Legendary singer Patti Smith took to social media to express her gratitude to Taylor Swift for referencing her in the title track of Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department.”
Smith posted a picture of herself reading Dylan Thomas’s “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog” with the caption, “This is saying I was moved to be mentioned in the company of the great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.” She concluded the post with a simple “Thank you, Taylor.”
In the song, Swift sings, “I laughed in your face and said / ‘You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith / This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel / We’re modern idiots.'”
The lyric references several artistic giants:
- Patti Smith: A prominent figure in the New York punk scene, known for her 1975 debut album “Horses” and hits like “Because the Night” and “Free Money.”
- Dylan Thomas: A celebrated Welsh poet famous for works like “Do not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” and “Under Milk Wood.”
- The Chelsea Hotel: A historic New York City landmark that has housed numerous creative minds throughout its existence.
According to music critics, these lyrics suggest Swift is rejecting the notion of romanticizing self-destruction and chaos in art.
The album, Swift’s eleventh, was released last Friday and features 16 tracks with a bonus of four more. It was announced during the Grammy Awards, where Swift won Pop Album of the Year. “The Tortured Poets Department” coincides with a pause in her record-breaking Eras Tour, which resumes in Paris on May 9th.
