No stranger to songwriting, Taylor Swift found her voice long before 1989. She is the every girl; the one who wanted nothing more than to fall in love, no matter how many times it hurt. In many ways, she has been a heroine for our generation, as many a broken hearted teens have blasted “Last Kiss” from Speak Now through their headphones at night. Or maybe that was just me… I still can’t get over that song.
Taylor Swift, however, was 16 when she came out with her first eponymous album, and merely 18 when her second album, Fearless, was released. Because of her young age at the time, high school love and teenage crushes color her earlier albums. On her previous album, Red, Swift began experimenting with pop and departing from her country roots. Some of the pop, however, was cheesy. With her previous album, Swift proved that she could write a catchy tune, even if it had lyrics like “it feels like a perfect night/to dress like hipsters/and make fun of our exes.” Now that she is 24 going on 25, Swift has a lot more to say about love and herself.
On 1989, Swift has completely leveled up her songwriting so much that I have become a full-blown unabashed fan (this coming from someone who liked some of her songs but cringed at others). 1989 is Swift’s way of showing the world that, yes, she has grown up, but she’s also accepted the fact that she has not settled down, something for which her haters always criticize her for. The album not only shows Swift’s growth, but also demonstrates the process of her growth, which is similar to the path of many in their early twenties. Romantic relationships are a gambling game, as Swift says in Track 2, “Blank Space.” Swift sings, “So it’s gonna be forever/or it’s gonna go down in flames/you can tell me when it’s over/if the high was worth the pain.” This song, while capturing the romance of a young relationship, also captures the reality of it: it could go right or it could go horribly wrong. Swift also admits that there is a sort of beauty in this, and that this “high” for which we are searching is something that keeps us coming back, despite the pain.
Her first single from the album, “Shake It Off,” is not only danceable, like almost every other song on the album, but it is also Swift’s way of acknowledging the rumors, her reputation, and then, dismissing it. In her fame, Swift has gained confidence. This number is sassy and tongue-in-cheek in a way that none of her older songs really were.
The final track of the album, and one of my favorites, is “Clean.” This song is about one of the most satisfying feelings ever, which is getting over someone you once loved, and though it may be something that has come up in so many songs before, this one captures it beautifully. It’s as if you come out a new person, or someone who is completely pure and rebuilt, despite your past. Anyone who has been through a break up knows that, especially after a long relationship, you have to let go of who you once were. Even as Swift describes herself drowning, she is being reborn: “Rain came pouring down when I was drowning/that’s when I could finally breathe.”
While Swift has grown up, she hasn’t lost her playfulness. Although she’s starting to go for the more glamorous yet sad ballads akin to Lana del Rey and Lorde (“Wildest Dreams” is most like this) she also retains a happy-go-lucky beat to many of her songs such as “Welcome to New York” and “Blank Space.” I could go on about the rest of the album, but I really think the best way to find out about it is to sit down and take a listen for yourself. Trust me, even if you’re not a Taylor Swift aficionado, or if you’re in denial of her talent. It’s no wonder that it sold more than 1 million copies in its first week. From someone who was once a hesitant Taylor Swift fan, this is her best album yet.
photo credit: nashville.com