'I Can Do It With A Broken Heart" by Taylor Swift #MusicMonday

Despite its incredible immediate success, there were a lot of critical reviews of Taylor Swift’s new album “The Tortured Poets Department” and many have said it’s because the reviewers in their haste reviewed it too fast. When a work is so layered and so nuanced and so personal, it takes time to understand it. So we are now hearing many of those early critics starting to come around in support of Taylor’s new work of art. Click here to hear from one such turn-around critic.

I for one am not a Swiftie but I am a major fan of her writing. it’s her writing that I believe connects with fans because they either work to de-code the lyrics or so closely connect with them. Even me! There’s actually one song on the new album that I actually connect to myself. And I in no way fit the profile!

“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”

Evidently the song is about how Taylor had to throw herself into work during a very troubling and sad relationship breakup and how no one could tell she was suffering because her work was still so good.

I can relate.

When I was much younger, going through a divorce from my wife, coming out as a gay man, and raising two very young children, I was suffering. It was by far the hardest moment of my lift up until then and since then. But I threw myself into my work and my career was accelerating. I actually started my own agency right in the middle of it all. Now part of that was because I needed to be home for my kids and part of it was because I was at the top of my game and it was the right time to do it.

And no one knew I was suffering. It took me months to tell people at work that I was divorcing and it took me months if not years to tell anyone and everyone that I was gay. But my work was good, thank you very much, despite all the inner turmoil. And I was on it as a dad, deeply involved in raising them and ensuring their health and wellbeing.

“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” of course I did.

Thank you Taylor for seeing me and for seeing your fans and for letting your fans see you. That’s why it takes a bit to appreciate the finesse of your work and to understand it and to relate to it. I’m sold.

What’s your experience? JIM