April 21, 2024
Dan MacMedan/USA TODAY
In Taylor Swift's song 'The Black Dog' off her new album 'The Tortured Poets Department,' she gives a shoutout to the Starting Line, a pop-punk band formed in Bucks County.
Taylor Swift dropped her 11th studio album at midnight on April 19. Two hours later, the singer surprised fans by announcing that "The Tortured Poets Department" was actually a double album and rolling out 15 more songs.
On the first song in that 2 a.m. release, "The Black Dog" — in which Swift laments in disbelief the loss of an ex who seems quick to move on without her — the Berks County-native singer gives a shoutout to the Starting Line, a pop-punk band formed in Bucks County.
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In the chorus, she sings:
"I just don't understand
How you don't miss me in The Black Dog
When someone plays The Starting Line
And you jump up, but she's too young to know this song
That was intertwined in the magic fabric of our dreaming
Old habits die screaming"
The Starting Line was formed in Churchville, Northampton Township, in 1999, and skyrocketed to fame with the success of hit single "Best of Me" off their 2002 debut album. The band, now based in Philly, has since released two more studio albums and multiple EPs, while continuing to tour. They have also teased upcoming new music.
The band took to Instagram to thank Swift for the shoutout, and for the positive attention it's brought their way in the days since.
"We heard the song, thank you for name checking our band," the Starting Line wrote. "We feel flattered and humbled by the reverberations of love that have come back to us as a result. It's an honor to have TSL memorialized on such a lovely song."
Comments on the post include, "this one was for the elder emo swifties," and "That moment when you realize you’re a musical influence to one of the biggest stars on the planet." Another commenter hypothesized that the Starting Line song Swift may have been referring to as "intertwined in the magic fabric" may be "Best of Me."
So, besides giving a shoutout to a fellow Pennsylvania-bred music act, how exactly does the Starting Line fit into Swift's new song? Of course, the super-sleuths of the Internet are already on it!
As a deep dive by Elle notes, many listeners believe "The Black Dog" is about Swift's short-lived situationship with the 1975 frontman Matty Healy, who she allegedly dated following the end of her long-term relationship with actor Joe Alwyn. The name of the song is believed to refer to a real bar in London, although the term "black dog" is also used as a metaphor for depression.
Healy covered the Starting Line's "Best of Me" during the 1975's concert in Manila on May 3, as reports began surfacing that he and Swift were dating. During that concert, eagle-eyed fans noted Healy mouthed, “This one is about you. You know who you are. I love you," onstage. Swift supposedly mouthed the same thing two days later during an Eras Tour concert in Nashville, where Healy was in attendance. He also attended all three of her shows at Lincoln Financial Field, and joined Swift's opener Phoebe Bridgers on stage.
Along with Healy, fans and critics alike have theorized that there are "TTPD" tracks alluding to Swift's former relationship with Alwyn, her ongoing feud with Kim Kardashian and her current relationship with Chiefs tight end (and Jason Kelce's brother) Travis Kelce. While at Coachella with Travis recently, Swift was spotted wearing a "New Heights" hat, representing Travis' and Jason's podcast. Might we suggest Travis step out wearing a "TTPD" hat to reciprocate his support?
Speculation aside, Swift's latest release has been breaking records left and right. "TTPD" became the first album to exceed 200 million streams in a single day, according to Variety. With the new release, Swift became the most streamed artist in a single day in Spotify history, breaking her own record from when “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” dropped in October. On Friday, Swift also released the music video for the first single from the new album, "Fortnight," featuring Post Malone.
Check out the lyric video for "The Black Dog" below:
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