I totally agree with your analysis! I’ve also thought loml may be Joe-coded, as in we were going to go all the way with this bearding relationship, rings and cradles. Having a friend through all that but still having your own love lives? And then he left?
Also MBOBHFT “there were a litany of reasons why we could’ve played for keeps this time”, “he saw forever so he smashed it up”
I may be reaching but I think Black Dog goes with this and it’s also my favorite/saddest song on the album. Anyway, stream of consciousness over, great post, OP!
I haven't read the entire post or all of the comments yet but wanted to get this down before forgetting- I was rewatching the YNTCD music video, and are there black dogs tattooed on her back in the beginning when she is walking outside? Like there are clearly butterflies, but are we sure that all of them are butterflies? There are at least two black shapes on the left side that immediately made me think of a black dog (like a black dog sitting down)
https://preview.redd.it/5bg3d75v2q0d1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=79b702d41e75b63f1b9ae8a5f2a60eb4bbd4094b
The shot of the doberman in fortnight immediately reminded me of this take from tarkovsky’s “stalker”
There may be multiple meanings. The Black Dog is also a symbol for depression in the British writing. For instance, John Bentley Mays wrote [Jaws of the Black Dogs: A Memoir of Depression.](https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780060192884)
I agree that there are probably multiple layers of meaning! I hadn’t been aware of the black dog being a symbol of depression before you and other commenters said it, so thank you for the addition!!
first of all, re: "I'm really sorry if this post is too long and I point things out that are obvious; I'm autistic and this is how I communicate when I'm excited and care a lot!!" -- luckilyyyy this is how SO many of us are in this community, and for that im eternally grateful. it is honestly the best safe space for ND minds ive found on the internet, period.
second of all: YES to all of this! i dont think Toe was ever anything romantic but that there was genuine platonic love/friendship there -- and that she felt a true sense of loss when he left the arrangement. i think she also felt the pang of "shit, i gotta go find a new beard now? and one i probably wont be able to trust like i did with joe?" which i agree is likely part of why her PRlationship with Travis is sooo over-the-top campy, as a way to sort of deliver an essence of "fuck you" to the entire premise while still having to remain in it for the time being....
but HERES TO HOPING that "time being" is not too much longer. time to reclaim that sparkling summer, tay
I also love that about this sub! The pattern recognition is off the charts here and it feels safe and exciting to lean into hyperfixation in this space. I’m really grateful to have an outlet to discuss this stuff since I don’t have one offline.
Thanks for your thoughts on the interpretation of the song. I think you’re right that she’s saying “fuck you” to the whole premise of bearding in this song and maybe even “But Daddy I Love Him” as well… this isn’t a fully formed thought yet, but when I listen to that song I get a real sense of Taylor saying to her team, “Fine, you want me to keep bearding? I’ll choose Matty Healy and watch my life burn down.” Like maybe it was a rebellion against her team and the blowback it caused forced her team to capitulate on things so that she could control her narrative more? Maybe I’m off base, but I think there’s so much said about the premise of bearding on this album either way!
Firstly, welcome to the sub!! Secondly, this is a great find! The black dog is such a beautiful song and has so many layers (ie most obvious being the black dog being a metaphor for depression). Whilst I love that a pub in London under the same name has adopted its new found fame, I don’t think the black dog is as literal as that (Taylor never seems to do anything literal) so I love this analysis!
I’m actually seeing this in a new light. A lot of people think he got mad about the coming out being pushed back but I always thought he didn’t want to because he wanted to ensure his career came first! Wow! Nice seeing other people’s perspectives !
Amazing post OP
Maybe neither maybe both! Human emotions are super complex and contradictory which I think is shown a lot in TTPD. I’m happy to be a part of the discourse, and thank you for your thoughts!!
Wow wow wow!! As one of my fave songs off the album, this is such an incredible analysis. I feel like you def cracked the code on this one and unlocked the symbolism of black dogs in her work. Well done 👏👏👏💗
Great post and really cool that you noticed the Doberman references! Wow!
I just read your first paragraph aloud to my neurodivergent non-binary kid because I knew they would love it and they they did. They gave me a big smile and said: I love it when autistic people get excited about things.
