I didn't really understand what this song was about, so I looked it up here: oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-epiphany-by-taylor-swift/ "Epiphany is not just a song; it is a heart-wrenching reminder of the world’s current and monumental crisis. In the context of the album, Epiphany talks about the need to find meaning during a time of distress. It offers a profound and hopeful message, an essential message that the world needs as we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. The song starts with Swift singing about her grandfather’s time as a medic during World War II. She then zooms out to look at healthcare workers’ experiences around the globe, risking their lives to save others:" First, I don't understand what her grandfather's service during WWII has to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, I don't understand why she felt it was important to tie those two experiences together in one song. And frankly, the lyrics don't make a lot of sense to me, even after reading over them several times.

@YoSamitySam

3 ай бұрын

Hi. This is a clip of Taylor discussing writing the song with her collaborator. She wrote the song in 2020. It explains her thought process behind it and the lyrics will make more sense after watching this. kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZWRkxZutfrrNhcY.htmlsi=T9iHX9RZqhUs7r06

@paulschmehl2124

3 ай бұрын

I understand the connection she made. I just don't think the song makes that connection.

@MSerrada1

3 ай бұрын

@@paulschmehl2124 It's about trauma, and how it impacts those that have suffered it. So many experienced such traumatic things, saw such horrific things in war, that they later couldn't verbalize their experiences to their friends & families back home. Taylor ties those experiences with the trauma experienced by hospital workers who were overwhelmed with patients during the height of Covid. Those medical personal had to watch helplessly as people suffered & died with no idea of when it would all end. Overworked, understaffed & being attacked by the rightwingers who were claiming they were part of the problem, not part of the solution...those were people who worked those jobs because they cared. The trauma of watching people gasp out their last breaths before being wheeled to the morgue & their beds filled by the next Covid patients in a seemingly endless cycle was too difficult for some to speak about even now. Hope this helps.

@toreysmith5413

3 ай бұрын

@@paulschmehl2124it’s not necessarily her grandfathers experience that is the connection. It’s the fact that he never spoke about it because it was so traumatic. Remember she wrote this in the height of the pandemic. Health care professionals were experiencing trauma. The question is would the trauma they were experience make them never speak about it again. Shes not really comparing them. Obviously they are not comparable what so ever. Two very different events. But they are correlated. War and the pandemic are correlation by trauma. If that makes sense.

@jadegold8339

3 ай бұрын

For anyone who’s confused the meaning behind the song is two different events, causing trauma to those involved, and the people involved not be able to say anything about it because they’re so traumatized from it. A doctor or nurse working during Covid wouldn’t be able to speak about what they’ve seen in the hospitals, with all those people were dying from Covid. Similarly, a soldier wouldn’t be able to talk about what he witnessed during World War II because of how much trauma there is.

You are seriously missing out if you don't listen to more of Taylor Swift's music. There isn't a singer songwriter today that isn't influenced by her. Her radio hits do not represent the bulk of her work.

She is speaking of her grandfather, as he never spoke about what he experienced as a combat soldier. BTW. As an army vet, let me say, welcome home and thank you for your service.

For anyone who’s confused the meaning behind the song is two different events, causing trauma to those involved, and the people involved not be able to say anything about it because they’re so traumatized from it. A doctor or nurse working during Covid wouldn’t be able to speak about what they’ve seen in the hospitals, with all those people were dying from Covid. Similarly, a soldier wouldn’t be able to talk about what he witnessed during World War II because of how much trauma there is.

@zoeyriv

3 ай бұрын

It hit me hard as I have PTSD from a life threatening crime that I unfortunately survived from a home invasion (that is the easy part to talk about). My biggest regret is actually talking about it but it did help save a little girl whose case he was out on bail until his sentencing hearing. He was already getting ready to appeal the judges ruling for her case $5000 cash bail (his mom was a cop and he had to remain there. My life and whoever else kept quiet was completely blown up was valued at $5000. Shaking my head. So right away I knew it had to do with that. It just so happened the reaction I saw who requested it was a nurse and donated patron as it meant so much to her and her colleagues who happened to be nurses in NY during Covid. I thought about war or my situation bc of the rifle part. My friend in NJ USA told me that they don’t even teach about World War II in her son school anymore so she was teaching him and was asking him if we had anything. I guess to explain it to a child or anything because a lot of my ancestors were

