Belgian University Launches Taylor Swift-Inspired Literature Course
Taylor Swift has made such a massive cultural impact that a European university is offering a class about her songs. Per The Guardian, a professor at Ghent University in Belgium added Swift to her list of English literature greats. Assistant professor Elly McCausland told the publication that the hype around studying Swift had been met with much excitement from students. McCausland adds, “And actually non-students as well, people who are not part of the university and who want to participate in some way.”
McCausland reportedly pitched the idea of a Swift-centered elective after being repeatedly struck by the parallels between the singer’s lyrics and the English literature she had studied. Comparing Swift’s Midnights (3 am edition) track”The Great War,” the professor points out how she saw “echoes of how Sylvia Plath jarringly spoke of war and battle to convey her pain in the poem ‘Daddy.'” Meanwhile, Swift’s folklore track, “Mad Woman,” tells the tale of “patriarchy and mental health harked back to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story The Yellow Wallpaper.
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The course, titled “Literature: Taylor’s Version,” is set to start this autumn. It is set to capitalize on these works, using Swift’s songs as a springboard to explore everything from 14th-century writings to Margaret Atwood’s take on The Tempest. “What I want to do is show students that although these texts might seem inaccessible, they can be accessible if we look at them from a slightly different angle,” she said. “So, Shakespeare, in some way, is actually addressing a lot of the same questions as Taylor Swift is today, which seems crazy. But he is.”
With some skeptics of her idea, McCausland likened the reaction after Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in literature in 2016. “It gets people talking about ‘What is literature?’ ‘What is the canon?’ ‘Can any text be literature?’” McCausland acknowledged other courses could be centered around the work of other artists. As a self-described “longtime Swiftie,” it was evident that Swift’s lyrics, which are often threaded with literary references, deserved a deeper look for McCausland.
McCausland said Swift’s ability to switch between styles while including deeply personal lines made Swift the perfect writer to explore. “I want the students to realize that the media they consume on a daily basis, whether that is music, Netflix, podcasts, TikTok, or whatever, I want them to think about that in the same way that they might think about the topics they study,” she said. “Why is this so zeitgeisty? Why does it speak to so many people?”
All of Taylor Swift’s Surprise Songs on the Eras Tour
March 17 - Mirrorball
This song is from her 2020 album folklore. Swift performed this song on her opening night of her Eras Tour. There’s a TikTok trend of a “mirrorball girl,” who shines so brightly because they’re broken so many times, reflecting the many mirrors on the ball.
March 17 - Tim McGraw
This was also performed during her opening night in Glendale. Swift threw it way back with this song dating back to her 2006 self-titled debut. Tim McGraw was a huge country star at this time. This was written by Swift when she was in her freshman year of high school; the lyrics narrate a summer romance that’s come to a sudden end.
March 18 - State of Grace
The next day in Glendale, Swift performed this song from her 2012 Red album. She has since released her (Taylor’s Version), nearly ten years later. There’s also an acoustic version featured as a deluxe-edition bonus track.
March 18 - This Is Me Trying
Swift ended her Arizona stay with another track from her 2020 album, folklore. The song is written “from three different characters’ perspectives,” Swift said. It’s another example of her great storytelling abilities.
March 24 & August 4 - Our Song
Taylor threw it back once again to her self-titled debut album when she performed this one on March 24 in Las Vegas. She played it again on August 4 in Los Angeles. She wrote “Our Song” for a high school talent show during ninth grade. She included the song because it was popular among her classmates!
March 24 - Snow on the Beach
There are two versions of this song featuring Lana Del Rey, which was also performed in Vegas on the 24th. Swift released this song off her latest Midnights album. Many fans prefer this version to her originally-released song.
March 25 - Cowboy Like Me
From 2020’s evermore, Swift’s “indie” album, this song is reminiscent of her country beginnings. The male backing vocals you hear in the track is Marcus Mumford, frontman of the band Mumford & Sons. He joined her on stage during the Vegas performance on March 25.
