Taylor Swift takes back what’s hers with the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Taylor Swift takes back what’s hers with the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
“I first made Speak Now, completely self-written, between the ages of 18 and 20,” Swift stated in an Instagram post back in May when she announced the release date for her third re-recording, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). In 2010 when she released Speak Now, she already had two critically acclaimed albums under her belt, as well as the coveted Album of the Year Grammy for her sophomore album Fearless. In 2010, at only 20 years old, she was the youngest person ever to win AOTY at the Grammys, and critics began to speculate whether she actually wrote her own songs. Swift took that as a challenge, and went on to release her first ever album of all self-written songs. And now, 13 years later (how poetic), she is ready to take back what’s rightfully hers.
“The songs that came from this time in my life were marked by their brutal honesty, unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness,” Swift reflects, this stays true throughout the entire album. With her meticulous attention to detail and dedication to re-recording her early discography, Swift effortlessly transports us back in time while adding a fresh perspective. And while the young country-twang may not be as prevalent, the root of the songs are still there– all overflowing with vulnerability and honesty. From the young-in-love stories brought to life in “Mine” and “Sparks Fly,” to the confessional ballads “Back To December” (featured in the season 2 trailer for Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty) and “Innocent”.
“I love this album because it tells a tale of growing up, flailing, flying and crashing.. And living to speak about it,” Swift continues. The first song that comes to mind when reading this is “Dear John,” the heartbreaking, gut wrenching story of Swift’s relationship with an older man when she was just 19 years old. On her 2022 album Midnights, Swift released “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” a song that is rumoured to be about the same relationship. So although the trauma of that relationship may have been fresh on her mind a year ago, the revisited version of “Dear John” doesn’t contain the same angst and hurt that the original embodied. Instead, she leans into her matured vocals and the fact that she’s no longer hurting on her version.
Although some of the songs are obviously lacking the country twang that existed on the original, there were smart production choices on several of the songs that help capture their original essence. In “Mean” the plucky banjo takes centre stage, and the strings on “Haunted” sound like you’re sitting in the room with the orchestra, fully immersed in the magnificence. Channeling wistfulness, Swift quotes the original lyric in “Innocent” on her album release post– “I recorded this album when I was 32 (and still growing up now) and the memories it brought back filled me with nostalgia and appreciation.” “Enchanted,” the only song from Speak Now that’s currently on her setlist for The Eras Tour, takes an entirely new identity on Taylor’s Version. Once a song about holding onto a failing relationship, is now a love letter to the fans that are currently filling stadiums to celebrate her discography.
It’s become a tradition that with the release of the re-recordings, Swift adds on a handful of bonus songs at the end of the album– she calls them “From The Vault” tracks. And she’s invited some of her close musical friends to feature on the tracks, including Lana Del Rey, Maren Morris, Phoebe Bridgers and more. On Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), Swift’s longtime friend Hayley Williams of Paramore and Fall Out Boy make an appearance. “Electric Touch (Feat. Fall Out Boy)” isn’t what you’d expect– instead of leaning on the pop-punk sound that Fall Out Boy is famous for, singer Patrick Stump’s vocals layered with Swift’s create a perfect, upbeat pop anthem that fits in beautifully with the rest of the tracks. “Castles Crumbling (Feat. Hayley Williams) sounds Reputation encoded with a hint of “Safe and Sound.” Williams and Swift’s vocals harmonised together is sure to melt any “swemo”’s heart.
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) marks Swift’s third album re-recording, but in a way is the most significant. It’s no secret that Swift is often named one of the greatest songwriters of all time, and being able to take back ownership of the stories that she wrote as a teenager and young woman is as poetic as the lyrics in her songs. There’s no other artist in the world quite like Swift– she is redefining the meaning of timeless with the re-release of songs that fans have already cherished for years, She said it best on “Long Live” – “When they point to the pictures / please tell them my name / Tell them how the crowds went wild.. I had the time of my life with you / One day, we will be remembered.” Swift will not only be remembered– she will soundtrack the lives of music lovers of all sorts for generations to come.