This is Swift’s first studio release since ending her six-year relationship with the British actor.i
After surprise-announcing the album at the Grammy Awards in February, the singer-songwriter dropped 16 new tracks at midnight last night, before then dropping another 15 two hours later, as part of a secret double album she called The Anthology. And in classic Swift fashion, these 31 songs are bursting with confessional lyrics, headline-grabbing anecdotes, and heartbreaking imagery.
Leading up to the album’s release, Swifties were certain the record would focus mainly on the chart-topper’s six-year relationship with Joe Alwyn, whom she split from in early 2023. However, following the couple’s separation, Swift quickly entered into a whirlwind relationship with Matty Healy, frontman of British rock band the 1975, before eventually becoming involved in a high-profile relationship with NFL tight end Travis Kelce—and both these men play considerable roles in the Tortured Poets Department tracks as well.
But back to Alwyn. We’ve known him as the focus of many of Swift’s LPs, from Lover to Reputation, and the Conversations With Friends actor is certainly all over The Tortured Poets Department too. Of course, we can’t know for sure which songs are about him, but there’s lots of damning evidence. Here, we break down all the clues, allusions, and Easter eggs that seem to point to Alwyn. Listen to each track and read the full lyrics below.
“So Long, London”
“Fresh Out the Slammer”
“Florida!!!”
“loml”
“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
“How Did It End?”
“So Long, London”
Acting as a sort of mournful sister song to Swift’s Lover-era ode to Alwyn “London Boy,” this one continues the singer’s streak of emotional track fives. In this song, Swift seems to be singing to Alwyn (a.k.a. “London”) after their breakup, telling him he’ll find the right person even if things didn’t work out for the two of them. “Oh, the tragedy / So long, London / You’ll find someone.”
Thinkin’, how much sad did you think I had
Did you think I had in me?
Oh, the tragedy
So long, London
You’ll find someone
I didn’t opt in to be your odd man out
I founded the club she’s heard great things about
I left all I knew, you left me at the house by the Heath
I stoppеd CPR, after all, it’s no use
The spirit was gonе, we would never come to
And I’m pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free
For so long, London
Stitches undone
Two graves, one gun
I’ll find someone
And you say I abandoned the ship
But I was going down with it
My white-knuckle dyin’ grip
Holding tight to your quiet resentment
And my friends said it isn’t right to be scared
Every day of a love affair
Every breath feels like rarest air
When you’re not sure if he wants to be there
So how much sad did you think I had
Did you think I had in me?
How much tragedy?
Just how low did you
Think I’d go ’fore I’d self-implode?
’Fore I’d have to go be free?
You swore that you loved me, but where were the clues?
I died on the altar waitin’ for the proof
You sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days
And I’m just getting color back into my face
I’m just mad as hell ’cause I loved this place for
So (so) long (long), London (London)
Had (had) a (a) good (good) run (run)
A moment (moment) of warm sun (sun)
But I’m (I’m) not (not) the (the) one (one)
So (so) long (long), London (London)
Stitches (stitches) undone (undone)
Two (two) graves (graves), one gun (gun)
You’ll (you’ll) find (find) someone
