But Daddy I Love Him Explained

But Daddy I Love Him
Artist:Taylor Swift
Album:The Tortured Poets Department
Studio:
Genre:
Label:Republic
Producer:

"But Daddy I Love Him" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department (2024). Swift and Aaron Dessner wrote the track, and they produced it with Jack Antonoff. Musically, "But Daddy I Love Him" is an electronica and folk rock ballad with elements of country and rock. Its lyrics target detractors of Swift's love life.

Critics generally praised the songwriting as intense yet humorous, with some picking the track as an album highlight. The song peaked at number seven on the Billboard Global 200 and peaked within the top 10 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States.

Background

Swift announced The Tortured Poets Department on February 4, 2024, at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards during her acceptance speech for the Best Pop Vocal Album award for Midnights (2022). Shortly after the announcement, the album's artwork was shared on her Instagram profile. Swift's website also enabled the album to be pre-ordered in vinyl, CD, cassette and digital format.[1] "But Daddy I Love Him" appears on the album as track six.[2] According to Swift, she developed The Tortured Poets Department immediately after releasing Midnights and worked on it for two years. She further developed the album during the US leg of the Eras Tour.[3] During one of the Eras Tour shows in Melbourne, Swift described writing the album as a "lifeline" for her.[4] Swift included "But Daddy I Love Him" on the revamped setlist of the Eras Tour beginning in May 2024 at the Paris shows.[5]

Music and lyrics

"But Daddy I Love Him" is 5 minutes and 40 seconds long. It is an electronica[6] and folk rock[7] ballad[8] with elements of country and rock.[9] [10] The verses are instrumented by fingerpicked guitars, while the chorus is dynamic, described by Billboard's Jason Lipshutz as "large, open-hearted" that evoked Swift's "early country-pop anthems".[11] Meskin Fekadu from The Hollywood Reporter opined that the track could have "easily fit" on Swift's albums Fearless (2008) or Speak Now (2010).[12] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian noted that there are subtle fiddles in the mix.[13] Lyrically, the song discusses detractors who criticise Swift's love life. The title is a quote from the 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid;[14] the protagonist Ariel says the line in response to her merman father's disapproval of her human crush Prince Eric.[15]

The lyrics may be interpreted as Swift's response to criticism received for her previous romance, where she rejects the idea of seeking approval from the public and following one's inner feelings.[16] The track is viewed as the mature sister of "Love Story" from Fearless (2008) which Swift sings about her father objecting to a relationship. In "But Daddy I Love Him", the critics involves many denigrators who were disappointed with her love interest.[17] The opening verse containing the line "I just learned these people only raise you just to cage you" establishes the tension between Swift and others. The line also echoes of Swift's previous track "This Is Me Trying" where she sings: "They told me all of my cages were mental". The song's bridge reiterates the central theme of how others believe their intentions are in the interest of Swift's. The song's chorus, where Swift sings "I’m having his baby, No I’m not, but you should see your faces," may be intended to evoke a reaction from listeners.[16]

The bridge and overall song can be interpreted as a message to the public and fans to consider if dating a man, who is a separate entity to her, should change their opinions of her, through the lyric "I'll tell you something about my good name, it's mine alone to disgrace".[18] The lyrics "No, I'm not coming to my senses", and "I know he's crazy, but he's the one I want" asserts her prerogative to make choices despite other's and her own negative judgement. She also extends her own judgement for those critics, with lyrics "Don't cater to all these vipers dressed in empath's clothing... God save the most judgmental creeps who say they want what's best for me". She postulates that her critics will change their stances, and will not be welcomed with the lyrics "Time, doesn't it give some perspective / And no, you can't come to the wedding".

Reception

In a review for the parent album, Helen Brown of The Independent wrote "the force [Swift] brings to 'But Daddy I Love Him' is thrilling, as she lassos a few country tropes to charge her horses at online trolls."[19] Samantha Olson of Cosmopolitan ranked the song fifth in her ranking of the top five best songs from the album.[20] Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times groups this song as part of a "project [that] remains fixed on her internal world", described as the "unexpectedly venomous" track about "the "wine moms" and "Sarahs and Hannahs in their Sunday best" who cluck their tongues at our narrator's dating decisions. (Some might speculate that these are actually shots at her own fans.)"[21] A similar sentiment shared John Wohlmacher of Beats Per Minute who writes that in the song, she "butts heads with overzealous fans" with its "outrageously cheeky and confrontational" lyrics.[22] Thom Donovan of American Songwriter ranked the second best songs off the album, calling it a "blistering attack on the fanbase she cultivated by letting them into nearly every aspect of her life."[23] Writing for British GQ, Lucy Ford interpreted the song as Swift telling her fans to "back off and leave her personal life alone".[24] Although Paste panned the parent album, "But Daddy I Love Him" was a standout track, praising its lyricsm and "awe-striking, stand-still melodies".[25]

