Taylor Swift’s latest album, ‘Tortured Poets Department,’ has been the subject of much speculation, with many fans believing it is filled with songs about her ex-boyfriend, The 1975’s Matty Healy. While Healy has yet to confirm or deny the rumors, the lyrics of several songs on the album certainly seem to point to a tumultuous relationship between the two singers.
In ‘Fortnight,’ Swift sings about a ‘temporary’ romance that lasted for two weeks, with lyrics like ‘And I love you, it’s ruining my life’ and ‘I touched you, for only a fortnight.’ This song is believed to be a reference to Swift and Healy’s rekindled romance in 2023, which reportedly only lasted for a few weeks.
‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ the album’s title track, also includes several references to Healy. The opening lyrics, ‘You left your typewriter at my apartment,’ are a nod to Healy’s love of typewriters, which he has mentioned in several interviews. Later in the song, Swift sings, ‘At dinner you take my ring off my middle finger and put it on the one people put wedding rings on. And that’s the closest I’ve come to my heart exploding.’ These lyrics suggest that Swift and Healy had a deep connection, despite their brief relationship.
Other songs on the album that are believed to be about Healy include ‘My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,’ ‘Down Bad,’ and ‘But Daddy I Love Him.’ In ‘My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,’ Swift sings about a partner who ran away from their relationship, with lyrics like ‘Cause I knew too much / There was danger in the heat of my touch.’ This song is believed to be a reference to Healy’s reputation as a ‘bad boy,’ which has been well-documented in the media.
In ‘Down Bad,’ Swift reflects on being ghosted by a guy, who she calls her ‘twin,’ after being infatuated by him. The lyrics ‘How dare you think it’s romantic / Leaving me safe and stranded’ suggest that Swift felt abandoned by Healy after their relationship ended.
‘But Daddy I Love Him’ tackles the theme of wanting to make a relationship work despite criticism from the outside world. The lyrics ‘No I’m not coming to my senses / I know it’s crazy but he’s the one I want’ suggest that Swift was willing to overlook Healy’s flaws because she loved him.
While Healy has yet to comment on the rumors that ‘Tortured Poets Department’ is about him, the lyrics of several songs on the album certainly seem to point to a tumultuous relationship between the two singers.