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Overview
This is a reading challenge focused on books, poems, nursery rhymes & oddities that Taylor Swift has said influenced her writing of particular songs.
Where possible, I’ve tried to ensure that this information has come from Taylor Swift directly.
(Not included are books that she’s recommended - but hasn’t expressly linked them to songs or lyrics)
Where possible, I’ve tried to ensure that this information has come from Taylor Swift directly.
(Not included are books that she’s recommended - but hasn’t expressly linked them to songs or lyrics)
Taylor Swift - books that inspired lyrics
10 participants (26 books)
Overview
This is a reading challenge focused on books, poems, nursery rhymes & oddities that Taylor Swift has said influenced her writing of particular songs.
Where possible, I’ve tried to ensure that this information has come from Taylor Swift directly.
(Not included are books that she’s recommended - but hasn’t expressly linked them to songs or lyrics)
Where possible, I’ve tried to ensure that this information has come from Taylor Swift directly.
(Not included are books that she’s recommended - but hasn’t expressly linked them to songs or lyrics)
Challenge Books
1
The Road Not Taken and Other Poems
Robert Frost
Mentioned in the song ‘The Outside’ from her debut album.
2
Snow White
Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm
From her second album Fearless - The Best Day
3
Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare
From second album Fearless, this play has links to lines in ‘Love story’, ‘Hey Stephen’ & ‘the other side of the door’
4
The Poetry of Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda
On her fourth album Red, this book is mentioned in the liner notes
5
All's Well That Ends Well
William Shakespeare
Referenced on fourth album Red’s ‘All Too Well’
Also links to 7th album title track ‘Lover’
Also links to 7th album title track ‘Lover’
6
The Iliad
Homer, Emily Wilson
No idea which version of the story that Taylor Swift read - but I love to think she’s come across this version - so good!
Homers epic is referenced in two of her songs, across different albums.
Red - ‘State of Grace’
1989 - ‘You are in love’
Homers epic is referenced in two of her songs, across different albums.
Red - ‘State of Grace’
1989 - ‘You are in love’
7
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll
Onto fifth album - 1989
No shock to discover that the song ‘Wonderland’ includes plenty of references to this classic.
This book is also referenced on 8th album Evermore - during ‘Long Story Short’
No shock to discover that the song ‘Wonderland’ includes plenty of references to this classic.
This book is also referenced on 8th album Evermore - during ‘Long Story Short’
8
The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne
On the 5th album - 1989 - this book is referenced during ‘New Romantics’ and ‘Out of the wood’
9
(bonus)
Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century
Sam Kashner
Uncertain!
But this book might link to ‘Wildest Dreams’ from
1989
But this book might link to ‘Wildest Dreams’ from
1989
10
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Onto 6th album Reputation & this book is heavily referenced in ‘This is why we can’t have nice things’
11
Slaughterhouse-Five
Kurt Vonnegut
From Reputation, ‘So it Goes’ directly uses a commonly used quote from this book.
12
A Tale of Two Cities
Charles Dickens
From Reputation, everyone’s favourite meme video ‘Getaway Car’ opens with a Swift take on a world famous opening line.