Exploring Taylor Swift's Musical Ode to Matty Healy in 'The Tortured Poets Department'

Every Song Taylor Swift Wrote About Matty Healy on The Tortured Poets Department The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived More 986

Taylor Swift, Matty Healy. Getty Images (2)

Taylor Swift's new album, The Tortured Poets Department, surprised many fans who were expecting it to be about her breakup with Joe Alwyn. However, the album seems to be more of a tribute to her relationship with Matty Healy.

Even though there are some songs dedicated to Alwyn, Swift's primary emphasis is on her short-lived romance with Healy, which took place in the spring of 2023 after she ended things with Alwyn for good.

Swift and Healy first crossed paths in 2014, when they were seen wearing each other's merchandise. Swift showed her support by attending several concerts of Healy and his band, The 1975.

Although rumors of romance between them circulated, Healy faced backlash when he expressed his discomfort with the idea of dating Swift in 2016. He mentioned feeling "emasculated" by being with someone more famous than him.

"It's fascinating how much the world is intrigued by Taylor Swift," he shared with Q Magazine in 2016. "I bring this up because if I had actually dated Taylor Swift, I would have been like, 'Wow, I can't handle being Taylor Swift's boyfriend.' You know, 'Wow.'"

After retracting his initial comments, they collaborated professionally in 2022 for Swift's Midnights project, although their songs did not make it onto the album. Rumors of a romantic relationship between the two started circulating when Healy was seen at multiple Eras Tour shows in April 2023, and they were later spotted holding hands at a rooftop bar in NYC.

Shortly after they started dating, an old podcast interview featuring Healy resurfaced. In the interview, the musician made some controversial comments about rapper Ice Spice, who had collaborated with Swift on a remix of her song "Karma", questioning her ethnicity. The scandal led to Swift and Healy breaking up. (Ice Spice later revealed to Billboard that Healy had apologized multiple times for his remarks.)

With the release of The Tortured Poets Department, Swift appears to be addressing the highs and lows of her relationship with Healy. From responding to fans' criticisms to dealing with allegations of him ghosting her, the album seems to delve into their tumultuous romance.

Keep scrolling for every song Swift wrote about Healy on TTPD:

‘But Daddy I Love Him’

Possibly the most talked-about song on the album, Swift appears to respond to her fans who criticized her relationship with Healy, who has faced backlash for his controversial remarks in the past.

In the track, Swift sings, "I’ll tell you something right now / I’d rather burn my whole life down / Than listen to one more second of all this complaining and whining," making it clear that she is unfazed by the "snakes in light-colored dresses moaning."

She jokes, "God save the most judgmental creeps who claim to know what's best for me. They sanctimoniously deliver soliloquies that I'll never witness, thinking they can alter the rhythm of my heart when he touches me and override the chemistry."

In the song, Swift playfully refers to herself as Healy's "wild child" and teases that she is expecting his baby. She adds, "You should see your faces as I break through defenses. No, I'm not about to come to my senses."

She also speaks out against those who criticize the relationship, referring to them as the "Sarahs and Hannahs" who are overly concerned and judgmental. She suggests that these individuals may pretend to care for you but actually have negative intentions towards you.

Every Song Taylor Swift Wrote About Matty Healy on The Tortured Poets Department The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived More 988

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‘Down Bad’

"Down Bad" also appears to reflect how people view Healy. In the bridge, she mentions, "They'll think I'm crazy if I mention you."

Swift talks about loving every part of someone's "Indecent exposures," which may hint at Healy's past actions. She vows to create a safe space for them on a different planet where everyone can relate.

Swift also hints at their breakup in her lyrics. She sings, "How can you believe it's romantic to abandon me, leaving me feeling alone and helpless."

She goes on to express, "I once felt a deep connection, but now I'm heartbroken and crying at the gym, overwhelmed by emotions reminiscent of teenage angst."

'I Can Change Him (Seriously, I Can)'

Taylor Swift's song "I Can Change Him (Seriously, I Can)" talks about her belief that she is the only one who can help her partner become a better person, despite what others may think.

Swift acknowledges that she is in a relationship with a rebel. She describes how he exhales smoke like a freight train and tells inappropriate jokes loudly at the bar.

She recalls people shaking their heads in disapproval and saying "God help her" when she introduces him as her partner. Despite this, she confidently asserts that she can help him change for the better.

