“And if they call me a ‘slut,’ you know it might be worth it for once,” is what Taylor Swift said in one of her songs on her re-recording of “1989.” The re-recorded album officially came out on Oct. 27, and with it came six brand new songs. For those who have been living under a rock, Swift has been re-recording her first six albums in order to regain ownership of the master rights. To differentiate from the original versions of these albums, Swift called these re-releases “Taylor’s Version,” or “TV,” for short. So far, Swift has re-released three of her previous albums; “Fearless (TV),” “Red (TV),” and “Speak Now (TV).” The excitement only grew with each re-release, specifically the anticipation for the vault tracks. Vault tracks are Swift’s songs she wrote along with the original album, but they didn’t make the cut the first time around. These unheard songs are by far the most thrilling part of a Taylor’s Version release, so let’s take a look at the vault tracks for “1989 (Taylor’s Version).”
Starting off strong, the first vault track is the song titled “‘Slut!’” I honestly expected this song to be a high energy pop song, much like the other songs on “1989,” but it turned out to be quite a beautiful love song. The track delves into the persona that the media portrayed Swift to have at the time; a serial-dater who can’t keep a guy for long. This is not the first time she has recognized this perception of herself, for she addresses the same issue in her song, “Blank Space,” which is also featured on the album. I found this track really sweet because it has lyrics such as, “In a world of boys, he’s a gentleman.” Swift is willing to face the media’s scrutiny if it means she can be in love. It’s just so good!
The next vault track, “Say Don’t Go,” is a song that expresses the feeling of giving more than you get in return. In the lyrics, Swift is begging a romantic interest to tell her he wants to be with her, but she knows that he won’t. Swift sings, “Why’d you have to lead me on?” and “Why’d you have to / Make me love you / I said ‘I love you’ / You say nothing back” revealing that the relationship is one sided. “Say Don’t Go” is probably my least favorite vault track because the production sounds a little immature. It’s not a bad song, but it isn’t one of her best. It just doesn’t stand out to me compared to the other vault tracks.
“Now That We Don’t Talk” is the third vault track on the album, and this song really shows off her vocal range. This song reflects on an old relationship, and how that person Swift once knew has drastically changed. It starts by Swift pointing out the changes she’s noticed in this person, but towards the end she comes to the realization that maybe it’s for the best that they no longer talk. “I don’t have to pretend to like acid rock / Or that I like to be on a mega yacht / With important men who think important thoughts / Guess maybe I am better off / Now that we don’t talk,” Swift concludes. I find this song to be really catchy and well written, and the sound reminds me of many of the songs found on her newest album, “Midnights.”
If Taylor Swift is good at one thing, it’s making songs about high school romance. “Suburban Legends” is the fourth vault track, and it is a story of two people who fall in love but they can’t make it work once they grow up. The production is very up-beat, and is yet again reminiscent of Swift’s album “Midnights.” I particularly like the bridge of this song, another piece Swift always manages to do very well. In the bridge she says, “I broke my own heart ‘cause you were too polite to do it.” Her lyrical creativity is something that will always amaze me.
Lastly, the best vault track to come out of this rerecording is “Is it Over Now?” A fun part of this song is the references she makes to her relationship with Harry Styles in 2012. Swift herself says she thinks of this song as the sister of “Out of the Woods,” another track on “1989” that is absolute perfection. It is an exploration of an on and off again relationship, and within the song she questions if the relationship is actually over for good. By far, the most addicting part of this song is when she says, “At least I had the decency / To keep my nights out of sight / Only rumors ‘bout my hips and thighs / And my whispered sighs / Oh lord.” I have no notes for this song, it’s that good.
The conclusion I can draw from this album is that Swift is incapable of releasing a bad re-recording. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” is pop perfection, and I will continue to listen to “Is it Over Now?” on repeat until the next “Taylor’s Version” album drops.