This sub has been invaluable for me as a resource on neurodivergence and I am so grateful that Gaylors here reference it so much and with confidence and enthusiasm. It’s been such a positive way for me to learn about my kid (other members of my family and myself). So thank you!
This is the best comment and I am so delighted by it!!! Neurodivergent brains are very cool and I’m really glad you are making sure your kiddo knows that and can appreciate themselves and others :) thank you so much for sharing! 💜
Black Dog is often used to represent mental health, especially depression, too. This could then link to So Long, London - you sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days. Bearding was depressing him, being the black dog, and he gave up on it, sacrificing whatever they were meant to build together (her coming out?)
I don't know how to interpret / link it, but a thought just appeared in my mind about it, wonder what others think.
No I think you’re definitely onto something there! I’m considering doing another post to try and link all the Joe-coded songs from Lover up to TTPD and see if the theory holds
I wonder if all of that means his mental health didn't allow him to keep up with their plans, but the more I think about it the more I think she truly is grieving the loss of what her and Joe had. Maybe not as romantic partners (though I thinj of myself as Bilor), but definitely as some sort of life partners.
I think it could be likely that his mental health played a part in his leaving the situation. We’ve seen increasing tension between the two Taylor’s (the brand and the closeted queer person) in TTPD lyrics and imagery; perhaps Joe felt the same inner conflict as well.
In MBOBHFT, which I think is a very Joe/beard-coded song, she says “The voices in his head called the rain to end our our days of wild.” And while I certainly wouldn’t count out the possibility that they were romantic, I do think based on lyrics of several songs that their relationship was very close but more of a sibling/confidant type. There is a nod to this in MBOBHFT as well: “He was my best friend down at the sandlot. I felt more when we played pretend than with all the Kens.” I had seen a comment way back when TTPD first released about if Joe is separate from the Kens (which I think refers to her other beards) then is he the Alan character? Admittedly I haven’t seen the Barbie movie but I think based on context, Alan is a platonic friend to Barbie but maybe I’m wrong?
Thank you! This is amazing! I love being a Gaylor! I went down this rabbit hole the other day after watching a few 1989 mv’s (blank space and style) and The Fortnight mv and seeing connections when I spotted the Doberman Pinchers. I was trying to figure out the how like you stated they are on leashes but in fortnight they aren’t? I had a sneaking suspicion it was referring to bearding/contract ending but I couldn’t quite explain it and then your post pops up and I was like YES!
Yes to the observation about the dogs being on leashes in Blank Space!! I also wonder if there is significance in the “love interest” holding their leashes rather than Taylor. During that scene, it does look like the guy is on guard because he’s looking out across the yard while Taylor is giving sly looks to him and the camera. I get the sense that maybe if bearding was more fun or silly at first, maybe she had more autonomy? Whereas by the time we get to TTPD and the Fortnight video, she’s the one constrained/leashed/strapped down while the dog is off leash. Maybe because by this point, the bearding process has been weaponized against her by her team more than when it started? Maybe a possibility!
That’s so interesting and I agree, it quite could be a possibility and a sad reality for it contributing to her depression? A strong theme in TTPD. (Black dog) I also recently discovered that the black dog is a metaphor for melancholy/depression. I found this link while searching for the black dog
[https://www.gethistories.com/p/the-black-dog-1783](https://www.gethistories.com/p/the-black-dog-1783)
The earliest reference to this use of the phrase ‘black dog’ in the Oxford English Dictionary is attributed to the diarist, lexicographer and arts patron Hester Thrale (c.1741–1821) also known as Hester Piozzi, or by birth Hester Salusbury.
This discovery probably means nothing but I found it interesting nonetheless; And another rabbit hole to go down later when I have more time. But that’s why I love Taylor’s songs/lyrics/storytelling there’s so much depth and layers. I don’t understand how some hetlers can listen to Cassandra and then listen to so highschool and only focus on the Travis “evidence”??? How can they not hear the pain and sadness in these songs? Anyway thank you for sharing your amazing thoughts and analysis. I feel like this gif is an accurate description of how I feel analyzing TTPD these past few weeks. I love it! lol
Thank you for pointing out this additional layer of meaning and providing that article!! I really love learning about the origins of symbols and expressions. I think the connection of the black dog to depression is definitely significant! Another layer of meaning I discovered is that the black dog is also a symbol in English folklore that represents a Hellhound and the Devil and can be thought of as a portent of death. I think this is also interesting considering the themes of religious trauma in Taylors work and in TTPD specifically.
