Red (Taylor’s Version) was released November 12 on all music platforms. While many Swifties (Taylor Swift’s fan base) skipped straight to “All Too Well (10 minute version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)“, others listened to “The Vault” songs first, and some just listened straight through the album. Regardless of listening order, there are many differences in Taylor’s Version to the stolen album.
First, and most significant when looking at the album as a whole: Taylor’s Version is categorized in the pop genre, whereas the original was Country. Many Swifties know that Swift entered country music as a young artist, but she transitioned into pop music (as she was faking her country accent in her early career, according to dedicated fans via TikTok). When Red originally released in 2012, the album was in-between country and pop genres, but it ended up in the country category. Now, Taylor’s Version sounds like a strictly smooth, consistent pop album.
The song that fans were looking forward to the most was “All Too Well (10 minute version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault).“ The song “All Too Well” is one of the realist, deepest, saddest songs of the original album. According to an interview Swift did with Seth Meyers, the eleven-time Grammy award winning artist explained how this was her favorite song off the album, but she didn’t make it a single or a music video because normally her favorites and the fans’ favorites rarely align. She used to cry on stage each time performing it and eventually she came to realize that fans resonated with the song too because they shouted the lyrics with her while performing. “All Too Well” became one of the most popular songs off the Red album, and this time around, Swift made it a single and a short film (directed by herself).
Recently, she even released the Long Pond Studio version of the ten minute version which she calls: “All Too Well (Sad Girl Autumn Version).” She claims “One of the saddest songs I’ve ever written just got sadder… Drove up to Long Pond Studios to record All Too Well (Sad Girl Autumn Version) with the besties @aarondessner @heyjonlow.” on an Instagram post from November 17.
The “Sad Girl Autumn Version” is a slow, acoustic take on the song that makes you want to curl up on the couch with hot apple cider with your cats under the comfiest blanket and cry (in the most cathartic way possible).
Needless to say, Red (Taylor’s Version) allows us to revel in our 2012 heartbreaks in 2021 better than ever with more music, more easter eggs and more to celebrate.