🤍 Breaking Down TTPD's Tracklist

Song lengths, track theories, lyric connections, and more

Apr 13, 2024

Dear Reader,

There are less than 6 days until The Tortured Poets Department releases. By this time next week we’ll have entered a whole new Era, have heard 20(!) new Taylor Swift songs, and finally gotten more insights into this new album - it’s starting to feel real, isn’t it?! 🥹

Leading up to the release, I’m sending out some TTPD-themed newsletters, to help get us prepped and ready to go for the album. This issue will cover a breakdown of the tracklist from the standard album release. I shared a full breakdown of the variants (The Manuscript, The Bolter, The Albatross, and The Black Dog) in a previous Dear Reader newsletter. That newsletter is for paid subscribers, but free subscribers can claim a free paid post to check it out, do a free trail, or subscribe for paid posts ($5/month) to access it!

Make sure you look for a bonus issue on the 15th as well, where I’ll be sharing Your Complete Guide to TTPD. There's so much to cover and the album hasn’t even come out yet. Are you ready for it?!

In this newsletter you’ll find:

🤍 The Tortured Poets Department’s Tracklist
- Track Lengths
- A Breakdown of Each Track
❓ Can I Ask You A Question?

The Tortured Poets Department’s Tracklist

Track Lengths

On April 12th, the track lengths for TTPD were added to the album on Spotify. You can only view them on the desktop version of Spotify (so not on your phone), and to my knowledge they’re only on Spotify. A few things that I noticed:

The shortest track is “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)” at 2:36.
The longest track is “But Daddy I Love Him”, at 5:40.
The average length of song is 4:04 (yes I did do the math).

Some of Taylor’s most emotional songs are her longest (i.e. All Too Well 10 minute version at 10:13), and many of her shorter songs tend to be bops (i.e. Now That We Don’t Talk at 2:26.) So I’m thinking that TTPD will have quite a lot of emotional heavy-hitters (So Long, London 😭), but perhaps some light-hearted radio bops as well.

Do you have thoughts or theories about the tracklist lengths?

A Breakdown of Each Track

The Tortured Poets Department’s Standard Digital Album has a total of 16 songs. There are also 4 bonus tracks, only available on each individual variant: The Manuscript, The Bolter, The Albatross, and The Black Dog.

For this newsletter, I’ve compiled definitions and theories to explore what the standard edition tracks could potentially be about. Of course, with Taylor you just never know! But I’ve included a lot of my own thoughts from looking up definitions and cross-referencing with previous Taylor Swift songs and lyrics, plus some ideas I’ve come across online. I hope you discover some new tidbits that can help lay the groundwork before we can listen to the album itself on April 19th.

Track #1: Fortnight (feat Post Malone)

Definition for “Fortnight”:
- a period of 14 days, two weeks (Merriam-Webster)

Coming off of Midnights, which Taylor described as telling “the stories of thirteen sleepless nights scattered throughout my life,” could Fortnight be referring to the following 14th night?! If so, that absolutely blows my mind.

TTPD is Taylor’s first album to start off with a collaboration track. Post Malone is an American artist known for blending various genres in his music, including hip hop, pop, R&B, and trap. So it’ll be really interesting to see what genre this song fits into, and how it sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Track #2: The Tortured Poets Department

Definitions:
- “Tortured”: inflict severe pain or suffering on; cause great mental suffering or anxiety to (Oxford Dictionary)
- “Poet”: a person who writes poems; a person possessing special powers of imagination or expression (Oxford)
- “Department”: a division of a large organization such as a government, university, business, or shop, dealing with a specific subject, commodity, or area of activity (Oxford)

This is the title track of the album, and Taylor’s 6th album to have a title track. Before TTPD, 5 out of Taylor’s 10 studio albums had title tracks: Fearless, Speak Now, Red, Lover and evermore.

After Taylor Swift announced TTPD, one of the first connections made was to her song, “The Lakes”, and the lyric, “Take me to the lakes, where all the poets went to die, I don’t belong, and my beloved neither do you.” Did you know there are actually poets referred to as “The Lake Poets”? They are:

any of the English poets William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Robert Southey, who lived in the English Lake District of Cumberland and Westmorland (now Cumbria) at the beginning of the 19th century. (Brittanica)

We’ll have to see whether any of their poetry influenced parts of this particular track and/or this album.

