A (Re)-Introduction to Taylor Swift: Deep Cuts Edition
From having any reference to this artist muted on social media to making a game out of listening to her "deep cuts", I *attempt* to rethink my opinion on the self-dubbed Ms. Americana.
Any artist’s greatest hits do not truly capture their abilities as a songwriter, or even as a musician. By only focusing on the hits, you do get (for the most part) certified bangers and a general idea of why they got big. In other words, you understand the hype that lasted all throughout their careers, demonstrating their immense and versatile talent. However, you don’t get everything. You don’t get the songs that haven’t been influenced by public opinion, and you certainly don’t get songs that have been ignored for good (or bad) reasons.
Now, with Taylor Swift, I am notoriously a hater. I have been subjected to her hits since her very first album, and I’ve been through it all. Though I get some (“Love Story” is an undeniable early 2000s bop, and I do think 1989 is a solid pop album except for “Shake It Off” obviously), I cannot stand most of them. “Look What You Made Me Do” is a crime against music. Every popular track off Lover makes me want to smash a window. The folklore and evermore songs all sound the same (boring), and Midnights, from what I heard, was exactly that: mid. The woman cannot pick a good single for the life of her, and I genuinely don’t understand how someone’s career can just fall off into bland pop music without flopping! Like, she just keeps getting popular, and I don’t get it!
So, in order to “get it” (if I ever will), I enlisted the help of my best friend Lillian—a fan of Taylor Swift who is genuinely normal about her—to introduce me to the deep cuts. I wanted to get to know this artist without all the knowledge that all her most intense fans forced upon me. I wanted to see if she genuinely was a songwriter worthy of all this praise in all her songs, not just the hits (where she is mostly awful…to me).
Also, I just wanted to have a little fun and be an informed hater. As a treat.
Anyway, we made a game out of my (re-)introduction to Taylor Swift. Here are the rules:
I did not pick the songs. Lillian picked two songs from each album, taking the further step of making sure every song is Taylor’s version (where applicable) and focusing on deep cuts she didn’t think I’d know. She picked one song she thinks is genuinely good, and another she thinks is more or less terrible.
I’m neither allowed to look at the titles nor know any of the albums they’re from in advance. I must guess the album it’s from before knowing the song title.
I have to the listen to the whole song, and I must save my opinion for the end.
I have to review the song in ten words or less. TV/movie titles can count as one word.
So here are twenty (hgnh) songs from Taylor Swift’s discography I may not have ever heard before, reviewed by a hater:
Song 1:
There was a Disney AMV to this; Liv & Maddie theme song.
Album Vic thinks it is: Enchanted?
Actual Album: Red
Song Title: “Stay, Stay, Stay”
Lillian’s Note: One, “Enchanted” is not an album, but I know what you mean. Two, I chose this song because I think it’s too cutesy, and “No one’s gonna love me when I get mad” is too concerning of a line for a song like this one.
Song 2 (woohoo):
Christian rock; not the worst. She’s definitely from Pennsylvania.
Album Vic thinks it is: The first one.
Actual Album: Self-Titled.
Song Title: “A Place In This World”
Lillian’s Note: I have never heard this song in this album—in fact I think I’ve only heard two songs from this album. I picked it because I thought it was cheesy. And it was. Also fun fact, Taylor Swift wrote this when she was 13!
Song 3:
She wrote this as an adult?! I f*****g hate it!
Album Vic thinks it is: From what I think this album is about, it has to be reputation.
Actual Album: Lover
Song Title: “It’s Nice to Have a Friend”
Lillian’s Note: I chose this because I know you would have a field day with the production. It’s like a worse version of “We’re Going to Be Friends” by The White Stripes. It’s never going to be that wonderful song.
Song 4:
It’s a Halsey song, right down to the fake accent.
Album Vic thinks it is: It feels like it’s in the Jack Antonoff era, which I think is after Lover …folklore?
