My Time is Running Out!
Sliding this through at the eleventh hour but wow there's a lot going on at the moment!
As you all know, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)/(SNTV) is nearly upon us and we are thirsty for it!
So, I know it’s last minute, but I thought I would walk you through some of my thoughts, predictions, and a few hopes and dreams I have for SNTV, as we await the final hours of this coveted re-recording.
And we’ll start with what has already been revealed to us: front and back album covers, an additional photo and the vault track list.
The story starts when it was hot and It was summer and….
As mentioned, the front and back covers of SNTV have already been revealed and people had things to say.
The Front Cover: Revealed at the Eras Tour Night 1 Nashville, TN on May 5.
Some loved it, some felt lukewarm. A lot of people were really bothered by one SPECIFIC section of Taylor’s hair not vibing with the rest of it (there near her ear).
I agree I wish they did something slightly different with the bang and front pieces, but it’s so minute it’s almost not worth mentioning. However, now that someone pointed out the inconsistency in texture, I can’t unsee it, so here we are having to dialogue about it.
Not to be too nit-picky, but my thing is: if you’re putting so much attention into every detail, and have the funds to hire the best in the industry for hair and makeup, the expectation should be top notch. Also, it’s such an easy thing to adjust, up front or in post.
This also playing into my greater disappointment in that Taylor didn’t go full curl for the cover altogether.
This is, of course, a personal preference and bias, as I am a natural curly girl. Taylor’s long, wild mane has always been something that I connected with and admired, in a world where flat irons and smoothing products were chucked at us like candy, back in the day. Mainstream media still has yet to fully embrace curly hair the way it does other styles but I do appreciate that Taylor at least…almost…met us halfway in this cover?
My only other criticism is that the cover is a crisper photo and not enhanced to look more like a painting, circa the original. Of course we knew she would change up some aspects from the original cover to make it fresh and more mature–more reflective on where she’s at now as an artist. But I think it would have been possible to do this and still honor that element of the original. I just remember thinking the painting aspect of it added to the fantasy elements given in this era.
I would also argue that this is not something she would simply “overlook.” If the album cover is done a certain way, then I’m convinced that was an intentional stylistic choice, and I respect that. Perhaps she’ll surprise us with another, limited edition featuring a (painted version)?
All of that being said I think she looks, ultimately, stunning in the new rendition.
Neither of these nuances take away from the beauty portrayed in the album art. I love the side angle/over the shoulder shot for Taylor, it’s one of my favorites that she serves us regularly. It really gives Speak Now in the "now" and for that I’m grateful.
Furthermore, the shades of purple really suit her, and I hope we see her in purple more often for this mini-era! I feel like this color has been on the shelf for a while, (perhaps in waiting for SNTV to drop?!)
And of course, it's iconic to see her face the opposite direction to the Speak Now OG cover, as she also did with her Fearless TV cover versus the original. It's as if she's saying "here's everything you know and love, taken in a better direction (owned by Me!)"
SNTV Back cover: Revealed via Instagram by Taylor herself, June 5.
ABSOLUTE SERVE. Taylor is in her Capezio era and I love that for her. As a former dancer myself, the ballet core she is bringing to the revival of SNTV makes it that much more nostalgic.
When Taylor released Speak Now (OG), I had just left a full time teaching gig for a small dance company in Atlanta, teaching little ones ballet and tap. I occasionally would play songs like Enchanted, and it made my dancers so happy! I love that Taylor fought for this album to have a fairytale flair, despite being shut down by her label for wanting to lean into even more so.
With the back cover came the track list. ALL of it. Vault songs included.
I was gagged that Taylor gave us the full track list. Was. Until I found out some sh*t-head had leaked the vault tracks online. Thus, we weren’t able to do a fun little easter egg, puzzle solving quest across multiple apps and websites to “unlock the vault” as Taylor had fans do for previous releases.
(Many of us were still begging for her to do so anyway, just for funsies, so we could appreciate her brilliance in hindsight, but no luck.)
Bonus Photo: Revealed in a video by Taylor on TikTok and Instagram, June 24.
There was one additional photo Taylor herself showed off proudly in a video she posted to TikTok and Instagram, June 24. It’s a stunning shot of her in a pinky/lilac number looking evermore like Princess Aurora (be still my beating heart).
This is hands down my personal favorite from the SNTV official photoshoot thus far!
Vault Tracks (Ranked in order of how excited I am to hear them, plus some arbitrary predictions based on little to nothing):
Castles Crumbling ft. Hayley Williams
Are we EVEN surprised? If you know me at all, you know I love a castle. If you really know me you know I love Hayley Williams and her band Paramore (I’ve seen them a few times in concert while I was living in Colorado).
And I feel like nobody knows this but generally wouldn’t be surprised if I said one of my favorite Paramore singles ever is Brick By Boring Brick (I know, me and a million other people have already made this connection).
Not a lot else needs to be said here, but the stoke is real, and I think we all get why.