Another theory that went around when Taylor first announced the album was that TTPD could have been inspired by Joe Alwyn’s WhatsApp group, called “The Tortured Man Club”. Apparently he, Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott were in this group chat based on the tortured male characters they played in the television shows, Conversations with Friends, Normal People and Fleabag. Joe and Paul chatted about it briefly in their Actors on Actors interview (around 37 seconds in).

Personally I think that Taylor could be playing on the trope of a “tortured artist”, but specifically leaning into it as a poet. Because we all know Taylor can write a poem “on the way home” (lyrics from “Sweet Nothing”).

Track #3 My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

Taylor has used the word “toy” in a few of her songs.

Cruel Summer - “Bad, bad boy, shiny toy with a price.”
Better Than Revenge -“Soon, she's gonna find stealing other people's toys”.
Don’t Blame Me - “I’ve been breakin' hearts a long time, and toyin' with them older guys, just playthings for me to use.”

All of these songs seem to refer to the boy as the toy.

But this TTPD song appears to be flipping that on its head. The boy, specifically Taylor’s boy, is now the one breaking his favorite toys.

Could Taylor now be the toy? And is Joe the one breaking her, despite her being his favorite? That could fit with the idea of TTPD as a break-up album. But I’m really not sure what to expect from this track.

Track #4 Down Bad

Definitions for “Down Bad”:

Feeling or marked by strong and usually unrequited feelings of attraction, desire, or infatuation (Merriam-Webster)
In a bad state or condition such as: feeling or marked by strong and usually unrequited feelings of attraction, desire, or infatuation; depressed, despondent; badly ill or injured (Merriam-Webster)
When you are so desperate for something that you lose all rational thought (Urban Dictionary)

Taylor loves to play on words in her songs. So I wonder if she could do that with this track. “Down Bad” is a slang phrase with varying meanings, and could be used to describe strong feelings on almost opposite ends of a spectrum: of attraction and desire, but also of depression, despondence or even injury.

The phrase also reminded me of a quote from Taylor’s TIME Person of the Year interview. When describing the climax of the Kim Kardashian and Kanye West illegally recorded phone call situation, she said:

“That took me down psychologically to a place I’ve never been before,” she continued. “I moved to a foreign country. I didn’t leave a rental house for a year. I was afraid to get on phone calls. I pushed away most people in my life because I didn’t trust anyone anymore. I went down really, really hard.”

She went down really, really hard. Could that hold any similarities to this track, “Down Bad”?

Track #5 So Long, London

“So Long, London” was an immediate standout track to me. Having spent 7 years of my life living in London, including during Taylor’s own Lover era (listening to “London Boy” while walking the streets of London just hits different), my eyes instantly went to the word “London”. Then registered the other two words, “So Long” 🥺 And THEN registered it was Track #5 😭

Taylor Swift has a history of emotionally devastating Track 5’s: “Cold As You”, “White Horse”, “Dear John”, “All Too Well”, “All You Had To Do Was Stay”, “Delicate”, “The Archer”, “my tears ricochet”, “tolerate it”, and “You’re On Your Own, Kid” - I mean!!! They’re all such heavy hitters.

The fact that Joe’s from London, that London was basically a second home to Taylor while they were dating, and that we’re truly going from “London Boy” to “So Long, London” - it’s just a lot. And if Taylor ends up doing a mashup of “London Boy” and “So Long, London” when she’s in London after The Eras Tour starts back up again…I really cannot be held accountable for my reaction, and subsequent actions 😅

Track #6 But Daddy I Love Him

Many were quick to point out, after Taylor released the TTPD tracklist, that “Daddy, I Love Him” could be a reference to The Little Mermaid - a movie that actually released in 1989(!). The storyline is also about how Ariel initially gave up her voice to be with the one that she loves. That’s quite a lot to think about as well 😯

In the animated movie, the quote comes after King Triton discovered Ariel’s infatuation with Prince Eric and forbids her from ever going to the surface again. She responds saying, “Daddy, I love him”.

ALSO, in January 2019, after signing with a new label, Taylor dressed up as Ariel at a New Years party.