Actual Album: evermore
Song Title: “closure”
Lillian’s Note: You did screech when she said the line, “Seeing the shape of your name still spells out pain,” which was funny. I figured you would enjoy the accent, and you did!
Song 5:
She stole The 1975’s beautiful orchestra and wrote terrible lyrics.
Album Vic thinks it is: Midnights.
Actual Album: folklore
Song Title: “this is me trying”
Lillian’s Note: I chose this as the “bad” song from folklore. I don’t think it’s sonically interesting, and the lyrics are questionable.
Song 6:
Questionable lyrics, but I like the vocals. They make sense.
Album Vic thinks it is: I knew the song by the chorus, but I still spent half the time trying to decide if this was from a new album or a TV album. Like, I have the visual of it being the last track on an album…Midnights!
Actual Album: Midnights: 3AM Edition
Song Title: “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve”
Lillian’s Note: I picked it because I do think it’s certainly the best song off Midnights, and it different. I like the lyrics (maybe not the “paint” lyric), and it has momentum. It is a deep cut I’d show you if you were trying to like Taylor Swift.
Song 7:
Overproduced; if the instruments were simplified, it’d definitely be fantastic.
Album Vic thinks it is: I know this is folklore because it was trending on TikTok for a while.
Actual Album: evermore (bonus track)
Song Title: “right where you left me”
Lillian’s Note: I chose this because I think it’s a good example of her lyricism. It’s a cohesive image, and I like the visual of the “frozen girl” as a critique of what people criticize her for (the permanent breakup obsession). It’s a self-aware song.
Song 8:
Terrible production; she can’t and shouldn’t write horny songs.
Album Vic thinks it is: This was so cringe and bad, it has to be Lover.
Actual Album: reputation.
Song Title: “Dress”
Lillian’s Note: You did say you wanted to go back to the bad songs…I got you, don’t worry!
Vic’s note to Lillian’s note: She’s right. Right before this song, I did say I wanted to go back to hating on Taylor Swift after almost 100% liking a song she wrote.
Song 9:
I get why she totally rocked suburban tween girls’ worlds.
Album Vic thinks it is: Fearless because she’s unapologetically angry in this one.
Actual Album: Self-Titled
Song Title: “Should’ve Said No”
Lillian’s Note: It’s…it’s raucous. It’s got some fun and crazy country flair with that fiddle and crazy guitar riff. It’s also fun she wrote this at 18 or whatever.
Song 10:
Song is whatever; I’d go to war for Patrick Stump.
Album Vic thinks it is: You think I wouldn’t know that the Fall Out Boy feature was on the Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)? Sing it, Patrick!
Actual Album: Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), from the vault!
Song Title: “Electric Touch”
Lillian’s Note: Yeah, I only chose it for Patrick Stump. I knew you’d have a reaction.
Song 11:
I’m bored, but I appreciate Swift showing real emotion here.
Album Vic thinks it is: No clue. Fearless?
Actual Album: Fearless.
Song Title: “Forever & Always”
Lillian’s Note: It literally does rain in your bedroom…Like…yeah. I do like that song. It’s not the most exciting, but I do think it’s a solid song. Fearless has the most quality throughout.
Song 12:
Sorry, is this about f*****g WORLD WAR I?! Anyway, overproduced.
Album Vic thinks it is: Since “London Boy” is on Lover, is this also on Lover?
Actual Album: Midnights: 3AM Edition.
Song Title: “The Great War”
Lillian’s Note: Yes, this is about War World I. POV: You and your boyfriend are fighting, but you and your boyfriend are also in England in 1918, and he’s over in the damn trenches fighting in World War I. I chose this one because it’s bat****, and my favorite part (for me personally) is that Taylor Swift has many historical parallels with World War I.
