I wanted to do something fun for this month’s article that’s still relevant and topical and guess what I chose, or should I say, who I chose? Taylor Swift. I admit it, I’m a Swiftie. I have been ever since her first album came out in the fall of 2006. Swift’s appeal and popularity have skyrocketed since then. Her most recent concert tour, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” was the first tour to ever gross over a billion in ticket sales worldwide, according to The Associated Press. At the 2024 GRAMMY Awards, she became the only artist to ever win Album of the Year 4 times and was later selected as Time Magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year.
I like Taylor Swift because she has a lot of good songs that are fun and catchy, and she writes about real things that happen to real people and her personality is also genuine. But I will also tell you something about Taylor that did not make the headlines. Taylor Swift’s music is not only popular, but at least 2 of her songs including “Red” and “How You Get the Girl” can be used as potential teaching tools in teaching young adults who work with other teens and young adults with autism how their brains work and how they may communicate process language or social situations. They can also be used to teach social skills to this age group. This blog post will just examine the social skills curriculum layered in “How You Get the Girl” on her album 1989. I could probably write a whole different blog post about “Red.”
One of the most frequent topics Taylor Swift addresses in her songs is relationships and love, but before we get into the songs themselves, it may be worth pointing out that people with autism often think and communicate in a very concrete and literal way. Additionally, abstract language and concepts such as emotions and feelings can be difficult for those with autism to understand or articulate so substituting concrete language such as things you can see, hear, smell, taste, or touch is always a good idea People with autism also tend to understand better, scenarios which are believable or could potentially happen in real life rather than something that is outlandish or science fiction.
A sampling of the lyrics from “How You Get the Girl are as follows:
“Stand there like a ghost,
Shaking from the rain,
You open up the door and say, Are you insane, -ane?
You say, It’s been a long six months,
And you were too afraid to tell her what you want,
And that’s how it works,
That’s how you get the girl,
And then you say, I want you for worse or for better,
I would wait forever and ever
Broke your heart, I’ll put it back together
I would wait forever and ever
And that’s how it works, that’s how you get the girl, oh,
And that’s how it works,
That’s how you lost the girl, girl
And now you say, I want you for worse of for better,
I would wait forever and ever, (ever)
Broke your heart, I’ll put it back together,
I would wait forever and ever
And that’s how it works,
That’s how you get the girl,
And that’s how it works, that’s how you get the girl...”
In Swift’s word choice, there are several examples of concrete images even starting from the first line a guy standing outside his girlfriend's place in the rain because he has missed her and realized he messed up and wants her back. Later, she uses the words “picture frames,” “kisses,” and “cheeks” to describe reminding this girl of what the guy had and experienced with her and that he intends to make it right with her, hence the next two lines of “I want you for worse or for better, I would wait forever and ever...”
I doubt Taylor Swift truly understands the power she holds. She has theoretically provided her millions of fans not just another hit song, but a step-by step guide to decoding young adult love for those with autism and a guide to understanding the unique minds of young people with autism for those who care for them.
Note: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and are intended for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the official stance of IRCA and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, educational, or therapeutic advice.
Nassim, A. (2024). That’s How It Works: Exploring the Ins and Outs of Autism and Social Skills in Taylor Swift’s “How You Get the Girl