Episode Details
Back to Episodes“Willow” Song Analysis: Witchcraft, Mythology, and Power Dynamics | AP Taylor Swift E137
Description
“Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind” This week, we finally try to find the actual meaning behind Taylor Swift's "willow" (evermore, 2020), starting with the witchy mythology behind the title (hello, Hecate, Greek goddess of magic and the underworld) and tracing a real power dynamic underneath it.
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Mentioned in this episode:
- "willow", evermore (2020)
- “The Odyssey” Deep Dive (E136)
- Aesthetic Theory (E29)
- Witches (E60)
- Hecate, Greek goddess of magic and the underworld
- Harry Potter and the Whomping Willow
- Pocahontas and Grandmother Willow
- "WAP", Cardi B
- How I Met Your Mother
Episode Highlights:
[00:00] Intro — continuing last week's Odyssey deep dive into "willow"
[01:59] The title: willow mythology, Hecate, and witchy vibes
[05:26] “I'm like the water when your ship rolled in that night”
[17:07] “Lost in your current like a priceless wine”
[28:55] “Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind”
[42:49] “I come back stronger than a 90s trend”
[59:04] The purpose of the song
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