something about you the way i'm looking at you
Begin Again, Red (2012): Swifts sequencing genius strikes again: After the emotional roller coaster of Red, this gentle ballad plays like a cleansing shower. 2022 bibleapppourlesenfants.com All rights reserved. 48. First, Swift sneaks into a wedding to find a bridezilla, wearing a gown shaped like a pastry, snarling at the bridesmaids. Points for ambition, but sometimes you just want to hear the old standards the way you remember them. Despite the extravagant title, the date described here is charmingly low-key: The dude wears a T-shirt, and his grand gestures are showing up on time and being nice. placed on her daughter regarding her studies. Its as cute as a study-hall MASH game, and just as easily disposable. 33. Bumped up a few spots for the invigorating double-time bridge, the best on 1989. Unfortunately, Swift did herself no favors when she premiered Innocent at the next years VMAs, opening with footage of the incident, which couldnt help but feel like she was milking it.
This song has everything: Alice in Wonderland metaphors, Rihanna chants, a zigzag bridge that recalls I Knew You Were Trouble, screams. A Perfectly Good Heart, Taylor Swift: Special Edition (2006): A pleading breakup song with one killer turn of phrase and not much else. We start with a vocoder she must have stolen from Imogen Heap and end with one of Swifts most rocking outros, and in between we even get a rare key change and a soary that suggests the presence of at least one Canadian in the recording booth.
The Last Time, Red (2012): Red is Swifts strongest album, but it suffers a bit from pacing issues: The back half is full of interminable ballads that youve got to slog through to get to the end.
29. 55. Carly Rae Jepsen had a No. But how.
Umbrella, iTunes Live From Soho (2008): Swift has recorded plenty of covers in her career, and none are less essential than this 90-second rendition of the Rihanna hit recorded at the peak of the songs popularity. 68. Bible verse search by keyword or browse all books and chapters of
Id be curious to hear a version where Heap sings lead; the minimalist sound might be better suited for her voice, which has a little more texture. 36. She may not have the raw vocal power of some of her competitors, but what she lacks in Mariah-level range she makes up for in versatility and personality. Welcome to New York, 1989 (2014): In retrospect, there could not have been a song more perfectly designed to tick off the authenticity police didnt Swift know that real New Yorkers stayed up till 3 a.m. doing drugs with Fabrizio Moretti in the bathroom of Mars Bar?
10.
The line about short skirts and T-shirts will likely be mentioned in Swifts obituary one day, and I think its key to the songs, and by extension Swifts, appeal: In my high school, even the most popular kids wore T-shirts. You Belong With Me, Fearless (2008): Swift was hanging out with a male friend one day when he took a call from his girlfriend. The key to a good apology has always been sincerity, and whatever faults Swift may have, a lack of sincerity has never been one of them. 122. The original lyrics Go and tell your friends that Im obsessive and crazy / Thats fine, Ill tell mine youre gay show how far standards for acceptable speech in nice young people have shifted in the past decade. (Listen to the screams during the chorus and try to guess where this one was recorded.) Still, theres enough personality in the machine for this to still feel like a Taylor song, for better (breakfast at midnight being the epitome of adult freedom) and for worse (the obsession with cool kids). mom, said the innocent, lively young girl cheerfully as she lay flat by her young
Would any of this have happened if I was? Youve changed so much for the better now and you speak so gently. Forever & Always, Fearless (2008): This blistering breakup song was the one that solidified Swifts image as the pop star you dump at your own peril. She almost pulls it off, but at this point in Swifts career her voice wasnt quite strong enough to give the unrestrained performance the song calls for. 
He produced her early demos, and she fought for him to sit behind the controls on her debut; the two would work together on every Swift album until 1989, when his role was largely taken over by Max Martin and Shellback. Worst of all is this duet with po-faced Ulsterman Gary Lightbody, which feels about ten minutes long.
Because regardless of whether. She was just yelling at him!
As she puts it, Its all fun and games til somebody loses their MIND!. In your life youll do things greater than dating the boy on the football team / but I didnt know it at 15, she sings, even though shes only 18 herself. 97. 65. 78. 70. And Trevante Rhodes is playing him in the Hulu series. That there are plenty of people who spent their teenage years making out, smoking cigarettes, and reading Anas Nin doesnt negate the fact that, for a lot of us squares, even the prospect of holding someone elses hand could get us through an entire semester. Love Story, Fearless (2008): Full disclosure: This was the first Taylor Swift song I ever heard. Ive seen it speculated that the guitar noodling on this track is meant as a parody of Mayers own late-00s output, which if true would be deliciously petty. The high point comes when she contemplates forgiving a hater, then bursts into an incredulous guffaw. Its kind of a snooze on its own, but compared to the other songs on the soundtrack, even Swifts leftovers shine.
