Nine years ago on the 19th, Taylor Swift released her first single to country radio, Tim McGraw. Today she's the only artist to have three albums go platinum in a week, her latest album 1989 has had the beginning opening week since 2002, and has broken countless other records. What's more than that, she's connected to a generation of young fans who she describes as "her longest relationship". And in honor her and Tim McGraw, I've decided to make a special post with my favorite 10 songs by her. And I'm not going to be calling her "Harry Styles' ex girlfriend" or anything like that.
10. STAY STAY STAY - This song is probably her happiest one ever, and what's more, she wrote it all by herself. It's got such an adorable message — "I was expecting some dramatic turnaway/But you stayed" and she pokes a little bit of fun at herself (no one makes fun of Taylor Swift better than Taylor Swift makes fun of Taylor Swift) with the lyrics "This morning I said we should talk about it/Cause I read you should never leave a fight unresolved."
9. RONAN - This is one of the only songs that can reliably make me cry every single time I listen to it. Swift did a brilliant job of integrating the words from Maya's blog into the song. Add the fact that the profits went to charity, and everyone should be astonished by how amazing this song is.
8. FIFTEEN - This song means so much to so many people. One of my close friends is absolutely obsessed with it, and so many of the lyrics are so quotable. You can even see Swift's early feminist roots (they're everywhere on her early albums, but especially on this track) with lyrics such as "in your life you'll do greater things than dating the boy on the football team" and "back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday/but I realized some bigger dreams of mine".
7. DEAR JOHN - Yeah, it's the ultimate "shade" song, but it's a lot more than that. Swift's lyrical gifts really shine through here, and I'd quote the whole song if I could, but they're especially evident in these lyrics:
9. RONAN - This is one of the only songs that can reliably make me cry every single time I listen to it. Swift did a brilliant job of integrating the words from Maya's blog into the song. Add the fact that the profits went to charity, and everyone should be astonished by how amazing this song is.
8. FIFTEEN - This song means so much to so many people. One of my close friends is absolutely obsessed with it, and so many of the lyrics are so quotable. You can even see Swift's early feminist roots (they're everywhere on her early albums, but especially on this track) with lyrics such as "in your life you'll do greater things than dating the boy on the football team" and "back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday/but I realized some bigger dreams of mine".
7. DEAR JOHN - Yeah, it's the ultimate "shade" song, but it's a lot more than that. Swift's lyrical gifts really shine through here, and I'd quote the whole song if I could, but they're especially evident in these lyrics:
All the girls that you run dry
Have tired lifeless eyes
'Cause you burned them out
But I took your matches
Before fire could catch me
So don't look now
I'm shining like fireworks
Over your sad, empty town
6. A PLACE IN THIS WORLD - This track is another one of the many that caused girls to say that Taylor Swift has a song for every emotion ever. It's not particularly extraordinary lyrically, but it's the emotions behind the song that put it on this list.
5. NEW ROMANTICS - Named the 2nd best song of 2014 by Rolling Stone columnist Rob Sheffield, it's evident this song has lots of appeal. Swift's self-aware songwriting and Max Martin's ability to write songs that worm their frequently cynical messages (Britney Spears's If U Seek Amy, anyone?) into the listener's brain combine to make lyrics such as "we show off our different scarlet letters/Trust me, mine is better" and "Please take my hand and/Please take me dancing and/Please leave me stranded/It's so romantic". This track was the last one on 1989, and appropriately placed, because that's the point in the album where Swift has realized she doesn't need romantic love at all and doesn't care at all.
4. BEGIN AGAIN - Although Begin Again may have originally been created as a promotional single to convince listeners that Swift wasn't entirely abandoning country (look at how that worked out) it is also more than that. It's another example of Swift's early(ish) feminism, with lyrics such as "Took a deep breath in the mirror/He didn't like it when I wore high heels/But I do" (and yes, Tumblr, choosing to wear high heels can be feminist.) While some might interpret the song as being about finding acceptance of yourself through love, it's really more about finding acceptance of yourself and then finding someone who also accepts you for who you are, high heels and James Taylor records and all.
3. YOU ARE IN LOVE - How are more people not obsessed with this song? The lyrics that tie You Are In Love with the theme of 1989 as a whole are hard to pick up on, but they're there. It's about another couple (Jack Antonoff and his girlfriend Lena Dunham, to be precise) but Swift brings in a mention of how it ties into 1989 in the bridge with the lyrics "And now you understand why they/Lost their minds and fought the wars/And why I've spent my whole life trying to put it into words".
2.. OUT OF THE WOODS - This track is the best of pop (and not the mindless kind, either.) Super catchy, but with brilliant lyrics. Just this bridge would be enough to include it on this list, but the production and other lyrics makes it #2.
5. NEW ROMANTICS - Named the 2nd best song of 2014 by Rolling Stone columnist Rob Sheffield, it's evident this song has lots of appeal. Swift's self-aware songwriting and Max Martin's ability to write songs that worm their frequently cynical messages (Britney Spears's If U Seek Amy, anyone?) into the listener's brain combine to make lyrics such as "we show off our different scarlet letters/Trust me, mine is better" and "Please take my hand and/Please take me dancing and/Please leave me stranded/It's so romantic". This track was the last one on 1989, and appropriately placed, because that's the point in the album where Swift has realized she doesn't need romantic love at all and doesn't care at all.
4. BEGIN AGAIN - Although Begin Again may have originally been created as a promotional single to convince listeners that Swift wasn't entirely abandoning country (look at how that worked out) it is also more than that. It's another example of Swift's early(ish) feminism, with lyrics such as "Took a deep breath in the mirror/He didn't like it when I wore high heels/But I do" (and yes, Tumblr, choosing to wear high heels can be feminist.) While some might interpret the song as being about finding acceptance of yourself through love, it's really more about finding acceptance of yourself and then finding someone who also accepts you for who you are, high heels and James Taylor records and all.
3. YOU ARE IN LOVE - How are more people not obsessed with this song? The lyrics that tie You Are In Love with the theme of 1989 as a whole are hard to pick up on, but they're there. It's about another couple (Jack Antonoff and his girlfriend Lena Dunham, to be precise) but Swift brings in a mention of how it ties into 1989 in the bridge with the lyrics "And now you understand why they/Lost their minds and fought the wars/And why I've spent my whole life trying to put it into words".
2.. OUT OF THE WOODS - This track is the best of pop (and not the mindless kind, either.) Super catchy, but with brilliant lyrics. Just this bridge would be enough to include it on this list, but the production and other lyrics makes it #2.
Remember when you hit the brakes too soon?
20 stitches in the hospital room
And you started crying, baby I did too
But when the Sun came up, I was looking at you
Remember when we couldn't take the heat
I walked out and said I'm setting you free
But the monsters turned out to be just trees
And when the Sun came up, you were looking at me
You were looking at me
You were looking at me, ooh
I remember, oh I remember
1. ALL TOO WELL - Scott Borchetta teased a 10 minute version and a music video on Twitter, and we ended up with a performance at the Grammys and an amazing tour intro and piano version. Close enough. Again, there are too many beautiful lyrics to quote, but here are some: "Hey, you called me up again/Just to break me like a promise/So casually cruel/In the name of being honest/I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying there/Cause I remember it all too well". It's probably the most loved Taylor Swift song on tumblr (the lyrics make for great URLs), and the title is deserved.
Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment below...
Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment below...
Similar Posts
RSS Feed
