Yes her show is a combination of a rock concert, a Disney World stage show and a Broadway show of all showstoppers. Its something else and very unique.
If you are a concert aficianado and have to be at all the legendary-type of concerts, you HAVE to go to one ERA's tour concert over this year. I've seen her 5 times, twice during the ERA's tour and it's one of the most fascinating concert experiences I have ever had. Even if you are just a casual TS fan. It's not a rock concert like PJ, but it's an experience that you will never forget for real. Truly unbelievable.
I didn't make it to any of the shows. I'm not a fan of stadium shows in general, but I would have gone if someone had offered me a face-value ticket. A friend with whom I've seen many Pearl Jam shows got tickets at face value to one of the SoFi shows through the general onsale, and then the week before the shows, he happened to be at his computer when an email arrived saying that more tickets had been released. He got tickets to a second show at face value. When he told me this, he said something like, "Yeah, I guess I'll go to the second show since [his girlfriend] really wants to go." I was like, "Dude, you don't have to pretend you need your arm twisted to go. I know you want to do. I'm a fan, too. This is a safe space. Because I'll happily take that ticket off your hands if you're really on the fence." Needless to say, he went to both shows (and loved them).
I've mentioned this here before, but I saw the movie in a 500-seat theater on a Thursday afternoon where I was the only patron. It was glorious. I wish the sound for the Dark Matter listening party had been half as good as the Eras Tour movie in SurroundSound.
I read the Paste review and it's interesting because it's scathing but not, as some would assume, written by a hater. I mean, haters gonna hate (hate, hate), but whomever wrote this describes Taylor Swift as a "phenomenal" (italics theirs) songwriter.
I read a very glowing L.A. Times review that struck me funny because the reviewer just flat-out asserts that this song is about that guy, and that song is about this guy, and another song is about a third guy-- but Swift has never said that any song is about anyone in particular, let alone any of these new songs. It's just a little too confident, not to mention creepy that the writer, a grown man, knows (or thinks he knows) intimate details of Swift's personal life.
Bringing this thread full circle, listening today with the full lyrics in front of me for the first time, there is a nonzero chance that "Waiting for Stevie" is about Taylor Swift. "You can be loved by everyone/And not feel, not feel love." "Finds herself in the song/Feels her own voice rising." And especially: "Words follow her down, needs to shake 'em off now, now."
Taylor does have a song called Hey Stephen from one of her earlier songs about, presumably a previous boyfriend.
Presumably. She also has a song called "Dear John" that people presume is about John Mayer, but the point is that she has never said it's about John Mayer. She also has a song where she mentions people named James, Inez and Betty, and people speculate about whether those are real people she's given pseudonyms or just characters she created. She's not saying.
I have no doubt she's written songs about prior and/or current relationships. Every artist does. But, for some reason, her love life is dissected endlessly. Some people would say that she lives these relationships out in public and wants people talking about it (see Travis Kelce), but she had a five- or six-year relationship before that with Joe Alwyn where they were as off the radar as someone as famous as she is can be. A lot of what people think they know about her personal life is based on other people speculating about it, not her actually talking about it. I think it's pretty lame for a (male) journalist to just assert that songs are about specific people based on his presumed knowledge about her love life.
Taylor does have a song called Hey Stephen from one of her earlier songs about, presumably a previous boyfriend.
Presumably. She also has a song called "Dear John" that people presume is about John Mayer, but the point is that she has never said it's about John Mayer. She also has a song where she mentions people named James, Inez and Betty, and people speculate about whether those are real people she's given pseudonyms or just characters she created. She's not saying.
I have no doubt she's written songs about prior and/or current relationships. Every artist does. But, for some reason, her love life is dissected endlessly. Some people would say that she lives these relationships out in public and wants people talking about it (see Travis Kelce), but she had a five- or six-year relationship before that with Joe Alwyn where they were as off the radar as someone as famous as she is can be. A lot of what people think they know about her personal life is based on other people speculating about it, not her actually talking about it. I think it's pretty lame for a (male) journalist to just assert that songs are about specific people based on his presumed knowledge about her love life.