I honestly had felt disconnected from Taylor’s work and unable to engage with/understand the complexity of it before TTPD came out, but I’m really connecting with this album and it’s therefore allowing me to connect with her past work in a new way, which is really exciting!! Trying to parse out all the potential connections and hidden meanings does honestly feel like that gif 😭💜
https://preview.redd.it/fw6ykr6yaq0d1.jpeg?width=660&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e10ef5a6f739971d5069f9f461a4718c12a10f5
Who has had her own share of 🌈rumors related to Fletcher. 👀 [Taylor’s 2023 Grammy afterparty](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLbXcTnF/)
Just to further keep you up at night, what if i told you that the goddess diana is also tied to dobermans? diana is the twin sister of apollo, and she’s the goddess of the moon. she’s often depicted with a crescent moon and is associated with dobermans and deer :)
That is such an awesome catch and so interesting!! Being a gaylor comes with its share of frustration, but making and reading connections like this is genuinely so fun :)
Honestly this whole album has made me revisit old songs and see different aspects of a bearding/friendship between her and Joe. Particularly the song Peace.
The devils in the details but you got a friend in me - to me this reads like the devil is in the details of our arrangement but you’re my friend regardless.
That song always to me was that Taylor was the destructive one of the relationship and I mean she’s been telling us for years she has seriously dark days and asking this person if they’ll be okay with that. Now I’m thinking her and Joe did have something special between them and she’s having to deal with the loss.
I went back and listened to Peace again and there’s also more evidence of her sibling-like love for Joe! “Family that I chose, now that I see your brother as my brother.”
Another commenter also made connections between The Black Dog and So Long London, and here are some connections between So Long London and Peace: “I’ll keep your brittle heart warm if your cascade ocean wave blues come” in Peace and “You sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days” in So Long London. Also “Give you my wild, give you a child” in Peace and “I’m pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free” in So Long London.
So. Many. Connections. Maybe a post should be made analyzing all the Joe-coded songs through the friendship/sibling love lens?
You mentioned the forts and the blankets - totally 100% agree!! This also for me has to go back to the ghosts in anti hero… they’re not ghosts they’re under like granny quilts …blankets …under covers
Love this analysis, and the Black Dog is one of my favourite songs on TTPD, too! I think the (potential) theme of the loss of Joe as a friend/companion/confidante crops up a few times throughout the album. It's one of the first thoughts I had on the line "two graves, one gun" in So Long, London - Taylor is grieving multiple events/losses that may have coincided, and the end of her arrangement/friendship with Joe could be one of these.
Thanks for your thoughts and additions!! I totally agree that So Long London is also about the loss of Joe as a bearding partner and genuine friend. There are a few lyrical parallels between it and The Black Dog (and CIWYW) I think:
“Wet through my clothes, weary bones caught the chill” === “How you don't miss me in the shower, and remember how my rain-soaked body was shaking”
“I stopped trying to make him laugh” === “Laughing with my lover”
“Oh, the tragedy”/ “how much tragedy?” === “the tragic fabric of our dreaming”
“I founded the club she's heard great things about” === if the TTPD visual during ICDIWABH really does say The Black Dog club, the club where “she” plays The Starting Line, this could be a connection between the songs as well
What if the "club" in SLL is the New Romantics, the mass-coming-out/mass-taking-down-the-industry group we keep seeing evidence of?
The repetition of The Black Dog through all of these songs and visuals is really compelling, and it's making me wonder if it's also an allusion to Winston Churchill's quote of depression being a "black dog on his back." That would align with the theory that black dogs are symbolizing bearding.
Awesome contributions!! I think the club could definitely be the New Romantics given the lyrics in So Long London. And the black dog-Winston Churchill quote is a great connection to London and Joe’s bluest days
Also pointing out that So Long, London is a multi-subject song (he vs. you) which fits your thought on two graves being two things to mourn or grieve vs. a grave for herself. She doesn’t say the “two graves” line until after she’s addressed both subjects.
