how her and Matty Healy apparently REALLY connected back in 2014, but she KNEW he wasn’t good for her, so she picked Joe. She chose safe over starry eyed (she says that in one of these TTPD songs). BUT, Joe wasn’t safe. He hurt her too (So long, London). She’s saying that ever since she met and initially fell for Matty and deserted him, she’s changed herself- lovers, outfits, themes (reputation era, lover era), and Matty just watched it. He never grew up and came to get her like he was supposed to. He was supposed to get his shit together. She’s saying if you want to break my heart, tell me that you loved me how I was back then and you’ll always wonder what could have happened had I not RANNNNN💔💔💔💔 We had NOOOOOOOOO idea. Matty is all throughout her old discography. We all need to go back and relisten with this new context 🤯🤯🤯

Brandi Smith

The Albatross is giving The Archer and Peace….

Brandi Smith

All of the songs on this album tie together. There are SOOOOOOOO many parallels. Also many references to her old work, really putting it into context for us. She and Matty were emotionally involved since her original 1989 album release. That’s almost 10 years ago. 🤯🤯🤯 I just noticed re-watching the fortnight video with y’all- when she’s talking about them now being good neighbors and making small talk and says, sometimes comment on my sweater…..your sweater, or your CARDIGAN, Taylor?!!!

Brandi Smith

All too well the album took me outtttttt💀💀💀💀💀

Brandi Smith

The Manuscript = All Too Well

JoAnn Burrage

LOVED THIS! Thank you guys!

Chanda

The fortnight break down 🥲

Jade Loveless

MARRY KISS OR KILL ME is from when he was asked about her Katy and Arianna and he said kiss Taylor

kickinkayy

One of his friends posted a pic on IG of him playing GTA 🤣

kickinkayy

I love that yall were just like us wanting to smile and kick your feet lol

kickinkayy

The lab coat is another easter egg to Matty

kickinkayy

Maroon and Cartigan being about Matty wrecked me

kickinkayy

You were looking for a good explanation of the 2nd part with AD and it's for us old swifties. It's about a mature and real life relationship not the puppy love from your freshman year at college.

kickinkayy

I’ll never get tired of you guys’ living for Taylor and her writing. Love you guys so much and proud of how far you’ve come 🤍☺️

Nafeesa Hussain

Sorry to hear about your YouTube channel. But you are very beloved by your fans and we’ll always have your back x

Cara M

Loved watching your reaction of this album. 🩷☺️

Jade Gilder

I love watching your reactions! I need yall to dive into the world of BTS next. You aren’t afraid to like and respect true artists and I think you guys would really enjoy the rap styles and different genres BTS explores!

Erin Chandler

Albatross is the deepest cut to me- The albatross was a good luch charm for the ship till someone killed it and their luck turned. Like she was a golden goose till their killed her reputation?

Christie

LOVE the reaction, thank yall so much for being so quick and giving us this awesome vid 🫶🏼 also, am i insane or does the bolter remind anyone else of when emma falls in love ??

Alyssa

Welcome to the level of Swiftie that you know to get the dictionary out. We always have one on hand ❤️

Susan Hines

This is a brilliant Album omg! ❤ this was a really fun watch.

Shai

Ashton...you were spot on in the video analysis. The rain= Clean.