March 25 - White Horse
From 2008’s Fearless album, this song has also been renewed as a (Taylor’s Version) in 2021. The song is driven by a finger-picked guitar and includes piano and cello accents. This was the last surprise song of her Vegas dates.
March 31 - Sad Beautiful Tragic
This re-recorded song from 2012’s Red was a surprise for fans in Arlington, Texas on March 31. The song is one of her sadder songs, but offers a timeless, vintage feel. It’s a simple song that really lets her voice shine.
March 31 - Ours
There has since been a re-recorded version of this song, which comes from Swift’s 2010 album, Speak Now. The country pop ballad has a folkinfluence, and with (Taylor’s Version)> On the new version, her country accent is completely gone and her voice is more mature.
April 1 & August 5 - Death By A Thousand Cuts
The next day, Swift sang this 2019 song off her Lover album. She played the song again on August 5 in Los Angeles. Swift revealed “Death by a Thousand Cuts” was actually inspired by Kaytin Robinson’s romantic comedy Someone Great, which came out that same year.
April 1 & May 28 - Clean
The second song for her April 1 performance was “Clean,” from her 2014 album, 1989. She performed it again in New Jersey in May. Widely thought to be written about ex- Harry Styles, told Elle in 2015, “‘Clean’ I wrote as I was walking out of Liberty in London. Someone I used to date — it hit me that I’d been in the same city as him for two weeks and I hadn’t thought about it. When it did hit me, it was like, ‘Oh, I hope he’s doing well.’ And nothing else.”
April 2 - Jump Then Fall
Swift’s final day in Arlington included this acoustic performance of her re-recorded song from her 2008 Fearless album. Swift previously told MTV News the song is “really bouncy and happy and lovey. It’s got this really cool banjo part that’s, like, bouncy and… I don’t know, it just has a really good feel-good vibe to me.” The re-recording holds on to that feeling.
April 2 - The Lucky One
Fans in Arlington were the lucky ones hearing this song. It’s rumored to be about Joni Mitchell and Kim Wilde. There are references of how the English pop singer left her career to become a landscape gardener. Also, the main melody samples Wilde’s “Four Letter Word.”
April 13 - Speak Now
Swift kicked off her three-day Florida stay on April 13 with this song from her 2010 album of the same name. She released a re-recorded version following this live acoustic performance.
April 13 - Treacherous
Crossing off the never-before-performed songs one by one, Swift added another one from 2012’s Red. The song is most likely about her ex, Harry Styles. The line “Won’t stop to surrender” is tattooed on Styles’ arm.
April 14 - The Great War
On April 14, frequent Swift collaborator, The Nationals’ Aaron Dessner, joined Swift to perform this “3 am” track from Swift’s Midnights album. “The Great War” represents the beginning of Swift’s romance with Joe Alwyn, and an emotional “war” they had due to her hesitance to trust her new lover.
April 14 & August 5- You’re on Your Own, Kid
Swift performed another Midnights track on this day, then again on August 5 on the west coast in Los Angeles. The track parallels Lover’s “It’s Nice To Have a Friend,” thematically and musically with its alt-pop sound. The title even sounds like a Fall Out Boy title.
April 15 - Mad Woman
From 2020’s folklore, Swift enlisted Aaron Dessner again to join her on stage. The song was written by Swift and Dessner, who produced the track. “Mad Woman” is a ballad that confronts gaslighting in Swift’s personal life, particularly her battles with Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta over owning her music.
April 15 - Mean
The last song from her Tampa stay was this Speak Now 2010 throwback. Swift’s re-recording of the song still includes the banjo background. But her voice in the newer version is a bit more mature sounding, and doesn’t have that much of a country twang.
April 21 - Wonderland
This song is from the deluxe version of 1989. Swift started her Houston surprise songs with the bonus track “Wonderland.” The track uses the story of Alice In Wonderland as inspiration for the highs and lows of enjoying relationship wanderlust, despite the consequences.