Vic’s note to Lillian’s note: Lillian proceeded to go on a whole conspiracy about Fearless’ 10th anniversary falling on the centennial of Armistice Day, thus implying Taylor Swift wrote Fearless as a concept album about WWI and is a fan of the historical event. I’ve also been informed that Taylor Swift has an army wife fantasy…from what I know about her, that checks out.
Song 13:
Boring and corny. Free Jack Antonoff from his prison cell.
Album Vic thinks it is: By my logic, because it sounds like a bad Bleachers song and is a vague love song that sounds like she’s not as in love as she’s convinced herself to be, it has to be about Joe Alwyn, so it has to be Lover.
Actual Album: 1989 (bonus track)
Song Title: “You Are In Love”
Lillian’s Note: This is not about Joe Alwyn; this is about Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff.
Song 14:
I’m appalled at the terrible bridge, chorus, and EDM! Insane!!!!
Album Vic thinks it is: It has to be reputation. Like, the lyrics are so bad and catty that it can’t be anything else.
Actual Album: reputation.
Song Title: “I Did Something Bad”
Lillian’s note: I chose this song because I thought it would elicit the exact response you gave. It is so bombastic and insane.
Vic’s note to Lillian’s note: She’s referring to the fact I full body cringed at the first EDM beat drop and screamed “NO!” at “They’re burning all the witches even if you aren’t one.”
Song 15:
Harpsichord backtrack? Annoying chorus. HI JACK ANTONOFF BACKUP VOCALS.
Album Vic thinks it is: Jackaboy may be involved, but the one way she sang that line sounded like “SO TAKE ME ONNN” in “Style”, so 1989.
Actual Album: 1989.
Song Title: “Out Of The Woods”
Lillian’s note: I thought it would be a nice counterbalance to the embarrassment that was “You Are In Love.” It’s also one of the few other songs on the album produced by Jack Antonoff. He also wrote the music for it!
Song 16:
Great song; no idea why people think this is folk.
Album Vic thinks it is: folklore; I’m on TikTok.
Actual Album: folklore
Song Title: “august”
Lillian’s note: Right before I pressed play, I knew you’d know this song. But I wanted to listen to this song. It is one of her better ones.
Song 17:
It just kept going…And escalating. That’s it.
Album Vic thinks it is: I just think it’s Fearless because…yeah. Why not.
Actual Album: Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Song Title: “Haunted”
Lillian’s note: So, this is from the B-side of Speak Now, which I don’t listen to, but I just remember this song being crazy. That’s it. Apparently, this is really big with the Speak Now Swifties.
Song 18:
Questionable vocals. Boring flop. Can’t stand the production. Eugh.
Album Vic thinks it is: Boring and bad…it’s Lover.
Actual Album: Lover
Song Title: “False God”
Lillian’s note: I chose it because I thought the saxophone would amuse you. I thought you would have something witty to say about “the altar is my hips,” but I think you missed that line.
Song 19:
Cute and has heart. It’s good background music.
Album Vic thinks it is: Banjo, can feel actual emotion = Fearless.
Actual Album: Fearless (Taylor’s Version), bonus track.
Song Title: “Jump Then Fall”
Lillian’s note: I think this is very cute, and I may be overestimating your familiarity with your familiarity with Fearless. I was like, “These songs are all iconic, so of course Vic would know these!” You evidently do not.
Vic’s note to Lillian’s note: I am most certain that the only songs I know from any of the first three albums are “Love Story”, “You Belong With Me”, “Our Song”, and “Mean”. Also that one Ed Sheeran collab song because my elementary school would constantly play it in graduation slide shows.
Song 20:
Fine but forgettable; very early 2010s.
Album Vic thinks it is: By process of elimination, it’s Red. But I feel like I could’ve guessed that, which shows progress!
Actual Album: Red (Taylor’s Version)
Song Title: “Holy Ground”
Lillian’s note: I like its momentum. There’s something about it that sounds sonically different from the rest of Red, and especially since it comes after a series of plodding songs, it sets itself apart.
