Were Still Not Sidekicks

1. The lightning bolt necklace didn’t have 8 lightning bolts, it had 12 in relation to her 12 albums. The tiktoker who said the necklace was a n@zi dog whistle admitted that it was all rage bait because she needed to pay her rent.

2. Taylor swift did not pay another bride so she could have the venue on the date she wanted. The owner of the venue has come out to say that this is not true, it’s hilarious if you think we’ll know the date or venue of the wedding before it happens.

3. Taylor did not give trump permission to use her song on tik tok. However, like any other tik tok user trump/the White House is able to use any of the songs from tik tok’s music library they’d only have to get her permission if it was a campaign or political rally. The White House said they used Taylor’s song as rage bait, and you all have fell for/are falling for it. Taylor was in on the parody Stephen Colbert did about trump using her song.

4. Taylor did wear white to a friend’s wedding however that was the dress code, so no she was not trying to “show up the bride.”

This is probably true, idk. Like with the first bullet, I would like an official source from the owner of the venue before I make any opinions.

3. The White House may not NEED permission to use her songs for any videos that this facist administration AND THE ISARELI DEFENSIVE FORCES made using her songs, IS pretty jarring considering her, and I quote "need to be on the right side of history" and song "Only the Young" from Miss Americana. She could also do what Olivia did and have her songs REMOVED from TikTok's library of music. Historically, facism isn't something that goes away when it's ignored. It's defeated when people give enough fucks about it to take concrete actions AGAINST it. It's the same thing as Lizzo's accidental use of the word Spaz, and the justified outcry and demand for an apology that followed. Even if she is anti-Trump, not speaking can be misconstrued to mean alignment with it. It's also odd considering Taylor is notorious for being extremely selective with the use of her music in media. Why the exception with what could arguably be the MOST IMPORTANT use of her music.

4. How do you know that white WAS in fact, part of the dress code's color scheme? I assume the bride is private on social media, so unless a swiftie follows her and spread it, which in itself is a violation of their privacy, then there's no way to be able to verify that. Also, it is highly unusual to have white be part of the dress code given how deeply wrapped in tradition it is, but I digress. To each their own. Regardless of that, she and Travis STILL should not have been swaying in their seats while another bride and groom were having their first dance at a different wedding. The more respectful way to support your friend/Travis' cousin would be to sit still and politely watch like every single other guest was doing.

On the lyric criticism: people are allowed to critique art, but there is a difference between harmful impact that requires accountability and subjective interpretation of vague lines. With Taylor, the claims of “microaggressions” are interpretive, not universally agreed upon, and there is no consensus that those lyrics were objectively racist in intent or language. You can debate impact without falsely equating the situations.

2. “According to Ocean House’s sales-and-marketing director, the resort ‘would not and is not allowing another party or entity to buy a wedding group out of a contracted wedding date.’ - the venue put out this public statement..

3. Taylor not publicly responding to the White House using her song doesn’t mean she supports it. If any legal review or action is happening behind the scenes, she would be advised not to speak at all, because public statements can weaken a case. Also, pulling a song from TikTok is not equally simple for every artist. Taylor’s catalog has layered licensing across ownership, distribution, and platform agreements that make instant removal far more complicated than it is for newer artists like Sabrina or Olivia. And importantly, when she did intentionally engage with the situation like Stephen Colbert’s parody her team was involved and permission was given, which shows she draws a clear line between controlled satire and unauthorized political use. Silence here is strategy, not endorsement

4. multiple guests wore very light or white-adjacent outfits, the bride’s look was non-traditional, and no one involved expressed any issue with Taylor’s outfit at the time. If it were actually a breach of etiquette, it would have been addressed by the couple or the press immediately and it wasn’t.

5. The repost claim was traced back to a snark account known for fabricating content. No archived screenshot, no screen recording, no timestamped IG data, and no legitimate media outlet ever verified that Travis actually reposted anything. If a repost had been real, there would be saved mirrors and platform records, and there are none.

I wanted to do a deep dive into “the Life of a showgirl” particularly the songs that are getting the most hate for being tone deaf, having racist lyrics, or anything else that I wanted to break down. Not that I think I have more authority than anyone else but I have a degree in English literature and am currently going for a masters in Library science. Within my degree I have extensively studied indigenous peoples literature, African literature & studies, sociology and rhetoric.

