There is no doubt in my mind that Taylor Swift guided us through quarantine. Three albums in two years is remarkable to say the least; she released the oh-so-wonderful “folklore” and “evermore” in 2020 and now “Fearless (Taylor’s version)” in 2021. The release of this album is easily the biggest event of 2021 so far. This pop culture icon has fans of the original album in their feels, reflecting back on how they felt in 2008 when the album was originally released, as well as their personal relationships and struggles since then. Both fans and music appreciators looked forward to April 9th and counted down the minutes until midnight.
Taylor did not disappoint by any means, returning to her country roots to give us 26 songs, each just as amazing as the last and better than the original – if that is even possible. While it was difficult to do, my rankings, from most to least favorite, are below. Do you agree with them?
1. “Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)”
2. “The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version)”
3. “Forever & Always (Piano Version) (Taylor’s Version)”
4. “Forever & Always (Taylor’s Version)”
5. “The Other Side Of The Door (Taylor’s Version)”
6. “Jump Then Fall (Taylor’s Version)”
7. “You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version)”
8. “Bye Bye Baby (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)”
9. “Come In With The Rain (Taylor’s Version)”
10. “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”
11. “Hey Stephen (Taylor’s Version)”
12. “You’re Not Sorry(Taylor’s Version)”
13. “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)”
14. “We Were Happy (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)”
15. “Today Was A Fairytale (Taylor’s Version)”
16. “Fifteen (Taylor’s Version)”
17. “Don’t You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)”
18. “That’s When (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)”
19. “White Horse (Taylor’s Version)”
20. “The Best Day(Taylor’s Version)”
21. “Untouchable (Taylor’s Version)”
22. “Tell Me Why (Taylor’s Version)”
23. “Superstar (Taylor’s Version)”
24. “You All Over Me (feat. Maren Morris) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)”
25. “Change (Taylor’s Version)”
26. “Breathe (feat. Colbie Caillat) (Taylor’s Version)”
The subtle nuances in our favorite songs are what make Taylor such a unique musician and songwriter. Yet, at the same time, I’m impressed at how the songs sound so similar to the originals, the maturity in her voice evident even from a young age. I know I’ll be shouting these songs at the top of my lungs for a very long time. The original album had such an impact on us when we were young that it’s easy to see listeners entering a Fearless mentality and living life to the fullest after the release of Taylor’s Version.