Shanna

You both are so candid and real, and I love hearing your interpretations because they often differ from mine (and other folks who have been fans for so long that we reflexively are scouring for clues instead of just sitting with the song. For example--"chloe or sam or sophia or marcus" seems to me to be about Harry Styles... since his sexuality is ambiguous, in her imagination it isn't someone of a particular gender. I think most of us have a person who we may have been with only briefly, and maybe too young for the "fated" love we feel to be realized, and that's what I often hear in her songs that are confirmed to be about Harry (also--the way she ends on "wonder"... like "wonderland"? just sayin....); that nostalgic "what could've been" feeling. And while she had some changes around her albums up until that time, she had NEVER changed so dramatically as she did after they broke up and then what would go on to be the 1989 era.... chopped off her hair, started wearing it straight, lost so much weight and struggled with what she now has acknowledged was an eating disorder... maybe with the aim of trying to morph herself into what she thought he wanted, especially based on the relationships he moved on to (often with very thin young models); maybe to try to reinvent herself to help her get "clean"; but for whatever reason, that's when the huge aesthetic changes around her albums accelerated... which would explain the lyrics about all of the different iterations of herself she'd been, and why the words that would break her cold, cold heart are "i loved you the way that you were." That would devastate her, because she changed so much, so purposely--and I personally do think it was in trying to attract him again--so to hear that all of that was unnecessary, that this person who she's thought was the love of her life ("suburban legends" really hits that point home) loved her the way that she was back then is just crushing. Because she can't ever get that girl back. And she ended up hurting herself so much in the process that she doesn't even feel like a person. There are also several Alice in Wonderland-adjacent themes in it too--fools, down that passage in time (a rabbit hole, perhaps?), that led me to that interpretation... also the "needing drugs more" lyric, because as we know, Harry is no stranger to psychedelics and where she was at in life and maybe how she was raised and the image she needed to maintain kind of foreclosed the relationship for her if he really started using drugs beyond like, weed. Although that was still probably too harmful to her brand at that time. Anyway... I just enjoy your perspectives so much, and I've never cared about reaction videos or anything like that, but you guys are just so... real about things. It doesn't feel like performative social media grossness. So if you have any haters, don't listen to them (also can't imagine why you wold have haters, but the internet is an ugly place, which is why I'm basically off social media altogether...'cause "i hate it here" :)); as a jaded person who is 6 weeks older than Taylor and shares some of her mental illnesses--though for very very different reasons; I am the opposite of famous and I don't know how anyone can live under that scrutiny without heavily dissociating, so hearing that in her work and even seeing her name it is meaningful because some of those diagnoses have HEAVY stigma attached--seeing two men openly talking about their emotions and even their PREFERENCE for her more introspective and sentimental songs thaws out my cold heart :) Your perspectives are unique and a perfect example of how good art moves people, and how we all hear different things because of our differing experiences.

oh_annie___

watching yall giggling and kicking your feet after so high school is so funny haha stephen breaking the mouse is SO real 😭 i was genuinely tweaking listening to that song because it's too romantic im obsessed with it

Alyssa

Welcome to being full Swifties! 🫶 Haha. Decoding the Easter eggs in music videos 😂 Fun, right??!!!

Christine

The “forget him” medicine has the numbers “121389-041924” : some are saying this is her leaving the past in the past and she’s moving on from this day forward

Philip Nichols

The manuscript- in her teen she dated men that were too old for her and she wished she was thirty, then she dated her own age in her 20s and she was too mature for them, now in her thirties she’s dating the right one and when she looks back at the manuscript she can see all the lessons she learned to prepare her for the one.

Ray Lake

"That was so good I want to break something"...had me dying!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Kelsey Beyler

The dictionary is taking me out every time it makes an appearance 😂😂😂

Mary M

The dictionary 😂 same

Celena

if you look at her black dress in the fortnight music video it mimics black bird wings just like an “albatross” has

Jordan Coleman

i just know that taylor wrote imgonnagetyouback so long ago and then olivia's song came out and she was like "FUCK. well we're not changing the album now lol i guess we'll just have oddly similar songs."

Alyssa

right??? they got it almost too well😭

elaina fitzsimmons

The Fortnight video also has ties to Clara Bow and what happened to her - extremely famous, target for the media, mental health issues...

Lindsey Gallagher

she never says this? i think the manuscript is her entire career , all her eras all her albums all her “stories”

Kayla Brunton

I'm at so high school and am sitting here crying tears of happiness for her feeling this way and then Stephen got cuteness aggression and now I'm crying from laughing 😭💀

LanaJulie33

I love the reference back to Dear Reader- “burn all the files, desert all your past lives” and when she throwing the pages from the file cabinet they are burning and running away to Florida.

Kerri

you guys are two of the only people i’ve seen do a reaction that i think fully understands and appreciates what taylor was trying to get across!!

