I can't stop thinking about "The Last Great American Dynasty"
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- čas přidán 24. 06. 2024
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Sources and further reading:
| WIKIPEDIA |
Rebekah Harkness: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebekah...
Standard Oil: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standar...
High Watch: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Watch
John D. Rockefeller: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D....
The Ludlow Massacre: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlow_...
The Homestead Strike: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeste...
| ARTICLES |
Vogue - The Outrageous Life of Rebekah Harkness: www.vogue.com/article/the-out...
Small State Big History - Rebekah Harkness, the Scorned Socialite of Watch Hill : smallstatebighistory.com/rebe...
St. Louis Magazine - The story of Rebekah Harkness is way more complicated than Taylor Swift lets on: www.stlmag.com/culture/music/...
St. Louis Style - Who is Rebekah Harkness and Why is She the Star of Taylor Swift’s ‘The Last Great American Dynasty’?: www.stlouis.style/throwback-t...
SF Gate - Everything you think you know about the Winchester Mystery House probably isn't true: www.sfgate.com/bayarea/articl...
New York Times - IS THERE A CHIC WAY TO GO?: www.nytimes.com/1988/05/22/bo...
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I always knew it. The T B in TBSkyen stands for "Taylors Bestie"
I could’ve sworn it stood for Tuberculosis…
@@mueezyusuf7181Mister Green? You here?
So touching to see tb highlight smaller creators like Taylor swift 🎺
2:10 "I'm nowhere the vocalist she is"
*sings like a fucking angel*
"April Fools video that is actually totally sincere" is, I think, my favorite genre of video. I really like how more and more youtubers have been using the "excuse" of April Fools to make stuff that's kind of weird and outside their wheelhouse and maybe conceptually silly, but that is clearly an actual video they sincerely wanted to do.
Agree. It is always such amazing videos
Omg I was fooled but this indeed is the best form of a joke, I thought it was so well made
We need that cover as a standalone video 🎸
I already said this in live chat, but the way this video juggles a nuanced discussion of Taylor Swift's image, our interactions with media, rumors, history, etc, and your own personal relationship with this song? Beautiful, brilliant, THIS is the reason for the teardrops on my 🎸
video essay (10 hour version) (skyen's version) (from the vault)
Skyen decision to redirect all of his content toward Taylor swift by erasing all the previous videos was a surprise, but he really did get the essence of a real swiftie. On a side note, I'm looking forward to analysis of her fashion on 2BSkyen
Also, day 1 of commenting on all Swift vids since one piece is gone
And 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸 as always
Was not expecting such a high quality video on April 1st but you never fail to deliver 🎸
The world waits with baited breath for the punchline to this April Fools joke. Is the joke that there is no joke? The anticipation is killing me!
The only joke here is acting like anyone in his audience hasn't heard of Taylor Swift. The rest is sincere, which makes it an ideal April Fool's Day video.
The Last Great American Dynasty (Skyen's Version) when? , Jokes aside this song is one of the most top tier songs on Folklore with "My Tears Ricochet", "Exile", "The Lakes", and "Cardigan" honestly Folklore is just a top tier album🎸
Exile hit me like a damn train and I can't begin to explain why
TBSkyen being a swiftie wasnt on my 2024 Bingo Card but here we are and as someone who rly doesnt listen to her songs, i am super enjoying this!
I am a certified TS hater and I’m fascinated by this, tbh
@@luckas221ahate is a strong word... U don't know her well enough to hate her that much.. or has she done anything evil... Everyone who has met her & worked with only had good things to say about her... She's a wonderful human being.. even if her music is not ur cup of tea.
@@luckas221a I find Taylormania to be interesting, but I'm even more fascinated by the TSwift-hater phenomenon. Are you really a TS hater, or are you being a bit overdramatic? Anyway, this seems like a safe space in which rational conversation could potentially happen, so I will go ahead and assume, for the moment that are you actually a hater and ask: What do you hate about her? Her personality? Her wealth (no such things as an ethical billionaire, etc.), Her music?
Assuming, for a moment, that it's her music, then I'd be curious to know how much you've heard beyond her pop radio hits. I've been searching for a TS hater who has heard a lot of her discography but still insists that she is overrated, etc. So far I've had no luck finding a person of that sort. When I find a genuine hater, it always turns out that what they hate is her pop radio hits; they don't really know much of her music beyond that. Alternatively, if they do know a lot of her discography, then it turns out that they are not actually haters in the sense of the terms that interests me. To say "she's talented, but I'm not a fan of her music" is not to be a hater, in my book. I would never expect everyone to love her music. But to insist that she has no significant artistic talent - that is where I become interested and would like to know more about which songs the hater has or has not heard.
