Taylor Swift‘s re-recorded albums scream emancipation. They carry the tribulations of superstars before her – notably Prince and George Michael – who fought and failed to win music rights from what they believed was an oppressive record deal. Unlike those before her, Taylor handled her public battle with her old label management by re-recording her projects and then calling on her legion of fans to buy them in numbers far exceeding the original. As Swift re-records, she regains a piece of her identity, looking back at past versions of herself with a fresh perspective.
Swift’s Taylor’s Version project are logical for her, but re-recording an album may seem pointless to others. Yet, if Taylor is anything, she’s an astute businesswoman. She’s aware of the wars others before her have waged for their legacies and their piece of the profits dating back to the pioneers of pop music.
Finding her younger self again resonates, especially for Speak Now. Despite early critics who credited Swift’s early success to her co-writers, Swift wrote Speak Now herself. It was the first time Swift’s personality had been so prominent in her music, and her reputation as a prominent songwriter grew.
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With this album, country music’s familiar tropes were slowly swapped for pop-oriented ones, along with alt-rock elements thrown into the mix. She gradually lost her twang and replaced the acoustic-led songs she had favored on her first two albums with rapid-fire angry songs aimed at her famous ex-boyfriends.
Crushes became soulmates, while break-ups became life-altering turning points. As an artist, Swift was no longer writing under the security and naivety of her teenage years. She became a woman with all the glorious highs and desperate travails her gender blessed and cursed her with. Despite constantly being watched and judged, she loved and lived. She was the American Girl Tom Petty sang about.
There are few songs as resonant and poignant as “Dear John.” Arguably one of Swift’s most impressive compositions, it marks the point where she staked her claim as the future queen of pop. Over candid lyrics and a scathing chorus, Swift recalls her turbulent relationship with John Mayer, who collaborated with and dated the 19-year-old Swift when he was 32. In the original recording, she exudes the pain of heartbreak that only a 20-something can identify with. Her youthful spirit makes the track relatable to all. She’s you, me, your sister, your best friend, your daughter experiencing this pain alone. We can’t tell her, “It’s his loss because you’re Taylor Fuckin’ Swift,” because she wasn’t Taylor Fuckin’ Swift just yet. Then, she was just a starlet dating one of the biggest rock stars in the world.
In Taylor’s version of “Dear John,” the story is told from the perspective of someone who has survived rather than still suffering through it. She’s become the comforter for those experiencing heartbreak for the first time. Her song is a reminder that time can heal all wounds and that the pain of a broken heart is only temporary. It’s a source of hope and inspiration for those struggling with heartache.
This evolution can be heard throughout Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Swift’s original release of “Long Live” – a dedication to the individuals who contributed to her success – might have seemed premature, but now it fulfills the promise Swift made to herself a decade ago – she’s now Taylor Fuckin’ Swift!
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“Never Grow Up” is touching to the point of sadness. Now that Taylor has moved on from childhood and can cope with the trials of adulthood, she sings the song with much more conviction and intensity. The track is a reminder that life is fleeting and that we must appreciate the moments we have in life. The song is a gentle reminder to stay young at heart and not take life too seriously.
The re-recorded version of Speak Now is for teenage fans who found comfort in the original 2010 release and pop-curious adults wondering what all the Taylor Swift hoopla is about. Much to the chagrin of music snobs who will insist today’s music somehow falls short of that from their time, Swift has become a cultural icon years before she has any right to be. Records set by pop royalty like Elvis, The Beatles, Madonna, and Mariah Carey are crumbling in her wake.
It takes more than a few earworms to create the excitement of her current tour, a zeal that has seen positive economic impact on every stop. The fans who traveled across the country to see Swift on tour do so because she has inspired their lives since they were teens, discovering their voices through Swift’s.
We are all older and wiser since first listening to Speak Now. With her latest re-recording, Swift is, too, and that time-honed voice of maturity perfectly reflects a fandom that has survived and come out stronger.