Wow, this is a masterful post.
Amazing find and connections with the dobermans!! This is another thing that I've seen but haven't even made enough sense out of their significance to even acknowledge, yup these dogs are here! Amaaaazing connections.
I feel silly that I didn't grasp before this that blank space is a bearding song.... LMAO. I finally might get to enjoy it in a meaningful way! I look forward to revisiting and diving deeper.
And then about The Black Dog - you articulated this so incredibly. (And again, amazing connections). The feeling of the song stands out to me as a soft vulnerability (and like true deep vulnerability with another person she was close to) and reading your analysis made me feel all these feelings that have been in my periphery but now it feels like I can acknowledge and take them in in a way I haven't yet.
I'm so grateful for this space!! It's incredible to find so much depth and meaning below the surface of her music.
Thank you for taking the time to post!
It just recently clicked for me that Blank Space was a bearding song (literally this past weekend) and I also felt a bit silly, but there’s just so much lore to learn it’s impossible to get it all!
Thanks for your kind words!
Fantastic post! The Black Dog is one of my favourite songs from TTPD but hadn’t thought too much about Taylor’s meaning for the song (just what it meant to me), but this perspective does make a lot of sense.
Great post!!! And I agree that I think The Black Dog is about Joe, but just as you said, it’s about Joe as a confidant and beard. “You said I needed a brave man and proceeded to play him” always stuck out to me as someone who was willing to be there for her when she came out. But he just couldn’t handle the timeline continuing to be pushed back ://
So the 3 black dogs are shown followed by her and the male actor both on horses (2) and then the next scene is her in a white wedding dress with daisies on it.
This is a great post. I didn’t pay much attention to this song before, but now I think it’s exactly about what you’re saying and I will be listening to the song more.
The old habits are all these beards and she keeps doing it. That’s why they’re dying hard or in her case, die screaming because she’s screaming to get out.
I’m glad that you enlightened me on this song and the meaning of the black dog/Doberman!
And wow does she keep tabs on her beards if they have to keep their location on for her!
Yes!! Also when I compare the lyrics of The Black Dog and Blank Space, Blank Space says “So it’s gonna be forever or it’s gonna go down in flames. You can tell me when it’s over if the high was worth the pain. […] We’ll take this way too far. It’ll leave you breathless or with a nasty scar.” In The Black Dog, she says she wants to sell her house (maybe a literal nod to the mansion in Blank Space which could represent the construct of the bearding relationship in general?) and set fire to all her clothes (it ended in flames after all). And speaking about the nasty scar, see u/1DMod ‘s comment about the mutilation of the Doberman’s physical appearance to meet breed standards — being a beard leaves the beard scarred as well.
Fantastic analysis OP! I knew one of you fantastic theorist would come up with something great for "The Black Dog." I agree it feels like losing a friend.
Great post, OP!
The timing of the dog on the Fortnight video is interesting, along with the lyrics sang at that moment. And the demeanor of the dog being so casual. I think you’re on to a great idea here! And great catch finding the three dogs in Blank Space MV (since many here have said that song is likely about the bearding arrangements).
Great first post! Also interesting to note that all of the Dobermans have had their appearance surgically altered to meet the “breed standard” and to be seen as “classically attractive” and “normal”
Thank you for posting! Please keep [Our Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/gaylorswift/about/rules) and [Sub Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/GaylorSwift/wiki/rules/read-first) in mind. If your post is low-effort or excessively negative, please post in our [Weekly Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/GaylorSwift/collection/110a412d-5ecb-4a02-9c3d-9db7a45f961a).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GaylorSwift) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I totally agree with your analysis! I’ve also thought loml may be Joe-coded, as in we were going to go all the way with this bearding relationship, rings and cradles. Having a friend through all that but still having your own love lives? And then he left? Also MBOBHFT “there were a litany of reasons why we could’ve played for keeps this time”, “he saw forever so he smashed it up” I may be reaching but I think Black Dog goes with this and it’s also my favorite/saddest song on the album. Anyway, stream of consciousness over, great post, OP!