Electric Touch ft. Fall Out Boy
While I didn’t listen to a TON of Fall Out Boy in high school and college, one of my best friends did. And while I didn’t necessarily relate to or obsess over every album or track, I really loved the quality of Patrick Stump’s voice, and the songs I enjoyed, I played on repeat.
My favorite track to this day being Bang the Doldrums.
So I’m excited for this collab, only second to Castles Crumbling, because my love for Paramore has always been greater and, of course, because of the fantasy reference.
Another thing worth mentioning, although I know it’s also been discussed to death (see also: Brick By Boring Brick) is Taylor’s collab with FOB at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. So if you’re not a fan that goes back that far, or would ever have watched such a thing, look up that performance on YouTube real fast, if you missed it, and tell me it doesn’t SLAP.
Taylor singing My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark is yet another reason we are all begging her for a punk/rock album in the near future. SNTV is the perfect place for likes of FOB and Hayley Williams, as songs like The Story of Us and Better than Revenge are notorious for their edgier sound (for a country singer), amongst other things.
Timeless
I heard somewhere that this song has potential to be like a Long Live 2.0 and that it was cut from the original in favor of Long Live itself. I have NO concept of how much truth there is in that, but if so, I’m curious! I’m here for it! Hence it ranking in at #3
I know we’ve seen this with other vault tracks like Mr. Perfectly Fine on Fearless TV (allegedly cut in favor of Forever and Always), and Nothing New, ft. Phoebe Bridgers on Red TV (allegedly scraped in favor of The Lucky One, which delivered a similar message but with a more upbeat vibe).
Either way, I know Taylor loves to play with the motif of time in her songs and it usually ends up taking us on some kind of journey. Grab your adventure pouch, I’m saddled up and ready!
Foolish One
Back to December is one of my favorite singles from this album and one of the few where Taylor really reflects on her actions being at fault for ending a relationship (perhaps prematurely). I really love this because I tend to favor Taylor doing something different–conceptually, sonically etc.
Was Foolish One cut in favor of Speak Now’s 3rd single, which was rumored to be about ex Taylor Lautner?
Will this song give us Back to December vibes, or, dare I say it, perhaps more of the story?
In the words of Britney Spears, I’ll be anticipating.
When Emma Falls in Love
This track is rumored to be about long time friend of Taylor’s, Emma Stone.
As we know, Taylor seldom names names in songs, unless it’s a positive spin (Hey Stephen), she has permission from the person (like her bestie, Abigail in Fifteen), or it’s an unfortunate coincidence (see also: Dear John).
I feel like the story telling in this song has a lot of potential, regardless of who the actual muse might be. Therefore, I’m looking forward to it.
I Can See You
I ranked this track last because it is so vague. It’s reminding me of Don’t You and That’s When, from Fearless TV. I can’t get any kind of read on it, and that’s fine. The curiosity definitely gives the track its own alluring appeal, but I can definitely wait in favor of every track before this.
One thing I was a little curious about: similar to some of Taylor’s other vault tracks from Fearless TV and Red TV, could this be a rare/unreleased song that was known to the fandom at some point, but she then reworked over time?
I’ll be honest, I’m not a Swiftie who got deep into rares or unreleased music. Not only was it not that accessible at the time, but I also just figured if she didn’t want it released, maybe we should respect that.
Nowadays, I’ve traded in my high horse for a pony, and figured it’s been enough years that the super ancient demos probably don’t matter that much in the grand scheme of Taylor Swift’s almost billion dollar empire.
My point being, I don’t know every rare out there, (I’d Lie IS a favorite though). If this is another track that was rumored to have existed back then, and the fandom has been expecting it, (but might sound different from past leaks), cool. I’ll let you know more when I hear it!
Anticipatory Fodder for Previous Speak Now tracks
The following are songs I’m excited to hear because they were favorites of mine from the original album, OR because of controversy surrounding them. I won’t cover every single track (lest we be here all day!) but I hope you enjoy the ones I’ve chosen to highlight.
Enchanted: Surprisingly, while Enchanted is an old time fave, it’s not one I’m freaking out over, but only because she’s been singing it on tour. Ultimately, it will be less of a surprise. But I DID want to at least mention it for that reason.
It really does make sense why Taylor didn’t perform more of a Speak Now set on the Era’s Tour. I don’t think she wants to take away from the big reveals the album will serve. Same with debut.
Haunted: I think Haunted is one of her biggest opportunities for improved vocals AND production. She does vary in her range a lot with this one, and I think her more mature sound will really add depth to the lower notes and a beautiful tone to the higher ones.
I just hope she is able to keep the drama and angst in her voice for this one–something we have noticed dropping off a touch in other re-recorded work. Of course it’s to be expected–these songs are not as fresh and she’s grown and matured a lot emotionally, as well as vocally. But White Horse TV, for instance, does hit with a much more reflective quality versus the angst and hurt of the original.
Also, I’m a spooky bitch and I need this in my life for spooky season, thank you and happy haunting!