Commercial performance

Following the album's release, its tracks occupied the top nine of the Billboard Global 200; "But Daddy I Love Him" debuted at its peak of number seven on the chart, where it extended Swift's top-10 entries to 33.[26] In the United States, the song opened and peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. It along with 13 tracks from the album made Swift the first artist to monopolize the top 14 of the Hot 100.[27] In Australia, "But Daddy I Love Him" reached number seven on the ARIA Singles Chart and made her the artist with the most entries in a single week with 29.[28]

Elsewhere, "But Daddy I Love Him" reached the top 10 in Canada, New Zealand, and Singapore, with peaks of number seven, eight, and number nine, respectively. The song also charted within the top 25 in the Philippines (11), Ireland (12), Malaysia (18), Luxembourg (19), Portugal (20), Denmark (23), South Africa (23), and Belgium (24).

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[29] 7
Belgium (Billboard)[30] 24
Brazil (Brasil Hot 100)[31] 66
Denmark (Tracklisten)[32] 23
France (SNEP)[33] 79
Greece International (IFPI)[34] 18
India (IMI)[35] 18
Ireland (Billboard)[36] 12
Lithuania (AGATA)[37] 56
Luxembourg (Billboard)[38] 19
Malaysia International (RIM)[39] 16
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[40] 8
Norway (VG-lista)[41] 35
Philippines (Billboard)[42] 11
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[43] 80
Singapore (RIAS)[44] 9
South Africa (Billboard)[45] 23
South Korea Download (Circle)[46] 167
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[47] 29
Swiss Streaming (Schweizer Hitparade)[48] 18
UAE (IFPI)[49] 14
UK Streaming (OCC)[50] 11

