The Grammy’s happened on Sunday, February 4th, and while the night had some great performances, the real twist was Taylor Swift announcing a new album coming out this April. Titled The Tortured Poets Department, the new record instantly got the meme treatment. Because, come on, look at that name!
Fans were waiting for Swift to announce the “Taylor’s Version” of her 2017 album Reputation and thought that was the news they’d be getting. Instead, we got a new album all together.
As thrilled as fans were at the announcement, the excitement for the album itself may have been overshadowed by reactions to the name: The Tortured Poets Department. The minute viewers heard that name, everyone’s minds instantly went to their favorite tortured poets—real-life ones, movies that captured our hearts, and shows that highlight the brilliance of women like Emily Dickinson.
Swift really knows how to make sure we all have fun while being online. The set-up was easy, just the title of Swift’s new album with a picture of your favorite movie, show, or person that fits within that idea. It did make me happy seeing the amount of Dickinson jokes out there in the wild.
There were some fun shout-outs to some fictional characters who would be part of the department, like our beloved Jo March.
The announcement gave us all a unique opportunity. We could scream about the poets we love in the world and do so while being part of a trending moment. That’s the real treat.
For me, I was ready to finally shout out my favorite boys, the men of Kill Your Darlings and the real life writers and poets they were bringing to life. This one is for you, Allen Ginsberg.
There were also some other fun ones. Like a reference to Killers of the Flower Moon.
All jokes aside, it is a very romantic title.
But there was one movie that jumped to everyone’s mind the minute Swift released the title: Dead Poets Society.
O Captain! my Captain! (Taylor’s Version)
When we think of poets, gone are the days when Edgar Allan Poe or even Howl by Ginsberg would be the first things to spring to mind. And it’s been that way since 1989. The Peter Weir movie Dead Poets Society is, for many of us, our entire personality. It was the coming-of-age story of a group of young men at a private school and how their teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams), changed their lives.
While many of the jokes from last night centered around the idea that Travis Kelce (Swift’s current boyfriend and something of a tortured poet himself) showed her the movie, I’d like to point out that Dead Poets Society is not for the boys. It’s for those of us who have made this movie our everything for the last 35 years.
Still, there were plenty of jokes using the title with the boys of Keating’s class.
The conspiracy part of my brain does think that Swift, who was born in 1989, was directly referencing Dead Poets Society with this title. Is that wild of me? Probably but look, we millennials absolutely love this movie and Swift loves Easter eggs so I wouldn’t be surprised.
It’s been a minute since we’ve had the opportunity to all collectively jump on one meme format. And now we have Taylor Swift to thank for bringing it back to us.
(featured image: Buena Vista Pictures)
