Pop superstar Taylor Swift is making headlines again, but this time for lyrics that are bolder than fans might expect. Her new song, "Wood," from the album The Life of a Showgirl, pulls no punches. It’s quickly grabbing attention for its cheeky references to her romance with NFL star Travis Kelce.
Swift, who is 35, explained her creative process for "Wood" in an Amazon Music video released on Friday, October 3. "It’s a love story," she said. "It uses popular superstitions as a narrative tool. Things like good luck charms, bad luck charms, and all those ways we decide something brings good or bad luck, like knocking on wood or seeing a black cat." Swift called it a "very, very sentimental love song" that she decided to explore through these themes.
Of course, everyone knows Swift is engaged to Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce, also 35. Word is, he inspired many songs on The Life of a Showgirl. "Wood" especially uses clever double meanings. It connects the ideas of luck and superstition directly to Kelce and, well, their private life.
In the post-chorus, Swift sings, "Forgive me, it sounds cocky / He ah-matized me and opened my еyes." She continues with an even more direct line: "Redwood tree, it ain’t hard to see / His love was thе key that opened my thighs." The song keeps going with playful lyrics like, "Girls, I don’t need to catch the bouquet / To know a hard rock is on the way."
Swift wrote The Life of a Showgirl in 2024, right in the middle of her whirlwind romance with Kelce. He proposed to her in August, after they had been together for two years. Later in the song, Swift offers more revealing thoughts. "And baby, I’ll admit I’ve been a little superstitious / The curse on me was broken by your magic wand," she sings. This line suggests Kelce is her first truly successful relationship after past heartbreaks. She adds, "Seems to be that you and me, we make our own luck / New Heights of manhood / I ain’t gotta knock on wood."
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce kiss after Super Bowl 2024.
Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
The lyric "New Heights" is also a nod to Travis and his brother Jason Kelce’s popular podcast. It was actually on "New Heights" in July 2023 that the Chiefs star first shared his interest in Swift. Fast forward two years, and Swift herself made her debut appearance on the podcast to announce The Life of a Showgirl.
Beyond the podcast, Swift seems to use "redwood" as another subtle reference to Travis. Just shy of two weeks after Travis popped the question this past summer, the Grammy winner shared her engagement news on Instagram. She wrote on August 26, "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married 🧨." She even tagged Travis’s account in a photo featuring – you guessed it – a tree.
Travis’s proposal to Swift happened shortly after he recorded an episode of "New Heights." He went all out, turning his backyard into a dreamland filled with peonies. Swift later spoke about the romantic gesture in a preview of her Friday appearance on The Graham Norton Show. "He really surprised me," she said. "While we were talking on his podcast, he had a whole garden built behind his house to propose to me. He gave it his all: 10 out of 10."
During that same interview, Swift hinted that wedding planning is not her top priority right now. "I want to take care of the album first," she added. "The wedding will be what comes next in terms of organization. I think it will be fun to plan."
The Life of a Showgirl is available everywhere now.