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A Belle’s Ranking of Taylor Swift’s 1989

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Hannah Drinkall Student Contributor, Saint Mary's College
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Saint Mary's chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

She’s dominating the music world, rockin’ the best crop-top outfits EVER, blasting through the halls of Saint Mary’s every hour, and she was across the street at Notre Dame two Sundays ago to support her little brother in his play. And she looked perfect.

A couple weeks ago, she released the fiercest music video and she acted out the favorite “I can make the bad guys good for the weekend” line exactly how I wanted her to. Taylor Swift is perfection. If you know me, you know I love her and always have and will love her. But it isn’t just me. Our generation has grown up with her and her albums releasing every two years, coming at pivotal points in our lives. It’s almost impossible to not relate with Taylor, and many girls swear that she wrote certain songs just for them. (and as for those (few) haters? Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate….)

So it started with “Shake It Off” when the song was a PERFECT way to begin another year of college and jump around to at Edge on Thursday nights.  

 And then came 1989.

My (guy) friends went out and bought it, congregating in Reignbeaux at midnight to listen/analyze lyrics on the release date was a thing, and nothing else was being played during study sessions for a week straight. She grew up, I’ve grown up, and everyone around me feels the same.

(However, if you’re deeply in love…I don’t really think this is the album for you…)

Three weeks have come and gone, and songs from the album are STILL being played on campus runs, in headphones at the library, at Fever (begging for Blank Space at CJ’s is still a work in progress), at pre-games, and across the street…(thank you, Austin Swift.) And what do you get when you go to an all-girls’ school? Die-hard Taylor Swift fans.

After a lot of 1989 blasting throughout LeMans, ratings on the songs are listed based upon popular opinion…. (and duh…deluxe album OBVIOUSLY)

Here it is:

16) “This Love” So opposite from the rest of the album. But it’s still amazing…and beautiful. And there has to be a number 16. Favorite lyrics: “When you’re young, you just run but you come back to what you need.”

15) “I Know Places” We like it, we do, but it’s always skipped when we’re playing the album as study background music. Picturing a fox hunt scene out of some rom-com isn’t all too weird with this song…but we love the idea of Taylor sneaking around with who even knows…. Favorite (and very important lyrics): “Loose lips sink ships all the damn time.”

14) “How You Get The Girl” My friends and I have all come to the conclusion that this is the song that plays after the guy gets the girl in a Disney Channel Original Movie. Rolling credits. But still awesome and catchy. We’re pretty sure we’ll see it sometime in the near future of the Tween world in some aspect. Favorite lyrics: “Stand there like a ghost shaking from the rain, she’ll open up the door and say, “are you insane?”

13) “You Are In Love” Stunning and beautiful song. If you’re in love, this may be one of the only songs you can really relate to. Slow and not that catchy, but just so darn cute. Favorite lyrics: “Buttons on a coat, light-hearted joke,, no proof, not much, but you saw enough.”

12) “I Wish You Would” Catchy and a great one to run to. Fast-paced and almost feels like she is just speaking your mind without holding back and that’s exactly what we love her for! Favorite lyrics: “Makes you want to run and hide but it made us turn right back around.”

11) “Welcome To New York” We’ll forever play it when we land in NYC and it relates to anyone who has ever interned or lived there. It’s fun and so city-esque and makes us want to twirl around in glitzy dresses on Broadway. Favorite lyrics: “Everybody here wanted something more and you can want who you want.”

10) “Out Of The Woods” Number 10 only because it’s another one of those ones we pass when it comes on because we know it way too well. Favorite lyrics: “Remember when we couldn’t take the heat, I walked out and said “I’m setting you free.”

9) “Clean” This song was a grower. It sounds like rain, gone-wrong romance, and reflection. It feels clean. Favorite lyrics: “You’re still all over me like a wine-stained dress I can’t wear anymore.”

8) “Bad Blood” Oh so sassy Swift. We love this and kind of want to run through the streets with baseball bats finding the person who really, REALLY made Taylor Swift angry. Favorite lyrics: “Time can heal but this won’t, so if you’re coming my way, just don’t.”

7) “All You Had To Do Was Stay” So fun to dance around to. Another one of those, “Taylor isn’t holding back her feelings” song. It’s like literally asking someone, “what is your problem?” and we love, love, love it. Favorite lyrics: “Hey, had me in the palm of your hand, why’d you have to go and lock me out when I let you in?”

6) “New Romantics” Like a more mature “Shake It Off” and we picture ourselves in heels going out not caring at all. Favorite lyrics: “We are too busy dancing to get knocked off our feet.”

5) “Wonderland” Should have been on the regular version, but the fact that it’s deluxe makes it that much more special. It puts us right into an Alice in Wonderland-type world and we love the sound. Favorite lyrics: Mostly all of them! But especially… “It’s all fun and games ‘til somebody loses their mind.”

4) “Wildest Dreams” Lana del Ray? Is that you? This one is absolutely perfect in every way and is one of the best songs to fall asleep to. Favorite lyrics: “He’s so tall and handsome as hell, he’s so bad, but he does it so well.”

3) “Style” This one seems to ALWAYS be on the playlist after Blank Space. No idea why. We love this song…it’s so fun to jam along to and definitely a common favorite. Favorite lyrics: “And I’ve got that good girl faith and a tight, little skirt.”

2) “Shake It Off” We can’t put it as number one because Blank Space is everything…but we can’t put it any lower. We’ve listened to it a million bajillion times and we pass it now to get to the other songs, but it’s become a classic and we dance every time CJ’s puts it on. Favorite lyrics: “I’m just gonna shake it to the fella over there with the hella good hair…”

1) “Blank Space” It’s just perfect. The beat…the lyrics…the video….Sean O’pry in the video…the sassiness. Simply perfect. Favorite lyrics: Every one. But mostly “’Cause darling I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream.”

All in all, 1989 is BRILLIANT. It’s mature, it’s classy, and ultimately badass. My friends and I dance to New Romantics and wear red lipstick on the weekends because Swift.

And though she didn’t make the walk over to Saint Mary’s two weekends ago, our efforts on social media were a thing and this trend will continue:

 

Remember…..

 

#GetSwiftToSmick 

 

Photos 1, Photo 2, Photos 3, 4, 5, 6, Photo 7

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Hannah Drinkall

Saint Mary's

Hannah graduated Saint Mary's College (May 2016) with a major in Communication Studies & a minor in Public Relations & Advertising. She was the Campus Correspondent of Her Campus Saint Mary's, which she co-founded in December 2013. She's from Florida, and she is now working in New York City with New York Times best selling author, Adriana Trigiani. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter, @hannahdrinkall!