Notes and References

  1. News: Shanfeld . Ethan . Taylor Swift Announces New Album 'The Tortured Poets Department' During Grammys Acceptance Speech . 18 April 2024 . Variety . 18 April 2024 . February 10, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240210112714/https://variety.com/2024/music/news/taylor-swift-new-album-the-tortured-poets-department-1235897622/ . live .
  2. News: Garcia . Thania . Taylor Swift Shares Tracklist for 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Featuring Post Malone and Florence + Machine . 24 April 2024 . Variety . 24 April 2024 . February 6, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240206054210/https://variety.com/2024/music/news/taylor-swift-tracklist-the-tortured-poets-department-post-malone-florence-machine-1235898976/ . live .
  3. Dailey . Hannah . Taylor Swift Reveals When She Started Working on 'The Tortured Poets Department' . 13 May 2024 . Billboard . 7 February 2024.
  4. News: Wilkes . Emma . Taylor Swift says writing new album 'The Tortured Poets Department' was a "lifeline" . 13 May 2024 . NME . 19 February 2024.
  5. News: Georgi . Maya . See Taylor Swift Perform 'Fortnight,' 'But Daddy I Love Him' at The Eras Tour in Paris . 13 May 2024 . Rolling Stones . 9 May 2024.
  6. Web site: April 19, 2024 . Taylor Swift Strikes Out Looking on The Tortured Poets Department . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240420000218/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/taylor-swift/taylor-swift-strikes-out-looking-on-the-tortured-poets-department . April 20, 2024 . April 20, 2024 . Paste.
  7. Web site: Wood . Mikael . 2024-04-19 . Taylor Swift turns heel, owning her chaos and messiness on The Tortured Poets Department . 2024-04-21 . . April 24, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240424210757/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2024-04-18/taylor-swift-tortured-poets-department-album-review . live .
  8. News: Savage . Mark . 2024-04-19 . Taylor Swift Tortured Poets Department review: Album finds star vulnerable but vicious . 2024-04-22 . . April 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419161708/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68846376 . live .
  9. Web site: Webb . Lauren . April 19, 2024 . Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department . 20 April 2024 . . April 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419123911/https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department/ . live .
  10. Web site: Kornhaber . Spencer . 2024-04-19 . Taylor Swift Is Having Quality-Control Issues . limited . 2024-04-22 . . April 22, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240422202226/https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2024/04/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-review/678121/ . live .
  11. Lipshutz . Jason . 2024-04-19 . Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department: All 31 Tracks Ranked . 2024-04-22 . . April 20, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240420200628/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-tracks-ranked/ . live .
  12. Web site: Fekadu . Mesfin . 2024-04-19 . Review: On Tortured Poets, Taylor Swift Continues to Spill Her Own Tea (and the Flavor Is Mostly English Breakfast) . 2024-04-22 . . April 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421005211/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-album-review-1235877493/ . live .
  13. News: Petridis . Alexis . Alexis Petridis . 2024-04-19 . Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department review – fame, fans and former flames in the line of fire . 2024-04-22 . . April 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419042429/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/apr/19/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-review-fame-fans-and-former-flames-in-the-firing-line . live .
  14. Web site: Willman . Chris . 2024-04-19 . Taylor Swift Renews Her Vows With Heartbreak in Audacious, Transfixing Tortured Poets Department: Album Review . 2024-04-22 . . April 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419201323/https://variety.com/2024/music/album-reviews/the-tortured-poets-department-review-taylor-swift-album-1235975690/ . live .
  15. Web site: Siwak . Miranda . April 19, 2024 . Does Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department Song 'But Daddy I Love Him' Shade Her Fans? . April 22, 2024 . . April 22, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240422101011/https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/but-daddy-i-love-him-lyrics-taylor-swift-ttpd-song-about-matty-healy/ . live .
  16. News: Nicolaou . Elena . 19 April 2024 . 'But Daddy I Love Him' lyrics: Does Taylor Swift's song reference The Little Mermaid? . 21 April 2024 . . April 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421022507/https://www.today.com/popculture/music/but-daddy-i-love-him-lyrics-meaning-taylor-swift-rcna148501 . live .
  17. News: Thorp . Clare . 20 April 2024 . 'But Daddy I Love Him': Taylor Swift takes aim at critics with new track . 21 April 2024 . . April 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421015127/https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20240419-taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-but-daddy-i-love-him . live .
  18. Web site: What is Taylor Swift's 'but daddy I love him' about? . 2024-04-22 . Capital . en . April 22, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240422022051/https://www.capitalfm.com/news/music/taylor-swift-but-daddy-i-love-him-lyrics-meaning/ . live .
  19. Web site: Brown . Helen . Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department review: Irresistible, country-hued tales of relationships past and present . . 20 April 2024 . 19 April 2024 . April 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419201239/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/taylor-swift-tortured-poets-department-album-review-b2530867.html . live .
  20. News: Olson . Samantha . 20 April 2024 . The 5 Best Songs From Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department, Ranked . 20 April 2024 . . April 20, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240420122433/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/g60547848/taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-best-songs/ . live .
  21. News: Zoladz . Lindsay . 2024-04-19 . On 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Taylor Swift Could Use an Editor . 2024-04-22 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331 . April 20, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240420000556/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/19/arts/music/taylor-swift-album-tortured-poets-department-review.html . live .
