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Song of the Day #5,793: ‘Clara Bow’ – Taylor Swift

Continuing the tracklist of my version of Taylor Swift’s latest album…

Taylor Swift’s Asylum
Track #10: ‘Clara Bow’

The back half of my revised album is focused on Swift’s feelings about her career. While yesterday’s track was a biting and sarcastic shot at her critics, this one is a much more somber take on life in the spotlight.

The first two thirds of ‘Clara Bow’ finds Swift recalling her own reception, with comparisons to “It Girls” of the past (including the original It girl, the silent film actress who gives the song its name). The final lines allude to a new crop of stars being compared to Swift herself.

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Song of the Day #5,792: ‘Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?’ – Taylor Swift

Continuing the tracklist of my version of Taylor Swift’s latest album…

Taylor Swift’s Asylum
Track #9: ‘Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?’

Swift is angry on much of The Tortured Poets Department — at her exes, at her fans, at her rivals, at the media and the music industry. My Asylum tracklist includes a few of those songs, and none more bracing and compelling than today’s SOTD.

‘Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?’ finds Swift embracing the villain label slapped on her by the haters. If you paint me as the big bad wolf, she argues, don’t be surprised when I bite.

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Song of the Day #5,791: ‘So High School’ – Taylor Swift

Continuing the tracklist of my version of Taylor Swift’s latest album…

Taylor Swift’s Asylum
Track #8: ‘So High School’

I’m closing out the relationship songs with this sweet track about Swift’s current flame, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Granted, these lyrics don’t exactly paint Kelce as Swift’s intellectual equal (“you know how to ball, I know Aristotle” suggests to me not that Swift is an expert on the philosopher, but that unlike her beau, she has actually heard of him). But as a rebound to a rebound, she could do a lot worse.

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Song of the Day #5,790: ‘But Daddy I Love Him’ – Taylor Swift

Skipping Throwback Weekends this week to continue the tracklist of my version of Taylor Swift’s latest album…

Taylor Swift’s Asylum
Track #7: ‘But Daddy I Love Him’

If albums had sides anymore, yesterday’s track would have been the end of Side One and today’s the beginning of Side Two. On the back half of the album, we’re leaving the Joe Alwyn relationship behind and focusing on the highs and lows of the past year.

That means our first (and only) Matty Healy song. The Tortured Poets Department has a bunch of them, but I’m not a fan of most. Today’s track, however, is a standout.

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Song of the Day #5,789: ‘Florida!!!’ – Taylor Swift

Skipping Throwback Weekends this week to continue the tracklist of my version of Taylor Swift’s latest album…

Taylor Swift’s Asylum
Track #6: ‘Florida!!!’

Swift’s first tour stop following her split with Joe Alwyn was in Tampa, Florida, which is apparently the genesis of this track. She has also said that Florida is the state to which criminals flee, an action she compares to her own mindset after a breakup.

Given all that, I felt it appropriate to slot this song after my track five tearjerker, allowing listeners to escape along with Taylor.

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