"I'd say I love you even at your darkest, and please don't go." This week, we continue our winter songs conversation with a deep dive into "Forever Winter" from Red (Taylor's Version). Content warning: This episode discusses mental health struggles, suicide, and grief. We explore the song line by line, examining themes of helplessness, survivor's guilt, the weight of supporting someone through mental illness, and how Taylor captures the raw emotions of loving someone at their darkest. Join us as we unpack what it means to promise "I won't go away" and why this vault track remains one of Taylor's most emotionally devastating songs.

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[00:01] Introduction and content warning - mental health and grief discussion

[02:53] Why Taylor has never performed this song live - the pattern of deeply personal songs

[16:44] Red era context: Mental health conversations in 2010 vs. today

[32:52] "I'll be summer sun for you forever" - The impossibility of being someone's savior

[34:06] Bridge analysis: "If I was standing there in your apartment"

[45:04] "Believe in one thing, I won't go away" - Poetry of immortalization

[59:32] The toll of supporting someone: When care requires its own support system

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This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z

"But then the cold came, the dark days when fear crept into my mind" What happens when we explore Taylor Swift's coldest, most melancholic songs? In this week's Show and Tell episode, we examine three winter songs—"Back to December," "The Moment I Knew," and "Forever Winter"—to uncover how Taylor uses winter as a literary device to explore themes of regret, loss, and missed opportunities. From the isolation of snowy landscapes to the clarity that comes with reflection, we discuss how winter symbolizes both endings and the quiet before renewal. Spoiler alert: these songs all appear on Spotify's "Saddest Taylor Swift Songs" playlist, so bring tissues. [And we have a content warning for our last song for themes and discussions of depression and self-harm]

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Mentioned in this episode:

The Shining, Stephen King

Frozen (2013)

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," Robert Frost

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis

Fall Episode

Summer Episode

Holiday Episode

Greek Mythology Episode

“Right where you left me” deep dive

All Too Well 10 Minute Version Episode

Episode Highlights

[00:42] Winter as a literary device

[07:16] "Back to December"

[18:02] "The Moment I Knew"

[26:52] "Forever Winter" (content warning, themes of self-harm)

Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!

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• YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift
• Link Tree →linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
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Contact us at aptaylorswift@gmail.com

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Krowned Krystals - krownedkrystals.com use code APTS at checkout for 10% off!

Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro

This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z.

"All that time I sat alone in my tower, you were just honing your powers. Now I can see it all, see it all." This week, we're deep diving "The Fate of Ophelia" (The Life of a Showgirl, 2025). We go line by line through the lead single from Taylor's latest album, exploring everything from Hamlet references to fairy tale imagery, the contrast between "high brow" poetic language and colloquial modern speak, and why this song is actually packed with green flags about healthy relationships. Join us as we unpack the land, the sea, the sky, and discover why keeping it 100 might just be the antidote to drowning in melancholy.

Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe. After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!

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Mentioned in this episode:

Hamlet, William Shakespeare

Becoming, Michelle Obama

10 Things I Hate About You (1999 film)

Greek Mythology - Persephone and the Underworld

Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare

Cleopatra, William Shakespeare

Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra

Episode Highlights:

[02:42] The title and opening verse: Megaphones, pyros, and public declarations

[05:50] Drowning in melancholy: The Tortured Poets Department connection

[13:20] Pre-chorus analysis: Towers, graves, and lighting up the sky

[29:00] "Keep it 100 on the land, the sea, the sky" - Jenn's breakthrough moment

[36:33] Pledge allegiance vs. swore my loyalty: Communal vs. individualistic language

[43:44] Verse two: Fantasy, scorpions, and Cleopatra references

[56:32] "Wrap around me like a chain, a crown of vines" - Self-referential Taylor

[01:02:17] The bridge: "'Tis locked inside my memory" and the Laertes connection

[01:09:32] The purpose: Rewriting endings and finding people who show up

Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social!

• TikTok → tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift
• Instagram → instagram.com/APTaylorSwift
• YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift
• Link Tree → linktr.ee/aptaylorswift
• Bookshop.org → bookshop.org/shop/apts
• Libro.fm → tinyurl.com/aptslibro

Contact us at aptaylorswift@gmail.com

Affiliate Codes:

Krowned Krystals - krownedkrystals.com use code APTS at checkout for 10% off!

Libro.fm - Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here tinyurl.com/aptslibro

This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z