Taylor Swift’s first draft of ‘My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys’ makes fans emotional, here’s why

Taylor Swift announced she is releasing 'First Draft Phone Memo' versions of several tracks from her latest album 'TTPD'
PUBLISHED AUG 4, 2024
 Taylor Swift’s first draft of ‘My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys’ features  heartbreaking lyric which did not make it to final cut (Graham Denholm/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
Taylor Swift’s first draft of ‘My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys’ features heartbreaking lyric which did not make it to final cut (Graham Denholm/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Taylor Swift, the 14-time Grammy winner, is once again inviting fans into her creative process.

On Saturday, August 3, the 34-year-old artist announced on her Instagram Stories that she is releasing 'First Draft Phone Memo' versions of several tracks from her latest album 'The Tortured Poets Department', for a limited time, as reported by PEOPLE.

Taylor Swift drops first draft of ‘My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys’

(@taylorswift/Instagram)
Taylor Swift has a solo writing credit on the track 'My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys' (@taylorswift/Instagram)

Swifties were quick to notice a particularly poignant lyric in an early version of 'My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys', which didn't make it to the final cut of the song, released on April 19.

In the outro of the album version, Swift sings, “Just say when, I'd play again / He was my best friend down at the sandlot.”

However, in the phone memo version, which features a slower tempo and an acoustic piano arrangement, Swift originally sang, “He was my best friend and that was the worst part."

The lyric change has resonated deeply with fans, adding an extra layer of heartbreak to an already emotional song.

Taylor Swift performs on stage during during
Taylor Swift released the original draft of ‘My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys’ with heartbreaking  lyrics (Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

When Swift's track-by-track explanations premiered on iHeartRadio in April, she revealed that 'My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys' is told from the perspective of a child's toy.

Swift, who wrote or co-wrote every song on 'The Tortured Poets Department', has a solo writing credit on this track.

She explained, “It’s about being somebody’s favorite toy until they break you and then don’t want to play with you anymore — which is how a lot of us are in relationships where we are so valued by a person in the beginning, and then all of a sudden, they break us or they devalue us in their mind."

Swift added, “We’re still clinging on to ‘No no, no. You should’ve seen them the first time they saw me. They’ll come back to that. They’ll get back to that.’ So it’s kind of like a song about denial, really. So that you can live in this world where there’s still hope for a toxic broken relationship."

In addition to 'My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,' fans can also purchase the 'First Draft Phone Memo' versions of 'Cassandra,' 'The Black Dog', and 'Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?' on Swift's website for a limited time. 

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce set to move forward in their relationship

Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with Taylor Swift after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s love story continues to evolve with new relationship milestones (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Travis Kelce is on the verge of adding another significant ring to his collection. This time, it’s not a symbol of his Super Bowl victories but a testament to his evolving 'Love Story' with Grammy-winning superstar Taylor Swift.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ three-time champion tight end is reportedly planning the perfect proposal to complete his love story with Swift. Sources close to the couple suggest that an engagement is imminent.

“The engagement is happening soon,” an insider revealed.

In December, Page Six reported that Kelce was meticulously searching for the ideal ring and had sought the blessing of Swift’s father, Scott Swift. “Scott has been asked for his blessing and has wholeheartedly given it, and Travis has been talking to friends about a ring,” the source shared.

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