April 21 - You’re Not Sorry
Her second song on April 21 was another song that has two versions. From her 2008 Fearless album, Swift’s new version still has instrumental elements of the country-style original version.
April 22 - A Place in This World
With another song off from her debut album, Swift performed this song the next day in Texas. She was just 13 years old when she wrote this deep-cut. In her intro for the song, she revealed that even though she wrote “A Place in This World” when she was in middle school, the song actually resonates with her even more now, as a 33-year-old woman.
April 22 - Today Was a Fairytale
From Swift’s 2010 Valentine’s Day soundtrack, this is one of her early hits. It was originally for the movie. Swift starred in the movie as Felicia. She re-recorded the song in 2021 as part of her Fearless (Taylor’s Version) album.
April 23 - Begin Again
On her final day in Texas, Swift sang this song from her 2012 Red album. The song has since been re-recorded for (Taylor’s Version). This is the final song of the album, and was nominated for Best Country Song at the Grammys.
April 23 - Cold as You
Two country songs closed out her Texas shows. Swift finished her surprise song pairing with this song from her debut album. She told Rolling Stone in 2012 that this is her favorite song on the album.
April 28 - The Other Side of the Door
Moving off to Atlanta on April 28, Swift performed this 2008 Fearless country song throwback. She has since provided a (Taylor’s Version) of this song in 2021. The song is about a relationship Taylor has unintentionally ruined and wants it back.
April 28 - Coney Island ft. The National
She switched over to her evermore album for this one; the recorded version features The National (Aaron Dessner’s band). Aaron and his brother Bryce Dessner wrote the song with Swift, along with her ex, Joe Alwyn. Alwyn is credited under the pseudonym William Bowery.
April 29 - High Infidelity
From Midnights (3am edition), Swift performed this song the following day. In this track, Swift delves in-depth into the games played within an unstable relationship. She shows empathy, looking at the intense pain of infidelity on both parties.
April 29 - Gorgeous
Swift closed day two of her Atlanta show with this 2017 reputation track. The electropop song is a change of pace for Swift’s surprise songs. Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s elderst daughter, James, is officially credited as the baby voice opening the track.
April 30 - I Bet You Think About Me
Her third and final day and Atlanta featured this song. The music video was co-written and produced by Blake Lively, one of Swift’s best friends. The music video has several Easter eggs: the cake, Red’s promotional ring and the iconic scarf Swift offered to the bride.
April 30 - How You Get the Girl
Switching up the pace, Swift performed this 1989 bubblegum pop track as the final song of her final day in the city. The song is rumored to be about the on and off relationship between her friend Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber. The 2014 song was originally teased in her Diet Coke ad with her cat Olivia.
May 5 - Sparks Fly
On May 5 in Nashville, Tennessee, Swift performed this 2010 Speak Now country track. Though it’s part of her Speak Now album, Swift had written the song before she released her self-titled debut album in 2006. She only included it on her third album after she received fan requests to release the song after playing with her crush Jake Owen in a bar in Portland, Oregon.
May 5 - Teardrops on My Guitar
It should come as no surprise that Swift would perform this song that landed her on the mainstream charts in 2007. Swift was inspired to write “Teardrops on My Guitar” about her unrequited love for a boy named Drew Hardwick, a classmate of hers at at Hendersonville High School in Tennessee. At least he has some bragging rights!
May 6 - Out of the Woods
This synth-pop 1989 track kicked off day two’s surprise set. The song was written and produced with frequent collaborator, Jack Antonoff from fun. and Bleachers. She has said that this is her favorite song from the album saying, “It was interesting to write about a relationship where you’re just honestly like, ‘This is probably not gonna last, but how long is it gonna last?'”
May 6 - Fifteen
Bringing it back to her country roots, Swift played this Fearless track as her second song of the day. The song is written about her best friend, Abigail Anderson. They met during her freshman year at Hendersonville and they are still best friends.