  22. Web site: Wohlmacher . John . Album review: Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department . Beats Per Minute . 14 May 2024 . 23 April 2024.
  23. Web site: Donovan . Thom . Ranking the 5 Best Songs on Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' . American Songwriter . 11 July 2024 . 14 May 2024.
  24. News: Ford . Lucy . Every single diss and who it's aimed at in Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department . 31 July 2024 . British GQ . 19 April 2024.
  25. News: Taylor Swift Strikes Out Looking on The Tortured Poets Department . 11 July 2024 . Paste . 19 April 2024.
  26. Trust . Gary . April 29, 2024 . Taylor Swift & Post Malone's 'Fortnight' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Global Charts . May 10, 2024 . . May 10, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240510080912/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-post-malone-fortnight-number-one-debut-global-charts-1235669042/ . live .
  27. Trust . Gary . April 29, 2024 . Taylor Swift Claims Record Top 14 Spots on Billboard Hot 100, Led by 'Fortnight' with Post Malone . May 9, 2024 . . April 29, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240429170523/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-hot-100-top-14-fortnight-post-malone-record/ . live .
  28. News: Gbogbo . Mawunyo . April 29, 2024 . Taylor Swift's New Album The Tortured Poets Department Smashes Chart Records in the US, UK and Australia . 2024-05-10 . . en-AU . May 10, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240510010807/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-29/taylor-swift-tortured-poets-department-charts-uk-billboard-aria/103779382 . live .
  29. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. April 29, 2024. April 26, 2024. May 9, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240509103914/https://www.aria.com.au/charts/singles-chart/2024-04-29. live.
  30. Taylor Swift Chart History (Belgium Songs). Billboard. April 30, 2024. October 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231030165312/https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/i28/. live.
  31. Taylor Swift Chart History (Brasil Hot 100). Billboard. May 2, 2024. November 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231103232956/https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/bzl/. live.
  32. Web site: Track Top-40 Uge 17, 2024. Hitlisten. May 1, 2024. April 30, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240430205836/http://hitlisten.nu/default.asp?w=17&y=2024&list=t40. live.
  33. Web site: Top Singles (Week 16, 2024). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. French. April 29, 2024. May 31, 2021. https://archive.today/20210531082745/https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-la-semaine/top-albums/?categorie=Top%20Singles. live.
  34. Web site: IFPI Charts . May 1, 2024 . www.ifpi.gr . May 1, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240501120745/https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_ien.html . live .
  35. Web site: IMI International Top 20 Singles for week ending 29th April 2024 Week 17 of 52. IMIcharts. April 29, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240429151846/https://imicharts.com/.
  36. Taylor Swift Chart History (Ireland Songs). Billboard. May 6, 2024. November 7, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231107051337/https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/i15/. live.
  37. Web site: 2024 16-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). lt. AGATA. April 26, 2024. April 26, 2024. April 19, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240419091240/https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/s16-3/. live.
  38. Taylor Swift Chart History (Luxembourg Songs). Billboard. April 30, 2024. November 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221101082555/https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/i12/. live.
  39. Web site: TOP 20 Most Streamed International Singles In Malaysia Week 17 (19/04/2024-25/04/2024). Facebook. RIM. May 4, 2024. May 4, 2024. May 9, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240509095644/https://www.facebook.com/RecordingIndustryMalaysia/posts/pfbid07MpsN3EHDTrU89db4ALMPcx7uWa8HKw7fYev57wykq4aVGty59B2BmVLgxR6v558l. live.
  40. Web site: NZ Top 40 Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. April 29, 2024. April 26, 2024. April 26, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240426045359/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/singles?chart=5799. live.
  41. Web site: Singel 2024 uke 17. VG-lista. April 27, 2024. April 26, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240426142835/https://topplista.no/charts/singles/2024-w17/. live.
  42. Philippines Songs - Week of May 4, 2024 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20240502213709/https://www.billboard.com/charts/philippines-songs-hotw/ . May 2, 2024 . July 5, 2024 . Billboard.
  43. Web site: OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie. OLiS. pl. May 2, 2024. Select week 19.04.2024–25.04.2024.. February 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230202134558/https://www.olis.pl/charts/oficjalna-lista-sprzedazy/single-w-streamie. live.
  44. Web site: RIAS Top Charts Week 17 (19 - 25 Apr 2024). RIAS. April 30, 2024. April 30, 2024. https://archive.today/20240430081031/https://www.rias.org.sg/rias-top-charts/%231562208279186-bc1c8f89-4b1c.
  45. Taylor Swift Chart History (South Africa Songs). April 30, 2024. Billboard. November 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221102173817/https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/i38/. live.
  46. Web site: Download Chart – Week 16 of 2024. Circle Chart. ko. April 25, 2024. April 25, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240425135119/https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=S1020&targetTime=16&hitYear=2024&termGbn=week&yearTime=3. live.
  47. Web site: Veckolista Singlar, vecka 17. Sverigetopplistan. April 26, 2024. April 26, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240426122136/https://sverigetopplistan.se/chart/41/?dspy=2024&dspp=17. live.
  48. Web site: Streaming Top 100. Schweizer Hitparade. May 15, 2024.
  49. Web site: UAE: 2024 - W17 - 04/19 to 04/25. The Official MENA Chart. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. June 8, 2024.
  50. Web site: Official Streaming Chart Top 100. Official Charts Company. April 26, 2024. May 9, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240509095655/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/streaming-chart/20240426/7510/. live.

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