What is Taylor Swift's 'but daddy I love him' about?
19 April 2024, 10:55
Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is all anyone is talking about. But one song in particular stands out, ‘but daddy i love him.’ So what are the lyrics and what do they mean? Here’s what we know.
The drop of Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ has lit the internet afire. With the sneaky double album drop of ‘The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology’ Swifties now have more fresh content to play around with than they ever have before.
With Taylor, everyone knows, every song and every lyric has some sort of gorgeous symbolism or beautiful metaphor and this album was no different.
From the the farewell of her past relationship, Joe Alwyn, in ‘so long, London’, to ‘imgoingtogetyouback’ possibly being about Matt Healy, you gotta look hard and you gotta look deep. No detail is too small.
Read more: Taylor Swift Fans Think Her 'The Alchemy' Lyrics Are About Travis KelceRead more: Read Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Prologue Poem In Full HereSo what are the full lyrics and what is ‘but daddy i love him’ about? Here’s what we know.
The most popular opinion online has been that the song title ‘but daddy i love him’ was a quote from Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
Ariel exclaimed this to her father, King Triton, referring to her love for Prince Eric, but because he was a human, King Triton did not approve.
Not only is Taylor a huge fan of the film, but she was even seen dressed as Ariel at a friend’s New Year’s Eve Party in 2019.
Other theories online claim it could be a reference to The Notebook, where Rachel McAdam’s character, Allie, iconically falls in love with a boy from ‘the wrong side of the tracks’ and has to defend him to her father saying the words, “Yes, daddy, I love him.”
Sensing a theme here? The song on a surface level is about Taylor dating a ‘bad boy’ or falling in love with the wrong type of man. But what the song really is about is the unfair judgement cast upon her when doing so.
The song is almost an anthem about how Taylor doesn’t need fans ‘permission’ to date anyone and she's been disappointed to see her fans turn to haters depending on the man she’s with.
She sang, “Thinking it can change the beat of my heart when he touches me, And counteract the chemistry and undo the destiny.”
Towards the end of the song she goes on to sing “I’ll tell you something about my good name, it’s mine alone to disgrace."
That message read that if her fans truly loved her for her, why would dating a man - a separate entity to her, change their opinions of her? And if she wants to do that, is she not entitled to it?
“I’m having his baby — no, I’m not, but you should see your faces,” she sang cheekily.
Taylor's song 'but daddy i love him', is about freedom of romantic expression. Picture: Instagram: @taylorswiftIn the bridge, Taylor speaks directly to the listener as she says, “I’ll tell you something about my good name, it’s mine alone to disgrace,” she sings.
Despite expecting no judgment from her fans, she doesn’t claim to know what she’s doing, in fact, it's the total opposite.
“No, I’m not coming to my senses,” she sings. “I know he’s crazy, but he’s the one I want.” Taylor knows maybe her choices haven’t always been the best for her but she’s asking for the space to make those choices.
The ‘bad boy’ character in ‘but daddy i love him’ has been rumoured to be based on Matty Healy, lead singer of the band 1975.
Matt Healy and Taylor Swift were spotted together after he break up with Joe Alwyn. Picture: GettyTaylor was spotted with the singer for a brief few months after her split with Joe Alwyn in March 2023 and the tattooed, smoking, sardonic English musician wasn’t deemed a good match for Taylor by the general public.
In the song she described her lover as “He was chaos, he was revelry,” later singing “Me and my wild boy and all this wild joy.”
She and her ‘bad boy’ refused to bend to the judgement of others who thought they knew what was best, so she sings, “Sarahs and Hannahs in their Sunday best, clutching their pearls, sighing, 'What a mess.'"
Fans did not approve of Matt Healy as a potential match for Taylor Swift. Picture: GettyTaylor later sings "Stay away from her, the saboteurs protested too much," explaining how people wanted her lover to stay away from her like it wasn’t the one in her control or it wasn't her choice.
“I just learned these people try and save you ‘cause they hate you…Too high a horse for a simple girl to rise above it.”
Taylor has always only ever wanted one thing, romantic freedom. But her entire career has been plagued by being defined by the men around her and now she’s done.
