Don't Step on His Gown

I haven't watched the new Taylor Swift video yet (I know, it's shocking), but I do have a few observations about the words. Of course I do.

*"You need to calm down" is a statement you would make in the presence of a child. It's like "This is why we can't have nice things" (another Taylor title). The implication is that Trump--surely, at least a part of Taylor's intended audience--is a child.

*Famous Tay Tay quote: "A song is what you think as you're driving away. The thought you have as you study the rearview mirror." Taylor often saves these thoughts for former loves. Here, though, she is addressing someone who has made some hateful remarks. There's an effort to actually inhabit this person's perspective: "Damn, it's 7 AM," "Hey, are you OK," "You're making that sign....must have taken all night...." All of this suggests curiosity and empathy, and that's striking to me.

*"Step on his gown" as a metaphor: She is talking about Billy Porter, I think, but she is also referring to cosmic "gown-trampling": the attempt to make others feel small. I'm not 100-percent wild about the song, but I do admire the occasional bit of craftiness. Thanks. That's all.

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