@@gaylenwoof nah i’m an actual hater. I despise everything she represents.
Her mediocrity being sold as revolutionary, her fans putting her against other icons of the music industry to the point of using her image to undermine others, her carelessness and lack of compassion (she went to Brazil and failed to even acknowledge the fact that a fan of hers passed away during her concert due to her and the venue’s poor planning). NTM she’s a very online person (or, at least, was) and has always failed to comment on any of the terrible things her fans say and do on the internet. I’m unconvinced that there could be a way she doesn’t know that some of her fans spread hate to other artists on her behalf.
I think she’s a shoddy songwriter and lyricist, her stage presence and performances don’t impress me, her personality is boring…
Just all-around, I really do just dislike everything about the TS zeitgeist. I can’t speak on her as a person, but some things about her public life give hints that I probably wouldn’t like her much.
@@gaylenwoof Also, I do feel the need to admit that I keep listening to her music to see if I like something, and I almost never do lol… When 1989 came out, I actually really enjoyed a couple of songs, mainly Wildest Dreams. I also really like some unserious pop so the half-ironic Look What You Made Me Do and Bad Blood, Shake It Off, I can also admit I danced to a little. lol
But even then and before then, I’ve always been distasteful of how she sold herself with this humble hometown girl image, when her father bought major stock of her record label so he could help her career, and reportedly purchased millions of copies of her first album to help her get an impressive debut.
I think she’s manufactured, and even though I do like some “industry plants” and don’t think there’s anything particularly immoral about the phenomenon, TS just leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
🎻TBSkyen you have the voice to do a cover of something and I hope at some point you consider that option! Anyway good video as always and I do look forward to seeing if this continues as a series! Music is always a fun topic! 🎻
He did an excellent cover of Snake Eater already.
That twist at the end was one of the best, most impactful perspective swerves I've seen in a video essay--not that I didn't already know that Taylor Swift was a megastar, but the framing device coming to such a clean cap is delightful. I sympathize a lot with the sentiments you share so I appreciate your sharing that insight and giving me a neat song to listen to more often in the future.
Also, screw you for making me remember offhand "Hey, she did You Belong with Me," and getting that stuck in my head for the next month. 🎸
Skyen, you have fed a very hungry part of me that was still learning how to process the media I enjoyed when I was in Highschool, and I couldn't be more grateful. Also this was cracked, and very touching at the same time, like holy crap 🎸
A TB Skyen Taylor Swift video was NOT something that I thought I needed, but after watching I realized that I needed it like yesterday!!! 🎸🎻🎹
I think that's one of Taylor Swift's biggest talents, is making a situation very niche to her, incredibly relatable. Digging to the core of the emotions, wants, and needs of a situation, while also making the situation specific enough that it's still hers, and yet vague enough that anybody could relate.
I mean folklore and evermore as albums are at their core about her losing the rights to her masters, something that would be incredibly hard to sympathize with normally. And yet it has songs of betrayal and hurt and loss that so so many people can relate to. I mean you're here relating to a song about buying a mansion another millionaire once owned, because it's so much more than just that, and I think it's why her and her music are so beloved 🎸
That’s not really special, most artists can pull that off
@@jimjimmy8900 no they can’t, and it is in fact, a very special skill.
@@sora.d it really isn’t. Taking [struggle from your life] and reframing it in a vague way is songwriting 101
@@jimjimmy8900 taking (struggle from life) and writing it into emotional lyrics that manage to resonate with so many people is in fact a very special talent that poets have been demonstrating for centuries and i really don’t know why you are trying so hard downplay it.
@@sora.d and Swift is a poet now? Lmfao
As someone who is currently unemployed as of this week and trying to start making art and selling commissions, I think I needed to hear this today. Thanks, Skyen 🎸
Ngl, the "slightly problematic" is doing some heavy lifting /hj 🎸
damn you, now I have to rewatch that jan misali video again.
It’s so cool that you decided to also release a full cover of the whole folklore album as well🪕🎹🎷
I like the Idea that Taylor Swift, Notorious cat lover, wasn't too fond of it being a cat that got dyed key lime green so she changed it to a dog
Thank you for this Skyen, it was actually such a good take clearly researched. I loved it. A fascinating take on parasocial relationships, folklore (capitalised and not) and Swift in general. Made my April 🎸
Also, she has a fascinating look at parasocial relationships in her direct address to the listener in "Dear Reader". I know we will not expect another of these but I think you may find it personally interesting and I would love to know your thoughts one day!
