This week’s blog post is similar to my last post as I will be discussing another song off of Taylor Swift’s “Reputation” album. This whole album expresses ideas of wanting revenge but also needing to move on. Her song “Don’t Blame Me” showcases the internal conflict Daisy faces as she relives her past with Gatsby. Taylor Swift’s lyrics are very intentional so when I listened and analyzed this song, I knew that she intended to appeal to her Gatsby loving fans. Although it may seem like a catchy rhythmic verse, it actually has a deeper understanding that I will explain in this post. The verse goes,
“Echoes of your name inside my mind halos
Hiding my obsession
“I once was poison ivy but now I’m your daisy. “
I interpreted this as Daisy admitting that Gatsby has stayed in her mind but she shut out those thoughts because of her life with Tom. After leaving Gatsby, she turns to “poison ivy” because of her betrayal to him but now that they have reunited she is his “daisy” again. She buried what she had with Gatsby because she could not wait for him, but when they see each other after five years; all of the feelings uncover themselves. So we see this internal struggle with Daisy as she is having to “hide her obsession” because she has created a whole life since her departure from Gatsby.
We also see Daisy portrayed as this angelic, beautiful character as opposed to the forbidden poison ivy. Although this is generally interpreted as her physical appearance,I think this can be applied to the emotional aspect of her character as well. She can be considered “poison ivy” in the sense that she was wrapped up in the wealthy lifestyle too much to realize what she was missing with Gatsby. On the outside, she is beautiful and charming but deep down she is careless. In the book Fitzgerald writes, “they were careless people, Tom and Daisy, they smashed up things and then retreated back into their money.” This is where we see the poison ivy aspect of Daisy.
Another line in the chorus of this song also stuck out to me that I think can be related to Gatsby and Daisy’s love story. The chorus goes “don’t blame me, love made me crazy” and I think this can be interpreted as Daisy’s “cry for help” to Gatsby. She is telling him to not be upset with her as her and Gatsby’s love was confusing for her and she did not know what she wanted at the time and she did what she thought she had to do by marrying Tom.
I think that this song adds yet another pop culture reference to the novel, The Great Gatsby, and is one of my personal favorites.
This is a cover magazine photo that compared a side by side of Taylor Swift and Mia Farrow. I just thought it was a good comparison to add as Taylor sings about being her own “daisy” to somebody.
Comments by Kynli Jones