Welcome to a newbie’s reactions to Taylor Swift! I have minimal prior exposure to her music beyond what’s played on the radio or what popular songs people talk about. This is my first intentional, close listen-through of her entire discography. I do not claim to be a Taylor Swift expert, nor can I promise that my impressions of each song will be considered socially acceptable by her fans.
Each song will be scored out of 10, adding decimals as I see fit. Examples of songs that I would rate a 10 include “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Sound of Silence” for reference. Anything 5 or higher means I like the song! I listened to the album in track order, so my reactions and scores match accordingly.
With that being said, here are my thoughts on her first album, titled “Taylor Swift”.
- Tim McGraw
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The first thing I noticed is that there are a lot of country lyrics, which I’m not the biggest fan of. Vibe-wise, I don’t mind this song, but I stand by my banjo hatred until I die. From 2:45 on is my favorite part. Her voice felt very calming throughout this song, which I enjoyed. Rating: 5.5/10
- Picture To Burn
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I find her voice mildly annoying in this one, but beat-wise, this song is better than “Tim McGraw.” While this is only two songs in, if I have to hear about one more pickup truck, I’m gonna pass away. “Picture to Burn” also gives angsty teen vibes. Rating: 4.5/10
- Teardrops On My Guitar
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I enjoyed the introduction’s chill vibes. This song is my favorite of the first three tracks on the album, probably due to the absence of pickup trucks in the lyrics. Overall, it has a nice sound. I enjoyed it! Rating: 6.25/10
- A Place in this World
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Lyric-wise, I relate to this one the most so far. I’ve learned that I definitely like the less country-sounding tracks better than the country ones. This one’s my new favorite (so far). Rating: 6.5/10
- Cold As You
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This song has a cool, edgier vibe! I enjoy the added male vocals and harmonies, which sound very nice. However, I still don’t love the twangy banjos. Sorry, Taylor… Rating: 6.25/10
- The Outside
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I like this one, but it doesn’t seem super memorable. Not sure if I’ll remember this one. I do love a good Robert Frost reference in the lyrics, though. Overall, it’s a fun song with a nice beat. Rating: 6.25/10
- Tied Together with a Smile
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I don’t like the beginning- the banjo irritates me, and I’ll keep saying it until there is no banjo anymore. However, the vocals are not bad, and I like the title and metaphors. Surprisingly, the lyrics really grew on me. They’re very relatable, despite being a little sad. The moral of the story is don’t start with the banjo. This is now a banjo hate blog (not really, but I dislike it). Rating: 6.5/10 (deductions for banjo)
- Stay Beautiful
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This song didn’t have the best beat or vocals to me. While I don’t mind it, it’s not my favorite for sure, and it’s kind of basic. Rating: 5/10
- Should’ve Said No
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This song had a fun intro, which I very much enjoyed! Her voice is a little shrill in this one, and the song gives off very aggressive vibes, which is interesting. Overall, I enjoyed the instrumentals but not the vocals. Rating: 5.25/10 (because I like the instrumentals).
- Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)
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I liked the calm vibe of the intro and continued to like the song even after it stopped feeling so calm. While the song doesn’t have the deepest lyrical meanings, I enjoyed the storytelling aspect of it. “Mary’s Song” gave really nice, wholesome vibes, which I appreciate. Rating: 7/10
- Our Song
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I am not a huge fan of the return to a more country vibe. Sometimes this album feels like having whiplash from one song to another. I found myself wondering how many times she says “radio” on this album and was distracted by the random Jesus references. It was interesting, but not my favorite. Rating: 4.75/10
- I’m Only Me When I’m With You
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I appreciate the different vibe that this song provides to the album, although its intensity makes my ears hurt. I also did not like her “yeah” at the end. I am not a fan of her speak-singing whenever it happens (not just in this song). Rating: 6.5/10
- Invisible
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I thought the song had a nice beginning, and I like the instrumentals a lot. Overall, the song is pretty wholesome. Rating: 6.25/10
- A Perfectly Good Heart
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Again, I like the overall impact of this song. I’m not sure if it’s one I’ll remember, but it’s one I’d be willing to listen to multiple times. Rating: 6/10
- Teardrops On My Guitar: Pop Version
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To be honest, I don’t remember what the original sounds like very well, but I know I do like both versions! It has country vibes without being overbearing like some other songs on the album. Overall, it gives chill vibes. Not sleepy but not aggressive either. I enjoy it. Rating: 6/10
Average rating: 5.89/10
Favorite song (based on rating): “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)”
I liked the songs on “Taylor Swift,” but I didn’t fall in love with any of them. Most of them I would enjoy listening to again, especially the ones like “Mary’s Song,” which have strong narratives. Moving forward, I hope to hear more soothing songs and a more diverse sound. I’m very much looking forward to the next album!