May 7 - Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve
On day three in Nashville, Swift performed this Midnights (3am Edition) alongside Aaron Dessner in the pouring rain. The track reflects on Taylor’s relationship with ex- John Mayer. They were together when she was 19 and he was 32.
May 7 - Mine
Swift closed her Nashville surprise set with country pop rock single from her 2010 album. Swift has performed the song as a surprise for previous tours. It has bpopped up on The Red Tour, her 1989 World Tour in Brisbane, her Reputation Stadium Tour and in Nashville for her Eras Tour.
May 12 - Gold Rush
On May 12, Swift began her Philadelphia, Pennsylvania surprise set with her live debut of this 2020 evermore track. During her set, Swift clarified a specific lyric: “With my Eagles T-shirt hanging from the door.” She told the Philly crowd that though she loves the band, she was talking about the football team. “I’m from Philly. Of course it’s the team.”
May 12 - Come Back…Be Here
Next up was a Red throwback, which, though Swift has not confirmed it, is speculated to be about ex- Harry Styles. At a release party for the 2012 album, Swift said, “It’s a song I wrote about this guy that I met. You know, you meet someone and then they just kinda happen to go away and it’s, like, long distance all of a sudden. And you’re, like, ‘B-b-but, but, come back, be here!’ So it’s a song that I wrote about having distance separate you, which is something I face constantly.”
May 13 - Forever & Always
Day two featured this 2008 Fearless track. The song is believed to be inspired by her break up with Joe Jonas. She described it as a song about a relationship with a man who she could feel was “slowly slipping away.”
May 13 - This Love
Taking it back to 1989, Swift performed this second surprise track. She has said that this was the first song where she really experimented with using different vocal recording styles. She called it “hypnotic in a way, and it kind of is somewhat romantic and wistful and relaxing.”
May 14 - Hey Stephen
The final day in Philly featured another Fearless track. Written about Stephen Barker Liles from the country music duo Love And Theft, who were an opening act on her Fearless Tour in 2008. He returned the favor in a song he wrote for her called “Try To Make It Anyway!”
May 14 -The Best Day
With two back-to-back Fearless tracks on the same day, Swift closed her Philly shows with this sweet song about her mother Andrea on Mother’s Day. She said it is one of her favorite songs she’s ever written. She synced up home videos for the music videos for the track.
May 19 - Should’ve Said No
Heading up to Foxborough, Massachusetts on May 19, Swift performed this debut album throwback. She said that she wrote this song in five minutes about a high school flame, Sam Armstrong. Another guy with bragging rights!
May 19 - Better Man
Next up was this track from her Red album. Swift gave the song to Little Big Town in 2016, and it became her first country hit since she crossed over to pop with her 2014 record 1989. Little Big Town’s rendition of the song won a Grammy in 2018.
May 20 - Question…?
The following day, Swift took it to her most recent album, Midnights. Swift wrote and produced the synth-pop track with Jack Antonoff. The song samples Swift’s 2016 track, “Out of the Woods.”
May 20 - Invisible
People have theorized that this next surprise song is about Drew Hardwick, the person who inspired “Teardrops On My Guitar.” It comes from her debut album. At least this guy has interesting stories to tell at parties!
May 21 - I Think He Knows
Moving to her Lover album on day three, Swift’s next surprise performance was this uptempo track. The song describes her attraction to her then-boyfriend Joe Alwyn. She includes small details about his mannerisms.
May 21 - Red
The title track from 2012’s Red. Using a series of similes and metaphors, “Red” stands out as the only song on the break-up album where she reflects on her relationship without directly addressing her ex. Someone, somewhere was feeling a bit of relief.
May 26 - Getaway Car
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Swift was joined by co-writer Jack Antonoff. He has a song called “Rollercoaster” that contains similar melodies and metaphors. A good collaborator, Antonoff has also worked with Lorde, St. Vincent and Lana Del Rey.
May 26 & August 3 - Maroon
Swift performed “Maroon” twice — first in New Jersey, then again over two months later, on August 3 in Los Angeles, California. The Midnights track has been compared to “Red,” due to its metaphors using the colors in the lyrics.