Are you delusional? Either the songs are about ex-boyfriends or she wants us to assume they are. I have paid for all of her albums so not some hater. She kisses and tells like no one else.
Taylor does have a song called Hey Stephen from one of her earlier songs about, presumably a previous boyfriend.
Presumably. She also has a song called "Dear John" that people presume is about John Mayer, but the point is that she has never said it's about John Mayer. She also has a song where she mentions people named James, Inez and Betty, and people speculate about whether those are real people she's given pseudonyms or just characters she created. She's not saying.
I have no doubt she's written songs about prior and/or current relationships. Every artist does. But, for some reason, her love life is dissected endlessly. Some people would say that she lives these relationships out in public and wants people talking about it (see Travis Kelce), but she had a five- or six-year relationship before that with Joe Alwyn where they were as off the radar as someone as famous as she is can be. A lot of what people think they know about her personal life is based on other people speculating about it, not her actually talking about it. I think it's pretty lame for a (male) journalist to just assert that songs are about specific people based on his presumed knowledge about her love life.
Are you delusional? Either the songs are about ex-boyfriends or she wants us to assume they are. I have paid for all of her albums so not some hater. She kisses and tells like no one else.
I've always thought that she used those relationships as "jumping off" points for her songs. Take something she felt at the time and amplify it, or even just makes stuff up for the sake of a song (another reason not to say a song is definitely about someone while allowing us to assume it is). "Style" may not be about Harry Styles at all, and might be made up whole-cloth (pun intended), but the title evokes certain imagery/emotion for the listener.
"I'm a lucky man, to count on both hands the [shows I've done]. Some folks just have one, others they got none..."
Hartford 10.02.96 | Mansfield 2 09.16.98 | Mansfield 1 08.29.00 |
Mansfield 1 07.02.03 | Mansfield 3 07.11.03 | Boston 2 05.25.06 | Tampa 04.11.16 | Fenway 1 08.05.16 | Fenway 2 08.07.16 | Fenway 1 09.02.18 | Fenway 2 09.04.18 | Baltimore 03.28.20 | Hamilton 09.06.22 | Toronto 09.08.22 | Nashville 09.16.22 | St Louis 09.18.22
"He made the deal with the devil, we get to play with him. He goes to hell, of course. We're going to heaven."
Taylor does have a song called Hey Stephen from one of her earlier songs about, presumably a previous boyfriend.
Presumably. She also has a song called "Dear John" that people presume is about John Mayer, but the point is that she has never said it's about John Mayer. She also has a song where she mentions people named James, Inez and Betty, and people speculate about whether those are real people she's given pseudonyms or just characters she created. She's not saying.
I have no doubt she's written songs about prior and/or current relationships. Every artist does. But, for some reason, her love life is dissected endlessly. Some people would say that she lives these relationships out in public and wants people talking about it (see Travis Kelce), but she had a five- or six-year relationship before that with Joe Alwyn where they were as off the radar as someone as famous as she is can be. A lot of what people think they know about her personal life is based on other people speculating about it, not her actually talking about it. I think it's pretty lame for a (male) journalist to just assert that songs are about specific people based on his presumed knowledge about her love life.
Are you delusional? Either the songs are about ex-boyfriends or she wants us to assume they are. I have paid for all of her albums so not some hater. She kisses and tells like no one else.
Am I delusional? Quoting myself, "I have no doubt she's written songs about prior and/or current relationships." So, no, I don't think I'm delusional. The point is that she has not said that any specific song is about any specific person. Everything you hear or see written about the songs is people speculating about what they think they know about her love life, not her saying, "I wrote this song about my ex-boyfriend Joe." She generally demurs from talking publicly about her relationships. Of course she will have written songs about her own relationships, like every other artist basically ever. But she also writes songs that are made-up stories that have nothing or little to do with her own experience, like every other artist basically ever. And she's not telling which is which.
Taylor does have a song called Hey Stephen from one of her earlier songs about, presumably a previous boyfriend.