Track #7 Fresh Out the Slammer

Definition for “Slammer”:

Jail, prison (Merriam-Webster)

There’s so many different ways this song could go. But it definitely seems to implying prison, jail vibes. These are all of Taylor’s lyric references to jail, prison, crimes and freedom that I could think of:

…Ready For It? - “And he can be my jailer, Burton to this Taylor, every love I've known in comparison is a failure.”
Afterglow - “I blew things out of proportion, now you're blue, put you in jail for something you didn't do”
Vigilante Sh*t - “Someone told his white-collar crimes to the FBI”
Back To December - “It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missin' you”
You All Over Me - “But no amount of freedom gets you clean”
Hits Different - “Freedom felt like summer then on the coast”
Getaway Car - “It was the best of times, the worst of crimes”; “It was the great escape, the prison break, the light of freedom on my face”

I put “Getaway Car” last because it happens to have all of those elements: crimes, prison and freedom. Could “Fresh Out the Slammer” be the “Getaway Car” of TTPD?

The title of this song also brought me back, again, to that TIME Person of the Year interview, when Taylor said:

Me locking myself away in my house for a lot of years — I’ll never get that time back. I’m more trusting now than I was six years ago.

Could this song be a reference to her now gaining freedom, after locking herself away in her house for all those years?

Track #8 Florida!!! [ft. Florence and the Machine]

I can’t be the only one hoping that Taylor gives us the song of the summer in this album, can I? I’m thinking Florida!!! has potential to be it.

Florence and the Machine is an English indie rock band that formed in London in 2007. They have quite a distinctive and eccentric sound, largely described as indie rock and indie pop.

Interestingly enough, the first concert Taylor Swift performed after news of her breakup with Joe Alwyn hit, were her shows in Tampa, Florida. News of the breakup first hit around April 8th. Taylor’s first Tampa show was on April 13th.

Track #9 Guilty as Sin?

Definitions for “Guilty as Sin”:
- Unquestionably guilty (Merriam-Webster)
- Very guilty, miserable or ugly (Cambridge)

The phrase “Guilty as Sin” literally means unquestionably guilty. So I find it incredibly interesting that Taylor phrases this song title as a question. Is she questioning unquestionable guilt?

Taylor also uses the phrase “guilty as sin” in her song “Carolina”, which she included on her “Old Habits Die Screaming” playlist - part of her 5 Stages of Heartbreak playlists that she shared to help us prep for TTPD. This was on her “depression” playlist.

Oh, Carolina knows why for years they've said
That I was guilty as sin and sleep in a liar's bed
But the sleep comes fast and I'll meet no ghosts
It's between me, the sand, and the sea
Carolina knows

Track #10 Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?

Swifties have speculated that this song could be a reference to the play and movie, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. This play was written by Edward Albee and first staged in October 1962. The storyline explores the relationship of Martha and George, a couple who’s relationship is falling apart.

If you started singing “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” in your head, you’re on the right track. The title of the play is a pun on the song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" from Disney's Three Little Pigs. But it subs in the name of English author Virginia Woolf. Martha and George sing that version of the song throughout the play.

The movie version of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf released in 1966. The short synopsis of it on IMDB says:

“A bitter, aging couple, with the help of alcohol, use their young houseguests to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other over the course of a distressing night.”

Interesting enough, the movie version stars Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor references these two in her song “…Ready for It?”: “And he can be my jailer, Burton to this Taylor” The same lyric we were just looking at for “Fresh Out the Slammer”. Could there be similarities between these two TTPD tracks?

Track #11 I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)

To be honest, this track has me a bit flummoxed. But I do feel like the added parenthesis in this title could really change everything about it.

It could be an incredibly emotional song. The added “No Really I Can” could add even more heaviness of the song. But I also can read it as bringing a bit of sarcasm and lightness. Maybe Taylor is making fun of herself in hindsight, for thinking she actually could “fix him”. Or maybe it’s a final plea to try to fix the situation before it’s over. I really don’t know - let me know what you think!

Track #12 loml

There’s been speculation over what this acronym could stand for since the tracklist was released. The early favorite was “Love Of My Life” but others wondered if it could be “LOSS Of My Life” or even “Love OR My Life”.

However, on a post yesterday, Taylor Nation seemed to confirm that LOML does indeed stand for “Love Of My Life”, when they referred to Taylor as their “loml”. The caption says: “The loml’s brand new album drops ONE WEEK from today.” So it’s gotta be “Love Of My Life”, right? I do find it interesting that the letters are all lowercase though. Normally acronyms use uppercase letters.