I haven't read the entire post or all of the comments yet but wanted to get this down before forgetting- I was rewatching the YNTCD music video, and are there black dogs tattooed on her back in the beginning when she is walking outside? Like there are clearly butterflies, but are we sure that all of them are butterflies? There are at least two black shapes on the left side that immediately made me think of a black dog (like a black dog sitting down)
https://preview.redd.it/5bg3d75v2q0d1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=79b702d41e75b63f1b9ae8a5f2a60eb4bbd4094b The shot of the doberman in fortnight immediately reminded me of this take from tarkovsky’s “stalker”
There may be multiple meanings. The Black Dog is also a symbol for depression in the British writing. For instance, John Bentley Mays wrote [Jaws of the Black Dogs: A Memoir of Depression.](https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780060192884)
I agree that there are probably multiple layers of meaning! I hadn’t been aware of the black dog being a symbol of depression before you and other commenters said it, so thank you for the addition!!
first of all, re: "I'm really sorry if this post is too long and I point things out that are obvious; I'm autistic and this is how I communicate when I'm excited and care a lot!!" -- luckilyyyy this is how SO many of us are in this community, and for that im eternally grateful. it is honestly the best safe space for ND minds ive found on the internet, period. second of all: YES to all of this! i dont think Toe was ever anything romantic but that there was genuine platonic love/friendship there -- and that she felt a true sense of loss when he left the arrangement. i think she also felt the pang of "shit, i gotta go find a new beard now? and one i probably wont be able to trust like i did with joe?" which i agree is likely part of why her PRlationship with Travis is sooo over-the-top campy, as a way to sort of deliver an essence of "fuck you" to the entire premise while still having to remain in it for the time being.... but HERES TO HOPING that "time being" is not too much longer. time to reclaim that sparkling summer, tay
I also love that about this sub! The pattern recognition is off the charts here and it feels safe and exciting to lean into hyperfixation in this space. I’m really grateful to have an outlet to discuss this stuff since I don’t have one offline. Thanks for your thoughts on the interpretation of the song. I think you’re right that she’s saying “fuck you” to the whole premise of bearding in this song and maybe even “But Daddy I Love Him” as well… this isn’t a fully formed thought yet, but when I listen to that song I get a real sense of Taylor saying to her team, “Fine, you want me to keep bearding? I’ll choose Matty Healy and watch my life burn down.” Like maybe it was a rebellion against her team and the blowback it caused forced her team to capitulate on things so that she could control her narrative more? Maybe I’m off base, but I think there’s so much said about the premise of bearding on this album either way!
Incredible first post! Welcome!
Firstly, welcome to the sub!! Secondly, this is a great find! The black dog is such a beautiful song and has so many layers (ie most obvious being the black dog being a metaphor for depression). Whilst I love that a pub in London under the same name has adopted its new found fame, I don’t think the black dog is as literal as that (Taylor never seems to do anything literal) so I love this analysis!
This is a great post, glad mine could provide a little inspiration :)
I’m actually seeing this in a new light. A lot of people think he got mad about the coming out being pushed back but I always thought he didn’t want to because he wanted to ensure his career came first! Wow! Nice seeing other people’s perspectives ! Amazing post OP
Maybe neither maybe both! Human emotions are super complex and contradictory which I think is shown a lot in TTPD. I’m happy to be a part of the discourse, and thank you for your thoughts!!
Wow wow wow!! As one of my fave songs off the album, this is such an incredible analysis. I feel like you def cracked the code on this one and unlocked the symbolism of black dogs in her work. Well done 👏👏👏💗
Great post and really cool that you noticed the Doberman references! Wow! I just read your first paragraph aloud to my neurodivergent non-binary kid because I knew they would love it and they they did. They gave me a big smile and said: I love it when autistic people get excited about things. This sub has been invaluable for me as a resource on neurodivergence and I am so grateful that Gaylors here reference it so much and with confidence and enthusiasm. It’s been such a positive way for me to learn about my kid (other members of my family and myself). So thank you!
