Travis Kelce is "terrified" about his father, Ed Kelce, hearing Taylor Swift's new song "Wood," a particularly racy track from her recently released album, The Life of a Showgirl. The NFL star admitted his apprehension during the October 8 episode of his podcast, New Heights, which he co-hosts with his brother, Jason Kelce.
The conversation arose when Jason inquired if Travis had spoken to their father about the new album. Travis responded that he hadn't, prompting Jason to suggest a "live listen" segment on their podcast featuring Ed's reaction. This proposal was met with Travis's immediate and repeated expression of terror. Jason, however, found the idea amusing and even teased that he would record Ed’s reaction, regardless of whether they included it in the podcast. He affectionately referred to his dad as "Big Ed" during the clip.
"Wood" has been described as Swift's "raunchiest song yet," packed with innuendo and double entendres that seemingly celebrate Kelce's manhood. The lyrics include lines like "His love was the key that opened my thighs" and references to Kelce's "New Heights of manhood". In the song, Swift sings, "Forgive me, it sounds cocky / He ah-matized me and opened my eyes / Redwood tree, it ain't hard to see / His love was the key that opened my thighs". She also sings, "Girls, I don't need to catch the bouquet / To know a hard rock is on the way".
Jason couldn't resist teasing Travis about the song's explicit nature during the podcast. He playfully asked Travis if he felt "cocky" about the song "Wood," to which Travis responded, "Any song that she references me in is very..." before Jason interjected, "That's not just any song. This is a very specific you".
Swift herself has commented on the song's inspiration and meaning. While appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on October 6, she said that she aimed to write a "timeless-sounding song" with "Wood". She also alluded to the explicit subject matter. In another interview with SiriusXM's The Morning Mash Up, Swift revealed that her mother, Andrea, believes the song is about superstitions, highlighting the "double entendre" nature of the lyrics. Swift stated, "That song, you could read that song for people and it just goes right over their head. That song you, you see in that song what you wanna see in that song".
Despite the suggestive lyrics, "Wood" is largely considered a bold and playful love song that celebrates intimacy and female empowerment. Harvard professor Stephanie Burt noted that the track reclaims a space often dominated by men in music, adding, "Women have grown up thinking they shouldn't talk about sexual pleasure. Swift is embracing it in a sex-positive way, especially as a woman in her 30s, engaged, and living openly".
Swift and Kelce confirmed their engagement in an August 26 Instagram post. Ed Kelce revealed in an interview that Travis had proposed a couple of weeks prior, and Ed encouraged his son to propose sooner rather than later.
As for Ed Kelce's eventual reaction to "Wood," fans will have to wait and see if Jason follows through with his plan to record it for a future episode of New Heights.
