Leave it to Taylor Swift to turn us all into poetry experts. Any time the global super star releases a new album, Swifties pull apart the lyrics of her new songs. And with the October 3, 2025, release of The Life of a Showgirl, many are dissecting one track in particular: “Father Figure.”
News47.us breaks down the lyrics of “Father Figure” and its meaning below.
No, Taylor’s “Father Figure” is not a new version of George Michael‘s 1987 song of the same name, but hers is an interpolation of his. This means that Taylor included a portion of his composition into her new track.
George’s X team thanked Taylor in a public statement following the release of The Life of a Showgirl.
“We were delighted when Taylor Swift and her team approached us earlier this year about incorporating an interpolation of George Michael’s classic song ‘Father Figure’ into a brand new song of the same title to be featured on her forthcoming album,” George’s X account team tweeted. “When we heard the track, we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same. George Michael Entertainment wishes Taylor every success with The Life of a Showgirl and ‘Father Figure.’”
According to its lyrics, “Father Figure” is a reflection of someone making Taylor their “protégé” during the early days of her career and expecting her “loyalty.” The track also seemingly includes a few references from The Godfather, with lyrics such as “You’ll be sleeping with the fishes” and “protecting the family” hinting at a mob boss archetype.