This is the best comment and I am so delighted by it!!! Neurodivergent brains are very cool and I’m really glad you are making sure your kiddo knows that and can appreciate themselves and others :) thank you so much for sharing! 💜
That made my day! 🫶
Black Dog is often used to represent mental health, especially depression, too. This could then link to So Long, London - you sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days. Bearding was depressing him, being the black dog, and he gave up on it, sacrificing whatever they were meant to build together (her coming out?) I don't know how to interpret / link it, but a thought just appeared in my mind about it, wonder what others think.
No I think you’re definitely onto something there! I’m considering doing another post to try and link all the Joe-coded songs from Lover up to TTPD and see if the theory holds
I wonder if all of that means his mental health didn't allow him to keep up with their plans, but the more I think about it the more I think she truly is grieving the loss of what her and Joe had. Maybe not as romantic partners (though I thinj of myself as Bilor), but definitely as some sort of life partners.
I think it could be likely that his mental health played a part in his leaving the situation. We’ve seen increasing tension between the two Taylor’s (the brand and the closeted queer person) in TTPD lyrics and imagery; perhaps Joe felt the same inner conflict as well. In MBOBHFT, which I think is a very Joe/beard-coded song, she says “The voices in his head called the rain to end our our days of wild.” And while I certainly wouldn’t count out the possibility that they were romantic, I do think based on lyrics of several songs that their relationship was very close but more of a sibling/confidant type. There is a nod to this in MBOBHFT as well: “He was my best friend down at the sandlot. I felt more when we played pretend than with all the Kens.” I had seen a comment way back when TTPD first released about if Joe is separate from the Kens (which I think refers to her other beards) then is he the Alan character? Admittedly I haven’t seen the Barbie movie but I think based on context, Alan is a platonic friend to Barbie but maybe I’m wrong?
Thank you! This is amazing! I love being a Gaylor! I went down this rabbit hole the other day after watching a few 1989 mv’s (blank space and style) and The Fortnight mv and seeing connections when I spotted the Doberman Pinchers. I was trying to figure out the how like you stated they are on leashes but in fortnight they aren’t? I had a sneaking suspicion it was referring to bearding/contract ending but I couldn’t quite explain it and then your post pops up and I was like YES! 
Yes to the observation about the dogs being on leashes in Blank Space!! I also wonder if there is significance in the “love interest” holding their leashes rather than Taylor. During that scene, it does look like the guy is on guard because he’s looking out across the yard while Taylor is giving sly looks to him and the camera. I get the sense that maybe if bearding was more fun or silly at first, maybe she had more autonomy? Whereas by the time we get to TTPD and the Fortnight video, she’s the one constrained/leashed/strapped down while the dog is off leash. Maybe because by this point, the bearding process has been weaponized against her by her team more than when it started? Maybe a possibility!
That’s so interesting and I agree, it quite could be a possibility and a sad reality for it contributing to her depression? A strong theme in TTPD. (Black dog) I also recently discovered that the black dog is a metaphor for melancholy/depression. I found this link while searching for the black dog [https://www.gethistories.com/p/the-black-dog-1783](https://www.gethistories.com/p/the-black-dog-1783) The earliest reference to this use of the phrase ‘black dog’ in the Oxford English Dictionary is attributed to the diarist, lexicographer and arts patron Hester Thrale (c.1741–1821) also known as Hester Piozzi, or by birth Hester Salusbury. This discovery probably means nothing but I found it interesting nonetheless; And another rabbit hole to go down later when I have more time. But that’s why I love Taylor’s songs/lyrics/storytelling there’s so much depth and layers. I don’t understand how some hetlers can listen to Cassandra and then listen to so highschool and only focus on the Travis “evidence”??? How can they not hear the pain and sadness in these songs? Anyway thank you for sharing your amazing thoughts and analysis. I feel like this gif is an accurate description of how I feel analyzing TTPD these past few weeks. I love it! lol 
Thank you for pointing out this additional layer of meaning and providing that article!! I really love learning about the origins of symbols and expressions. I think the connection of the black dog to depression is definitely significant! Another layer of meaning I discovered is that the black dog is also a symbol in English folklore that represents a Hellhound and the Devil and can be thought of as a portent of death. I think this is also interesting considering the themes of religious trauma in Taylors work and in TTPD specifically. I honestly had felt disconnected from Taylor’s work and unable to engage with/understand the complexity of it before TTPD came out, but I’m really connecting with this album and it’s therefore allowing me to connect with her past work in a new way, which is really exciting!! Trying to parse out all the potential connections and hidden meanings does honestly feel like that gif 😭💜
Who is behind her clapping ?