I don't know what it is about you honestly, I don't even know how to express it, but you seem so legit, like you put your heart into your speaking. And it is so so nice to listen. You seem like such an interesting guy, I'd love to be around you (not that the people I know aren't amazing), but seriously, how you work is really admirable. It would be so hard to find anything like this on the platform, I'm just really grateful i found your channel...
Much love from Hungary! Stay based Skyen. ;) 🎻
okay, I was COMPLETELY caught off guard by the cover. This is a trip and a half, idk if you’ve made other videos in the same vein but PLEASE make more!
This video ruled so hard. Especially the little cover you made, such a genuinely nice surprise. Thank you skyen! 🎸
I think this is one of your best videos. It juggles personal feelings, art critique, dry satire, and well thought out social commentary perfectly. I also think it would be good if you did more videos like this, meaning song breakdowns or breakdowns of other more narrative media, not just the April fools gag of small indie folk singer Taylor Swift.
About the impostor syndrome thing, in italy we have a fairly known youtuber called sabaku no maiku (he got to do a run in the elden ring redbull gaming channel) and he's known for playing again and again every soulsborne analyzing every angle (and in reality, every game he plays) and theoryzing as he discovers. People find him charming for the way he speaks and the calm he exposes to, and i find a parallelysm which explains why i got stuck with your channel these last weeks. You surely already know this, but if you think your not deserving of all these followings, aside from luck theres often another reason
I love how you made an honest and sincere video in your own style, and the joke was that it's a different subject from the usual, and that is all. It's the best April Fools joke I've seen this year, and I want to thank you for making it 😁 🎸
You are very good at putting words to things I struggle with, and introducing perspectives I hadn't thought to consider. Thank you. 🎷
🎸🎸The video topic was weird coming from you, but it was very cleverly put together, I'm gladly surprised.
I really hope the algorithm treats it well.
🎸I knew it, Skyen is a Swiftie. 😂
Joke aside, I love the out of ordinary videos you make. 🎸
Really love that different kind of content and exploration of music! (As a swift fan myself ofc its just a perfect video for me hehe)
And I really enjoyed how one line in the bridge caught your attention so much and changed the way you look at the song. Thats such and awesome feeling and I totally get it! For me that was with "You are in love" (also from Taylor Swift). The whole song is about what its like to be in love and then in the bridge she says "and now you understand [...] why I've spent my whole life trying to put it into words". That made me go "oh, yeah I like that one!"
As writer myself (wordbuilding and short story writing that is) that line somehow really resonated with me and made me view the song in a totally different light. Like yeah... I understand that feeling of "trying to tell something with my work over and over again because its to grand to be captured in one piece". It's nothing deep or some epic analysis, I know that :D but it stuck with me nontheless
Great video, really awesome to see your interpretation of this song 🪇🥳
Omg thank you for supporting this small artist. Your big following will really help ms.Swift out! Maybe she'll even get to host a concert one day
To be honest, I have never heard this song before, and my reaction to *that* lyric was pretty much the same as yours. I actually paused the video for a second to let me process. 🎹
I'm only about 10 minutes in, but I'm starting to wonder why this Indie folklorist would want to write a song about an already wealthy woman becoming even more wealthy, but framing it as the struggle of a small-town girl suddenly having to deal with fame/fortune.
Having heard the work progress on this over the past week through your office door, I'm glad that the result turned out so great. Well done, friendo 🪗
I very much enjoyed this little meta-narrative you had going on in the context of an April Fools video, sincerely insincerely sincere, I love it.
Even your lighter, more-jokey videos are so rich with creativity, thanks for making this 🎷
My most recent hyperfixation is Taylor, anything with eastereggs and a developing story just gets me and that my favorite youtuber made a video about a song with all the context AND A COVER just made my year, thank you
Please consider uploading the cover I really loved it
I unironically loved this thank you
unironically i really like your cover, your singing voice is so nice!
Your singing is actually really good with this beat.
Skyen, you're one of my favorite creators here on the platform and this little april fools video might honestly be one of my favorite video of yours. I'm not even that big into pop music or Swift- but this is a genuinely fascinating analysis of a piece of art I'd otherwise never give the time of day.
