Taylor Swift: Pop sensation… I think? Nowadays it’s getting increasingly harder to pinpoint her genre of music. iTunes has her listed as a country singer but as I click the preview button for the song “I Knew you were Trouble” and get an eruption of dupstep-esque noise in my ear, I become seriously confused as to why artists like Luke Bryan and Eric Church are listed next to her. But for now this debate is irrelevant because there is no denying that Taylor’s music has swept across the nation and has filled young women’s hearts with solacing hope as they search for true love.
With hit songs like “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me,” she tells stories of a Prince Charming who will eventually find you after you stand and wait and then sweep you off your feet before you both ride into the sunset in love. I won’t argue that, yes, these songs do offer rosy optimism to girls since they mostly cheer for the underdog—which at times, is how most of us feel. Sometimes it’s like we’re invisible in the eyes of the one we like. So YES Taylor is helpful on that front. HOWEVER, in the majority of her songs, she’s putting a ridiculous amount of pressure on the guy. The message she gets across is somewhat unfair: it’s all up to the guy to initiate a relationship and he determines whether a relationship will be good or bad. There just seems to be little self-reflection in her music. It’s always the guy’s fault if there is a breakup.
In the song “Love Story” Taylor says “Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone. I’ll be waiting, all that’s left to do is run.” She regards him as ‘Romeo’ and will be ‘waiting.’ Not only is she expecting the guy to be the one to get up and find her, but he also better be a romantic and should perhaps spew out some poetry. There isn’t anything wrong with a girl making the first move- why must she have to wait? In the same song she says, “I keep waiting for you but you never come. Is this in my head? I don’t what to think.” It sounds like she is mentally losing it as she waits around for him. Once again why does the guy have to start things off?
Taylor also sings “I knew you were trouble when you walked in,” in her other top hit. She then continues to sing about how this guy ruined her life. So I just need something cleared up. If you knew he was trouble when he walked in, then why did you engage in a relationship with him in the first place?
In the song “You Belong With Me” Taylor, yes, repeatedly says “you belong with me” a total of 12 times. She says, “Why can’t you see- You Belong with me.” I’m sorry boys, but in other words “are you daft and/or blind? It’s super obvious we belong together. Oh and disregard the fact I have never verbally expressed my feelings for you- You should miraculously know I like you without any communication.” Once again it is up to the guy to figure things out and make the move.
Now I understand that not all of her songs convey this message but there are quite a few that do. So the next time you blast Taylor Swift in your car and curse all the guys in the world (let’s be honest, we all do it), perhaps think about yourself and what you can do to either initiate or improve a relationship. Regardless of her messages, T-Swizzle makes unarguably catchy good songs!