What is Taylor Swift's 'Florida!!!' song about? Here's what Swift said about the Sunshine State

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According to Taylor Swift, “Florida!!!” is “one hell of a drug.”

Swift released her highly anticipated album "The Tortured Poets Department" at midnight on Friday, April 19, with some extra special nods to the Sunshine State.

"Welcome to New York," from Taylor's "1989" album might have a run for its money with her new Florida-centric song. The former may be the anthem blasting in the mind of every 20-something girl that moves to New York City, but "Florida!!!" has the makings of a new unofficial Sunshine State anthem.

And fans are theorizing that the song could be about Swift and Joe Alwyn's breakup, which happened while she was touring in Florida on the first leg of her record-breaking "Eras Tour" in 2023.

What do we know about 'The Tortured Poets Department?'

There is much angst on "The Tortured Poets Department," but Taylor Swift eventually comes through on the other side of heartbreak.
There is much angst on "The Tortured Poets Department," but Taylor Swift eventually comes through on the other side of heartbreak.

As USA Today's Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West says, the track titles are brutal.

Swift announced the album at the Grammys, when she won her 13th career Grammy for pop album of the year. Post Malone and Florence and The Machine are both featured on the album.

Fans speculated the album is mostly about Swift’s six-year relationship with English actor Joe Alwyn and their breakup. Both stars kept the relationship out of the public eye, but this album gives fans more leverage to guess at what happened between the two.

But there's also songs that are seemingly aimed at other figures in Swift's life, good and bad. From giddy love songs to boyfriend Travis Kelce, to relatable anthems about awful "situationships" aimed at Matty Healy . Even a few songs that seem to throw shade at her long-time adversary Kim Kardashian.

Here's the entire tracklist:

  • "Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)"

  • "The Tortured Poets Department"

  • "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys"

  • "Down Bad"

  • "So Long, London"

  • "But Daddy I Love Him"

  • "Fresh Out the Slammer"

  • "Florida!!!" (feat. Florence + The Machine)

  • "Guilty as Sin?"

  • "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?"

  • "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)"

  • "loml"

  • "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart"

  • "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived"

  • "The Alchemy"

  • "Clara Bow"

Here are the 15 bonus tracks:

  • "The Black Dog"

  • "imgonnagetyouback"

  • "The Albatross"

  • "Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus"

  • "How Did It End?"

  • "So High School"

  • "I Hate It Here"

  • "thanK you aIMee"

  • "I Look in People’s Windows"

  • "The Prophecy"

  • "Cassandra"

  • "Peter"

  • "The Bolter"

  • "Robin"

  • "The Manuscript"

Who is 'Florence and the Machine' featuring on 'Florida!!!' track?

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 15: Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine performs onstage during the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 15: Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine performs onstage during the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Florence Welch is the powerhouse lead vocalist for the English indie rock band "Florence + the Machine." Welch is known for several hits over the past decade, such as 2009's "Dog Days are Over," 2011's "Shake it Out" and 2015's "Sweet Nothings" collaboration with Calvin Harris.

"Florida!!!" is the first time Swift and Welch have collaborated on a song together.

What is Taylor Swift's 'Florida!!!' about?

“Florida!!!” is a pretty grungy, dark song about trying to separate yourself from a bad or painful situation and going to Florida to forget about it. You be the judge of if it’s reflective of the Sunshine State or not.

Swift told iHeart Radio that after getting inspiration from crime shows, she thought of where she'd go if she needed to reinvent herself.

"I think I was coming up with this idea of 'what happens when your life doesn't fit' or 'the choices you've made catch up with you' and you're surrounded by these harsh consequences and judgement," Swift said. "And circumstances did not lead you to where you thought you'd be."

The opening line is “You can beat the heat, if you beat the charges, too. They said I was a cheat, I guess it must be true.”

Building up to the chorus, Swift sings a line that no-doubt has Florida’s tourism industry cooking up ideas:

“Little did you know your home’s really only a town you’re just a guest in. So you work your life away just to pay for a timeshare down in Destin.”

If all of your Swiftie friends are googling "Destin, Florida" and "Timeshares in Destin," now you know why.

In the chorus, Swift and Florence Welch, who is featured on the song, both sing "Florida! Is one hell of a drug. Florida! Can I use you up?"

One of the most instantly iconic lines from the song comes after the chorus, when Taylor sings "I need to forget, so take me to Florida."

Which other song did Taylor Swift mention Florida in?

"Florida!!!" isn't the only song where the state got a shoutout. In the first song on the album, titled "Fortnight," both Swift and Post Malone sing:

"'Nother fortnight lost in America. Move to Florida, buy the car you want. But it won't start up 'til you touch, touch, touch me. Thought of calling ya, but you won't pick up"

Where can I buy 'The Tortured Poets Department?'

You can purchase it on her website. There are several versions of the album available, including a CD, cassette, vinyl and digital album.

These retailers will sell the album:

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: 'Florida!!!' by Taylor Swift finally dropped. Here's what the song says