Track #13 I Can Do It With a Broken Heart

I think it’s incredibly interesting that Taylor Swift named one of her 5 Stages of Heartbreak playlists after this track on the album - Track #13. All of the other titles of the playlists are named after the taglines that go with each TTPD variant (i.e. Old Habits Die Screaming).

Her voice message at the beginning of the playlist says:

You’ve made it to my “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” playlist, where we finally find acceptance and can start moving forward from loss or heartbreak. These songs represent making room for more good in your life, making that choice, because a lot of times when we lose things, we gain things too. (A Message From Taylor)

This song seems to hint at finding closure and moving on. However, it’s not the final track on the album, so I’m curious to see how it fits in the overall arc of this album.

Taylor also said in her TIME Person of the Year interview: “I know I’m going on that stage whether I’m sick, injured, heartbroken, uncomfortable, or stressed.” I feel like we’ve really seen that in action, especially during The Eras Tour. Taylor has always shown up (unless something made it unsafe to do so) - in intense heat, in pouring rain, and through heartbreak.

Track #14 The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

In previous songs, Taylor has used the word “small” quite differently than it seems like she’s using it in this track.

In “peace” she sings, “Your integrity makes me seem small”. The goodness of the other person is what made her feel small, and there’s such positive connotations around that usage.

On the other hand, in “Tell Me Why” Taylor says, “Why do you have to make me feel small, so you can feel whole inside?” Taylor is again feeling small, but because of negative actions on the part of the other person.

In this TTPD song, instead of Taylor feeling small, this title turns it around to make him out as the one who is small - “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.”

I’m a bit afraid to hear what this song could say.

Track #15 The Alchemy

Definitions for “Alchemy”:
- the medieval forerunner of chemistry, based on the supposed transformation of matter. It was concerned particularly with attempts to convert base metals into gold or to find a universal elixir. (Oxford)
- a seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination. (Oxford)

“The Alchemy” is giving philosophy, it’s giving wizardry, it’s giving transformative, and I am so so curious to see what this song delivers. And yes, it does also make me think of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Given that there’s a variant called The Black Dog, which also makes me think of the grim (the black dog) in The Prisoner Of Azkaban, for some reason Harry Potter seems to be on my radar for this album.

Track #16 Clara Bow

I know I’m not the only one who immediately looked into Clara Bow after Taylor released the TTPD tracklist. Here’s a bit of background.

Clara Bow was an American actress from the silent film era in the 1920s - emphasis on silent. Interesting. She was born on July 29, 1905 in Brooklyn, New York, and was destined to become “The It Girl” (her career-defining movie was called It). Between the years of 1922-1933 she worked on 58 films and retired from acting at the age of 28. She died of a heart attack in West Los Angeles on September 26, 1965 at 60 years of age.

An excerpt of this bio reminded me of, “The Lucky One”, especially the lyric, “and your secrets end up splashed on the news front page”:

Bow got herself so worked up with mic fright she had breakdowns during her first talkies. Before she could recover from this, she ended up in court with her private life splashed all over the papers.

A couple more fun tidbits:

You can find Clara Bow’s Hollywood Star not far from the intersection of Sunset and Vine in Los Angeles, CA! I recently stood on the very star myself. Last month I took a trip to Los Angeles, and one of the first spots I found was Sunset and Vine. I actually hadn’t realized Clara Bow’s Hollywood Star was so close by, until some people commented about it on this Instagram post. So of course I had to go back and find the star for myself!
Clara Bow came out of retirement in September of 1937 to open “The It Cafe” with her husband, Rex Bell. The cafe was located in the lobby of the Hollywood Plaza Hotel: 1637 N Vine Street. That’s actually quite close to where her Hollywood Star currently is!

And that’s my breakdown of TTPD’s tracklist. I’m sure there’s so much I didn’t get to, but I hope it helps!

Let me know any of your thoughts and theories in the comments - I would love to hear them! I also left a few questions below, as always. Stay tuned for my guide to TTPD coming on April 15th, and in the meantime…

“Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die,”

Bekah

🎶 Can I Ask You a Question? 🎶

Do you have thoughts or theories about the tracklist lengths?
Which TTPD track are you the most excited to hear? Which one do you think will hit you the hardest? Which one do you think will be your favorite?!
Any theories and/or speculations to add?

Dear Reader