Taylor Swift released her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, last Friday (April 19). On the album is a song called "The Black Dog." Turns out, The Black Dog is a real pub in south London, and perceptive Swifties have been visiting the Vauxhall establishment in droves.
The lyrics "And your location / You forgot to turn it off / And so I watch as you walk / Into some bar called The Black Dog / And pierce new holes in my heart" appear in the first verse of the song. "The Black Dog" is the 17th track on the extended version of the record (titled The Tortured Poets Department: the Anthology).
Event manager Lily Bottomley described the Swifties' reaction as "amazing" and "overwhelmingly positive". Speaking to the BBC, Ms Bottomley revealed Swift had previously come to the pub herself and said the venue was now offering Swift-themed burgers and cocktails.
She said: "We're just loving it, it's been so fun. All of the attention has been pretty overwhelming but we can't be happier."
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Asked about the appeal of the pub to the global superstar, Ms Bottomley said: "The Black Dog is a beautiful neighbourhood pub. It's really small and really cosy so I can imagine the neighbourhood feel, the community, would appeal to her. Obviously, being as famous as she is [it's] maybe a nice break. We've had [the album] on non-stop on the pub. We've had singalongs from fans. It's been amazing."
Swifties have also boosted The Black Dog up in terms of Google searches. According to Affordable Seating, on April 19th, it received 1,429% more interest on Google than other iconic London attractions: including Big Ben, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, and Tower Bridge.
Since the release of Swift's new album, the pub has also changed their marketing to match the LP's theme. The Black Dog's Instagram bio now reads "home to tortured poets @taylorswift," and recent posts poke fun at the unexpected attention the pub has garnered overnight. One post in particular shows the bar's administration embarking on a mission to identify which partner Swift might have been referring to by frantically checking their security camera footage, prompting fans to share their theories.
Listen to "The Black Dog" and see some of the pub's Instagram posts below.
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Article Image: Taylor Swift at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards, a picture of a full lager glass from The Black Dog in London. (imagepressagency via DepositPhotos, @theblackdogvauxhall via Instagram)
