Decoding Taylor Swift: The Word Wizardry That Explains Taylor's First #1 Hit

Podcast: Decoding Taylor Swift: A Storytelling Revolution
Hosts: Joe Romm and Toni Romm
Episode: #7 – The Word Wizardry That Explains Taylor's First #1 Hit
Date: August 12, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively and insightful episode, Joe and Toni Romm dissect the storytelling—and especially the linguistic and rhetorical—techniques behind Taylor Swift’s first #1 single, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” The episode explores how Swift’s lyricism uses classic storytelling and poetic tricks—headline construction, alliteration, rhyme, assonance and more—and why these are essential not just for pop chart success, but for anyone who wants to communicate effectively and make their ideas “go viral.” The conversation flows from Swift’s writing process and personal experiences, to the ancient roots of memorable language and practical tips for writers.

Main Themes & Discussion Points

1. The Power of Headlines and First Lines ([01:37], [04:44])

• Headlines as Gateways: The hosts explain the outsized importance of headlines, first lines, and subject lines across all forms of communication, not just in music. The attention given to these elements can determine "whether someone actually reads what you say or clicks on what you say or listens to anything that you say." ([01:41] Joe)
• Testing Headlines: Joe notes his own approach: “I spend almost half the time on the headline.” ([05:06]) He references advertising legend David Ogilvy:

  "On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. A change of headline can make a difference of 10 to 1 in sales. I never write fewer than 16 headlines for a single advertisement." ([13:07])

• “Clicky and Sticky” Content: To go viral, you need content people will both click (because the headline grabs them) and stick with (because the story keeps them). “To be clicky, your headline needs these memory tricks... to be sticky, it's got to be a story.” ([15:59], Joe)

2. Memory Tricks: Figures of Speech and Rhetorical Devices ([04:01]–[07:07])

• Alliteration & Repetition: Taylor’s chorus (“We are never, ever, ever getting back together”) leverages alliteration (repeating initial consonants), assonance (repeating vowel sounds), consonance (repetition of internal consonants), rhyme, and internal repetition to make the phrase instantly catchy and memorable.
• Rhetoric from Ancient Greece to Taylor Swift: The hosts connect Swift’s techniques to the memory aids codified in ancient rhetoric, used by bards and orators for storytelling:

  “The point of these memory tricks... these are the memory tricks used by the great bards... and these memory tricks got codified by the Greeks into what was called rhetoric.” ([16:17], Joe)

• The Scientific Underpinning: Setting words to music and using repeated patterns make lyrics easier to remember, a universal principle since ancient storytelling. (16:50–17:23)
• Headline Testing in the Digital Era: The importance of testing concepts and phrasing in real time, just like pop songwriters test hooks, is analogized to political messaging and marketing. (14:49)

3. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” – Dissecting the Lyrics ([21:26]–[35:06])

• Swift’s Bop as Masterclass: The song is described as “a pure bop” and also possibly a “fuck you to Jake [Gyllenhaal],” showing how personal vendetta and viral catchiness coexist. ([26:17])
• Lyric Breakdown:
  • Alliteration: “never, ever, ever”
  • Consonance: Internal echoes of “v”, “r”, “g”, “t”
  • Assonance: The "E" vowel sound in “never, ever”
  • Double Rhymes (masculine and feminine rhymes): “never, ever” (double rhyme), “ever, together” (imperfect double rhyme).
  • Creative escalation: “We are never, ever, ever, ever getting back together. Like, ever.” ([34:22])
• Not Just Accidental Brilliance:

  "This song was co-authored by three of the greatest songwriters of all time... so they didn't do this by accident." ([32:22], Joe)

  • Max Martin and Shellback, two of pop’s greatest, joined Taylor on this song.
  • Swift’s conscious and subconscious deployment of these devices is a signature of advanced songwriting.
• Actionable Takeaway: These same memory tricks help make any communication—from essays to emails—more memorable and engaging.