Sparks Fly: Because, obviously.
Back to December: As I mentioned this is one of my favorite singles from this era, and I love everything about it. The lyrics, the melody, and the reflective nature of this song all came together like a rich but delicate soufflé Taylor served us, as if to say “hey, I can bake more than just cookies.” We love her showing us another side to herself.
Taylor is known for her breakup songs, but seldom is she not the main victim of the heart break. In Back to December, it’s arguably the first time we really see her reflecting on choices she regrets as the transgressor–whether that’s ending the relationship altogether or bumps in the road she caused along way.
In other words, it's one of her few "I'm sorry" songs and we Stan.
I’m mostly excited for an updated production on this one, though out of all of her other break up songs, I would actually adore an extended version of this one.
Long Live: I honestly hope not much is changed for Long Live. The same goes for Mine, Mean, Last Kiss and Speak Now. I’m looking forward to the status quo: polished, mature vocals and more crisp, updated production. I’m curious if Long Live will see any lyrical changes or new ad-libs, but I hope she preserves the nostalgia for this one!
(Unless she wants to change it to “had the time of my life RIDING dragons with you.”)
Dear John: I’m really curious how I will feel about Dear John.
I’ll be honest, I can appreciate the evil genius of the whole thing sounding like a John Mayer song with the bluesy guitar. I can also highly appreciate (most of) the lyricism, especially of the verses and the bridge.
The chorus I’ve always found a bit drone-y. It’s slow and kinda drones. I’ve come back to it a few times because Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve is such a chilling masterpiece, that Dear John needed a good listen after so many years of sitting on the shelf. It’s still not my favorite of her epic breakup songs, but it’s grated on me less than in previous years, so I’m looking forward to what the remake could bring.
Fun fact I dated a guy by the same name in my early 20s who is 4 years older than me, and loved John Mayer. Not quite the same drastic age gap but a similar level of gaslighting, patronizing and manipulation took place. We broke up late 2008, after a little over a year of dating, and I started to despise John Mayer all on my own because of the association to my ex.
When I found out about John Mayer and Taylor’s breakup, then heard Dear John, it made my distaste for Taylor's ex grow even more. So there IS a bias to why I didn’t even want to listen to a song with the name “John” in the title (even if it is just a specific reference to a figure of speech, used as a narrative device, aka a “Dear John” letter from war times).
Years later I’m not at all affected by it, but it may explain why the song and I have a rocky relationship of our own.
Speaking of war time references, I think it’s cute that Taylor already called of the troops, so to speak, by telling fans at her concert recently to be nice on the internet. She clarified that she would perform Dear John as a surprise acoustic song, but only because she’s proud of it as a body of work.
Was this a live and learn from the whole All Too Well (10 Minute Version)/Jake Gyllenhaal situation, or a response to commentary about Taylor’s bestie Ed Sheeran performing live with John Mayer as a part of his Mathematics Tour? We may never know.
Better Than Revenge: The hot-topic of the century.
Ah yes, the question of the hour about the notorious “anti-feminist” anthem that plagues this album’s reputation (see what I did there).
For those not in the know, this song, as its name suggests, is a revenge anthem dedicated to the girl who stole Taylor’s love interest (now many years ago). Controversial lyrics to this track include “she’s not a saint, and she’s not what you think, she’s an actress….she’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress.”
These lyrics have become known to promote anti-feminism and “slut shaming,” and Swifties have fervently pondered whether or not Taylor would tweak the song if given the chance.
Some are in favor of this, but it’s been quite a hot topic of debate, as others insist it should be kept the same. Those opposed to lyric changes argue that any major alterations would defeat the purpose of Taylor trying to stay as true as possible to her original works (thus the purpose of her re-recordings).
Taylor of course wrote this before we as a society came together and decided this kind of lyricism was questionable at best. (See also: Hayley Williams and the Misery Business debate.)
I personally have been on the receiving end of nasty, spiteful women tearing me down in an effort to come between me and a guy I liked, or was dating. And while yes, if it phases the guy or he cheats or leaves you for her, then that’s on him and they deserve each other.
Move on.
But that doesn’t mean that women can’t be conniving and manipulative (and downright hurtful) to other women, and IMO they deserve to be held accountable for their actions all the same as man who’s done you wrong.
I think where it gets questionable is if it becomes a matter of “he could do no wrong, it’s that bitch who stole him from me’s fault!” That I’ve always found weird. It takes two to tango and ultimately ALL parties should own up to their actions (and their consequences).
Off of my soap box, the question remains: should Taylor change the lyrics to Better Than Revenge, or leave it as is for posterity’s sake?
It also begs the bigger question of: can we enjoy a song in the context that it was written years ago, even if we disagree with its moral compass now? But we’ll explore this later after we see what Taylor does with the song.
Regardless, we are in our final hours of wondering “what WILL Taylor do with Better Than Revenge?!” Get your popcorn and wine ready, because either way it’s going to make for some interesting fodder on the socials!
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