Presumably. She also has a song called "Dear John" that people presume is about John Mayer, but the point is that she has never said it's about John Mayer. She also has a song where she mentions people named James, Inez and Betty, and people speculate about whether those are real people she's given pseudonyms or just characters she created. She's not saying.
I have no doubt she's written songs about prior and/or current relationships. Every artist does. But, for some reason, her love life is dissected endlessly. Some people would say that she lives these relationships out in public and wants people talking about it (see Travis Kelce), but she had a five- or six-year relationship before that with Joe Alwyn where they were as off the radar as someone as famous as she is can be. A lot of what people think they know about her personal life is based on other people speculating about it, not her actually talking about it. I think it's pretty lame for a (male) journalist to just assert that songs are about specific people based on his presumed knowledge about her love life.
Are you delusional? Either the songs are about ex-boyfriends or she wants us to assume they are. I have paid for all of her albums so not some hater. She kisses and tells like no one else.
Am I delusional? Quoting myself, "I have no doubt she's written songs about prior and/or current relationships." So, no, I don't think I'm delusional. The point is that she has not said that any specific song is about any specific person. Everything you hear or see written about the songs is people speculating about what they think they know about her love life, not her saying, "I wrote this song about my ex-boyfriend Joe." She generally demurs from talking publicly about her relationships. Of course she will have written songs about her own relationships, like every other artist basically ever. But she also writes songs that are made-up stories that have nothing or little to do with her own experience, like every other artist basically ever. And she's not telling which is which.
Songs about personal relationships are a hallmark of her writing, particularly in the early albums. For better or worse, it's what she is and will continue be known for from a songwriting perspective. She had so many songs about relationships, including ones with obvious nods to specific individuals, on her first few records that fans and non-fans alike came to expect that. Perception has become her reality and now people want to guess which current or ex-boyfriend her songs are about (regardless of whether they are about real people or not). Doesn't mean that perception is fair but it is what it is at this point.
Taylor does have a song called Hey Stephen from one of her earlier songs about, presumably a previous boyfriend.
Presumably. She also has a song called "Dear John" that people presume is about John Mayer, but the point is that she has never said it's about John Mayer. She also has a song where she mentions people named James, Inez and Betty, and people speculate about whether those are real people she's given pseudonyms or just characters she created. She's not saying.
I have no doubt she's written songs about prior and/or current relationships. Every artist does. But, for some reason, her love life is dissected endlessly. Some people would say that she lives these relationships out in public and wants people talking about it (see Travis Kelce), but she had a five- or six-year relationship before that with Joe Alwyn where they were as off the radar as someone as famous as she is can be. A lot of what people think they know about her personal life is based on other people speculating about it, not her actually talking about it. I think it's pretty lame for a (male) journalist to just assert that songs are about specific people based on his presumed knowledge about her love life.
Are you delusional? Either the songs are about ex-boyfriends or she wants us to assume they are. I have paid for all of her albums so not some hater. She kisses and tells like no one else.
Am I delusional? Quoting myself, "I have no doubt she's written songs about prior and/or current relationships." So, no, I don't think I'm delusional. The point is that she has not said that any specific song is about any specific person. Everything you hear or see written about the songs is people speculating about what they think they know about her love life, not her saying, "I wrote this song about my ex-boyfriend Joe." She generally demurs from talking publicly about her relationships. Of course she will have written songs about her own relationships, like every other artist basically ever. But she also writes songs that are made-up stories that have nothing or little to do with her own experience, like every other artist basically ever. And she's not telling which is which.
Songs about personal relationships are a hallmark of her writing, particularly in the early albums. For better or worse, it's what she is and will continue be known for from a songwriting perspective. She had so many songs about relationships, including ones with obvious nods to specific individuals, on her first few records that fans and non-fans alike came to expect that. Perception has become her reality and now people want to guess which current or ex-boyfriend her songs are about (regardless of whether they are about real people or not). Doesn't mean that perception is fair but it is what it is at this point.