Emma

So I definitely agree that some songs are about a combination of different exes, maybe so it won't seem like such an attack, because listeners can't tell who is who. And I agree that some songs aren't even about people, like the industry or the fans. But I do think Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus is just about Matty. She starts by saying shes seeing a vision in her mind (a hologram) of him with an unknown lover. He's stated before that he's kissed many men. So I think she's saying that it really could be anyone. She also mentions he loved drugs more than her (which she also mentions his drug problem in The Smallest Man). She mentions his trying to buy pills, and says he "sank in stoned oblivion". And when she says she doesn't want him to say, "I loved you the way that you were", I don't think she's saying that she's now a shell of herself. I think she doesn't want him to still be in love with the old her. Before she mentioned the time of a decade (her and Matty's history began in 2014). She goes on to say that over the years she's become so many different versions of herself. She's grown and matured. Meanwhile, he's stayed the same. She can't be the old her anymore. So if he can only love the past her, they have no future. She hits on his never growing up in the song Peter as well, comparing him to Peter Pan. Peter is a response to the line in Cardigan, "Peter losing Wendy". At the show Matty attended, she mouthed, "This is about you, you know who you are. I love you" before she sang Cardigan. But anyway, the connections never end with Taylor lol Sorry for the novel of a comment 🤣 Love you guys!

Jenny D

for reference- “the manuscript” is all too well. she goes back and reads the story but it’s not hers anymore. the 10 min version, the mv, it’s for the fans now

elaina fitzsimmons

Are you gonna marry kids or kill me- from an old Travis Kelce interview when he said he'd kiss Taylor. Years before they met. American pie? One of his favorite movies. So sweet

Leslie M

all too well the album is on point!!!

cindy

I about lost it when you brought out the dictionary! 😂

Kayla Peterson

Can I just say, that was a TOP TIER music video breakdown! Amazing job boys 🫶🏻

Christine Violet

Manuscript, I was getting more so the All Too Well vibes. Talking about how she healed going back to that and reliving it but turning it into that music video/movie. The actors and all that being the actors in the video. Also saying that it’s no longer hers, meaning it’s ours now. Like, she gave that to us and she’s healed from it.

Alyssa Krystyne

Albatross is central theme in the Romantic Eras poem, Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. Getting real deep Taylor is.

Mark Barnwell

Albatross - “a continuing problem that makes it difficult or impossible to do or achieve something. Fame has become an albatross that prevents her from leading a normal and happy life”. Definition straight from Britannica dictionary. You boys were spot on👏

Jennifer Petersen

The Wedding dress made out of the bedsheets = she was crazy to think he (joe) would marry her?

Natalie Krüger

this is grown up hurt imo. very different than young love or other hurt.

Mark Barnwell

Poet Malone, I’ll leave it here

Petra

"Alexa's still on vacation" made me witch cackle aloud in my room.

Talitha

"All too well the album" made me cackle like a maniac but also damn that is TRUE

sama azzawi

She posted about the video saying it has metaphors and references of every corner of the album. Also it has 2 actors from the Dead Poets Society movie as 2 of the doctors 😭😭😭

Ashley Castilleja

Y’all I literally have two minutes left in part 1 😭😂 it’s only 1 am, surely I can watch almost four hours of content 💀

Brittany P

OMG I’m so shook I just realized Taylor and Matt have history since 2014 he was her rebound after Joe but due to him using drugs they didn’t work out. “Out of the slammer” is like the first part of their story which Taylor states once she was free (done with Joe) she CALLED/ RAN to him(Healy) and also in “Out of the slammer “As I said in my letters, now that I know better” (the paper symbolizes the letters throughout the video bringing them together before they actually reunited(touched)) so the music video to Fortnite is actually in reverse. The ending scene is the beginning of their doomed relationship and her losing it without him is the end but notice she breaks out with a chair🧐well listen to “Alchemy” it’s about Trav and she mentions the “hospital” she left I was confused but now whoa🤯🙌🏾Not to mention she’s dressed as Clara Bow who went insane because of heartbreak ❤️‍🩹 While Post used to be the wild boy on drugs just like Healy so he himself was an Easter egg 🤩

Fholly Tucker

It was so fun sharing this album with you all!

tattooed_therapy (neesh)


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