I’m so moved reading that ICDIWABH also got many others through a hard time. In November my boyfriend reached a breaking point from burnout and stress, had a month long manic episode that ended with me admitting him to a behavioral health unit for a week and him being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. We had no previous signs of it so it was extra shocking. The night I left him at the hospital I went to bed sobbing thinking the next day I wasn’t going to be able to do anything but lay in bed and cry but I literally woke up that morning and thought “lights camera bitch smile” and knew I had to hold it together to help him and help us. I got a decal with that lyric and it lives on my rearview mirror so I’m reminded of what I survived. I love that such a glitter gel pen song turned into something much more meaningful in my life. (Bf is doing much better by the way. I did have Fresh Out The Slammer queued up for him in the car the day I picked him up from the hospital 😂) I’m so glad to be a part of this community that can share what Taylor’s words mean to us in so many different ways.
Oh, Erika. Thank you for feeling comfortable enough to share something so personal. I'm grateful you're part of this community - it means everything. I truly hope your boyfriend is doing better!
I feel extremely validated by your Editor’s note on my loml comment - sad song girlies unite! (Also just to say I have still not recovered from the devastation that was hearing loml for the very first time)
Also maybe there just weren’t that many criticisms said. I know on my side on the internet ttpd is pretty well loved and maybe a lot of tssers who participated feel pretty similar?
While I understand the tone here is supposed to be celebratory, I wish more criticism of the album had been included. There were some less glowing opinions in the final section and some vague dismissals in the "cutting room floor" section, but I would have liked to hear more specific critiques of individual songs the same way we heard their praises. TTPD is a controversial album, and that's part of its legacy. While I love and cherish some songs from this album, I find most ranging from mid to messy (not in a good way). I personally find it disappointing that a community discussion celebrating Taylor's most scathingly honest album wasn't allowed much scathing honesty of its own.
I thought Sarah did a great job including as many perspectives as possible without sounding redundant. Could you share what you don’t like about the album? Or what you would change about it?
Thanks for your article ! Very interesting :). How many people answered your survey ?
I don’t remember all that I wrote, but as a non English-native, I found this album hard to follow, and it took a looooot of time to read all the lyrics and understanding them (even more when you have a 2yo kid at home - who was born on December 13th btw 🤗) before actually enjoying TTPD. Can’t wait to listen to it again after everything I read tonight !
It’s a full year later and I’m still as fully obsessed with this album as I was on day one. I can’t begin to explain the chokehold it has on me. It was also my first time experiencing a new release as a fresh Swiftie, and I wouldn’t have it any other way 🫶🏼
I don’t have a copy of my responses to the survey so I don’t remember what I said originally, but I’ve been thinking a lot about TTPD today and while yes 31 songs is so overwhelming and it feels unedited and unpolished, is that not the point?? Side A is the surface of the story, the highlights, in a way. Side B is the messy, unfiltered, Everything Else. It’s the layers and the nuance and the little side thoughts (“there wouldn’t be this if there hadn’t been you”) and all the ugly parts people are often left to sort through on their own. I really enjoy both the main album and the anthology because it reflects what processing something as intense as what she experienced is like. It can’t be tied up neatly in fifteen songs, especially if she felt she needed to exorcise those demons, so to speak. Someone said it elsewhere but it’s very much like throwing up! Get it out, let it be messy, and move forward.
Very vulnerable comment 🫣
I’m so moved reading that ICDIWABH also got many others through a hard time. In November my boyfriend reached a breaking point from burnout and stress, had a month long manic episode that ended with me admitting him to a behavioral health unit for a week and him being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. We had no previous signs of it so it was extra shocking. The night I left him at the hospital I went to bed sobbing thinking the next day I wasn’t going to be able to do anything but lay in bed and cry but I literally woke up that morning and thought “lights camera bitch smile” and knew I had to hold it together to help him and help us. I got a decal with that lyric and it lives on my rearview mirror so I’m reminded of what I survived. I love that such a glitter gel pen song turned into something much more meaningful in my life. (Bf is doing much better by the way. I did have Fresh Out The Slammer queued up for him in the car the day I picked him up from the hospital 😂) I’m so glad to be a part of this community that can share what Taylor’s words mean to us in so many different ways.
Oh, Erika. Thank you for feeling comfortable enough to share something so personal. I'm grateful you're part of this community - it means everything. I truly hope your boyfriend is doing better!
I feel extremely validated by your Editor’s note on my loml comment - sad song girlies unite! (Also just to say I have still not recovered from the devastation that was hearing loml for the very first time)
I truly cackled. It still tickles me! The real question is ... will we ever recover? (I think not!)
Also maybe there just weren’t that many criticisms said. I know on my side on the internet ttpd is pretty well loved and maybe a lot of tssers who participated feel pretty similar?
While I understand the tone here is supposed to be celebratory, I wish more criticism of the album had been included. There were some less glowing opinions in the final section and some vague dismissals in the "cutting room floor" section, but I would have liked to hear more specific critiques of individual songs the same way we heard their praises. TTPD is a controversial album, and that's part of its legacy. While I love and cherish some songs from this album, I find most ranging from mid to messy (not in a good way). I personally find it disappointing that a community discussion celebrating Taylor's most scathingly honest album wasn't allowed much scathing honesty of its own.
I thought Sarah did a great job including as many perspectives as possible without sounding redundant. Could you share what you don’t like about the album? Or what you would change about it?
I think you should share your thoughts here! I’m sure Sarah (and the rest of us) would welcome the thoughtful commentary even if it’s more critical.
Thanks for your article ! Very interesting :). How many people answered your survey ?
I don’t remember all that I wrote, but as a non English-native, I found this album hard to follow, and it took a looooot of time to read all the lyrics and understanding them (even more when you have a 2yo kid at home - who was born on December 13th btw 🤗) before actually enjoying TTPD. Can’t wait to listen to it again after everything I read tonight !
🤍
It’s a full year later and I’m still as fully obsessed with this album as I was on day one. I can’t begin to explain the chokehold it has on me. It was also my first time experiencing a new release as a fresh Swiftie, and I wouldn’t have it any other way 🫶🏼
I don’t have a copy of my responses to the survey so I don’t remember what I said originally, but I’ve been thinking a lot about TTPD today and while yes 31 songs is so overwhelming and it feels unedited and unpolished, is that not the point?? Side A is the surface of the story, the highlights, in a way. Side B is the messy, unfiltered, Everything Else. It’s the layers and the nuance and the little side thoughts (“there wouldn’t be this if there hadn’t been you”) and all the ugly parts people are often left to sort through on their own. I really enjoy both the main album and the anthology because it reflects what processing something as intense as what she experienced is like. It can’t be tied up neatly in fifteen songs, especially if she felt she needed to exorcise those demons, so to speak. Someone said it elsewhere but it’s very much like throwing up! Get it out, let it be messy, and move forward.
Yes! Exactly this.