Today we’re putting the money in the bag and stealing the keys, and discussing Taylor Swift’s Getaway Car from 2017. This cult Swiftie fave is our first track from Reputation, and Angela chose it because she knew Uncle Jerry would love the Dickens reference in the first line.Watch as the duo dissects each line, and Uncle Jerry picks up on the self-reflection Taylor wrote into the song.Works Cited:A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens – Affiliate LinkShades of Gray – Carolyn Reeder – Aff LinkNicholas Nickleby – Charles Dickens – Aff LinkLexical AmbiguityGetaway Car Shirt – Girl Tribe Co.Writing BTS with JackFollow Us:YouTubeTikTokInstagramAngela’s Instagram
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47:46
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47:46
The Complex Poetics of So Long, London
Let's talk through So Long, London!In this episode of The Swiftie and The Scholar, Uncle Jerry and Angela dissect the poetic lyrics of the fifth track from Taylor Swift's 2024 album, The Tortured Poets Department.They find tons of literary devices and references, and Uncle Jerry even makes another correct prediction on the song's intro.Stay until the end to hear Uncle Jerry's grade for the song as a whole. Works Cited:Life of Johnson – James Boswell – Affiliate LinkPerrine’s Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry – Aff LinkThe Bells — Edgar Allan PoeIgnis fatuusWill-o’-the-wisp – Irish FolkloreOdd Man Out – 1947 filmThe Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison – Aff LinkLyric VideoEras Tour PerformanceFollow Us:YouTubeTikTokInstagramAngela’s Instagram
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1:04:06
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1:04:06
The Diction Study of Cold As You
In this episode of The Swiftie and The Scholar, Angela and Uncle Jerry are taking it waaayyy back to 2006 with Taylor Swift’s first ever track 5, Cold As You. It might seem like a weird choice, but Angela wanted to present Uncle Jerry with some of Taylor’s earliest work so he could gain context around her growth as an artist over her entire career. Uncle Jerry finds a few redeeming qualities in the song, and together they explore other break-up poetry from the greats. Works Cited:Percy Bysshe ShelleyModern Love: I – George Meredith SonnetIt’s Not You, It’s Me – Jerry Williams – Affiliate LinkThe Research Society for Victorian PeriodicalsRosemary VanArsdel PrizeHer Kind – Ann SextonHeavy – Mary OliverA Broken Appointment – Thomas Hardy The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson – Aff LinkHeart! We will forget him! – Emily DickinsonI held a Jewel in my fingers – Emily DickinsonEras Tour Surprise Song — Houston Follow Us:YouTubeTikTokInstagramAngela's Instagram
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47:35
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47:35
The Indirect Characterization of Death By A Thousand Cuts
In this episode of The Swiftie and The Scholar, Uncle Jerry and Angela analyze Death By A Thousand Cuts from Taylor Swift's 2019 album, Lover. Uncle Jerry finds literary devices aplenty in the lyrics, and discusses how she uses those devices to deftly handle the storytelling in the poem via indirect characterization.They also discuss the roundabout inspiration of this song and the Swiftie tradition of friendship bracelets.Works Cited:A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Shakespeare – Affiliate LinkLingchiDeath By A Thousand Cuts – Timothy Brook, Jérôme Bourgon, Gregory Blue – Aff LinkMandarin SquaresGreat Expectations — Charles Dickens – Aff LinkKyn You Believe It — IDK Traffic LightAnaphora Indirect CharacterizationFollow Us:YouTubeTikTokInstagramAngela's Instagram
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44:28
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44:28
BONUS: Ramblings on The Life of A Showgirl
In this bonus episode, Uncle Jerry and Angela discuss the excitement of the last week, including the cryptic Taylor Nation and New Heights posts, the countdowns, the new album announcement, and the two hour podcast episode heard 'round the world.Uncle Jerry teaches us a little bit about Ophelia and Hamlet to give some context around the album's opening track title, The Fate of Ophelia, and they discuss how Uncle Jerry got just a lilllll excited about the news.
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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