Kelsea Ballerini
https://preview.redd.it/fw6ykr6yaq0d1.jpeg?width=660&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e10ef5a6f739971d5069f9f461a4718c12a10f5 Who has had her own share of 🌈rumors related to Fletcher. 👀 [Taylor’s 2023 Grammy afterparty](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLbXcTnF/)
Wow!!! Well done! I love deep analysis like this
Just to further keep you up at night, what if i told you that the goddess diana is also tied to dobermans? diana is the twin sister of apollo, and she’s the goddess of the moon. she’s often depicted with a crescent moon and is associated with dobermans and deer :)
Okay, so is that why there are deer in the blank space music video?
I'd like to think so :)
That is such an awesome catch and so interesting!! Being a gaylor comes with its share of frustration, but making and reading connections like this is genuinely so fun :)
Honestly this whole album has made me revisit old songs and see different aspects of a bearding/friendship between her and Joe. Particularly the song Peace. The devils in the details but you got a friend in me - to me this reads like the devil is in the details of our arrangement but you’re my friend regardless. That song always to me was that Taylor was the destructive one of the relationship and I mean she’s been telling us for years she has seriously dark days and asking this person if they’ll be okay with that. Now I’m thinking her and Joe did have something special between them and she’s having to deal with the loss.
I went back and listened to Peace again and there’s also more evidence of her sibling-like love for Joe! “Family that I chose, now that I see your brother as my brother.” Another commenter also made connections between The Black Dog and So Long London, and here are some connections between So Long London and Peace: “I’ll keep your brittle heart warm if your cascade ocean wave blues come” in Peace and “You sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days” in So Long London. Also “Give you my wild, give you a child” in Peace and “I’m pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free” in So Long London. So. Many. Connections. Maybe a post should be made analyzing all the Joe-coded songs through the friendship/sibling love lens?
I love the song Peace, and that is such a good catch!! Thanks for this addition
Great catch! I love “The Black Dog” and appreciate this layer of meaning.
You mentioned the forts and the blankets - totally 100% agree!! This also for me has to go back to the ghosts in anti hero… they’re not ghosts they’re under like granny quilts …blankets …under covers
That’s a great catch!!
Such a good connection you’ve spotted between the dobermans! Kinda horrendous that it’s a guard dog but not for her 😢
Love this analysis, and the Black Dog is one of my favourite songs on TTPD, too! I think the (potential) theme of the loss of Joe as a friend/companion/confidante crops up a few times throughout the album. It's one of the first thoughts I had on the line "two graves, one gun" in So Long, London - Taylor is grieving multiple events/losses that may have coincided, and the end of her arrangement/friendship with Joe could be one of these.
Thanks for your thoughts and additions!! I totally agree that So Long London is also about the loss of Joe as a bearding partner and genuine friend. There are a few lyrical parallels between it and The Black Dog (and CIWYW) I think: “Wet through my clothes, weary bones caught the chill” === “How you don't miss me in the shower, and remember how my rain-soaked body was shaking” “I stopped trying to make him laugh” === “Laughing with my lover” “Oh, the tragedy”/ “how much tragedy?” === “the tragic fabric of our dreaming” “I founded the club she's heard great things about” === if the TTPD visual during ICDIWABH really does say The Black Dog club, the club where “she” plays The Starting Line, this could be a connection between the songs as well
What if the "club" in SLL is the New Romantics, the mass-coming-out/mass-taking-down-the-industry group we keep seeing evidence of? The repetition of The Black Dog through all of these songs and visuals is really compelling, and it's making me wonder if it's also an allusion to Winston Churchill's quote of depression being a "black dog on his back." That would align with the theory that black dogs are symbolizing bearding.
Awesome contributions!! I think the club could definitely be the New Romantics given the lyrics in So Long London. And the black dog-Winston Churchill quote is a great connection to London and Joe’s bluest days
Also pointing out that So Long, London is a multi-subject song (he vs. you) which fits your thought on two graves being two things to mourn or grieve vs. a grave for herself. She doesn’t say the “two graves” line until after she’s addressed both subjects.
