As if Taylor Swift's new poetic song lyrics about her famous exes weren't enough, she's also managed to take aim at ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn's rumored local London pub.
In her newly released double album, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology, Swift opens the second surprise set of tracks with the tune, "The Black Dog."
In the song, she sings, "I am someone who, until recent events / You shared your secrets with / And your location / You forgot to turn it off / And so I watch as you walk / Into some bar called The Black Dog."
Coincidentally (or not), there is a pub in London called The Black Dog, located in South Central London's Vauxhall neighborhood.
In a new interview with Sky News, the pub's social media manager, Lily Bottomley, shared that Swifties have swarmed the pub since the April 19 release of the GRAMMY winner's new album.
London, Lambeth Vauxhall, The Black Dog Pub interior.
As for whether or not it is the pub Swift is singing about in her song, Bottomley coyly replied, "I don't want to give too much away. We do have a certain blonde regular who frequents, let's just say that."
Of course, British actor Alwyn is blonde, and lives in London. Swift's 2019 album Lover features the track "London Boy," which is believed to have been about Alwyn. And then on TTPD, the breakup track, "So Long, London," is also believed to be about the end of their six-year relationship.
It was in April 2023 that ET broke the news that Swift and her longtime love had called it quits. At the time, a source said the split was amicable and "was not dramatic." ET was also told "the relationship had just run its course."
Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn at the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 5, 2020.
Though Swift herself rarely confirms who her songs are about, Swiftie sleuths initially suspected that her Tortured Poets album title could be a reference to an interview Alwyn gave to Variety in late 2022, when he revealed that he was in a group chat called the "Tortured Man Club." Later, Swift's reference to a typewriter on the album's title track led fans to speculate about its potential connection to another ex.
In addition to Alwyn, other rumored subjects of Swift's pen include ex Matty Healy and Kim Kardashian. Two love songs on the album — "The Alchemy" and "So High School" — also seem to be about Swift's current boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
A source recently told ET, "Travis is so supportive of the entire album and loves that he is a part of Taylor's story. He is a Swiftie through and through and is very proud of her."
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