1. Opalite

This is one of the songs that I’m seeing get some flack mainly because Taylor is referencing Travis’ ex Kayla Nichole when she says “she was in her phone and you were just a pose”. People have been accusing Taylor of being insecure, petty, etc…for bringing up Travis’ ex which is a fair enough criticism. My problem is why was it okay for people before this album to make fun of Taylor and compare her to Kayla including body shame her (Taylor has suffered an eating disorder in the past), but when Taylor says the most mild critique of Kayla she’s the devil? Mind you it’s information that Travis probably told her. Also it’s not like Taylor’s the only artist to ever talk about a partner’s ex in a song.

Then people go on to accuse Taylor of being racist due to the line “sleepless in an onyx night, now the sky is opalite.” This line has nothing to do with Kayla Nichole or any of Travis’ exes. Onyx night refers to a dark time in Taylor’s life before she met Travis. I’d compare it to new moon in the twilight series because that book was the darkest part in Bella’s life. “But Taylor then said opalite which is white,” wrong. Opalite is light blue, opal is white, “well Taylor referring to Travis and herself as opalite which is a man made stone means she thinks they’re fake.” No shes saying they’re opalite because it’s man made happiness she’s realized they can make their own happiness. Seriously though back to the racism thing id never hear the words onyx night and think of a black person because my mind doesn’t go there. If you hear that song and you immediately think of a black person maybe you’re racist.

2. Father figure

I haven’t seen this song get as much criticism as some of the others, but alas. This song is about Scott borchetta selling her masters to Scooter Braun this was a huge betrayal because Scott was someone Taylor truly trusted. Taylor even refers to Scott’s whiskey company when she says “brown liquor”, eventually the tables turn in the song and Taylor is now the more powerful person in the room. “Omg she’s so cocky”, lol get over it if anyone else sang these lyrics you’d think it was iconic. “I protect the family”, is about her masters the albums that were sold, this is not a line that has ever been said by MAGA conservatives and it’s not racist. Fans have been referring to Taylor’s albums as a “family”, “characters”, etc…for a while. Also, don’t even get me started on the hats, no they don’t look like MAGA hats the font is not even the same. People wear hats with sayings on them all the time, seriously get a grip.

3. Eldest daughter

Okay, so eldest daughter isn’t my favorite lyrically (except for the bridge). However, once again saying the lyrics are “racist” is factually incorrect. The song is about suffering from “eldest daughter syndrome”, wanting to be cool, but knowing you are not cool. Thats Taylor in a nutshell, the lyrics in question “I’m not a bad bitch, this isn’t savage” are being critiqued because many people claim that “savage” is a slur towards black women. However, it historically is not you can google and fact check this. The word savage is a slur towards indigenous people when it is used against them in a derogatory way, but in the context that Taylor used it it is not considered a slur. She did not call anyone (even herself) a savage. If we are going to say white women using the word savage is a slur than we need to call out all white, female celebs using the word in their music such as Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato.

4. Actually romantic

The “diss” track. I love how people heard the word coke and immediately thought of Charli xcx. Have you stopped to think maybe it’s about anyone who’s dissed Taylor and not just one single person? Also how is Taylor a mean girl for responding to someone else being mean. Like, let’s just backtrack and pretend it is about Charli. Charli made the first shot and while sympathy is a knife might not be exclusively a diss track it does have a diss in it. “Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show. Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quick.” Not wanting to see someone somewhere and hoping they break up with their boyfriend is a diss. Let’s not forget about the Photoshoot of the bloody cut off hand with the friendship bracelet Charli did right after the little girls were stabbed at a Taylor swift dance class. Also remember all the hate Taylor got for dating Matty Healy? Yeah him and Charli are still friends.

5. Wish list

People can change their minds, Taylor could’ve wanted everything she talks about in the verses and have completely changed her mind she is not criticizing people or judging them for wanting that. “They deserve what they want, hope they get what they want”. Taylor has also been talking about wanting to get married/have kids her entire career this is not new. Yes she called herself a childless cat lady because she was mocking JD Vance and someone as just posted an article criticizing her for being unmarried with children. The fat ass and baby face line is about the beauty standards women face in the entertainment industry.

