The mere mention of a particular artist or historical figure in a Taylor Swift song can take that artist or historical figure to a whole new level of pop culture, thanks to the detailed attention of the singer-songwriter's devoted fans. It is also the title of the last song on the regular edition of Swift's new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

Nearly 100 years after his brief but memorable film career, Bow is back in the spotlight thanks to Swift. If Swift lovers are wondering what it means when their favorite singer utters the line "I feel like Clara Bow" at the beginning of a song, the good news is that many of Bow's films are in the public domain and can be easily viewed online. In exploring the inspiration for Swift's new silent films, here are three of Bow's films to start with.

The film that coined the term "it girl" and propelled Bow to superstardom is a cheeky comedy obsessed with the idea of whether a character possesses undefinable but unmistakable "it" qualities. Betty Lou Spence, the shopgirl played by Bow, clearly has "it." Such calm confidence attracts men to Betty Lou that she sets her sights romantically on a big department store boss.

Betty Lou is an assertive and determined woman, more independent than many heroines in contemporary romantic comedies. She is not afraid to slap a man who is going too far against her or to ruin her reputation to save a friend. Bow embodies Betty Lou with all of her charisma, sensuality, and audacity.

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The first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture is not just another Clara Bow performance. Charles "Buddy" Rogers and Richard Arlen play two friends from small-town America who enlist to fight in World War I and simultaneously compete for the affections of the same woman. [She joins the war effort as an ambulance driver and bonds with Jack Powell, played by Rogers, on a wild night in Paris. She enlivens the film with her free-spirited charm, a stark contrast to the horrors of war that the men face. Mary may yearn for the love of an aviator, but she is not content to wait it out at home.

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In this equally erotic and tragic melodrama, Bow and Esther Ralston play childhood best friends Kitty Flanders and Jean Waddington. They both have a crush on the wealthy and handsome Ted Larrabee (Gary Cooper), who is just as messed up. Kitty is flirtatious and a bit devious, and steals Ted away from his true love, Jean.

The vibrant love rectangle in the early part of the film (which also features a French aristocrat played by Einar Hanson) retains a sense of enraptured romance but descends more in the second half. In one scene, Kitty seals the envelope with tears rather than licking it, a grand poetic move that Swift would have appreciated.

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