4. There are few moments on Red better than the one where Swift jumps into her upper register to deliver the knockout blow in the bridge.
80. Come in With the Rain, Fearless: Platinum Edition (2008): An ode to a long-lost lover that follows the Swift template a tad too slavishly. 47. classic. Freaking Gotye had a No. the form below. King of My Heart, Reputation (2017): Swift is fond of saying that songs are what you think of on the drive home you know, the Great Afterthought. (She says its a Joni Mitchell quote, but I havent been able to find it.) (Never mind that Red had its own sugary singles.) Its a glittery ode to a meet-cute that probably didnt need to be six minutes long, but at least the extended length gives us extra time to soak up the heavenly coda, with its multi-tracked Please dont be in love in with someone else.. Stay Stay Stay, Red (2012): Swift broke out her southern accent one last time for this attempt at homespun folk, which is marred by production thats so clean its practically antiseptic. 123.
109. Safe and Sound, The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 and Beyond (2012): Swifts collaboration with folk duo the Civil Wars is her best soundtrack cut by a country mile.
115. 40. By Baoai, South Korea The words Its so hard to be a good person who speaks the
Ready for It?, Reputation (2017): The second straight misfire off the Reputation rollout, this one sees Swift try her hand at rapping, with some ill-advised bars about Elizabeth Taylor and a flow she borrowed from Jay-Z.
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(Some listeners have interpreted the big enough so you cant hit me line to mean the songs about abuse, but Ive always read it as a figure of speech, as in hit piece.). 54.
26. 1 hit. Dance along to J-Hope from the comfort of your home! End Game, Reputation (2017): Swift tries out her blaccent alongside Future and Ed Sheeran, on a track that sounds unmistakably like a Rihanna reject.
Mean, Speak Now (2010): It takes some chutzpah to put a song complaining about mean people on the same album as Better Than Revenge, but lack of chutzpah has never been Swifts problem. And yet Swift, arguably the biggest pop star in the country, had never had a No.
The production and vocals are appropriately restrained sometimes, simplicity works. Just like the scarf, you cant get rid of this song. After what seems like a lot of tinkering, it finally got a proper studio release on Swifts third album. Ill try to make slight allowances for age, reserving the harshest criticism for the songs written when Swift was an adult millionaire. Fearless, Fearless (2008): The title track from Swifts second album has more of her favorite images in one memorable twofer, shes dancing in the rain while wearing her best dress but she invests them with so much emotion that youd swear she was using them for the first time. The air goes out of it and were left with a taunting Right Said Fred reference the musical equivalent of pulling a Looney Tunes gag on the listener. (For an increasing number, the thinking about it is all theyre doing.) I Dont Wanna Live Forever, Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack (2017): In Fifty Shades Darker, this wan duet soundtracks a scene where Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele go for a sunny boat ride while wearing fabulous sweaters. After 30 years elevating supporting roles, the, Help, a 2016 Jane Austen Adaptation Is Cyberbullying. Tied Together With a Smile, Taylor Swift (2006): When she was just a teenager with a development deal, Swift hooked up with veteran Nashville songwriter Liz Rose.
Cut to the fateful day, and the news was Swift, who is a pop singer, was releasing a new pop song. The lovely back-and-forth vocals in the outro help boost this past the similar Begin Again.. The Other Side of the Door, Fearless: Platinum Edition (2008): A bonus track saved from mediocrity by a gutsy outro that hints that Swift, like any good millennial, was a big fan of Semi-Charmed Life., 75. Start With God. 105. 108. tolerance. 15. This is a true revelation of Gods substance.
In an alternate universe where a less-ambitious Swift took a 9-to-5 job writing ad jingles, this one soundtracked a TV spot for the new AT&T family plan. The fact that Ive never confirmed who those songs are about makes me feel like there is still one card Im holding. That may technically be true, but she came pretty dang close with this seven-minute epic. You probably shouldnt take it as an instruction manual unless youre Harry Styles. Nashville, Speak Now World Tour Live; Target edition DVD (2011): Swift gives some shine to singer-songwriter David Mead with a cover of his 2004 ballad. The slangy Trump jabs (to say nothing of the slight West Indian accents in the chorus) may read as a few years behind the times, but when it comes to straight pop stars penning gay-rights theme songs, you could do a lot worse. Inspirational, encouraging and uplifting! 64. Of all Swifts date songs, this one feels the most true to life; anyone whos ever been on a good first date can recall the precise moment their nervousness melted into relief. 82. 25. We wrote and figured out that it really worked. 93.