6. Cancelled

This song is first of all a bit of a satire, like blank space was. However it’s also Taylor reflecting on her time being cancelled years ago. Women are held to ridiculous standards not just in the entertainment industry but in general Taylor isn’t singing about MAGA she’s singing about her friends who’ve been cancelled for dumb things (think Selena, Sophie, Sabrina, etc…) People who’ve been there when she was being cancelled “you had my back, I’ll have yours” this is why it’s not about Brittany. “But MAGA relates to it, so it must be about them, it’s a dog whistle”, MAGA relates to a lot of things that doesn’t mean it was written for them or it’s about them. Being cancelled isn’t exclusive to one political party often times it’s not even political at all and alot of times like I said it’s sexist and something men don’t have to deal with. “Did you make a joke only a man could?” If a bunch of MAGA women loved and related to a Billie Eilish song would you say it’s MAGA coded or a dog whistle? Of course not, cause that’s ridiculous.

Like, “I did a Google search” as your source on if hate groups are claiming her? Seriously? This isn’t something you can just look up, this stuff would be going on in private Telegram chats and sites you’d only want to access through something like Tor. What did you even Google? “Hate groups using Taylor Swift as a symbol near me”?

I would also assume that, having a degree in the field of English, you would understand that there can be multiple interpretations of a work that so long as they can find evidence within the text to back it up, their interpretation is valid. If there’s a source on JD Vance calling her a childless cat lady, for example, then yes, I can see why this lyric would be directed at him. However, with the rise of trad wife culture given the political climate, people may observe the lyrics present in Showgirl specifically (talk of settling down and having “the whole block looking like you” in reference to Kelce, who like her is pale with light eyes), go “hmm, I wonder why she decided to write this lyric at this specific time?” and draw that conclusion. Your constant shutdown of the other side’s interpretations (“she’s not criticizing or judging other people […]”/“saying the lyrics are racist is factually incorrect”) and goalpost moving ([paraphrasing] “This song isn’t a diss at Charli but if it was here’s the proof that she dissed first”/“why are her critics allowed to compare her to Kayla but when she herself does it it’s bad?”) is indicative of a lack of confidence in your own stance as well as bad faith debate.

Get out of the anti tags.

As for Ophelia — many literary scholars have long debated her agency and treatment, so I don’t think one interpretation is the only valid one. If you’d like to have a good-faith discussion about the song or Ophelia’s literary legacy, I’m open to that. But passive-aggressive jabs about my education or originality aren’t the way. Yes I have read Shakespeare, but I don’t really like his tragedies I much prefer his comedies like a mid summer nights dream. I do think it’s ridiculous to get up in arms over someone’s interpretation of a character in a book. Especially when Taylor said she wanted to give Ophelia a happy ending like how she wanted to give Romeo and Juliet a happy ending. Listening to the fate of Ophelia and getting mad that it’s not an accurate retelling of the story is like seeing “And Juliet” or “six the musical” on Broadway and getting upset that they’re not accurate retellings.

Yes, I know that not everything shows up by searching it on Google, but if no legitimate reports, watchdog groups, or documented extremists are publicly saying there’s a connection, then it’s irresponsible to assert that such a connection exists without evidence.

If someone wants to say that the necklace is a “dog whistle,” the burden of proof is on them — not on the deniers to disprove it with something that hasn’t even been substantiated to begin with.

I definitely agree that lyrics, like any literary text, are open to any interpretation. However, multiple interpretations doesn’t mean all interpretations are equally supported by the text or context.

What I’m offering is a grounded analysis: I’ve looked at the lyrics, Taylor’s past statements, and broader patterns. I’m not saying my interpretation is the only correct one — I’m saying it’s more reliable than interpretations that ignore context, are speculative, or reduce complex songwriting to bad-faith hot takes. Also those of you who say the songwriting is “shallow can’t then turn around and say it has some racist hidden meaning”…

As for the “trad wife” point: I personally don’t think wanting a family or showing frustration towards societal pressure automatically aligns with any specific movement, and the line “the whole block looking like you” is about loving someone so much you want to have a bunch of kids with them.