@Scorpio13-59

2 ай бұрын

…that is one of the horrors of the battlefield. Thank heavens, I was already in military school when my unit was activated. We were a medical unit. Medical units see it all. The horrors of kill or be killed and the horrors of seeing the ravages of battle on others. No one escapes unchanged. A vet who has seen combat, may not have outward injuries but there are horrors that cannot ever leave, once experienced. 😫

Taylor’s career spans 17 years from her writing her teenage songs to her complex recent work….she writes her songs. She is a genius and her work covers, country, pop,rock, folk music

Taylor writes or co-writes all of her songs. She was the youngest person to have a publishing contract at the time. She was 14. She also directs some of her videos and produces some of her music. She plays a 6 string acoustic guitar, a 12 string acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, piano, banjo and ukulele. She has a management and production company. She is the only client in both. Her parents are her main advisors. She hand picked the rest of her team. The tour she is on right now is the highest grossing tour in HISTORY. She made a concert film of the tour while still doing it. She self financed it and bypassed the studios. She went directly to the largest movie chain and sold it. It is the highest grossing concert movie. When it left the theaters she sold it to Disney plus, streaming. She is 34 and a very smart business Woman.

I think the song is about someone who is exposed to some traumatic experience to the point that they can not share the story to anyone. First verse is an ode to her grand father who fought on the WW II, and the second verse is about the doctors/nurses during covid (the album was written in 2020). I think there's a clip on KZread where she explained the song.

This is a breathtaking and heartbreaking song. I wish people would swollow their prejudice. She's is a breathtaking person, in so many ways. Oh, and I saw your face. You felt it. Her grandfather served in ww2. Her fragmented was an opera singer and a pilot in the military. She was also paying tribute to Healthcare workers during covid and always. GEEEZ

@ameliadavis1979

3 ай бұрын

fragmented? Not sure what you meant by that but if anyone else is confused-Grandmother Marjorie.😊

@leeannies-tears369

3 ай бұрын

Oops *grandmother*

Taylor's strength is in her storytelling, poetry and lyrics that is emphasized by the emotion to back it up. Each of her albums and songs are quite different. The music is created around the words. You may appreciate the Folklore and Evermore albums over the others. She is more mature, being 30ish when she wrote those. She wrote her country albums when she was a teenager so the topics are youthful. There is pop in her 20's and pop/synth in her 30's. The reason her current rour is called "Eras" is because she has about 200 songs to pull from and they are so different that she breaks the show into bite sized chapters.

@zoeyriv

3 ай бұрын

And she said she usually plans the next album before the previous one is done because it has especially because her fans grown to look for the Easter eggs so she really be able to like have a mind that works like that and she’s so generously adds people to writing or collaborating with her And they’ve said they were supposed to and she’s basically called like you know in the middle of the night leaving a voicemail was like oh you know I just had this idea. What do you think about this and by the time like they woke up. She had the whole lake song done And the melody and everything and they didn’t really do anything so they get the credits. She’s a very generous woman. She’s very very smart. Her grandmother was an opera singer and his actually the song Marjorie is actually pictures of her grandmother, and at one point, she actually was able to use her grandmother‘s voice from a record and have it like harmonize with her, I mean, she’s just brilliant.

Nice surprising reaction. If this was suggested for you to react to, it’s because of verse 1 and her paternal grandfather who fought in WW II. Taylor is a storyteller. This song was off her 8th album, folklore, and was the 13th track. On her 9th album, 13th track, she wrote about her maternal grandmother. Marjorie. You may enjoy this song. The lyric video actually has pictures and old videos of her grandmother. It’s very touching. She was an opera singer. She found some old records of her singing and added them to the track. So, she now has a song with her grandmother singing background vocals. kzread.info/dash/bejne/moRqs9KGlbatZtY.htmlsi=8vplOyEBiMaNvsvl She discussed the writing of the song with Apple Music when she won Songwriter of the Year in 2020. I’ll link the entire interview here if you are interested, but the part about the song Marjorie is at 42:20. kzread.info/dash/bejne/dYWVxbmbo6_Ig5c.htmlsi=8fJd-5bWb-FL1cy9

@paulschmehl2124

3 ай бұрын

I watched some of the interview (not all of it.) The problem I had with the song is that the lyrics didn't make sense to me. The fact that people feel compelled to direct me to videos where Taylor explains her thinking behind the song tells me that the song doesn't do that on its own. Otherwise, she wouldn't have to talk about the meaning of the song separate from the lyrics themselves.

