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A short review of every Taylor Swift song

WIP | DDth Mon YYYY

As per someone's request, I want to present to you all a short review for every album that Taylor Swift has published on YT music. I'm not actually much of a Taylor Swift fan (nor do I listen to music for its lyricism) so I'm far from the best person for this. But why not, right?

I'll be rating each song out of 5 stars based on factors I believe are relevant to the song itself. For example, if a particular song has powerful or well made instrumentals, I'll focus on them whereas I might not so much with other songs.

So without further ado, let's begin!

Wait, hold on a moment.

There's actually a lot to cover...

Okay, so I actually have a life to live and I can't spend all my time writing reviews for songs, especially for an artist I don't consistently listen to. So I'll highlight what I classify as an album:

• Only original releases. Which means no "Taylor's Version" stuff, especially now that she has all the rights back to her music.
• Only one version of each album.
• Preferrably the shortest version of each album
• Only songs that are part of full-length albums.
• All of her "From The Vault" stuff included.

Okay, now we have that out of the way, maybe we can get this post done in under 5 years.

Taylor Swift

Released 2006

Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw is a country artist I really don't know anything about. But what I do know is that Swift began as a country singer and this song is very esque of that. It's a very simple song that seems to be about happy memories with her + someone else. Quite basic and nothing to really write home about (otherwise she'd be famous for this right?). Simple beginnings.

Picture To Burn
Never knew she made this song. I've also never heard more than 3 seconds of it. It's actually very oddly enjoyable, not terribly catchy which is a good thing because it means you won't hear it until you're sick of it. Guitar riffs are cool too! I like.

Teardrops On My Guitar (Radio Single Remix)
This song is the second most popular, probably because it's about jealousy and literally everyone can relate to jealousy. The instrumentals hit all the right marks for a slow dance song, with that consistent rim shot during verses and the drums in general. There's also a good amount of emotion in the vocals at some parts, with her voice getting rougher. Overall a nice song, but nothing special in my opinion.

A Place in this World
Seeing an inconsistency with the capitalisation of the song titles, but whatever. This song has something about it that makes it very reminiscent of what my mum would listen to, but obviously this is far less emo. Is this song where the phrase "I'm just a girl" comes from? I like this song the most so far, very fun listen and reminds me of early 2000s pop. In a good, nostalgic way!

Cold As You
The piano in this SCREAMS of early 2000s pop. I love it. There are some parts in the vocals where I'm not a huge fan and could've been mixed better (specifically "given to" in the chorus), but otherwise it's not too bad and quite enjoyable. The lyrics are definitely filled with some emotion and I love a display of emotion in any song.

The Outside
Nothing about this song really stands out to me to be honest. And my monkey brain can't really articulate the lyrics, so I can't enjoy this song as much as others. The instrumentals are very basic and the vocals are quite bland. I don't really have much to say about this song, it's just not for me.

Tied Together with a Smile
Quite a nice, warm and fuzzy song. I enjoyed what was done with the lyricism here too. It's kind of like thinking about fire for some reason; where just the thought makes you feel warm inside. There's nothing I'd even say is particularly special about this, but it gives me warm vibes.

Stay Beautiful
A lot of emotion in this one, I'd even go so far as to say it's a bit underrated with only 5.8m views on YT. Nothing particularly standout, and I'd prefer less repetitive lyrics, but it's a decent listen overall.

Should've Said No
This one feels like the most effort was put into its instrumentals, particularly with the opening. It has that good repetitiveness that pop music should have, and with that banjo in the back, it really does feel like a country song. The lyrics are also quite relatable. Joking. I think.

Mary's Song (Oh My My My)
The lyrics are slightly relatable at parts. Won't elaborate. Other than that, I don't have much to say and it's not too much of a standout song. Nothing amazing, but nothing terrible either. I'd be content if this was played around me.

Our Song
Lyrics in this one are quite good. I feel like they're relatable to a vast majority of people including myself, because it's a common love story. The Irish-like instruments and guitars are also quite fun too. Good song.

I'm Only Me When I'm With You
Some clever lyricism in this one, especially with "I'm only up when you're not down, don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground". Good stuff. Bit more creativity with the instruments in this one too. Overall a very enjoyable song because she's a lot more creative and her expressions are a lot more powerful I think.

Invisible
Probably the most different compared to the others, with the slow pacing and the whole "slow dancing" vibe. I enjoy the piano and her more airy vocals, but other than that I don't have too much to say.