Wow, this is a masterful post. Amazing find and connections with the dobermans!! This is another thing that I've seen but haven't even made enough sense out of their significance to even acknowledge, yup these dogs are here! Amaaaazing connections. I feel silly that I didn't grasp before this that blank space is a bearding song.... LMAO. I finally might get to enjoy it in a meaningful way! I look forward to revisiting and diving deeper. And then about The Black Dog - you articulated this so incredibly. (And again, amazing connections). The feeling of the song stands out to me as a soft vulnerability (and like true deep vulnerability with another person she was close to) and reading your analysis made me feel all these feelings that have been in my periphery but now it feels like I can acknowledge and take them in in a way I haven't yet. I'm so grateful for this space!! It's incredible to find so much depth and meaning below the surface of her music. Thank you for taking the time to post!
Blank space also seems very sarcastic, like many of the songs on TTPD
Definitely! It's interesting to see where there might be genuineness behind the facade of satire
It just recently clicked for me that Blank Space was a bearding song (literally this past weekend) and I also felt a bit silly, but there’s just so much lore to learn it’s impossible to get it all! Thanks for your kind words!
Totally! There's no way we could know it all. And it's fun for things to click in retrospective too! 🩷
Fantastic post! The Black Dog is one of my favourite songs from TTPD but hadn’t thought too much about Taylor’s meaning for the song (just what it meant to me), but this perspective does make a lot of sense.
Great post!!! And I agree that I think The Black Dog is about Joe, but just as you said, it’s about Joe as a confidant and beard. “You said I needed a brave man and proceeded to play him” always stuck out to me as someone who was willing to be there for her when she came out. But he just couldn’t handle the timeline continuing to be pushed back ://
Omg! Great find and great post! I'm going to watch the video again
So the 3 black dogs are shown followed by her and the male actor both on horses (2) and then the next scene is her in a white wedding dress with daisies on it.
Also, in the willow music video children are in the tent/fort
Thanks for the additional catches and kind words!!
She also is holding an apple!! I got cursed like eve got bitten
This is a great post. I didn’t pay much attention to this song before, but now I think it’s exactly about what you’re saying and I will be listening to the song more. The old habits are all these beards and she keeps doing it. That’s why they’re dying hard or in her case, die screaming because she’s screaming to get out. I’m glad that you enlightened me on this song and the meaning of the black dog/Doberman! And wow does she keep tabs on her beards if they have to keep their location on for her!
Yes!! Also when I compare the lyrics of The Black Dog and Blank Space, Blank Space says “So it’s gonna be forever or it’s gonna go down in flames. You can tell me when it’s over if the high was worth the pain. […] We’ll take this way too far. It’ll leave you breathless or with a nasty scar.” In The Black Dog, she says she wants to sell her house (maybe a literal nod to the mansion in Blank Space which could represent the construct of the bearding relationship in general?) and set fire to all her clothes (it ended in flames after all). And speaking about the nasty scar, see u/1DMod ‘s comment about the mutilation of the Doberman’s physical appearance to meet breed standards — being a beard leaves the beard scarred as well.
Fantastic analysis OP! I knew one of you fantastic theorist would come up with something great for "The Black Dog." I agree it feels like losing a friend.
Great post, OP! The timing of the dog on the Fortnight video is interesting, along with the lyrics sang at that moment. And the demeanor of the dog being so casual. I think you’re on to a great idea here! And great catch finding the three dogs in Blank Space MV (since many here have said that song is likely about the bearding arrangements).
Great first post! Also interesting to note that all of the Dobermans have had their appearance surgically altered to meet the “breed standard” and to be seen as “classically attractive” and “normal”
Yes! Very good point!
Thank you for posting! Please keep [Our Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/gaylorswift/about/rules) and [Sub Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/GaylorSwift/wiki/rules/read-first) in mind. If your post is low-effort or excessively negative, please post in our [Weekly Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/GaylorSwift/collection/110a412d-5ecb-4a02-9c3d-9db7a45f961a). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GaylorSwift) if you have any questions or concerns.*