@liz10988

3 ай бұрын

​@paulschmehl2124 Not true, I understood the main message and meaning of the song (and most Taylor songs) before she released the Long Pond Stuido Sessions, where she talks about the song. People directed you there because you were confused. It's nice to hear the inspiration behind a song which is what Taylor gave. Taylor's music is very lyrically focused and it's best to read the lyrics while listening. ❤

Thank you for your service. And thank you for reacting to Taylor. She is so much more than what you hear on the radio or media. Her storytelling is what makes her special. I second the request for Marjorie. The official lyric video. And for reference, she considers herself a songwriter who sings, not a singer who writes her own songs. Subscribing for more Taylor. Fingers crossed.

@paulschmehl2124

3 ай бұрын

You can view existing reaction requests here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Czfa1JK_NeFDmcHxEGZPV7HcGSPESjRb8BP1kCcrdRA/edit?usp=sharing If you don't see it there, please submit your reaction request here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf4zzbTDjnAVHwNXUYZV6bUpT_1NDGJUufEEJhns4-DYA7q5g/viewform

This song has always made me cry. About 3 weeks ago, I received letters that my family had no idea existed, that had been written by my great uncle in WWII. I haven't been able to read them all yet, but one of the first ones I did read was his final letter home before he was killed. The first verse of the song felt like it really hit home after reading it, like someone had sucker punched me. He was a Corporal in the Marines, killed at Sugar Loaf Hill. The weight of responsibility he felt for the men serving under him that he conveyed in the letter put a lot of things into perspective. My grandfather (his younger brother) never could talk about him, and I finally understood why. Losing the most important person in your life, who you hero worshipped is something you never really recover from. Grandpa went on to serve in the National Guard, and on the inside collar of his jacket he put my great-uncles name.

If this song doesn’t rock you to your core I don’t know. I come from a military family and I know my late father would have loved this. The way she blends what happened to her grandfather and what the medical professionals went through during Covid is utter genius. I think she is the greatest songwriter of this generation and it’s not even close anymore….

Taylor is a lyricist. That’s it. People who hear one of her catchy songs on the radio form an opinion of what her music is like. I’ve been there. I was surprised when I discovered she writes all her songs. She has cowriters on some but she has close to a hundred released solo written songs. She is also a very good musician. I thought she was manufactured and propped up by songwriters and producers. I was wrong. I think you would be pleasantly surprised with her catalog. Of course you wouldn’t like everything but I’m willing to bet you would like more than you think. I’m an old guy. I listen to 70’s music primarily. Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Stones, etc. never thought I would ever be caught dead listening to Taylor. I made the mistake of actually listening to her album Folklore which led me down the rabbit hole. For someone as popular as Taylor she has so many misconceptions. As I said at the beginning. She is a lyricist. Even the catchy pop songs have interesting lyrics when you actually listen to them. Anyway continued good fortune on your KZread journey.

Ronan was also on that was about a kid she met during one of her hospital visits. Talk about heartbreaking and how she captured something and the emotion behind a mother who was losing her 3-4 year old child. She writes all her own music. She uses her own personal money to pay and donatations. Even her music videos are like watching a movie.

@ameliadavis1979

3 ай бұрын

Taylor never met Ronan. She came across his Mom's blog she wrote daily to cope with Ronan's cancer. After he passed she wrote Ronan using Taylor's words combined with Ronan's Mom's. She called the family and sent it to them, just for them. Ronan's parents ended up forming a charity in Ronan's name. When Taylor heard about the charity she called the family and asked if they would like her to put it on an album and give Ronan's Mom songwriting credit, since some of the words Taylor used were directly from her blog. Since Ronan's Mom got songwriting credit the proceeds from that would go directly to Ronan's charity. The family said yes and sent Taylor some pictures to put in the video. The only time Taylor has sung the song is for a Stand Up to Cancer Event. Of course, she called the family and asked for permission. Taylor wrote the song just for Ronan's family, who she had never met. It was not meant to be put on an album or ever sung. Ronan's family has done interviews over the years and said how thankful and appreciative they are of Taylor. The song has raised millions for their charity. Ronan, his Mom's words, the video with pictures of Ronan and money for the charity set up in his honor will live on forever. Taylor gives his family tickets to her concerts every time she tours so they have met now. A decade ago when the song was written they had never met.