May 27 - Holy Ground
This Jeff Bhasker-produced Red track, “Holy Ground” sounds different from any of Taylor’s previous work. It is presumed the song is about her ex, Joe Jonas.
May 27 - False God
With another religiously named song, Swift performed this 2019 pop track as her second song of day two. The lyrics compare Swift’s relationship with then-boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, comparing it to something all-powerful.
May 28 - Welcome to New York
On her final day in New Jersey, Swift performed this song, fittingly for the venue which is in close proximity to the Big Apple. How close? Well, she performed at MetLife Stadium, the home of the New York Jets and the New York Giants. The 1989 track is inspired by Swift’s newfound freedom when she moved to NYC.
June 2 - I Wish You Would
Swift continued on her 1989 secret songs with this track on June 2 in Chicago, Illinois. The song was written a few months after she and Harry Styles broke up and is about they decided to become friends again. She said this was the first time she had become friends with an ex- to the point where they were comfortable enough to talk about why the relationship didn’t work out.
June 2 - The Lakes
Swift’s second Chicago surprise was this folklore bonus track. The song is part of the album’s thematical chapters first group titled, “folklore: the escapism chapter,” along with five other songs.
June 3 - You All Over Me
@marenmorris Thank you so much for having me @Taylor Swift . Your generosity to me in these last 7 years is insurmountable and I love you so. #theerastour #erastour
♬ original sound - marenmorrisMaren Morris joined Swift on day two for the first duet live performance of this Fearless track. As Morris joined her on stage with another acoustic guitar, Swift called her “one of my favorite artists.” Like Swift, Morris is a country singer who also worked in pop music.
June 3 - I Don’t Wanna Live Forever
Swift hit the piano for an emotional rendition of the Zayn Malik collaboration. The track is featured on the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack. Zayn, of course, is a former bandmate of Taylor’s ex-, Harry Styles, from their One Direction days.
June 4 - Hits Different
Her final day in Chicago featured this Midnights (Til Dawn Edition) track. The surprise song sparked hope for fans awaiting to hear another exclusive release from the album,”You’re Losing Me.”
June 4 - The Moment I Knew
Her final surprise song of the day was this Red track. The song is about the true story of how Taylor’s then-boyfriend, Jake Gyllenhaal, didn’t show up to her birthday party. The nerve of that guy!
June 9 - Haunted
Swift’s first surprise song on June 9 in Detroit, Michigan was this 2010 Speak Now emo track. She said the song is about the moment that you realize the person you’re in love with is drifting and fading fast.
June 9 - I Almost Do
Taking it back to the Red album, Swift performed this track about the internal conflict that goes on when reminiscing about a romance. Taylor said writing the song was what she did instead of picking up the phone.
June 10 - All You Had to Do Was Stay
Day two in Detroit saw this 1989 track. Being the fifth track of the album, it has become part of Swift’s famous “track five” pattern of her tendency to make the most emotional song the fifth one.
June 10 - Breathe ft. Colbie Caillat
Next up was this 2008 Fearless track, “Breathe.” The song is believed to be about Swift’s friend, Emily Poe, who used to be a part of her band. She left in 2007 to focus on law school.
June 16 - Mr. Perfectly Fine
During her June 16 show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Swift’s first surprise song was another Fearless track. The song allegedly refers to Joe Jonas, who Taylor was dating at the time.
June 16 - The Last Time ft. Gary Lightbody
She followed that up with a track from her Red album. Seemingly about ex Jake Gyllenhaal, the song was written with Gary Lightbody and recorded in one day. Lightbody is from the band Snow Patrol.
June 17 - Seven
Aaron Dessner joined Swift for day two for this folklore song. This track is about one of Taylor’s childhood friends who seemed to have had an unhappy life at home.
