More than a year after Taylor Swift name-dropped Patti Smith in her latest album, the poet and songwriter is weighing in.
In her April 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department, Swift referenced the 78-year-old writer in the title track, singing in the chorus: “I laughed in your face and said, ‘You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith. This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’re modern idiots.'” Though Thomas and Smith did not know each other, they both stayed at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City at different times.
In a feature that was published on Saturday in the Irish Times, Smith talked about rock and roll, her debut studio album Horses, which came out almost 50 years ago and her reaction to Swift’s name-dropping her in a song.
“I don’t know her, but she recorded a lot of her work at Electric Lady [Studios in New York City], where I have done so much work,” Smith said at the beginning of the article. “Through the studio, [Swift] sent me a message and let me know that my name would be on her record – but that it was in a respectful way.”
Smith also posted about the reference when the album came out in April 2024, sharing her appreciation for the respectful shout-out on Instagram.
“This is saying I was moved to be mentioned in the company of the great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas,” the artist wrote on her Instagram more than a year ago. “Thank you Taylor.”
Often hailed as the “punk poet laureate,” Smith has had a profound impact on music, literature and art since emerging in the mid-1970s. Combining rock and poetry, she broke boundaries with her debut album Horses, and inspired generations of musicians and writers to merge poetry with rock. Throughout her career, the “Redondo Beach” singer released 11 studio albums, three live albums, two EPs and 19 singles.
Smith’s work often explores themes of social justice, feminism and personal introspection. Beyond music, she is also an accomplished author, with books like Just Kids and M Train, earning acclaim for her lyrical writing, storytelling and candid reflections on life in New York City’s art scene.
The artist also noted that after Swift’s album was released, many young listeners started buying books by Dylan Thomas, the famous Welsh poet of the 1940s and 1950s, celebrated for his vivid imagery and imaginative language.
Decades after her groundbreaking debut, Smith’s work continues to resonate across generations, inspiring artists like Swift and countless young listeners who are discovering her poetry and music for the first time. Furthermore, Smith will be releasing a new book, Bread of Angels, this November, while Swift will be releasing her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on Oct. 3.
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This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the Celebs section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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