Who Is Clara Bow? Meet Taylor Swift’s Muse On TTPD

Things are looking up for fans of Taylor Swift’s “The Last Great American Dynasty” — or, really, any history buff who loves the singer’s lyricism. ICYMI, on Feb. 5, Swift shared the track list for The Tortured Poets Department — and one of the songs, “Clara Bow,” has a historical connection.

The song takes its name from the it girl of silent films, Clara Bow. The actor, who rose to stardom in the 1930s, was in the film It (hence the it girl moniker). And while she may be Swift’s latest muse, this isn’t the first time the Midnights singer has taken inspiration from her predecessors.

Back in 2020, Swift opened up about her songwriting process. “Picking up a pen was my way of escaping into fantasy, history, and memory,” she wrote on Instagram as she ushered in her Folklore era, which was full of historical nods and literary references.

On TTPD, coming out April 19, Swift is delving into the past again. She has dedicated (at least) one song to a 20th century celebrity, and looking at Bow’s past, it’s easy to understand why. Both Bow and Swift experienced an intense, almost frenzied interest in their love lives as they gained fame.

Here’s everything to know about the muse behind “Clara Bow” and the song’s potential ties to previous projects from Swift. Content warning: This story contains references to sexual assault and domestic violence.

Clara Bow Had A Heartbreaking Life Story

Bow has a tragic backstory. She grew up in poverty without much familial support. Per Britannica and IMDb, she was sexually abused by her father, and her mother (who suffered from schizophrenia) attempted to slit Bow’s throat when she shared her plans to become an actor.

After winning a beauty contest in high school, Bow went to Hollywood and started acting. Throughout her career, she had roles in 58 movies and became a silent film star. Per IMDb, she was incredibly popular at the time — at one point, she was receiving about 45,000 fan letters per month. Her love life was also of interest to the public.

In 1930, Bow was sued for “alienation of affections” after having an affair with a married man and settled the case by paying his wife $30,000, per Encyclopedia.com. (Per Cornell Law, alienation of affections is a law that “allows a spouse to sue an individual that causes their other spouse to end their marriage.”)

Then, in 1931, Bow sued her secretary Daisy de Boe for embezzling money from her, which prompted de Boe to leak details of Bow’s personal life to the press. She publicized Bow’s past relationships with Harry Richman, Earl Pearson (whose wife sued for “alienation of affections”), Gary Cooper, Lothar Mendez, and Rex Bell (whom Bow would later marry).

At the time, the New York Times published a story titled, “SECRETARY ON TRIAL, ACCUSES CLARA BOW; Daisy De Boe Combats Actress' Charge of Theft and Attempt to Extort $125,000. ‘REVELATIONS’ BY DEFENSE Threat to Kill and Quarrel Over Burned Love Letters Recited-- Employe Strikes Back.”

That same year, Bow married Bell. Two years later, she retired from acting and was living on a cattle ranch in Nevada. They were married for 31 years (until Bell’s death) and had two sons together, but the rest of Bell’s life wasn’t simply domestic bliss. She faced psychiatric problems and was “confined to sanitariums from time to time” without access to her children, per IMDb.

Bow died in 1965 when she was 60 years old.

Bow’s Family Has Responded To Swift’s Dedication

Apparently, Bow’s family was “shocked” by the song dedicated to their predecessor. “We could not believe it. We were shocked and then the intrigue set in because no one from our family has been contacted or knew about this prior. We found out via the Instagram post like everybody else,” Nicole Sisneros, one of Bow’s great-granddaughters told People.

Sisneros added that she hoped the song would help “pass on [Bow’s] legacy.”

“I hope she conveys a positive image of Clara Bow, which I think she will,” Brittany Grace Bell, another great-granddaughter of Bow’s, added. “I would imagine that Taylor uses this as a way to highlight her accomplishments, her accolades, her talent. They're both people that have really strong raw talent.”

“They're both pioneers in their field,” Bell continued. “I think Clara Bow would feel the same kinship and protectiveness over someone who's of the same level of fame as her in dealing with the media and how heavy the crown is to carry.”

“Clara Bow” Is Reminiscient Of A Few Other Swift Songs

Swift has previously explored the plight of female celebrities in her music. When she first released Red in 2012, her song “The Lucky One” hinted at her complicated feelings toward her own fame. In it, she sings:

“It was a few years later, I showed up here / And they still tell the legend of how you disappeared / How you took the money and your dignity and got the hell out / They say you bought a bunch of land somewhere / Chose the rose garden over Madison Square / And it took some time, but I understand it now.”

Swift didn’t name anyone directly in the song, though it certainly sounds like it was inspired by another celebrity’s arc. Some fans think it was inspired by Joni Mitchell, but Swift has never confirmed the rumors.

2020’s Folklore included “The Last Great American Dynasty,” a song about Rebekah Harkness, the socialite who previously owned Swift’s Rhode Island mansion. In the track, she recalls how people criticized Harkness: “There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen / She had a marvelous time ruinin' everything.”

Later in the song, Swift ties Harkness’ narrative to her own. “There goes the loudest woman this town has ever seen / I had a marvelous time ruinin' everything,” she sings.

Swift also reflected on the pitfalls of fame on Midnights. In “Anti-Hero,” she sings about fearing her future:

“I have this dream my daughter in-law kills me for the money / She thinks I left them in the will / The family gathers 'round and reads it and then someone screams out / ‘She's laughing up at us from hell.’”

Considering how Bow’s own story went down — being betrayed by those she considered closest to her — this could be a theme Swift continued to explore in TTPD.

There’s one more Bow and Swift connection: In “Gorgeous” on Reputation, Swift sings, “Whisky on ice, Sunset and Vine.” Bow’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is located at 1500 Vine St — aka the corner of Sunset and Vine.