June 17 - The Story of Us
Swift’s final surprise song in Michigan was this Speak Now track. The song was inspired after an awkward encounter with ex John Mayer at the 2010 CMT Music Awards. Apparently, both of them tried to ignore each other at the event.
June 23 - Paper Rings
On June 23 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Swift’s first surprise song was from her Lover album. Written with Jack Antonoff, Swift said of the bridge, “There’s some fun, kind of, punk, like inspired by punk girl groups and the way they used to sing, shouting them in a really unapologetic way.”
June 23 - If This Was a Movie
Next up was this Speak Now track, the only one on the album to feature a co-writer, Martin Johnson. The track has received some backlash for supposedly being grammatically incorrect. As if no other writers have strayed from grammatical rules.
June 24 - Dear John
On day two in Minnesota, Swift sang this Red favorite about her ex, John Mayer. She told the crowd, “I’m 33 years old. I don’t care about anything that happened to me when I was 19.” A lot of her fans, however, are still mad at the singer-guitarist.
June 24 - Daylight
Swift then performed her final track from the Lover album. The song refers to being unlucky in love in the past. But when she meets her new partner, she only wants to focus on their happiness together.
June 30 - I’m Only Me When I’m With You
Swift’s first surprise song on June 30 in Cincinnati, Ohio was this throwback from her debut album. She wrote the song at 13 years old about her best friend Abigail Anderson. Another old friend with bragging rights!
June 30 - Evermore
She followed that up with “Evermore,” from the album of the same name. The piano ballad is the final song of the album. It was written about a period of depression in 2016 where the artist was “trying to find a glimmer of hope.”
July 1 - Ivy
Cincinnati native and co-writer Aaron Dessner joined Swift on stage for this evermore track the following day. The song is about a married woman falling in love with a person who isn’t her husband.
July 1 - I Miss You, I’m Sorry
Swift covered opener Gracie Abrams’ song with the artist as her second surprise song. Swift was on guitar while Abrams played the piano. Swift has always elevated lesser known artists.
June 30 - Call It What You Want
Cincinnati got blessed with three surprise songs on Swift’s last day in the city. The musician, who called this her best song on reputation, played the track on a piano.
July 7 - Never Grow Up
On July 7 in Kansas City, Missouri, Swift’s first surprise song was this Speak Now track. She wrote the song when she was in her late teens, but dedicated the song during one of her previous performances to the baby of her friend, Jamie King, after she made Taylor the godmother.
July 7 - When Emma Falls in Love
Taylor performed another Speak Now track, standout song “When Emma Falls in Love.” She told the crowd, “I wrote this about one of my best friends.” Fans speculated whether she was referring to Emma Stone or Emma Roberts.
July 8 - Last Kiss
On day two, Swift surprised fans with another Speak Now song. During her performance, she forgot the words twice and told fans, “I got too excited, I got too excited. Will you allow me the honor of starting over?” Live performances have their setbacks but at least Taylor was being authentic!
July 8 - Dorothea
Switching it back to the evermore album, Swift’s second surprise song was this Aaron Dessner-produced track. It’s the first song that Taylor Swift wrote for the album.
July 14 - Picture to Burn
Swift’s first surprise song on July 14 in Denver, Colorado was this country throwback from her first album. The angsty breakup song was about Jordan Alford, who went on to date, and later marry, one of Taylor’s former friends named Chelsea.
July 14 - Timeless
Following “Picture to Burn” was this Speak Now track from the vault. The video shows pictures and videos of her grandparents, showcasing their love story.
July 15 - Starlight
Day two in Denver was this country track from her Red album. The song was inspired by the grandparents of her boyfriend at the time, Conor Kennedy.
July 15 - Back to December
Another country track from her Speak Now album, Swift surprised fans with this second song. It was written as an apology to her ex, Taylor Lautner. She rarely apologizes in songs. But she and Lautner are friends now.
July 22 - This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Swift kicked off her July 22 show in Seattle, Washington with this surprise song from her reputation album. Fans speculate that this song is about her ongoing feud with rapper, Kanye West. We don’t expect he’ll be guesting at any of her shows anytime soon.