A Perfectly Good Heart
It's an alright song, but the lyricism is quite annoying and the creativity is definitely lackluster with this one. If it came on shuffle, I'd likely skip it. At this point the instrumentals are starting to sound the same to everything else here. Maybe this is last song bias? It's not terrible on its own, but it's not a wonderful album closer. Really not a good example of "go out with a bang".


Overall
It's a nice starting album and definitely has a good theme to it. There's however not much variety in the songs and nothing really sparks a flame to me. I know I shouldn't expect much since she began as a country singer, but I'm rating this as part of the rest of her discography, so it'll probably end up as the lowest rated album here.

Some goods, but for the mostpart the album as a whole isn't something I'd listen to again.

Fearless

Released 2008

Fearless
With this album as a whole, you can definitely hear the tonal shift from country to pop, even if her Southern accent and some other element still remains. Album-titled track Fearless is a great welcome into this change, with an instantly catchy and iconic song that instantly defines the "Taylor Swift" sound for the time. The instrumentals are very well made, with the guitar riffs being very catchy and the vocals being very powerful too.

Fifteen
Quite a relaxing listen! Nothing too special, but I do particularly like how the vocals are more airy and the instrumentals are quite simple. Maybe the lyrics are relatable too? I can certainly see why someone would like this song, it's a common love story. Bonus points for being a 'non-chalant'? song.

Love Story
Another relaxing listen! I'd say this is one of her more iconic songs, as in I've heard this play on radio or on other people's playlists a decent amount of times. Guitars are quite catchy and the instruments work well together, with everything mixing together quite well without anything particularly trying to stand out.

Hey Stephen
I enjoy the vocals in this one, especially the rhyme of "Hey Stephen" and "people always leaving". I think a rhyme like that takes a bit of craftsmanship to make it sound good, and it does. The instrumentals are also quite catchy, with the more unique use of rhodes? Makes it stand out as its own unique song instead of sounding like the rest of the album, which was a problem with her first album.

White Horse
Not sure why I expected this one to sound like "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry, but it doesn't. This song is quite a nice listen, with the instrumentals being once again unique from the rest of the songs and the vocals being powerful. The lyrics are also quite fun to follow, with the whole fairy tale theme. Violins are also very sensual.

You Belong With Me
Relatable a little bit?? A teense? The whole "she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts" is an enjoyable lyric, and it certainly has the potential of being iconic. No particular instruments here that stand out to me, but the guitar riffs are still fun. Lyrics here being about how there's better fish in the sea are what make this a 5 star.

Breathe
Compared to the other songs, this one doesn't have that 'catchy' vibe to it, but on its own it's still an enjoyable listen. There are also more orchestral elements in this one that make me think of castles and hills or some shit like that. Not too bad. I also think it's ironic that she's talking about how she can't breathe without me, but I wasn't with her and she's clearly breathing to sing. Slightly misleading. :P

Tell Me Why
This is the least popular song in the album, which surprises me because it certainly has the pop catchiness that some more popular songs in this album are missing. There's also some parts where her vocals are a bit more ranged compared to her previous songs, and I'm a bitch for variation in vocals.

You're Not Sorry
Love the orchestral-ness of this one, especially in the beginning. For the rest of the song, there's nothing really notable that strikes out to me; the lyrics aren't much in terms of relatability (though i can see why some might like them) and the instrumentals after the beginning aren't much to write home about. The guitar riff mid-way through is fun though, which is what will be boosting this to 3 stars.

The Way I Loved You br> A lot more raw emotion in the instruments at this time, and I like the vocals too. I might not have much to say about this one, but it's an enjoyable listen and the bridges before chrouses are definitely worth mentioning. Good orchestral stuff too.

Forever & Always
Really not a fan of her vocal range in this. She hits some high notes, but they aren't incredibly elegant. I think I'd prefer if she kept her vocals more airy and simple, like in the previous songs.

The Best Day
Something a bit more country-like, specifically in the lyrics. It's very chill, she isn't doing anything crazy and her voice is quite calm throughout. Nothing to write home about but it's a nice passive listen. It has that "nostalgic" vibe to it.

Change
She seems to know how to make album closers now! Good for her. A good closer at that, it suits being the end of a story, even though this album doesn't tell a single specific story. Good instrumental parts, and fun riffs.


Overall
She's made some improvements from her first album, with a few songs that are big hits for me while some are misses that I can happily live without hearing again. It still has that overall similar sound to it, but this time it's in a genre that I feel I can bare to listen to a little bit more. Not too bad.

