Some in the music industry have questioned Taylor Swift’s decision to re-record her previously released albums, thinking fans would have little interest in new versions of her prior and well-known hits. However, Taylor’s fans, aka Swifties, have shown much love and more loyalty than her romantic partners. That loyalty has been rewarded with the release of Taylor’s version of “Red.” Unlike Fearless (Taylor’s Version), the re-recording of Red (Taylor’s Version) has some noticeable changes, including new songs, new lyrics, and duets, to name a few.
At the time of the initial release for Red, Taylor Swift wanted it to be her debut pop album; however, her management label wanted her to continue making country music. Now that Swift has all of the creative freedom in her re-recording, Red (TV) is undeniably a pop album.
The former country accent Swift sang within Red (retired version) is gone.
The songs that I was less excited to hear because of their already existing popularity like, “22”, “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” and “I Knew You Were Trouble” are somehow better than they were before. Starting off with “I Knew You Were Trouble,” the “oh, oh,” in the previous version of Red is now much more toned down and subtle. In “22,” the country accent and banjo are almost non-existent. “Stay Stay Stay” in Red (stolen version) is sung in a very southern drawl, and while there is almost no difference melodically, the change of voice is obvious. “Stay Stay Stay” in the new recording has a more grown-up sound, literally with her deeper voice, but also figuratively. The original version was written from Taylor’s imagination with the hopes of one day finding someone who would stay even after hard days. Now, booed-up Swift sings from the perspective of one who has actually experienced those emotions.
“Girl At Home” is the most different out of the re-recorded versions. The original was definitely a country song sung softly over a guitar melody, but in Taylor’s Version, it is transformed to an absolute pop anthem. The guitar melody is replaced with a danceable beat and an auto-tuned echo.
Another big change is the inclusion of all the unreleased tracks. Taylor’s “from the vault” tracks are more pop bangers. The vault tracks sounding more poppy is likely the reason her old management company wouldn’t allow them to be on the album in the first place. To hold back such hits as “The First Night,” and “Message in a Bottle,” is an absolute crime. “I Bet You Think About Me” has quickly become a fan favorite as well as a personal favorite. This song is arguably the most country-sounding from the vault track on Red (Taylor’s Version), and it is a collaboration with Chris Stapleton. If you are a fan of old Taylor Swift and long to hear something similar to the works of “Taylor Swift Debut” and “Fearless,” then look no further than “I Bet You Think About Me.” Most of us can relate to this post-breakup anthem and Swifties took no time in identifying “Mr. Superior Thinking” as Jake Gyllenhaal.
We cannot forget that “All Too Well” is now ten minutes long. The original version still remains, but the ten-minute version is the last song to grace the album. Former managers did not believe Taylor could release a ten-minute song and have it be received well by her audience. Boy did she prove them wrong! “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version) (Ten-minute version) (From the Vault) is now the longest hit song in the world and of all time, beating out the previous “American Pie” by Don McLean. The longer version gives more insight into her and Gyllenhaal’s relationship. In the new lyrics, Swift reveals the reason for her and Jake’s split was because of their age gap with the lyrics, “if we had been closer in age, maybe it would’ve been fine, and that made me want to die.” Swift then dishes out the biggest burn of all time when she sings, “the punchline goes I’ll get older but your lovers stay my age,” which has proven to be true with Gyllenhaal’s current girlfriend being seven years younger than Taylor.
With the Red re-recording, Taylor was finally able to produce and record her music the way she intended and wanted to in the first place. If you somehow have not heard the album yet, I highly suggest putting aside two hours of your day to listen to the album in its entirety for your new favorite songs.