Saying my analysis is “moving goalposts” or “lacks confidence” doesn’t engage with the content of what I’m saying. You’re just tone policing.

I mentioned KISS because it proves how lightning bolt imagery — even when used by Jewish artists — can be misinterpreted or culturally sensitive depending on context. That proves my point about how symbol interpretation isn’t always clear-cut or rooted in malice.

i feel as though i must put a disclaimer of some sort here

these are NOT the ONLY instances of good lyricism on the life of a showgirl- i wrote this in 20 minutes, these are simply some overall strengths and snippets

i am NOT saying that the lyricism is ON PAR with midnights, the tortured poets department, etc. i myself was underwhelmed, this is not the perfect album

i am sick of seeing you all pull out the "did you girlboss too close to the sun," "i'm not a bad bitch and this isn't savage," or whatever else as a "gotcha!" moment

but incase you encounter an annoying person who decides to say there is no good songwriting- pull this post out because yes there is

tl;dr- her strongest storytelling and lyricism is in the fate of ophelia, father figure, and the life of a showgirl (title track).

the fate of ophelia

intertextual references to the shakespearean play "hamlet" in order to contextualise her predicament before she met her current bf, and examine the healing effects he has had on her life.

imo it is hard to pull off references like these and weave them seamlessly into a song, which taylor did quite well.

elizabeth taylor

strong storytelling using locations and the persona of elizabeth taylor, another woman of fame who has lived under intense public scrutiny.

"under bright lights, they withered away, but you bloom" -> metaphor that compares fame to a destructive force against flowers/nature, conveying the hardships of fame and how it may have catalysed the downfall of past relationships but actually helped bring her and her current partner together, showing his strengths.

opalite

"you were dancing through the lightning strikes, sleepless through the onyx night, but now the sky is opalite" -> uses well known stones to create vivid imagery and a chiaroscuro to emphasise the transition between turbulence and chaos to peacefulness and freedom in life.

father figure

very powerful and effective storytelling overall, especially in verse 1, using minimal (4) lines and imagery to establish 2 personas and their relationship dynamic. uses the key change to signify the change in which persona is singing the song and thus how the power dynamic has flipped.

"the winding road leads to the chateau" -> the adjectival choice of "winding" holds connotations of the journey being long, twisted, and perilous, creating the impression from the get go that this relationship between mentor and mentee is dangerous and to be looked at with caution.

"i pay the check before it kisses the mahogany grain" -> synecdoche of "mahogany grain" to represent the table- the imagery brings to mind luxury. symbolises the power of the mentor,

"your thoughtless ambition sparked the ignition on foolish decisions, which led to misguided visions" -> rhyming creates a catchy tune for the listener.

eldest daughter

irony in verse 1, using modern internet words to emphasise the incongruence that exists between the narrator and appearing "cool."

"every eldest daughter was the first lamb to the slaughter so we all dressed up as wolves and we looked fire" -> using a well-known idiom to convey the collective experience of eldest daughters, but then continuing on and playing with the idea of being disguised as a wolf for sake of protection, i don't need to say more.

ruin the friendship

using a range of visual ("glistening grass from september rain"), olfactory, and auditory ("as the 50 cent song played") imagery in both verse 1, verse 2, and the chorus, to create nostalgia and contextualise the song within her 2000's high school days. she's really fond of doing this if you haven't noticed the pattern already

use of constant rhyming couplets to create a magical, romantic atmosphere- this is compounded by the line's tune "you drive, eighty five" and "your smile, miles wide"

"shiny wood floors underneath my feet, disco ball makes everything look cheap" -> more vivid imagery

wood

"i ain't gotta knock on wood" -> again, utilises and upturns the well-known phrase "touch wood/knock on wood" that most listeners will understand, in order to demonstrate the success and security she feels within her relationship and lack of reliance on old, superstitious habits.

cancelled!

"beware the wrath of masked crusaders" -> intertextual reference to the crusaders, who believed they were doing good, but caused harm to innocent people, connotations of mask = ignorance and deception of the wider public and media.

"the optics click, everyone prospers" -> synecdoche of "optics" to represent paparazzi and pop culture media

the life of a showgirl

reminds me of father figure's storytelling- it uses very few lines in the first verse to build a persona and then uses the chorus to show her relationship with the singer.