Although she declares that his issues are “a perfect case for my skillset” to fix, she changes her mind by the song’s end. “Well, maybe I can’t,” she decides.

Every Song Taylor Swift Wrote About Matty Healy on The Tortured Poets Department The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived More 987

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‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived’

Many of the tracks inspired by Healy focus on blaming others, but "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" appears to criticize the musician himself.

In the song, Swift expresses frustration over feeling ignored by her ex, questioning if "ruining my happy memories was the intention?" (Swift and Healy were in a relationship in the spring/summer of 2023.)

She expresses her disappointment, stating, "In public, you showed me off, then sank into stoned oblivion because once your queen had arrived, you treated her like an ulcer. You didn't measure up in any measure of a man." She recalls how he had dismissed normal girls as boring, yet he was gone by morning.

She implies that the romance was only thrilling for her ex-partner when it was being kept secret, singing, "Because it wasn't sexy once it wasn't forbidden."

Is He Guilty?

In the bridge of the song, Taylor Swift expresses that she was willing to take the blame for his mistakes, but instead, she just felt hurt inside. She believes that he should face consequences for his actions, but he seems to escape punishment and continue to reach out to others.

"Guilty as Sin" centers around Swift feeling forbidden emotions for someone she shouldn't. It's unclear who the song is about or when Swift's feelings started. Swift and Healy were rumored to be dating in 2014 but never confirmed their relationship. They later reunited in 2022 to collaborate on music. On the other hand, Swift and Alwyn officially ended their relationship in April 2023.

In the song, Swift reflects on the things they never did together and yearns for their secret meetings. She questions how she can feel guilty without even touching his skin. Swift confesses that she keeps her desires hidden away because she was told that bad thoughts only matter when turned into actions.

‘The Tortured Poets Department’

Despite her best efforts, she finds herself consumed by fantasies that make her breath heavy and take over her thoughts. She admits that in her mind, the love affair has already taken place, feeling like a promise they both made.

Many fans initially believed that the album's title track would focus on Alwyn, especially after he mentioned having a group chat called "The Tortured Men's Club" with Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal.

However, the first clue that TTPD is actually about Healy is the song's instrumentals, which bear a striking resemblance to a tune from The 1975. (Swift has previously mirrored the music of her exes, as seen in "Dear John," a song about her breakup with John Mayer.)

Swift's lyrics further support the theory, as she describes herself and Healy as simply "idiots" together, not comparing themselves to famous figures like Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith.

She fondly recalls bonding moments with her "tattooed golden retriever," despite Alwyn not having any visible body art. This reference stems from a conversation they had about how "Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist," with Healy previously expressing admiration for Puth's talent on Twitter.

She reflects on their relationship, wondering if there will be any mistakes made. A conversation with their mutual friend, Lucy, revealed a deep emotional connection - he had expressed he would be devastated if she ever left. This brought her comfort as she remembered a similar sentiment shared with producer Jack Antonoff. Their close circle of friends also sees the undeniable bond they share, acknowledging their unique connection and passionate nature.

Every Song Taylor Swift Wrote About Matty Healy on The Tortured Poets Department The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived More 985

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‘Fortnight’

It's difficult to say for sure who Taylor Swift's song "Fortnight" is about, but she was only romantically linked to Healy for a brief period of less than two months in the spring of 2023. In the song, she sings, "And for a fortnight there, we were forever running." (A fortnight is approximately two weeks.)

Swift may also be hinting that Healy was a rebound fling after her breakup with Alwyn, as she mentions, "I took the magical move on drug / The effects were temporary."

'Fresh Out of Jail'

Swift's song mainly talks about her breakup with Alwyn, but she also appears to mention Healy by saying he will be the first person she reaches out to once her breakup is confirmed.

“Fresh out the slammer, I know how my first call will to,” she sings. “All those nights he kept me lonely, I swirled you into all my poems. Now we’re at the starting line, I did my time.”

Editor's P/S:

Taylor Swift's new album, "The Tortured Poets Department," has sparked speculation about her past relationship with Matty Healy. The lyrics of several songs on the album seem to reference their tumultuous romance, including "But Daddy I Love Him," "Down Bad," and "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived." Swift appears to address criticisms of her relationship with Healy, who has faced backlash for his controversial remarks in the past. She also expresses her frustration over feeling ignored by her ex and questions if their romance was only thrilling for him when it was being kept secret.

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