On March 17, Taylor Swift shocked fans by sharing on her Instagram that she would be dropping four unreleased songs at midnight in honor of her upcoming Eras Tour. Although three of the four songs are re-recordings, Swift managed to put her own unique spin on the classics while paying homage to what made the original versions great. Read below for a deep dive into the new songs and which eras they fall under!
“If This Was A Movie (Taylor’s Version)”
Making its first appearance all the way back in 2010 as a bonus track on the deluxe version of her album Speak Now, “If This Was A Movie (Taylor’s Version)” tells the tragic story of longing for a loved one coming back to her someday. With lyrics such as “If you’re out there, if you’re somewhere, if you’re moving on/I’ve been waiting for you ever since you’ve been gone” and concluding with “But if this was a movie, you’d be here by now,” listeners sympathize with the Lover singer for losing someone who was once important to her. Although it’s not as upbeat as some of her other pieces, it’s still a song that can be blasted from the front seat of your car when you’re dealing with a breakup or a rough patch in your life!
“Safe & Sound (Taylor’s Version)”
“Safe & Sound (Taylor’s Version)” is one of two songs Taylor Swift crafted in 2011 to be used for The Hunger Games. Winning her a Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media, the song’s poeticism and Swift’s soft vocals contribute to the endearing aspect conveyed throughout its four-minute runtime. Not only did the “All Too Well” singer deliver a raw, vulnerable performance of her hit song, but she also managed to reunite Joy Williams and John Paul White of the Civil Wars to be featured on the song again for the re-release. It wouldn’t have been the same without them!
“Eyes Open (Taylor’s Version)”
“Eyes Open (Taylor’s Version)” is the other song that Taylor Swift wrote for the film The Hunger Games back in 2012. The release of both “Taylor’s Versions” of “Eyes Open” and “Safe & Sound” has not only sent Swifties descending into chaos, but diehard Hunger Games fans are feeling the nostalgia associated with the two songs and getting even more excited about the November release of the newest Hunger Games film. With old clips from the three Hunger Games movies trending on TikTok this past month, Swift couldn’t have released this song at a better time!
“All Of The Girls You Loved Before”
Rounding off this list is the only song out of the four that isn’t a re-release. Taylor Swift’s “All Of The Girls You Loved Before” would have appeared on her Lover album but was ultimately scrapped right before it was released in 2019. The song—presumably about Swift’s longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn—details all the hardships people must go through before they meet the love of their lives. While she explains the challenges one must go through during most of the song, she ends the final chorus with a heartfelt “I love you more,” leaving the listeners with a glimmer of hope that they will someday—if they haven’t already—meet their true love. We’re so glad that Swift decided to include this song in the group of four as it neatly wraps up the collection!
Swifties will thoroughly enjoy the release of Taylor Swift’s new music and will most likely know all the lyrics by heart within a couple of hours. The four songs—although from completely different eras of her life—come together beautifully to illustrate a love story years in the making. Her powerful lyrics and gorgeous singing never disappoint her fans and will resonate with people who give her music a listen for generations to come!
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