I do think that’s what they set out to write the song about. But, respectfully, they ended up writing a song about Travis’s dick.
I truly think that’s all 90 percent of people are thinking about when they listen to that song, which is the problem.
That's part of what makes the song so funny, haha. But yeah, for me at least, both sides of the writing hit which makes it a pretty joyous tune.
Until the first time she gets to the “ahh-matized” me is some of the most fun Taylor’s ever had a pop song and it derails extremely quickly from there. Still kind of a bop, though.
That line is definitely the cardinal sin of the song, and I can't decide if it would have been better or worse if Taylor hadn't self-censored the word.
I'm not even sure it's a censorship thing, I think it's just (ah!)-matized. Like the way he makes her feel has hypnotised her. Ofc you could infer something else might go there but I think the way it's done works much better for the song.
I think the original concept she talked about with knocking on wood sounds like a cute concept. Full stop I just can't separate the lyrics from the artist and I don't want to hear about Travis penis and tbh. He seems like such a meathead dork. I don't even see Taylor as a sexual being. And I don't mean that as an insult on her. She's awkward and self conscious which is always reflected in her attempts at sexy dancing and she spent so long marketing herself as the good all American girl even into adulthood that I just don't want that imagery of her either. That's probably not fair but like it just doesn't feel as authentic as it would coming from Sabrina or ariana. It's ironic she's so concerned about her legacy these days and the number ones but sis lets focus more on the quality of your legacy cause... And I don't even dislike this album. I just think she can do better
But ia with the assessment above and I think that if someone like Sabrina or ariana was writing this song they would've gone all in. Even Sabrina's music, as shallow as some may feel it is, she's often making puns and quips but imo there's something deeper there often talking about her insecurities or feelings. Taylor sorta kinda tries it here but I am just not buying it. And part of that may be the unfair not separating the art from the artist. And maybe that's combined with Taylor fatigue. But also a song about her next new big love but this time it's like REAL is sorta old. Folklore and evermore and even midnights at least felt more self reflective.
It is kinda funny that so much of her deepest and best material is about the past relationships that came and went, then her one true love gets.... These songs. Maybe the next one will be the one
I've seen a lot of people who feel that way about her and I think that's fair enough and people don't have to like whatever she does but I also don't think she should be beholden to what anyone else's image of her is or what other people think she should be. To me it seems like the art she makes reflects the life she's living and she's more true to what she wants to make than anything else, and I think that's the way it should be even if I don't always love what she decides to do. Different eras will connect with different people. I think the moment artists start thinking more about what other people want them to do than what speaks to them, they start making shit nobody wants. I'm sure she cares about the quality of her legacy, I just think she likes this album a lot more than you. I think the way it's written is still very her in the way it doesn't go all in like some other artists might, like you said she has always been a bit awkward and self conscious, never really attempting music that's very sex focused but that's also part of the charm of the song to me. That she feels comfortable enough in herself and her relationship to write a song like this 20 years into her career, probably aware that many people will just think it doesn't suit her. Also I know I've just posted about Wood having more going on than just the jokes, but I do think at the core of the song she is talking about her feelings and how she's being freed of those insecurities. But I do seem to be the only one who can get past the dick jokes lol. I can see how it may seem like a tired concept for her but I think a lot of the lines actually do speak to a new sense of security in the relationship that she hasn't felt before, and I get that from a lot of the album really. I think especially coming after the last few albums which had a ton of her dealing with the turmoil of her last two relationships, a song like Wood must feel like a relief for her to be able to write. But yeah, if you just don't want to think about Travis or his dick I get that haha.
I do think there's often a lot more depth or at least more to unpack about pain and loss from a relationship that's in the rearview mirror than a new relationship, but I think there's a lot of romantic stuff on this album about how he's helped her heal a lot of those wounds and makes her feel safe and loved. It's maybe less complex because her feelings are less complex, love is often simple.