On that note, I'm reminded of the novel 'Trust' by Hernan Diaz. It's a great piece of meta-fiction that touches on some of the feminist themes that's present in the song;
wanted to mention it in case anyone stumbles on this comment and might find it an enjoyable read.
🎸
looking forward to the full cover! ❤🎸
BEGGING YOU TO UPLOAD A FULL COVER ON 3B SKYEN
me, seeing Ludlow Massacre in the sources listed in description:............i am now deeply invested.
Folklore and evermore are truly masterpieces
i really wish you did more of these videos cause im a huge swiftie and seeing a person i subscribed to for League of Legends content post this MADE MY FUCKING WEEK.🎸🎻🎻
"When the Scandinavian winter depression starts to hit" You mean the cold half of the year
Yeah winter
Not me hoping it will not be an april fools video …
At first, i didnt understand why you kept referring to Taylor Swift as an small indie artist. I thought it was just a joke because April Fool's. And every time i thought "ohh she's whitewashing history" or "OH. SHE BOUGHT IT???" you threw us that phrase as a curveball. And i was entranced by your interpretation, but still felt like you were ignoring a very real and important fact.
And then you explained why you did all that, and you acknowledged all the points I'd thought about. It's incredible how a simple reframing of the artist can change entire interpretations.
Honestly, i loved this video, from beginning to end. Keep rocking! 🎸
I expected this to be an april fools video but what we got instead was a quite thoughtful commentary into some part of what it means to be a creator in the public eye. Must say, I very much enjoyed the video it turned out to be!
🎺 All the years I spent playing the trumpet in the local orchestra had to be good for something, right?
That's a lot of dedication for an april fools video lmao, love it
is it actually? i love tb skyen but i physically recoiled when he started singing i really want to know beforehand if this some April fools stuff
@@dantekiwi7926 seeing that everyone else's april fools joke usually is "-picture of something really cool or unbelievable- followed by a 'haha, april fools'" and this is a 33 min video analysing a taylor swift song, yes
i didnt expect that wow🎷
🎻I loved this video so much. I remember you mentioning bits of it in a Q&A video and am glad to hear your extended view on it. Your creative analysis is always so well done and never ceases to amaze me. While I know it isn't feasible for you to realistically do more song writing analysis, one can dream. I hope you enjoyed making the video and know that your audience does indeed appreciate your talent! ~~🎹
My favorite part was when Mr. Skyen pulled out a 🎸 and played Free Bird
I hope you do more music/poetry analysis like this. I really enjoyed the video. This kind of analysis is what I used to do in high school and not necessarily have I lost the ability to do it but I haven’t done it in 5 years since I left high school. So needless to say I haven’t exercised that muscle. This video has inspired me to go and listen to recent music that I enjoy and to analyze it the way you have. So thank you. 🎤🎹🎸🎻
Know we need the full cover with your glorious voice! 🎸
oh wow, that is a set of lyrics worth making a video on, esp with your personal findings in it, which is wonderful, and I enjoyed the history lesson and you singing it!
🎸 Love it when artists/creators use April Fools Day to do something truly special
Great video! Always love listening to your voice, Skyen 🎸
That ending is pretty genius Mr. Skyen. Very well done.
I don't know anything about Taylor Swift, but I'm expecting a 7 hour analysis Skyen
would love to hear you talk more about artists you like, enjoyable stuff as always
Thank you so much for your wonderful video essay, T B Skyen. 🥁
🎸 I LOVED this video! I enjoy the interpretation of works of art a lot so whenever you do it it makes a wonderful video! Thank you for your insight it's been a delightful half hour! 😊
Great video as always Skyen!
This kinda makes me hope we get more videos analysing song lyrics in the future 🥁
Thanks for the great video tb 🎸
This was actually really insightful and a fascinating introspective essay. CZcams do your thing!
Umm, who was gonna tell us that TB got some PIPES? Dulcet tones so soothing!
🎸
I really appreciate that actually put effort into the April Fools videos even though its a lot easier to have the punchline be on the viewer for thinking it was "real". Being able to analyze something so deeply, even a seemingly mundane Taylor Swift song, is a genuine inspiration and made me more conscious of the things I watch and listen to, and for that, I cannot thank you enough. 🎸
My favorite kind of April Fools videos will always be the ones where people throw a curveball with a heartfelt, deep look into a subject that their audience would have never guessed is a point of interest to them based on the small, parasocial window we're allowed. 🥁
This was honestly a great video its not your normal type of video but its honestly great i love (even though your not going far) but still when youtubers branch out and i really enjoyed this ! 🎸
was not expecting an analysis on the last great american dynasty but I am seated
This was a beautiful discussion, thank you. I really do hope you put out a video of you singing that cover though. It was beautiful also, and it would be lovely to hear more.