27. With only one take to get it right, she did not let the people of Haiti down. Christmases When You Were Mine, The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection (2007): The clear standout of Swifts Christmas album, with an endearingly winsome riff and lyrics that paint a poignant picture of yuletide heartbreak. 45. Songwriting is an important part of Swifts spellbook, so covers are treated more harshly than originals. 126. Additionally, some rankings have changed to reflect the authors evolving taste. What a surprise it was, then, that Red opened with this big, expansive rock track, which sent dozens of Joshua Tree fans searching for their nearest pair of headphones. Swift had written great songs drawn from life before, but here she gave us a story of high school at its most archetypal: A sensitive underdog facing off with some prissy hot chick, in a battle to see which one of them really got a cute boys jokes. Christmas Must Mean Something More, The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection (2007): One of two originals on Swifts early-career Christmas album, Something More is a plea to put the Christ back in Christmas. In an admirable bit of dedication, she also showed up to play it in the films climax.
Reds title track sees the albums maximalist style in full effect who in their right mind would put Auto-Tune and banjos on the same track? The most terrible letdown as a listener for me is when Im listening to a song and I see what they were trying to do. To Swifts credit, it took her six records to get to this point. 2. New Romantics, 1989: Deluxe Edition (2014): Like 22, an attempt at writing a big generational anthem. Eyes Open, The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 and Beyond (2012): One of two songs Swift contributed to the first Hunger Games soundtrack. Faith and Worship section shares with you articles of how Christians built a
Listen to too many and you might ache again at the nagging feeling that those stories of yours have all been a bit uneventful and drab by comparison. Stay Beautiful, Taylor Swift (2006): Nathan Chapman was a Nashville session guitarist before he started working with Swift. I hadnt talked to him in two-and-a-half years, she told the Washington Post. Marys Song (Oh My Oh My), Taylor Swift (2006): This early track was inspired by Swifts elderly neighbors. Haunted, Speak Now (2010): In which Swift tries her hand at Evanescence-style goth-rock. 50. Sad Beautiful Tragic, Red (2012): Another glacially paced song from the back half of Red that somehow pulls off rhyming magic with tragic.. You can be accidentally successful for three or four years. And the very first line marks her as more of a skeptic than you might expect: He said the way my blue eyes shined put those Georgia pines to shame that night / I said, Thats a lie., 20. All Too Well was the first song Swift wrote for Red; she hadnt worked with Liz Rose since Fearless, but she called up her old collaborator to help her make sense of her jumble of memories from a relationship recently exploded. 89. 67. 91. As if to reassure nervous country fans, the fiddle goes absolutely nuts. All Too Well, Red (2012): Its no wonder that music writers love this one: This is Swift at her most literary, with a string of impeccably observed details that could have come out of a New Yorker short story. Shes been feminisms worst nightmare, and an advocate for victims of sexual assault. 100. All rights reserved. 113. Dress, Reputation (2017): An appropriately slinky track that gives us an unexpected payoff for years of lyrics about party dresses: I only bought this dress so you could take it off, she says in the chorus. Like Starlight, its a young persons vision of lifelong love, skipping straight from proposal to old age. I felt so bad for him at that moment. Out of that feeling, a classic was born. Ours, Speak Now: Deluxe Edition (2010): Its not this songs fault that the extended version of Speak Now has songs called both Mine and Ours, and while Ours is good well, its no Mine. Still, even if this song never rises above cuteness, it is incredibly cute.
Even with the widespread critical embrace of poptimism a development I suspect has as much to do with the economics of online media as it does with the shifting winds of taste there are still those who see Swift as just another industry widget, a Miley or Katy with the tuner set to girl with a guitar. If this list does anything, I hope it convinces you that, underneath all the thinkpieces, exes, and feuds, she is one of our eras great singer-songwriters. 121. within. 77. Its a sweet duet and Sheerans got a roughness that goes well with Swifts cleaner vocals, but the harmonies are a bit bland. 9. 76. Hey Stephen, Fearless (2008): Who knew so many words rhymed with Stephen? This Is Why We Cant Have Nice Things, Reputation (2017): Put aside the title, which cant help but remind me of the time Hillary Clinton tweeted delete your account. The same way I Did Something Bad is the best possible version of Look What You Made Me Do, this is a much better rewrite of Bad Blood. Swift brings back the school-yard voice in the chorus, but also so much more: She does exaggerated politeness in the bridge, she spins the Runaway toast, she says the words Therein lies the issue like shes been listening to Hamilton. That road imagery is haunted by the prospect of death lurking around every hairpin turn whats sex without a little danger? Honest With God, Devotional Life: 3 Ways to Get a Fresh
I Knew You Were Trouble, Red (2012): The guiding principle on much of Red seems to have been to throw absolutely every idea a person could think of into a song and see what worked. (Thompson gets a co-writing credit.) Untouchable, Fearless: Platinum Edition (2008): Technically a Luna Halo cover (dont worry about it), though Swift discards everything but the bones of the original. The finished song is a kaleidoscopic swirl of images baby pictures at his parents house, nights where you made me your own, a scarf left in a drawer always coming back to the insistence that these things happened, and they mattered: I was there, I remember it all too well. The words are so strong that the band mostly plays support; they dont need anything flashier than a 4/4 thump and a big crescendo for each chorus. 49. Gorgeous, Reputation (2017): In the misbegotten rollout for Reputation, Gorgeous righted the ship by not being completely terrible. 43. And to top it off, the track marks the introduction of Swifts colloquial style Where is this GOoO-ING? that would serve her so well in the years to come. Otherwise, this is a by-the-numbers holiday cover, complete with sleigh bells in the mix. Martin and Shellback bring their usual bells and whistles, but they leave enough empty space in the mix for the words to ring out. 117.