Speak Now

Released 2010

Mine
FINALLY SOME ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW WE'RE SLIGHTLY MORE MY SPEED. You might be able to pick up on very subtle synth tracks in the background, and I quite like that. As for aspects of songs that other people care about, it's a perfect example of a pop song with the electronic aspects, cool vocals and.. wait. The vocals have... layering??? Wow the artistic development is getting somewhere! Great start to an album, big fan.

Sparks Fly
I'm sensing more confidence in her vocals now. I'd be shouting too if I was as successful as her. One day. This is another four-star because much like Mine, I was intrigued for the whole duration of the song and didn't have that small voice in the back of my head telling me to skip prematurely, which was prevalent more often in the older albums. Nothing where I was like "wowie!!!" though, especially compared to Mine.

Back To December
Compared to the previous two, this feels a bit less stimulating. The instrumental is nice, but it doesn't quite capture my attention in the same way. Her vocals are still strong, but the song overall feels a bit more subdued. I'm also now learning that this song is one that's quite popular amongst fans so please don't hurt me. I have very subjective tastes. I'd do something about it if I could.

Speak Now
Hey she said the thing. I quite enjoy listening to the rim hits in the drumbeat at the beginning. Can't go wrong with a rim hit. Percussion is a really important aspect to me, and I can happily listen to a percussively genius song even if the other elements suck ass, so it's an easy four star with that alone. The "ooh ooh" sounds are cool during the chorus and some vocal stuff she does in bridges is interesting too!

Dear John
Hey Stephen. Dear John. Someone needs to remind Taylor she's allowed to write letters or something. The pacing and sound of this song isn't really my tempo, but it's not unlistenable to any degree. Just don't expect me to put it in any playlist of mine.

Mean
Back to the country sounds with a bit of a 'mature' twist? I can't describe what I mean but I know what I mean. Four stars for the use of violins (i like violins) and some cool guitar stuff that happens throughout that sounds difficult to do but also cool.

The Story Of Us
That's not a typo, it's a six-star song. Why? Well, Mine deserves five stars but at the same time, this song feels a whole tier above that. I'm an electronic song enjoyer, and she went NUTS with the synth sounds here. The percussion (snare specifically) is also orgasmically punchy. I'd even go so far as to say this would go in my fridgependium playlist. I know, big deal. Overall great sounding song. And the 'the end' thing at the end is very edgy. Cool. Cool. Very cool, very nice.

Never Grow Up
Same story with Dear John, to be honest. Just a bit more subdued and less engaging for me personally. I don't have much to say I'm afraid.

Enchanted
Cool pads throughout. We haven't heard a pad yet! It hit the marks for me as an emotion-provoking song due to its gradual introduction of various instruments. And then BOOM! The chorus, which... I'm whatever on to be honest. Four stars for cool pads and sexy progression.

Better Than Revenge
Taylor Swift was feeling like an indie band in this one. Nice! And the mid EQ'd vocals give it a nice touch. Very rock-like structure and sound, which make it stand out considerably from the rest so far. Quite the enjoyable listen, maybe even for someone who doesn't draw Taylor's name in blood on their arms.

Innocent
Another not-my-tempo track, but I'll give this one extra credit because the drums sound sick. Can imagine taking this song and adding a drum break on top of it, then republishing it in my own five-song album.

Haunted
I feel like every time I say "not my tempo", some divine intervention occurs to make the next song exactly my tempo. This song's a good example of that I reckon. Emotional orchestral elements, some cool haunting chords and other sounds that really know how to set the theme of 'haunting'. I'm oddly not used to that happening in songs so this really stands out.

Last Kiss
Every album has that one song that makes me think it was added to extend the duration of the album to meet some sort of quota. With a song that extends to 6 minutes without much variation or development, you can see why this one feels a bit bloated. Not a fan, sorry guys.

Long Live
A very finisher-style finishing song. It has that epic feel to it, like a grand finale. The instrumentation builds up nicely and the lyrics are all about celebrating moments and memories. Yes I know, talking about lyrics like the madman I am. Definitely a strong closer for the album. Cool percussion too!


Overall
The electronic-sounding songs really carry this album to a solid 4 star rating. The instrumentals are a lot more varied and the vocals are a lot more powerful, with some songs being very catchy and enjoyable. I can see why this is one of her more popular albums, and I can see why people like it. If this album were a burger, I'd enjoy it as much as I enjoy the Big Whopper.

Red

Released 2012

State Of Grace
i haven't actually listened to the song yet, i've just left the five stars here as a template for when i do :)