This exchange hits upon something I'm definitely feeling. We've been getting "I swear this is the one" love songs since Red. And I guess it's just started to feel a little "boy who cried wolf," especially after six years of those songs for Joe. (It doesn't help Travis that the Joe love songs felt so much deeper and more textured to me; he got "New Year's Day" and "Peace" and "Call It What You Want" and Travis gets "The Alchemy," "So High School," and "Wood." I'd be bummed!) I guess that's what you sign up for when you get to year 20 in the career of an artist who writes primarily about her relationships, but it's the biggest part of my Taylor fatigue at this point; I think I'm ready for her to write about something else. Which, to be fair, she was doing before the Joe breakup reset the clock. See, this is where I have some issues with the new album (which, again, I actually do like, as posts earlier in this thread will attest). There are lyrics or songs or entire creative decisions that, to me, feel clearly calibrated based on the social media reaction, not what would make the better song. "Wood" falls into that trap for me, for the reasons I've already discussed; so does "Cancelled," for I think very obvious reasons; and I think the reaction to "Father Figure" and "Actually Romantic," songs I personally think are a lot more successful, shows that the shock value lines got the online attention she probably wanted them to, but to the point of distracting from what actually works about those songs, structurally. I think she's become too focused on the initial reaction and what is going to "get people talking," whereas I used to feel like she always put the song first.
Taylor is also an interesting case because in the past she has been transparent she cares so much what other people think and she does listen to critics. She talked about being bummed Red didn't win at the grammys and setting out to make a more consistent album for her follow up to try for a Grammy win. And then she released 1989 which was fantastic. Even though I loved Red and I spammed this site (or ap.net) with gifs of her, rooting for Red to win at the grammys haha I feel like that's a positive example of taking on feedback and aiming to hone in on her craft to better herself I just don't see her really pushing herself on this one. I do feel like she put in some lines or parts for shock value or headlines at the sacrifice of quality and I don't usually feel that way about her songwriting. Except for maybe her songs referencing the Kimye situation, which I also didn't really love I believe that she is proud of this album and loves it. I enjoy the album for the most part but I just don't believe it's her best effort I also think part of why she comes across so awkward and uncomfortable sometimes is because she isn't really being true to herself but obviously none of us have a way to know that since we don't know her. But usually if someone struggles to pull something off imo it's due to lack of confidence and I just don't think she sells Wood. But I get that's subjective I'm convinced she truly thought Joe was endgame. No way she would've put him in her documentary, added him in her credits later to get him a Grammy, and wrote so many songs about getting married if she didn't truly believe it. Despite her having love songs and such before him, she was never that all-in until he came along imo. Then when they broke up she was immediately with Matty singing about their true love, and then they broke up and she was immediately with Travis singing about their true love. Now we're getting another documentary which features that new actual true love again. I'm probably projecting but that feeds into the feeling of me clocking some of this album as inauthentic. It all makes this album not feel like the confident, comfortable with herself and her love feeling that @SpyKi is appreciating. To me it just sort of comes across like serial monogamy and insecurity. And with any other artist I probably wouldn't even notice their love life or which song is about who, but when she makes that a huge part of her image and career it's hard to separate. And like you said, the songs about Joe felt so much more textured and comfortable and natural. ... And low-key whenever a woman I know goes on about her bfs dick and how great it is, I'm naturally suspicious lmao it's like those really loud couples who want everything to appear a certain way on social media even tho their relationship sucks behind the scenes. That's how Wood feels to me, like relationship overcompensation. whether that's fair or not idk Now I'm gonna stop talking about this mans genitalia
I'm honestly not sure about this!! I feel like she told us she loves it but isn't proving it. A few interviews then a bunch of variants and some bonus tracks and then she's basically done. Even without promo, I felt like TTPD at least felt like she was really doing something she was proud of. The Instagram posts about that album had heart. I know she was touring, so being able to perform it probably helped ... But I just don't feel like she cares about this one yet I guess, I feel more like she made it with Max to make critics happy, churned out some quick and easy material then gave it to us and was done
I feel like over the years she's gone a bit Beyonce and has reduced the promo and media coverage stuff outside of variants because she's big enough that she doesn't really need to do that to get people talking about her music. But TBH I've never been good at tracking that stuff from her because due to her being everywhere all the time I typically try to ignore her promo stuff and social media when she releases an album to lessen the fatigue aspect
It should also be noted that I enjoy shamelessly baselessly speculating about many public figures, but Taylor is the only celeb most people I encounter seem to care about speculating on so I bite the bullet. Overthinking celebrities based on no concrete evidence is my cross to bear but I make the sacrifice. You're all welcome.