As a seasoned gamer with a soft spot for music and history, I find the connection between Taylor Swift’s song Starlight and Ethel Kennedy fascinating. It’s not every day that we get to explore how historical figures inspire contemporary artists.
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but ponder over how Taylor Swift’s song Starlight was influenced by the profound relationship between Ethel Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. With Ethel Kennedy’s recent passing on October 10, 2024, this connection has sparked even more curiosity among fans like me. Known for drawing inspiration from real-life relationships and moments, it comes as no surprise that the captivating tale of the Kennedys found a place in Taylor Swift’s heartfelt music.
Here is how Ethel Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy inspired Taylor Swift’s Starlight.
How Ethel Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy inspired Taylor Swift’s song?
Taylor Swift often draws inspiration for her music from the 1960s, and the dynamic duo of Ethel and Robert F. Kennedy particularly moved her. After seeing a photograph of them dancing together in the ’50s-’60s era, she was inspired to pen down the song “Starlight”.
In a 2012 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Swift explained that she saw a photo of two children dancing at a dance, which reminded her of the joy they must have felt that night. It turned out to be a picture from the late ’40s featuring Ethel Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy.
The singer from The Tortured Poets Department explained that she penned the lyrics following her interpretation of the image, emphasizing that she was unaware of the specific details or circumstances surrounding their initial encounter. At that point in time, Taylor Swift was romantically involved with Conor Kennedy, grandson of Robert and Ethel.
Swift’s Starlight is told from Ethel’s point of view, evidenced by the following lyrics:
“I met Bobby on the boardwalk summer of ’45
Picked me up, late one night out the window
We were seventeen and crazy running wild, wild”
There are significant differences between the lyrics and how Ethel and Robert Kennedy’s meeting and marriage happened. The couple met in Winter 1945 and not Summer as the lyrics suggest.
Taylor Swift got the chance to meet Ethel Kennedy personally, thanks to her daughter Rory, who had attended one of Swift’s concerts and was serenaded with ‘Starlight’. Swift noted that Ethel took a liking to the song and seemed incredibly joyful. “It was such an enjoyable moment when she was so smitten with the tune and so happy about it,” Swift shared, adding that the image of this sweet encounter remains special for her. (Paraphrased from New York Post)
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2024-10-11 14:41