It’s the epitome of a fall album: Taylor Swift’s Red. With motifs of cafés, scarves, and autumn leaves, Red has been the soundtrack of the season since October 2012. This year, we get to hear it all again. Oh, and 10 more songs.
What’s with the re-record?
This year, Taylor Swift is releasing a re-recording of Red entitled Red (Taylor’s Version) with 10 additional songs that were cut from the original album. But why is Taylor Swift re-releasing an old album? She’s making a point: artists should own their work.
After her contract with Big Machine Records expired in 2018, her masters were sold to private-equity group Ithaca Holdings, despite her pleads to own her masters. The group is managed by famous music manager Scooter Braun, whom Swift claims has consistently bullied and sabotaged her. Now, every streaming of an old Taylor Swift song makes Scooter Braun’s pockets bigger.
In an effort to take back her name, Swift has vowed to re-record all six of the albums sold to Scooter Braun, consequently de-valuing the original versions. However, it’s more than money. These are songs Swift wrote as an angsty teenager on her bedroom floor, in her handwriting. These are her album designs. Swift speaks more to the degradation of it all, that a man who long disrespected her is the ‘rightful’ owner of her intimate lyricism and emotional purging.
In short, Red (Taylor’s Version) is the ultimate power move. Nearly 10 years later, we get to hear a sage Taylor Swift sing about her past heartbreaks, all the while regaining ownership of her art. Here are the top moments to look forward to.
Most anticipated moments of red (taylor’s Version)
1. Phoebe Bridgers Collaboration
Two of the most lyrically savvy women on one record. One of Taylor’s tracks from the vault, “Nothing New” will feature the adored indie musician. Phoebe’s second studio album, Punisher, is also valued an album for autumn. There is something about the mellow voices of Taylor and Phoebe that feel nostalgic and genuine, and fans of both artists rejoiced in the news of the collaboration.
One of Taylor’s biggest criticisms from her own fan base, “Swifties,” is her lack of female representation in collaborations. Historically, all of Swift’s female collaborators have merely been harmonies and background vocals, such as Colbie Caillat, and HAIM the band, whereas her male collaborators, like Ed Sheeran and Bon Iver, have had their own verses. Fans are keeping their fingers crossed that Phoebe will have her own verse on “Nothing New” and end this pattern.
2. Ronan
This moment isn’t necessarily exciting as it’s so devastating, but it’s a bittersweet story of friendship and motherhood deserving of a life on Red (Taylor’s Version). Here’s the backstory:
Before the release of Red, Taylor was an avid reader of a blog entitled Rockstar Ronan, a page dedicated to Ronan Thompson, a four-year-old boy from Arizona, and his journey through childhood cancer before he passed away in 2011. The blog, written by Ronan’s mother, Maya Thompson, was her means of catharsis. She detailed excruciatingly honest feelings surrounding her son’s battle with neuroblastoma, all of which, Taylor dearly admired.
Using Maya Thompson’s words from the Rockstar Ronan blog, Taylor Swift wrote the song “Ronan” dedicated to her son. Taylor reached out personally to Maya Thompson expressing her most sincere condolences, and asking for permission to perform the song at a Stand Up To Cancer event. Maya eagerly agreed to pay tribute to her beloved son.
Following the performance, “Ronan” was released as an individual song, with Maya Thompson as a co-writer. All of the song’s proceeds went to childhood cancer research. Since then, Maya and Taylor have maintained a close friendship.
Nearly 10 years later as Taylor starts re-recording Red, she again reaches out to Maya to wage her opinion on putting “Ronan” on Red (Taylor’s Version), an album about heartbreak, in all its dimensions. Maya enthusiastically agrees. Her instagram (@mamamaya) provides a closer look at their exchange.
It’s moments like these that make Red (Taylor’s Version) feel so irreplaceable. “Ronan” is a mark of tragedy, grief, and a loyal, enduring friendship. More people will get the privilege of knowing this story now that it has a spot on the record.
3. Better Man
“The bravest thing I ever did was run.” It’s a lyric Swifties swoon over, inside a song Swifties swoon over. “Better Man” was cut from the original Red album, but Taylor loved it so much that she wanted it to have a life of its own. So, she gave it to the band Little Big Town, where it appeared on their album The Breaker. Even as a song cut from Red, “Better Man” was very successful, even earning a Grammy at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
The song was loved after Little Big Town’s rendition was released, but perhaps became even more beloved after Taylor Swift performed the song at The Bluebird Café in Nashville, where she was recognized as a teen. Personally, that performance is where I really felt the power of “Better Man” radiate.
Even before the tracklist for Red (Taylor’s Version) was released, fans begged Taylor to release her version. Lucky for us, our wish is her command. It will be ours, and Taylor’s, this November.
4. All Too Well (10 Minute Version)
This one speaks for itself. This would be its own prong regardless of the 10 minute version. That’s just the cherry on top.
“All Too Well” is perhaps the most collectively adored Taylor Swift song, consistently ranking #1 out of her hundreds of songs by fans and critics alike. What’s the appeal? It’s a sad song about trying to move on after a relationship, but you can’t quite yet because the memory is overpowering. Not to mention the instrumental build that leads to a powerhouse of a bridge, a fan favorite to scream in the car and tattoo on skin. It’s a perfectly-crafted blend of storytelling and poetry, with lines like “dancing ’round the kitchen in the refrigerator light” to lines like “you call me up again just to break me like a promise, so casually cruel in the name of being honest.”
The original record, still a lengthy 5 minutes and 28 seconds, was not enough for fans when they learned Swift had a 10-minute version of the song in hiding. Even more exciting, a 10-minute explicit version. Really, Taylor Swift didn’t know peace after the news.
Luckily, the wait is soon to be over. It’s the finale of Red (Taylor’s Version), and one fans are not sure they’ll recover from.