Yes, but what seems "obvious" can also be confirmation bias. People are always going to interpret art through their own lens, but a journalist should not be stating as fact that Song X is about Person X. There are ways to write about this stuff without asserting speculation as fact. Stating things as fact just feeds the perception you alluded to, because people will read it and have the takeaway that Song X is confirmed to be about Person X, when Taylor Swift isn't saying one way or the other.
I think for a certain segment of her fanbase the “is that about him or is it actually him?” aspect is a huge part of the appeal. She probably knows this and it may or may not impact her writing. The outlets that cover her DEFINITELY know this and it absolutely impacts their writing.
Taylor does have a song called Hey Stephen from one of her earlier songs about, presumably a previous boyfriend.
Presumably. She also has a song called "Dear John" that people presume is about John Mayer, but the point is that she has never said it's about John Mayer. She also has a song where she mentions people named James, Inez and Betty, and people speculate about whether those are real people she's given pseudonyms or just characters she created. She's not saying.
It's sad that I know this (I have a Swifty loving daughter and wife) but these are Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively's kids names.
I think for a certain segment of her fanbase the “is that about him or is it actually him?” aspect is a huge part of the appeal. She probably knows this and it may or may not impact her writing. The outlets that cover her DEFINITELY know this and it absolutely impacts their writing.
I was talking about the L.A. Times, though. There was actually a second article that ran yesterday in the main news section about the appeal of songs about love and heartbreak, and that reporter also baldly stated that specific songs were about specific people. It's just lazy, irresponsible journalism, in my opinion.
Taylor does have a song called Hey Stephen from one of her earlier songs about, presumably a previous boyfriend.
Presumably. She also has a song called "Dear John" that people presume is about John Mayer, but the point is that she has never said it's about John Mayer. She also has a song where she mentions people named James, Inez and Betty, and people speculate about whether those are real people she's given pseudonyms or just characters she created. She's not saying.
It's sad that I know this (I have a Swifty loving daughter and wife) but these are Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively's kids names.
Right, but the characters in the songs are made up. Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively's kids are not involved in a love triangle among themselves. At least I hope they're not.
And it is not sad that you know this any more than it's sad to know that "Layla" is about George Harrison's wife.
Comments
I've mentioned this here before, but I saw the movie in a 500-seat theater on a Thursday afternoon where I was the only patron. It was glorious. I wish the sound for the Dark Matter listening party had been half as good as the Eras Tour movie in SurroundSound.
I read a very glowing L.A. Times review that struck me funny because the reviewer just flat-out asserts that this song is about that guy, and that song is about this guy, and another song is about a third guy-- but Swift has never said that any song is about anyone in particular, let alone any of these new songs. It's just a little too confident, not to mention creepy that the writer, a grown man, knows (or thinks he knows) intimate details of Swift's personal life.
I have no doubt she's written songs about prior and/or current relationships. Every artist does. But, for some reason, her love life is dissected endlessly. Some people would say that she lives these relationships out in public and wants people talking about it (see Travis Kelce), but she had a five- or six-year relationship before that with Joe Alwyn where they were as off the radar as someone as famous as she is can be. A lot of what people think they know about her personal life is based on other people speculating about it, not her actually talking about it. I think it's pretty lame for a (male) journalist to just assert that songs are about specific people based on his presumed knowledge about her love life.
Hartford 10.02.96 | Mansfield 2 09.16.98 | Mansfield 1 08.29.00 | Mansfield 1 07.02.03 | Mansfield 3 07.11.03 | Boston 2 05.25.06 | Tampa 04.11.16 | Fenway 1 08.05.16 | Fenway 2 08.07.16 | Fenway 1 09.02.18 | Fenway 2 09.04.18 | Baltimore 03.28.20 | Hamilton 09.06.22 | Toronto 09.08.22 | Nashville 09.16.22 | St Louis 09.18.22
"He made the deal with the devil, we get to play with him.
He goes to hell, of course. We're going to heaven."
And it is not sad that you know this any more than it's sad to know that "Layla" is about George Harrison's wife.