Me!, Lover (2019): Well, what did we expect? (It was a freezing day in early 2009; I was buying shoes; basically, the situation was the total antithesis of anything thats ever happened in a Taylor Swift song.) 1-Down, Four Letters: Snake-oily brand from Gwyneth Paltrow. Here, shes faced with a choice between a too-perfect guy hes close to her mother and talks business with her father and a tempestuous relationship full of screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain, and if you dont know which one she prefers I suggest you listen to more Taylor Swift songs. Its like if Bad Blood contained actual human emotions. Shake It Off, 1989 (2014): Swifts second No. Its like True Love Waits, but with more kissing in the rain. name is Lexin, and when we hear her daughters simple expression, we can deduce that
An unworthy suitor wont just say something thoughtless; hell skip a birthday party or leave a teenage girl crying alone in a hotel room. 42. The Best Day, Fearless (2008): Swifts parents moved the family to Tennessee so she could follow her musical dreams, and she paid them back with this tender tribute. Speak Now, Speak Now (2010): The rest of the band plays it so straight that it might take a second listen to realize that this song is, frankly, bonkers. Even as a teenager, Swift was savvy enough to know that country fans love nothing more than listening to songs about listening to country music.
As Christians, we
Or as she puts it: What if happiness came in a cardboard box? (Try to rap Younger than my exes without spilling into rest in peace, Bob Marley.) Bumped up a spot or two for the chorus, a big Swift hook that sounds just like her best work in this case, because it bites heavily from Wildest Dreams., 114. 56. The Way I Loved You, Fearless (2008): Written in collaboration with Big and Richs John Rich, which may explain how stately and mid-tempo this one is. Virgins need love songs, too. Beautiful Eyes, Beautiful Eyes EP (2008): The title track of Swifts early-career EP finds the young songwriter getting a lot of mileage out of one single vowel sound: Besides the eyes of the title, weve got I, why, fly, cry, lullaby, even sometimes. This Love, 1989 (2014): Began life as a poem before evolving into an atmospheric 1989 deep cut. If youve ever been alone on Christmas, this is your song. Hello brothers and sisters of Spiritual Q&A,I have a question Id like to ask. Whos this girl singing about Romeo and Juliet, and doesnt she know they die in the end? But I do recommend sampling as many of these songs as you see fit. 101. Invisible, Taylor Swift: Special Edition (2006): A bonus track from the debut that plays like a protoYou Belong With Me. The show you / know you rhymes mark this as an early effort. and transparent, pure and flawless, with absolutely no ruses or schemes intermingled
19. Wonderland, 1989: Deluxe Edition (2014): A deranged bonus track that sees Swift doing the absolute most. The Brand Is Sad: 7 Standout Moments From. 37. I Almost Do, Red (2012): The kind of plaintive breakup song Swift could write in her sleep at this point in her career, with standout guitar work and impressive vulnerability in both lyrics and performance. Getaway Car, Reputation (2017): Another very Antonoff-y track, but Im not mad at it. Stripped of all this context, Innocent is fine: Swift turns in a tender vocal performance, though the lyrics could stand to be less patronizing. Whether a straightforward imitation of Avril Lavignes style or an early attempt at Blank Spacestyle self-satirization, the barbs never go beyond bratty. You can read this article to get the
Id Lie, Taylor Swift (2006): A bonus track only available to people who bought Swifts debut at Best Buy.
The verses are vacuous, the insults have no teeth, and just when the whole thing seems to be leading up to a gigantic redemptive chorus, suddenly pop! The Story of Us, Speak Now (2010): The deluxe edition of Speak Now features both U.S. and international versions of some of the singles, which gives you a sense of how fine-tuned Swifts operation was by this point. I love you,
The real story of Bobby and Ethel has more rough spots than youll find in this resolutely rose-colored track, but thats what happens when you spend a summer hanging in Hyannis Port.