July 22 - Everything Has Changed
Next up was this folk track from Red. Ed Sheeran was on the recorded version. This was their first collaboration. She wrote the song with Sheeran, who had his guitar out with him on her trampoline.
July 23 - Message in a Bottle
The next day, Swift performed another track from Red, from the vault. The pop song is allegedly about her ex, Harry Styles. The clue is when she mentions the city of London.
July 23 - Tied Together With a Smile
Swift switched it up with a country throwback with “Tied Together With a Smile.” She wrote the song the day she found out that her friend had an eating disorder.
July 28 - Right Where You Left Me
Swift’s first surprise song on July 28 in Santa Clara, California was this bonus track from her evermore album. It was one of the last songs she wrote on the album, while her producer was in the middle of mixing.
July 28 - Castles Crumbling ft. Hayley Williams
This “from the vault” song was up next from her Speak Now album. When Swift announced the song, she said Hayley Williams’ band, Paramore, was a huge influence to her around the time that she wrote the album. She also revealed Paramore would be joining her as an opening act for her Eras Tour dates in 2024.
July 29 - Stay Stay Stay
The next day, Swift performed this Red track in Santa Clara, which she hasn’t performed since the Red Tour, a decade ago. This song was written as a sort of ideation of love. This one, apparently, was not written from her personal experience.
July 29 - All of the Girls You Loved Before
Swift then switched it up to this The More Lover Chapter track, which is one of three other songs that did not make it to the final tracklist when Lover was initially released in 2019. When kicking off the Eras Tour, Swift revealed the song would officially be released with three other tracks: “Eyes Open (Taylor’s Version),” “Safe and Sound (Taylor’s Version),” featuring Joy Williams and John Paul White, and “If This Was a Movie (Taylor’s Version).”
August 3 - I Can See You
On August 3, Swift made her way to Los Angeles and performed this surprise song from her Red album. It is based on what she’s observed in “real” relationships.
August 5 - You Are in Love
After three back-to-back repeats, Swift then shifted gears to this 1989 track. It was written with Jack Antonoff about his relationship with his then-girlfriend, actress Lena Dunham. “You guys are like the benchmark of actual, real true love,” Swift said about the couple. Sadly, they broke up in 2018.
August 7 - Dress
This reputation track that Swift performed next is about ex-boyfriend, Joe Alwyn. The lyrics, “flashback when you met me, your buzzcut and my hair bleached” is a reference to when the two met.
August 7 - Exile
After taking a one-day break from her 5-day Los Angeles concert shows, Swift performed this folklore track next. The only other time Swift has performed the song live is during a Bon Iver concert in London last year. Fans expected Bon Iver (aka singer/songwriter and sometime Kayne collaborator Justin Vernon) to perform with her at her show, but it didn’t happen.
August 8 - I Know Places
Next up was this 1989 track, which seems to be about not being able to avoid the tabloid coverage when she and Harry Styles started dating. It uses the metaphor of a fox hunt, where the only chance of escaping lies in their cunning and ability to hide. And of course, Taylor and Harry still are always being hunted by paparazzi today.
August 8 - King of My Heart
This next surprise track comes from Swift’s 2017 reputation album. Swift revealed that the song was influenced by Game of Thrones characters Khal Drogo and Daenerys Targaryen. She said she wanted the post-hook drums to sound like Dothraki drums.
August 9 - New Romantics
On her last day in Los Angeles, Swift’s first surprise song of the night was this 1989 track. It was the last song from the album that she hadn’t yet performed on the Eras Tour.
August 9 - New Year’s Day
Swift’s final Eras Tour song was this closing song off the reputation album that fittingly uses a New Year’s party as a metaphor to discuss holding on to people and memories from both good and bad times. The song has also long been rumored to be about Swift’s now-ex, Joe Alwyn. Swift doesn’t come back to the Us until October 2024 with added dates.
