Patti Smith Thanks Taylor Swift For Naming Her In The Tortured Poets Department Lyrics: 'I Was Moved'

The legendary American singer-songwriter and poet, Patti Smith, has recently shared her heartfelt reaction to being mentioned by Taylor Swift in one of her songs. The song is a part of the Tortured Poets Department, Swift’s 11th album. In a move that delighted fans of both artists, Taylor Swift paid homage to Patti Smith and fellow poet Dylan Thomas on the emotionally charged title track by giving a shoutout to both. In response, Patti Smith took to Instagram to express her gratitude for being included in the company of Dylan Thomas. She shared a black and white photo of herself immersed in reading Thomas’ works.

“This is saying I was moved to be mentioned in the company of the great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Thank you, Taylor,” Smith captioned her photo.

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In Tortured Poets Department’s titular song, Taylor Swift delves into the intricacies of a romance entangled with the struggles of a partner prone to self-destruction. Despite the challenges, the narrator finds themselves unable to resist the allure of the relationship. Speculation among Swift’s fans is the song may be inspired by her brief relationship with the 1975 frontman Matty Healy, reports HuffPost. Healy was Taylor Swift’s partner for a brief time, before her current relationship with football star Travis Kelce.

The two artists have shown admiration for each other before this too. In a 2019 interview with the New York Times, Patti Smith defended Taylor Swift against the pressures of fame, empathising with the challenges of living under constant scrutiny. “She’s a pop star who’s under tremendous scrutiny all the time, and one can’t imagine what that’s like,” Smith said. “It’s unbelievable to not be able to go anywhere, do anything, have messy hair,” informs HuffPost.

In addition to Patti Smith, Taylor Swift’s song The Tortured Poets Department also features nods to her fellow contemporary musicians. For instance, there’s a mention of Charlie Puth, with a couple in the song expressing the belief that he “should be a bigger artist.” Moreover, the song appears to allude to solo artist Lucy Dacus, as well as Swift’s collaborator Jack Antonoff.

Taylor Swift’s latest album is receiving a lot of attention on social media, with many still trying to dissect and interpret the meaning of her lyrics. Fans have also expressed admiration and love for its featured songs.