Episodes

  • The meaning of Swift’s Life of a Showgirl, how it connects to Britney Spears & Marjorie plus Toni’s hilarious musical impressions

    The meaning of Swift’s Life of a Showgirl, how it connects to Britney Spears & Marjorie plus Toni’s hilarious musical impressions
    Jan 6 2026
    The Life of a Showgirl is the key to unlocking the whole album’s meaning. It’s also her most meta and circular song, deeply connected to her grandmother Marjorie's story. Plus Toni finally shows off her singing with hilarious impressions of Britney Spears, Bob Dylan, and Sabrina Carpenter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Honey is Taylor’s most ingenious love letter to words and reveals her top storytelling secrets

    Honey is Taylor’s most ingenious love letter to words and reveals her top storytelling secrets
    Dec 30 2025
    This is a must-see episode for anyone who loves words and decoding Taylor’s songs. Starting with one of the cleverest opening lines Swift has ever written, Honey is a masterclass in storytelling. If you love words as much as Joe and Toni, please follow and rate the podcast. And if you know another logophile, please share this episode with them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins
  • Taylor is NOT attacking Blake Lively in CANCELLED! She’s backing her friend.

    Taylor is NOT attacking Blake Lively in CANCELLED! She’s backing her friend.
    Dec 23 2025
    CANCELLED! is a much better song than the critics think. In this episode, Joe and Toni decode the song’s real meaning by diving into the storytelling strategies Swift uses in her songs, which are secrets you can use in your writing. In the process, they realize they enjoy and appreciate the song a lot more than when they first heard it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins
  • What do Taylor Swift, The Beatles & Springsteen have in common? Why Wood alludes to Norwegian Wood & Dancing in the Dark

    What do Taylor Swift, The Beatles & Springsteen have in common? Why Wood alludes to Norwegian Wood & Dancing in the Dark
    Dec 16 2025
    Many critics think Wood, with all its sexual puns and double entendres, is somehow beneath Taylor. But they should lighten up. It’s a funny song. Also, Joe and Toni reveal how Taylor anticipated that critique, which is why the song alludes to The Beatles' Norwegian Wood and Bruce Springsteen's 'Dancing in the Dark', both of which have sexual double meanings. Indeed, lots of double meanings are a key reason Taylor is a modern-day Shakespeare. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins
  • The REAL meaning of Swift’s Wish List, what the critics get wrong, & our amazing Spotify Wrapped

    The REAL meaning of Swift’s Wish List, what the critics get wrong, & our amazing Spotify Wrapped
    Dec 9 2025
    Wish List is the most misunderstood song on The Life of a Showgirl because too many people take too much of Taylor Swift’s fantasy literally. But Joe and Toni decode the deeper meaning and reveal one of Taylor’s most powerful storytelling strategies that you can use to become a better writer and speaker. Also, a huge shout out to our fans for our Spotify Wrapped naming us a “2025 Instant Hit Show” (more popular than 98% of other new shows), a “2025 Marathon Show” (our fans listened longer than 97% of other shows), and a “2025 Most Shared Show” (which received more shares than 97% of other shows). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 mins
  • Decoding Actually Romantic and the Taylor Swift-Charlie XCX feud

    Decoding Actually Romantic and the Taylor Swift-Charlie XCX feud
    Dec 2 2025
    Actually Romantic is a funny and clever song. But it's also a diss track aimed at Charlie XCX, who herself put a song out about Taylor on her breakout 2024 Brat album, Sympathy is a Knife, which Charlie said was not a diss track. But Taylor clearly felt dissed, so we'll decode both of these songs to explain why, starting with Actually Romantic. In the end, we’ll see why Charlie might not have realized how much her song would piss off Taylor, but also why Actually Romantic might have benefited from a few judicious edits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • Revealed: Ruin the Friendship’s hidden connections to Folklore and The Fate of Ophelia

    Revealed: Ruin the Friendship’s hidden connections to Folklore and The Fate of Ophelia
    Nov 25 2025
    Ruin the Friendship’s big mystery is why Taylor Swift put a High School heartbreaker on an album about the Eras Tour. Joe and Toni do a deep dive decoding the song’s meaning by explaining its crucial connections to The Fate of Ophelia and the teenage love triangle in Folklore. Then they explore why Taylor has so many haters with the help of former Cosmopolitan editor Amy Odell who hosts the fashion and pop-culture podcast 'Back Row with Amy Odell' (Apple Podcasts, Spotify). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr
  • Why Eldest Daughter is NOT about Taylor Swift—and what it really means.

    Why Eldest Daughter is NOT about Taylor Swift—and what it really means.
    Nov 11 2025
    Eldest Daughter may be the most controversial song on “The Life of a Showgirl.” Joe and Toni dive headfirst into the controversies about whether this song is too cringe, while raising the provocative question of whether this song is actually about Taylor Swift. And you won’t want to miss our fast-paced interview with New Yorker senior editor Tyler Foggatt who is Taylor fanatic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 8 mins