Taylor Swift fans are buzzing after her Paris Eras Tour kick-off, convinced she dropped a major hint about who the song “But Daddy I Love Him” is really about. While the track is widely believed to address the public criticism surrounding her past relationship with Matty Healy, a lyrical shift during her live performance has fans speculating that the final verse might actually be about her current boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
The global superstar, 34, launched the European leg of her monumental Eras Tour in Paris on Thursday, May 9th, debuting significant changes to the show. These updates were implemented to incorporate songs from her newly released album, The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD), which dropped on April 19th. Among the TTPD tracks added to the setlist was “But Daddy I Love Him,” a song initially interpreted as Taylor’s response to the backlash she faced during her romance with Matty Healy. The song’s verses seemingly defend her choices and assert her autonomy in matters of love and reputation. However, it’s the song’s closing moments that have ignited a fresh wave of fan theories.
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The lyrics in question, delivered in the song’s final verse, are: “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. Time, doesn’t it give some perspective? / No, you can’t come to the wedding / I know he’s crazy but he’s the one I want.”
Following “But Daddy I Love Him” in the setlist, Taylor immediately transitioned into “So High School,” another TTPD track heavily speculated to be inspired by Travis Kelce. This strategic song placement in the Eras Tour setlist is a key piece of evidence fueling fan theories that the concluding verse of “But Daddy I Love Him” subtly confirms Travis, also 34, as the subject of her affection in that part of the song. Given the widespread belief that “So High School” is an ode to the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, the back-to-back performance has been interpreted by many as a deliberate confirmation.
The fan reaction online was immediate and fervent. X (formerly Twitter) exploded with speculation moments after the performance. One fan posted, “The person who said but daddy i love him was about matty AND travis was actually correct,” capturing the sentiment of many who now see the song as having dual meaning. Another fan echoed this, writing, “Been saying it’s a Travis song this whole time and everyone’s missing it!! She must have been frustrated people weren’t getting it either and made it explicit by mashing them.” This tweet highlights the feeling that Taylor intentionally linked the songs to clarify the Travis connection.
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Adding further weight to the theory, fans have pointed out the shift in tense within “But Daddy I Love Him.” As one fan astutely observed, “the other verses were scolding fans about Matty” in past tense, while “just the last verse” shifts to present tense, suggesting a different, current subject – Travis. This temporal shift in the lyrics, combined with the song sequencing in the Eras Tour, has solidified the Travis Kelce theory for many Swifties.
Image: Taylor Swift performing on stage during the Paris Eras Tour, sparking fan speculation about Travis Kelce and “But Daddy I Love Him”.
Despite the overwhelming fan speculation and seemingly deliberate clues within her Eras Tour performance, Taylor Swift has maintained her characteristic silence on the direct inspiration behind “But Daddy I Love Him.” She has not publicly confirmed or denied whether the final verse is indeed a nod to Travis Kelce.
To incorporate the new Tortured Poets Department tracks, including “But Daddy I Love Him” and “So High School,” into the Eras Tour, Taylor made significant adjustments to the setlist. These changes involved cutting some beloved songs, like “The Archer,” and streamlining segments of the show, such as combining the Folklore and Evermore eras into a single set. These modifications demonstrate Taylor’s commitment to showcasing her new music while maintaining the energy and pace of the three-hour-plus Eras Tour spectacle. The inclusion of “But Daddy I Love Him” and its potentially Travis-related final verse has undoubtedly added another layer of intrigue and excitement for fans attending the European leg of the tour, keeping the guessing game about Taylor’s lyrical inspirations alive and well.
