This year for the 2023 A-Z Blog Challenge, I’m going to begin by listing a song or musical subject, and then see how fast and how far I can completely blow up my own “stream of consciousness,” and head “off the reservation,” by linking every real, and “Zulu Delta-imagined” fact, piece of music trivia, or not so apparent connection to what is racing around my head to that song in an “unstructured, graffiti-like” format. Complete and utter nonsense! Turn it up and turn it on, but as Van “The Man” Morrison said…….”It’s already turned on!”

Some of you may be surprised to find this song and artist appearing in this blog series. So am I.

At times, I have no problem breaking out the “JukeBox From Hell,” and indulging in some guilty “bubble gum music.” I actually feel bad it’s been so long since the “early days,” years ago, of the A-Z Blog Challenge when I routinely looked for juvenile ways to mention the Partridge Family! HEY!!!! There it is!!!!

That’s not what’s going on here. I am so unfamiliar to Taylor, that only a few hours before I published this blog, I realized I had written the title of this song incorrectly (I’ve had to fire 307 editors for this blog site!)

I think the best way to sum all this up, is to use this blog in a “time-line” format, which might explain better; because as we all know, a writer using words to convey their thoughts is not the best idea…..er……….ah…………see what I mean?

1. Not being able to name even one of her songs, I engage in a discussion with friends about “who is the most popular musician on the planet still performing who could instantly sell out a stadium concert.” At the time, I was “stuck” between two opposing music worlds; “J” and “Q.”

“J” being an American Idol / Adel / Katy Perry-loving-millennial DJ, and “Q” (who has made several great contributions in the blog space) being a self-proclaimed music aficionado who believes there has been no great music made since 1978; with the exception of some “hair bands” in the 80’s. To quell the argument and calm the room, “I throw-down” the name Taylor Swift. Silence….and then mutual agreement and acceptance. Why? Because to J, Taylor is Queen of the Queen Millennials, and to Q; Taylor once was invited on stage to sing with the Rolling Stones. Instant “street-cred” because to Q, the Stones are bigger than God.

2. Taylor Swift bought my house. Ok, Ok, it wasn’t really my house because I was just waiting for my winning lottery ticket to be picked, and then I would have bought it. It was a house I remember riding my bike past in Westerly, Rhode Island and thinking………WOW…..when I hit the lottery, that’s the house I’m going to buy….even if the owner won’t sell it to me, and now has a restraining order against me. “Street Cred” is right!  Regardless, still not knowing one of Taylor’s songs, I declare to myself that any person who buys my house…..whoops, I mean, that house, has excellent taste and character.

Taylor’s House- Westerly, Rhode Island.

Until I can have Taylor evicted, I will be forced to “slum it” in another one of my favorite “bike ride houses” in Newport, Rhode Island. For the record, this shack is not even considered “one of the Newport Mansions!”

3. I watched the movie Valentine’s Day. To quote another completely unrelated TV show to this blog………….

Woman; “Have you started reading romantic novels again?”

Man; “What makes you think I ever stopped?”

I loved the movie. There were many “main” characters. It was cute and funny. Taylor Swift plays some ditzy high school girl. The fact that she was willing to check her reputation to play such a role for the sake of comedy, is admirable in my opinion; almost like her “couch friend” from a few blogs back; Zac Efron. Something I had not noticed before in the movie; Taylor Swift performing the long jump in the first clip is HYSTERICAL! There are two successive videos…….check out both of them. 

“And She does my geometry….”

“Bonus!”

“It was like so Junior High….”

4. I decided I would have to find out “something” about Taylor Swift, so I “asked” YouTube to show me her most popular videos. I came upon “You Belong With Me,” and I was shocked to find out it had 1.4 Billion views………no really……….1.4 Billion. That’s a real number. This shock stayed with me until I saw another one of her songs “Blank Space” had 3.1 Billion! Did I say Billion? Yeah!! For the record, I have never watched that video or heard that song either. 

Anyway, again, I thought the above song was “poppy” and the video was cute, and enjoyed the comments from so many of the kids who did not recognize Taylor in a wig as “the other girl.” Hahahahahah!

5. The last addition to my Taylor Swift time-line, is when I came across the YouTube clip for her appearance on Saturday Night Live. She performs the monologue and “The Monologue Song.” I may be delirious at this point in the series, but when Taylor sang the song, I am reminded of Melanie Safka who I just mentioned in my “Letter X” blog. For an artist who routinely performs for millions of fans to admit she was nervous and excited was endearing. I hope it was true. If that wasn’t enough, she was once again willing to poke fun at herself, and life, by broaching some personal subjects in the song to get a few laughs.

A lesson all of us can admire……………