Episode 95: Becoming a Swifty, featuring Sophia Reade

I'm so very excited about this episode for a variety of reasons.

For starters, it's the first installment of the Becoming a Swifty series that I hope has a number of future guests (Note: Number two's already on the books!). This is an idea that's been cooking in the back of my brain for a good little bit, and it's always nice to see an idea come to fruition, whatever that may look like. And -- before you come for me, Swifties -- know that I'm aware that some of you may not care for a particular piece of the series spelling. The only thing I can say to that is that it's my show. I'm the language nerd, and I'm allowed to geek out in whatever aesthetic fashion I see fit. I do actually love the music of Taylor Swift, but probably not as much as you, and certainly not enough to defy the laws of grammar on that particular level. "And that's all I have to say about that."

Second, my guest is a very cool, very-special homegirl, whom I've known for a good many years, and hadn't seen in nearly 20. So, to say I was stoked to have these two worlds collide is for sure an understatement.

Sophia Reade is a daughter, a sibling, a niece, a granddaughter, a mom, a partner, a friend, a hoot, and one of the hippest Swifties I know. I'm so very delighted that she agreed to join me, and I couldn't be more thankful for the gift and expense of her time, as she drove in from St. Louis just to sit and talk life and music with me. I'm also very joyful that she was born with a strong will and has managed to overcome a lot of bullshit that life has put on her plate. And I don't use that term lightly. We all deal with bullshit, but it's oftentimes -- for many of us -- small stuff that we maybe make too big of a deal out of.

Not in Sophia's case.

The hand of bullshit she was dealt for most of her younger years is preposterous, ridiculous, and unfair. And I know that there are plenty of folks that have dealt with more, but they're mostly not in my circles. Sophia is, and has been in varying sorts, for nearly three decades.

Finally, I'm grateful that I've been able to keep this thing alive for what is now 95 episodes, and it looks like we'll make it not only through the end of the year, but to that big century mark, which is maybe both dope and silly at the same time. I dunno. It's been so many things, this journey. Fun, educational, exciting, challenging, stressful, surprising, disappointing, anxiety-provoking, a source of pride.

Back to Miss Reade, though. We talked about many things Taylor Swift, and that included her discography:

  • self-titled (2006)

  • Fearless (2008)

  • Speak Now (2010)

  • Red (2012)

  • 1989 (2014)

  • Reputation (2017)

  • Lover (2019)

  • Folklore (2020)

  • Evermore (2020)

  • Midnights (2022)

We also mentioned a few non-Taylor albums that are special to her. They're these ones:

  • Ceremonials (2011), Florence & the Machine

  • Lourde's Pure Heroine (2013)

  • Strange Desire (2014), Bleachers

Again: Such a treat. So thankful in so many ways.

Cheers.

copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples present in this episode. They are clips from a Karl Denson song called "Who Are You?" From his 2001 effort, Dance Lesson #2 (c/o Blue Note Records).


Previous
Previous

Episode 96: Shawn M. Stewart

Next
Next

Episode 94: Andrew Morris