Is Taylor Swift’s “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” About Matty Healy?
Taylor Swift’s two-disc album “The Tortured Poets Department,” dropped in April of 2024 and enraptured fans across the globe. There’s one song — The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived — that’s generated quite a bit of speculation about who it’s about. Most fans think this is an emotional song about Matty Healy, the frontman of The 1975.
Height and the Issue of Perception
The title The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived is ripe with double meaning. On a more literal level, it’s about a popular misconception about Matty Healy’s height. Though he stood 5’11”, the 6’4” tall members of his band sometimes made him seem small. Healy himself has grown frustrated by this misconception, to the point of shouting in one interview, “I’m a big boy!”
Lyrics That Point to Healy
That speculation is only furthered by the lyrics of the song The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived. The opening lines, “Staring at me, starry-eyed / In your Jehovah’s Witness suit” could be a reference to Matty Healy, known for wearing closely-cut black suits that can be reminiscent of a Jehovah’s Witness suit. Healy has often made a point of dressing in such a way.
Emotional Undercurrents
However, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived is more than just a visual description; it dives into the phantom pain of Taylor’s relationship with Matty Healy and what went wrong. The lyrics are about a relationship characterized by disappointment and a feeling of neglect. In one section of the song, Swift writes about an encounter in which there is talk of buying pills, a reference to Healy’s struggles with addiction.
A Summer’s End
The other level of meaning comes from the seasonal reference in the song The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived. Swift says, “If rusting my sparkling summer was the goal,” referring to reports that coincide with their breakup in early June 2023. And this timing paces the blossoming of summer with the decomposition of their relationship.
Fans’ Reactions
Swifties have debated the topic of the song The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived for months since its release. Some decried Matty Healy on account of his dubious words and ways; others regarded it as a major but troubled chapter in Swift’s evolution. Still, the song has proved an agonizing addition to her discography.
Reactions from the Industry
Not only fans responded to the release of The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, but also the electronic music industry. Taylor Swift’s openness and honesty, as well as her use of histrionics, have been hailed by critics, distinguishing her from other artists. Swift’s portrayal of their relationship contrasted sharply with Matt Healy’s boisterous public presence. This dichotomy gives the song a dimensionality that both artists’ styles imbue, even if their association was brief.
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The Song’s Musical Composition
Musically, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived diverges from Swift’s typical sound. However, the accompanying piano melodies and the sparseness of the production draw attention to Swift’s evocative lyrics and the heavy emotional impact of the tale. That spare arrangement allows listeners to pay attention to the story being told, creating an intimate atmosphere to pull them further into Swift’s world. This stylistic evolution showcases Swift’s range as an artist and her commitment to her sound’s growth and pushing of creative ceilings.
Conclusion
Whether this is a shade thrown specifically at Matty Healy or not, it is a song for anyone who’s had their fill of dating antics, ruffling of feathers, or having some fun. It was a testament to Taylor Swift’s ability to make her private life into a soundtrack (and a clue to solve a riddle,) leaving listeners salivating for the particulars of the stories contained in her songs.