4. Poetry, Brevity, and Figurative Language ([36:00]–[37:54])

• Brevity as Purpose:

  “The purpose of poetry is to allow you brevity. You can write…When you use figurative language, you don't have to explain things as much.” ([36:45], Joe)

• Short, Simple, Sticky: Simpler, monosyllabic words and repetition—not complexity—are key to embedding phrases in listeners’ minds (and why Dr. Seuss and Swift have so much in common). (50:46)
• Metaphor and Antithesis: Swift’s use of “never ever getting back together” and “forever” as contrasting poles in the bridge embodies the power of presenting stark dichotomies, a classic emotional and rhetorical technique. ([45:04])

5. Beyond the Song: Storytelling Tools for Everyone ([15:59], [51:04])

• Action Items for Writers:
  • Focus on headlines/titles and first sentences—spend more time here.
  • Use alliteration, rhyme, assonance, and consonance wherever possible, especially in headers and subject lines.
  • Employ “but” and “however” for contrast and narrative tension—but don’t overdo it (“The opening paragraph should have the word but in it.” [52:11])
  • Avoid wordiness; every word should earn its place (“If you have a word in your essay and you don't know why it's there, cut it out.” [55:01])
  • Alliteration in business and branding is everywhere; notice it and use it.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Taylor’s technique:

  “Taylor is the queen of memory...she repeats the phrase remember it 17 times. It's an instruction to the audience to remember it.” ([16:12], Joe)

• On Sound Play in Songwriting:

  “There is more memory tricks or more figures of speech crammed into those words than you can just about imagine.” ([29:25], Joe)

• On Brevity:

  "The purpose of poetry is to allow you brevity..." ([36:45], Joe)

• On the song's deeper message:

  "It is a pure bop. It's not at all surprising...there is kind of one deep meaning which is Fu Jake. Rake Jake. Hashtag Rake Jake." ([34:39], Joe)

• On the importance of titles:

  “The headline was the most important thing for two reasons...most people are never going to read past the headline. That is the most important thing to know when you write.” ([12:47], Joe)

• Playful banter:

  Toni: “Call somebody a shabiroon. Call them a dirty rotten shabaroo.” ([35:36])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:41 — The importance of headlines/first lines
• 04:01 — Introduction to alliteration and figures of speech
• 13:07 — David Ogilvy on headline testing
• 15:59 — “Clicky and sticky” content formula
• 16:12 — Taylor as “queen of memory tricks”
• 19:11 — Rhetoric’s roots in ancient Greece
• 21:26 — Deep dive into “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
• 29:25 — Dissecting the lyric’s memory tricks
• 36:45 — “The purpose of poetry is brevity”
• 45:04 — The bridge: use of antithesis and emotional contrast
• 51:04 — Using alliteration in titles & branding
• 54:54 — Swift as a “mastermind” and the importance of purposeful word choice

Tone & Style

This episode blends father-daughter banter with accessible deep dives into the craft of songwriting and communication. Their tone is witty, nerdy, playful, and irreverent. The academic (Joe) and pop culture-savvy (Toni) mix keeps the conversation lively. They bounce between granular lyric analysis, ancient rhetoric, and practical writing tips—often digressing into pop culture asides (“Hashtag Rake Jake,” “Call someone a shabiroon”).

Practical Takeaways

• To get and keep people’s attention, think like a songwriter: headlines/titles and first lines matter most.
• Repetition, alliteration, rhyme, and strong contrast are not “tricks”—they are fundamental to viral storytelling, in any medium.
• You don’t have to be Taylor Swift to use these tools; they work for emails, research papers, essays, and brands.
• Brevity, memorable phrasing, and the right details make your message rise above the crowd (“Clicky and sticky!”).

Homework/Assignment

"Your assignment: Listen to these songs again. Write the lyrics of this song out so you can see what she is doing in every word. Because she is, as we said in episode four, Mastermind. She's doing everything by design. No casual use of words." ([54:41]–[55:04], Joe & Toni)

“If you have a word in your essay and you don't know why it's there, cut it out.” ([55:01], Toni)

Hashtags & Running Gags

• #RakeJake — An ongoing, tongue-in-cheek roast of Jake Gyllenhaal
• Memory tricks, rhyme, alliteration
• Banter about old-fashioned insults (“shabiroon,” “rake”)
• “Clicky and sticky” content

Listen to become a sharper communicator—and to see Taylor Swift in a whole new light.