Marc Maron Recounts Swiftie Hall of Fame Induction
Comedian’s Emotional Reaction to Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” Revealed
Comedian Marc Maron shared a deeply personal and unexpected journey into the world of Taylor Swift fandom. His intense emotional response to Swift’s music, particularly her album *Midnights*, led to a memorable fainting incident during a hike.
Grief and the Power of Music
Maron detailed the experience in his latest special, *Panicked*. He was grappling with the loss of his partner, Lynn Shelton, and simultaneously questioning Swift’s popularity. During this vulnerable period, he found himself listening to Swift’s song “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” repeatedly.
“The interesting thing about grief is that when you’re in it at the beginning, it’s all-consuming. It takes over your mind, your heart, your spirit and you can’t stop it, and you don’t know if it’ll ever go away.”
—Marc Maron
While on a hike and deep in mourning, Maron listened to the poignant track. The emotional weight of the song, coupled with the physical exertion of a squat stretch, caused him to lose consciousness. He awoke to Swift’s voice singing, “Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.”
From Special to Cover Song
The comedian revealed on *Good One* that incorporating this story into his special cost him $50,000. Now, Maron has taken his connection to the song a step further by releasing his own cover of “Bigger Than the Whole Sky.” He posted the rendition on social media, describing it as a “Mazzy Star-ish” rendition.
“We did it like Mazzy Star-ish. It broke me. I got choked up in the middle of the last verse. It was pretty raw, very emotional but I felt good about it.”
—Marc Maron
Maron admitted his version is less polished than the original produced by Jack Antonoff. The emotional impact of recording the song left him visibly moved.
The power of music to connect with profound emotions is well-documented. For instance, studies have shown that listening to music can significantly impact mood and stress levels, with certain songs being associated with cathartic release, similar to Maron‘s experience (Nature, 2016).