Taylor also has a song on her Midnights album (the extended 3am version) where she makes an entire analogy of WWI and a moment of crisis in a relationship. All the other women you listed are lovely vocalists. I don't think any of them are the primary songwriters on all of their music, very versatile instrumentalists, write very successful songs for other musicians, direct their own music videos, etc. Just something to think about 🤷

I’d really recommend Folklore (the album) if you liked this. She’s more than just a pop star.

Taylor does have a great voice. A singer doesn't have to do big runs to be a great singer.

I strongly suggest watching this clip from “Folklore: The Long Pond Sessions” movie. It will give you some insights into Taylor, and into this particular song: "epiphany" (folklore: the long pond studio sessions | Disney+) kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZWRkxZutfrrNhcY.html And, if you are willing to entertain another song, I think you would like this one from Taylor’s “evermore” album. This song is inspired by her grandmother (who was an opera singer), and this official lyric video includes old family videos: Taylor Swift - marjorie (Official Lyric Video) kzread.info/dash/bejne/moRqs9KGlbatZtY.html Taylor’s music ranges over various genres and styles. (pop, folk, country, indie, rock) Epiphany was from her folklore album. If you are curious enough to look a bit further, I would love to see your reactions these other two songs from Folklore: Taylor Swift - this is me trying+interview (folklore: the long pond studio sessions) (here you will get to see her live performance) kzread.info/dash/bejne/jGWtx6yCnpSYe7Q.html Taylor Swift - the lakes (Official Lyric Video) kzread.info/dash/bejne/poN8xaOcY9WYm9o.html

@paulschmehl2124

3 ай бұрын

You can view existing reaction requests here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Czfa1JK_NeFDmcHxEGZPV7HcGSPESjRb8BP1kCcrdRA/edit?usp=sharing If you don't see it there, please submit your reaction request here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf4zzbTDjnAVHwNXUYZV6bUpT_1NDGJUufEEJhns4-DYA7q5g/viewform

I have become a swifty after hearing all the Ivy League schools offering classes mainly to study her lyrics. They say she’s genius and she writes songs in minutes and she is able to do every genre it’s really unbelievable. I just heard that if you listen to that epiphany song which is one that I never heard I wasn’t I’m not like a kind of music fan and I thought those two albums were like folk music, so I am just seeing some of them for the first time during peoples reactions, I just started watching kind of recently. On her page they said you should listen to the long pond version because I guess it explains it more and a nurse was saying how near deer this was to her heart because of all the death and illness and everything was During Covid and how horrible it was especially in New York with you know there is no room for like the dead bodies it was so I don’t know just might’ve. I don’t know what this is for sometime. She’s asked her to write a song for her movie or for someone else or she has just a concept That she’s writing about so but the pond should be more helpful for you and explain more about the song I guess have the lyrics differently.

When i first heard the song i knew it was referencing first a war scene on tbe beach and then a hospital scene. She got inspiration from her grandfather and covid but doesnt necessarily need or want anyone to know that part. Lots of artists write songs with personal meanings to them but want their listeners to interpret the song how ever they want to as it comes to them naturally. Like a peom.

The song is sung with 2 perspectives. A tribute to her grandfather (served at Guadalcanal) as a soldier and the service of doctors and nurses on the “frontline “ during Covid. Many people, soldiers, doctors, nurses, etc. can’t speak about what they went through as her grandfather did. Life has battles, some military, some civil, but the trauma, sacrifice and service is still there.

For me personally it reminds me of my father. He died 11-11-2012. Veterans Day. I wear his WW11 dog tags every single day. There were so many things he couldn’t speak about, but I could see it. He’d be 103 this year.

@paulschmehl2124

3 ай бұрын

I've never been in combat, but if I shared what I know from combat vets who have shared their stories with me, most people would be horrified and disgusted. War is so much worse than what you see in movies and on TV.

@MCP920

3 ай бұрын

@@paulschmehl2124 I completely agree with you.