Final Assessment
Lillian’s Final Note: I think you correctly picked up on the fact that Fearless is her best album. I am actively resisting playing the rest of Fearless for you. It’s really hard. I’m also honored to have been the one to choose a selection of Swift songs so that you can now be a qualified hater—even though I think trying to choose ones you definitely hadn’t heard of was not helping Miss Swift’s chances.
Vic’s Final Notes:
I literally did not know what any of the albums were about before this, nor could I precisely tell them apart. I guess calling Lover “The bad one”, reputation “The catty one”, and Red “The Jake Gyllenhaal one” in my head is not an easy way to judge them. Moreover, the first three albums are still all the same to me—it’s so embarrassing that I cannot distinguish them. The “Eras Tour” means nothing to me.
Taylor Swift does this one really annoying thing where she’ll write a song that’s fine—the lyrics are fine—but then she throws in one poorly-constructed metaphor that shows she is trying to be such a “legendary” songwriter…but she’s just a pop artist. There’s always one line where you can see her try really hard to make it work, and it just flops because that specific skill is underdeveloped. Stop marketing yourself as a profound and DIY songwriter, Taylor, because you and I both know you have a whole f*****g team behind each song, and not even one member could tell you “The Great War” was an insane idea. It’s fine to not be the best songwriter; songwriting is hard!
I still think I am right in my general gripe with Taylor Swift. Namely, now that I know Swift’s earliest music much better, I think that there is a significant decrease in quality in sound, production, and songwriting despite becoming a pop behemoth in recent years. When I listened to Self-Titled, Fearless, and even Speak Now, I thought the songs were cute, catchy, and most importantly, real. I understood why tweens loved old Taylor; she had such deep and passionate emotions, and while she was much more direct in expressing them and wasn’t trying to be the best songwriter, her songs were authentic. Now, her music is mostly just pop filler music—catchy pop filler music, but pop filler music nonetheless. Her metaphors are purposefully vague or badly constructed in the effort to sound “profound”, she puts almost every song over the godawful hi-hat backtracks that are worse parodies of Bleachers’ Strange Desire and Gone Now, and her understanding of what kind of non-pop music is trendy at the moment is misinformed AT BEST. I sort of get why the girlies went insane over folklore and evermore—Swift made the attempt to nod to her old work and finally wrote something that wasn’t about herself—but even then, they’re not immune to the criticisms I outlined above. Also, they’re straight up just not folk, even if they have a banjo, piano, and fiddle thrown into some songs. Like, that’s not what “indie folk” is…she still overproduces them with the f*****g hi-hats and pop vocals/instrumentation. Lastly, please refrain from giving me a manifesto about Lover of all albums. It’s f*****g bad.
She needs to find another producer. We’re all so tired.
Best Song: “august”. I had a fun time listening to it, and it’s super catchy. I was swaying along!
Worst Song: This is a tie between “Dress” and “It’s Nice To Have A Friend”. On one hand, there’s this really appalling horny song that has the worst musical accompaniment possible. The awful hi-hats, the “ah ah ah”s that make me lose my mind, her vocal chords straining in that falsetto, the cringey lyrics, and that horrible pause when she says “STOP!” make this song unforgivable. HOWEVER, “It’s Nice To Have A Friend” is somehow a worse Melanie Martinez song with lazy musical accompaniment and childish lyrics. Both are such a bad time.
Craziest Song: “The Great War”. Why does she have an army wife fantasy, and who greenlit the “memorial garden” line?! I’m so scared and confused.
Lastly, am I still a hater? Still a huge hater, but now I’m more informed.
I drew the header image myself. The “No It’s Becky” screenshot belongs to the people because it is forever in our hearts. Please don’t wind up like Becky. </3
Also, a very special thank you to Lillian for organizing this genuinely fun game, even if I might have gotten an ulcer from “It’s Nice To Have A Friend.” Also, Lillian gets another “thank you” for being my best friend, and for being patient with me, a big hater.