In ‘but i love him daddy’ she’s taken control of her own narrative. She’s done what she wants to do and loved who she wants to love and she couldn’t care less what people think of her any more.
Taylor embraces her rebellious spirit in 'but daddy i love him'. Picture: GettyHer rebellious spirit is captured in the song as her romance physically unravels her, going from "tendrils tucked into a woven braid" to running with her "dress unbuttoned."
The bridge may be the most powerful part of the song, filled with religious symbolism, she associates her judgemental fans with stuffy church-going housewives who think they’re better than everyone else.
“Don’t cater to all these vipers dressed in empath’s clothing…God save the most judgmental creeps who say they want what’s best for me.”
She then reminds her fans they dont “gotta pray for her.”
Taylor Swift's 'but daddy i love him' is a message to the fans that judge her. Picture: GettyThe song finishes with Taylor singing that these judgement folk can do all the judging they want but she’s not listening and she’s happy.
“If all you want is grey for me, then it's just white noise, then it's just my choice.”
Her ‘rebellious’ boy who didn’t have approval manages to worm his way into her family's heart and it’s all sunshine, rainbows and dancing in the sunlight.
“Now I’m dancing in my dress in the sun and even my daddy just loves him”
“I’m his lady and oh my God, you should see your faces”
Taylor Swift's is on a two month break for her World Eras Tour. Picture: Getty Taylor Swift’s ‘but daddy i love him’ full lyrics[Verse 1]I forget how the west was wonI forget if this was ever funI just learned these people only raise youTo cage youSarahs and Hannahs in their Sunday bestClutchin' their pearls sighing, "What a mess"I just learned these people try and save you'Cause they hate you
[Pre-Chorus]Too high a horse for a simple girlTo rise above itThey slammed the door on my whole worldThe one thing I wanted
[Chorus]Now I'm running with my dress unbuttonedScrеamin', "But, daddy, I love him"I'm having his babyNo, I'm not, but you should see your facesI'm telling him to floor it through thе fencesNo, I'm not coming to my sensesI know it's crazyBut he's the one I want
[Verse 2]Dutiful daughter, all my plans were laidTendrils tucked into a woven braidGrowing up precocious sometimes means not growing up at allHe was chaos, he was revelryBedroom eyes like a remedySoon enough the elders had convened down at the city hall
[Pre-Chorus]"Stay away from her," the saboteursProtested too muchLord knows the words we never heardJust screeching tires of true love
[Chorus]And I'm running with my dress unbuttonedScreaming, "But daddy I love him"I'm having his babyNo, I'm not, but you should see your facesI'm telling him to floor it through the fencesNo, I'm not coming to my sensesI know it's crazyBut he's the one I wantI'll tell you something right nowI'd rather burn my whole life downThan listen to one more second of all this bitchin' and moanin'I'll tell you something 'bout my good nameIt's mine alone to disgraceI don't cater to all these vipers dressed in empath's clothing
[Bridge]God save the most judgmental creepsWho say they want what's best for meSanctimoniously performing soliloquies I'll never seeThinking it can change the beat of my heart when he touches meAnd counteract the chemistryAnd undo the destinyYou ain't gotta pray for meMe and my wild boy, and all of this wild joyIf all you want is gray for meThen it's just white noise, then it's just my choice
[Verse 3]There's a lot of people in town that I bestow upon my fakest smilesScandal does funny things to pride but brings lovers closerWe came back when the heat died downWent to my parents and they came aroundAll the wine moms are still holding outBut fuck 'em, it's over
[Chorus]Now I'm dancing in my dress in the sun andEven my daddy just loves himI'm his ladyAnd oh my God, you should see your facesTime, doesn't it give some perspectiveAnd no, you can't come to the weddingI know it's crazy, but he's the one I loveI'll tell you something right nowYou ain't gotta pray for meMe and my wild boy, and all of this wild joy(It was chaos, it was revelry)It's all you want is gray for meThen it's just white noise, it's my choice
[Outro]
It was chaos, it was revelryScreamin', "But, daddy, I love him"I'm having his babyNo, I'm notBut you should see your facesAnd oh my God, you should see your faces
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