Ok ok so here’s the deal: the first verse is about what she imagines her grandfather experienced in World War II, specifically at Guadalcanal. She never got to talk to him about it, so this is her imagining. Second verse is about COVID It’s pretty simple. Btw, the Long Pond version of this makes me cry all the time

@paulschmehl2124

3 ай бұрын

My question for you is this. Did you get that from the lyrics? Or from listening to her explanation of why she wrote the song? Here's the first verse: Keep your helmet, keep your life, son Just a flesh wound, here's your rifle Crawling up the beaches now "Sir, I think he's bleeding out" And some things you just can't speak about There is nothing in those words explaining that she's singing about her grandfather or even about a specific war or location. Second verse: Something med school did not cover Someone's daughter, someone's mother Holds your hand through plastic now "Doc, I think she's crashing out" And some things you just can't speak about There's nothing in those words that tells you she's singing about Covid. I get that she says that's what the song is about, but the song itself is far too vague to understand the tie between her grandfather's war and Covid. She understood perfectly what she was singing about but her lyrics don't make that clear to the listener. Does that help you understand my reaction to it?

@lynxrs7875

3 ай бұрын

@@paulschmehl2124i understand your reaction but a big part of why her lyricism is so sought after is because it isnt extremely literal, there is a lot of metaphor usage, and allows so many of her songs to be something people can relate to their own experiences. Yes she could write a song that is straight to the point and doesnt have any metaphors or anything and has done so, but i love songs that make you think and feel deeper. Definitely can see how thats not everyones cup of tea

I hope you listen to more Taylor. Her songwriting is what makes her special.

@paulschmehl2124

3 ай бұрын

I will if it's requested. So far, I have one request, for Marjorie.

@jaimebreen1165

2 ай бұрын

​@paulschmehl2124 Marjorie is about her Grandmother. It's a good one.

You should listen to This Is Me Trying. ❤

@paulschmehl2124

3 ай бұрын

You can view existing reaction requests here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Czfa1JK_NeFDmcHxEGZPV7HcGSPESjRb8BP1kCcrdRA/edit?usp=sharing If you don't see it there, please submit your reaction request here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf4zzbTDjnAVHwNXUYZV6bUpT_1NDGJUufEEJhns4-DYA7q5g/viewform

You must get a chance to read the lyrics.

@paulschmehl2124

3 ай бұрын

Did you not read my pinned comment?

@Scorpio13-59

3 ай бұрын

@@paulschmehl2124 I did. Just reiterating. Again, thank you for your service. Me, myself? I’m 64. I find that I must enlarge most print. Gettin’ older is awesome but it can be hard at times. 🫶

Why in the world did you pick this as the first one? Terrible choice for the first. If you delve into her music you will discover she is one of, if not THE best songwriter/storyteller/singer in the business. BTW, I too am a Viet Nam Era veteran. Thank you for your service.

@paulschmehl2124

2 ай бұрын

You're obviously new to my channel. I don't pick most of the songs that I react to. My viewers do. I will occasionally react to a new release, but 99% of the reactions that I do are by request. The Aussie asked the same question when I reacted to the Herd's version of I Was Only 19. Why didn't I react to the original version? It was much better. I had a request for it, so I did it. I have over 8,000 subscribers and many times more than that in viewers. They all have their favorites and different tastes in artists and songs. If someone asks for a reaction, I'm going to honor their request. You can view existing reaction requests here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Czfa1JK_NeFDmcHxEGZPV7HcGSPESjRb8BP1kCcrdRA/edit?usp=sharing If you don't see it there, please submit your reaction request here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf4zzbTDjnAVHwNXUYZV6bUpT_1NDGJUufEEJhns4-DYA7q5g/viewform

@WarrenPDavis

2 ай бұрын

@@paulschmehl2124 Fair enough. Yest I am new. That being said, it is hard for me to understand why a Taylor Swift fan would recommend that particular song to introduce you to her music. Even I, as an old man Swifty, am not crazy about that song.

@paulschmehl2124

2 ай бұрын

@@WarrenPDavis This might come as as surprise to you, but the commenters raved about the song, about its deep meaning, how great the lyrics were. I didn’t see it but they did.

@WarrenPDavis

2 ай бұрын

@@paulschmehl2124 I saw all the comments,. I don't dislike it, but I think there are others that better show off her songwriting/storytelling and singing genius. This one is a testement to her story telling genius, but just not one of my favorites. I hope you listen to more of her work. As you said, you did not really unnderstand it until you did further research. That is kinda my point.

@paulschmehl2124

2 ай бұрын

@@WarrenPDavis Since you read all the comments, you know that I got a lot of pushback on that. You may be the one fan honest enough to admit that that particular song is opaque as to its meaning.