I really love this sort of content and its cool to see you tackle it. Framing is a really . interesting part of storytelling and i wont lie and say i was not engaged by this particular one. Keep up the good work sky 🎸
amazing video!!! love this song so much, and your interpretation makes it the song more awesome! 🎸🎹🎺🎻🎷🥁🪕🪘
Skyen, PLEASE do this for every song on folklore and evermore. PLEASE
Wow. This was really well-framed and well-written. I wasn’t exactly sure where you were taking us at first, but thanks for leading us through this cool story journey. I’m always excited to see you touch on new/different topics/categories with your commentary!
Also, FWIW, I think the content you make is incredibly valuable and unique compared to most of the other content in the gaming space, especially in male-dominated communities like league and dark souls. Talking about character/game/lore design in a thoughtful and nuanced way is absolutely doing good. Thanks for giving us a model to think critically about the media we love rather than just being passive consumers. So, take that, imposter syndrome! 💪
I fucking love it when you make video essays like this it always make me tear up and I fucking dont know whyy🎸🎻🎹
Thank you for sharing this.
It was my perfect birthday gift.
Besides the blast of witnessing the nuanced, metatextual perspectives unfold, I also appreciate the message for all the struggling artists. Many of my friends do need to hear something like this, and oftentimes myself🎸
Idk what you were on about with your singing voice, I quite enjoyed your cover🎸
didn’t expect such a high quality video for april fools, but skyen doesn’t disappoint :) and as a person with auditory processing issues, thank you so much for the captions 🎸
the message of this video is exactly what i needed to hear
Skyen as a swift is was something I did not expect on the 2024 bingo. Keep surprising us!
this was an amazing video, enjoyed so much 🎸
We just witnessed that TB Skyen is one powerful video essay creator
🎸 I suffer from imposter syndrome and I'm in IT. Lol. I've been raised to be humble and not flashy.... But after 34 years I wanted to channel my inner arrogance and cry I DESERVE THIS! ... Yes. Your video resonated 🎸, TB. We love your work. 🎸 🎶
Excellent, thoughtful analysis. 🎸
When i say i enjoyed more this song with Skyen's voice, i sweat i'm not lying
That was a fun one!🎸 Thanks for the content as always, hope you're doing well :)
Never thought i would see the day i see TBskyen and Taylor Swift together
Would love to see more stuff like this in the future 😊 🎹
🎸I’ve got to say this is an insanely well made video for an April fools day release. The interesting reframing and the song discussion were honestly incredibly well done. Also, I have no idea if there’s any classical training in your singing but it’s actually better than the video gives you credit for. Good voice
i generally dont go for swift related stuff, but this is actually hella neat
🎸
I immediately knew which lyric you were talking about, it was truly an experience we all shared listening for the first time.
I'm curious if there's any more songs from folklore and evermore you think about often like this? I feel like I could write an entire essay about cowboy like me
Skyen is nothing if not a man of his word, go all out on the technical merits of a joke to make it all the funnier.
If anything i always thought you're a hidden gem on youtube. you can still grow monumentally don't think you don't deserve your success
Would love more analysis of songs, this video was great!
What a creative video that exposes a theme and wraps around it like an uroboros, byting his tail. It’s just like the song: it seems only a video talking about a song, but, it has layers, and the more you go into the video, the more it reveals itself.
Keep it up, Skyen, and believe in yourself, cause you deserve this for your hard work; we are also little folks that maybe don’t connect with hard souls or pokemon, but we connect with the deep analysis we sometimes do about things that nobody else listens to, sometimes because we don’t feel our words are worthy of it. It’s your sharing of your thoughts and the time and effort organizing it for us that makes us gravitates towards this videos (at least for me).
I don’t think I’m as good as you expressing the ideas I want to say, but I think is clear enough. Just a little love comment about your work 🎹.
I know this is an april fools video but I would totally watch a whole song analysis series 🪇
Love this. Class critique, history, gossip and rumor, and a Middle- class divorcée. Never had a desire to look up Swift's catalogue before now. Might do so. See what all that fuss is about. 🎸