When I logged onto the perpetual content machine that is the internet today, I didn’t expect to be writing a story about a new Taylor Swift song for Mobilesyrup — yet here we are.
True to form, Tortured Poets Department, Swift’s lengthy new double album spanning 31 tracks, is full of references and easter eggs, but on my first listen, “So High School” stands out for one reason.
The rather steamy song, which is likely about Swift’s current partner, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, compares falling for the NFL player to being 16 again. First, Swift references raunchy 90s comedy movie American Pie with the lyrics, “I’m watching American Pie with you on a Saturday night. Your friends are around so be quiet. I’m trying to stifle my sighs.”
I told you things get spicey on this track.
Then, Swift sings, “Truth, dare, spin bottles. You know how to ball, I’m no Aristotle. Brand new, full throttle. Touch me while your boys play Grand Theft Auto.”
“Brand new, full throttle. Touch me while your boys play Grand Theft Auto.”
What Grand Theft Auto are Kelce’s friend playing in this reference? Given that he was born in 1989 (coincidence? Definitely not), they could be playing almost any game in the long-running series. Were Travis Kelce’s boys kicking it old school in Liberty City and playing GTA III, or were they speeding through the hills of Los Santos in GTA V/GTA Online? Maybe they were reliving their youth and playing the retro top-down original GTA?
We’ll likely never know.
“So High School” also unpacks Kelce’s 2016 answer to a game of “kiss, marry, kill” from an AfterBuzz TV segment where the NFL player said, “Ariana, sorry, love you, but you’re gone. And then Taylor Swift would be the kiss. And what’s the last one? Katy Perry? Yeah, Katy Perry would be the marry.”
How does Taylor Swift feel about Trevor Philips? Hopefully, we find out someday.
In the reference to the interview on “So High School,” Swift sings, “Are you gonna marry, kiss or kill me? (Kill me). It’s just a game, but really (Really), I’m bettin’ on all three for us two (All three).”
On another note, I’m surprised other tech/gaming blogs haven’t jumped on the rather amusing GTA line from ‘Tortured Poets Department.’ After all, we all answer to one true overlord, Google — and unsurprisingly, Taylor Swift is trending today.
All joking aside, ‘So High School’ is a great song. You can check it out here.
