When Taylor Swift Screamed ‘But Daddy, I Love Him’ to Her Father During an ‘Epic Teenage Tantrum’

Years before her music career skyrocketed, Taylor Swift experienced a quintessential teenage moment that would later inspire one of her most iconic songs. In a resurfaced 2008 interview, the singer candidly recalled a heated argument with her father, Scott Swift, who disapproved of her then-boyfriend. This argument led to a dramatic declaration that many teenagers can relate to; But Daddy, I love him!

Swift recalled, “This song, I wrote it right after my one epic teenage tantrum that I ever threw in my whole life. And I remember screaming something like ‘But daddy, I love him!’ and running out and storming into my room and slamming the door. Then I sat down on the floor and wrote this song.” This tantrum nudged the origin of Love Story, the popular track from her second album, Fearless.

Fast forward nearly 16 years, and the Grammy-winning artist released The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD), which features a fan-favorite anthem that revisits this iconic teenage core memory. In the song, Swift sings, “Now I’m running with my dress unbuttoned / Screaming ‘But Daddy I love him!’ / I’m having his baby / No, I’m not, but you should see your faces.” These lyrics capture the essence of her teenage rebellion.

As per Mirror, after the track's release, many fans speculated about the song’s real-life inspirations. Some believed it hinted at her brief fling with Matty Healy, the frontman of The 1975. Despite the speculation, Swifties are convinced that But Daddy I Love Him also references her intense romance with NFL star Travis Kelce. Toward the song's end, Swift sings; “Now I’m dancing in my dress in the sun and / Even my daddy just loves him / I’m his lady, and oh my God / You should see your faces.” Swift seemingly confirmed the fan theories during her Eras Tour stop in Paris last month. She transitioned from But Daddy I Love Him into So High School, a song presumed to be about Kelce.

As per Page Six, Swift and Kelce took their romance public in September 2023 after privately dating for a few months. Talking about their relationship Kelce gushed, "I was disappointed that she doesn't talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings. So, I was a little hurt I didn't get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.” Moreover, Swift also exclaimed in an interview,  “... it started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell. We started hanging out right after that. So we had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for because we got to know each other. By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple.”