In Honor of “Red (Taylor’s Version)” Being Released
Taylor Swift is a lyrical genius. There’s no denying it. In 2012 she released “Red,” her fourth studio album. The issue, for those of you who are *uncultured*, is that Taylor does not own “Red,” or any of the albums released by Big Machine Records. So, naturally, like the icon she is, Taylor Swift is re-releasing her albums so that she’ll have full ownership of them. In anticipation of “Red (Taylor’s Version)” releasing November 12, here are some beautiful lyrics we’ll once again be blessed with.
- “And you call me up again just to break me like a promise, so casually cruel in the name of being honest.” – “All Too Well”
-
Taylor Swift paints such a vivid picture of heartbreak with her lyrics. You can feel these words to your very core, which makes it both easy and satisfying to scream them at the top of your lungs.
- “Love is a ruthless game, unless you play it right.” – “State of Grace”
-
Taylor is great at tying life lessons into her songs. Take notes, everyone.
- “And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies, the beautiful kind, making up for lost time, taking flight.” – “Everything has Changed”
-
Beautifully written and poetic. These butterflies symbolize new beginnings and hope, and there’s something so magical about imagining them all taking flight. It’s also refreshing to hear a hopeful song about love, since much of this album is about heartbreak and loss.
- “And I know it’s long gone and that magic’s not here no more, and I might be okay but I’m not fine at all.” – “All Too Well”
-
I think a part of what makes Taylor’s lyrics so beautiful is that they’re relatable. We all know how it feels to hide our true emotions and to push the hurt deep down. There are way too many times when I’ve said I’m fine when I’m really not. These lyrics make it hurt a little less knowing someone else knows exactly how you feel. It can heal you little by little.
- “Distance, timing, breakdown, fighting, silence, train runs off its tracks, kiss me, try to fix it, could you just try to listen? Hang up, give up, for the life of us we can’t get back.” – “Sad Beautiful Tragic”
-
One of her prettiest, but also saddest bridges of this album. These lyrics really dive into the emotional trainwreck a relationship can be, especially when one person doesn’t truly listen to the other.
- “Loving him was like driving a new Maserati down a dead end street.” – “Red”
-
The title track never fails to hit hard. This one is no exception.
- “All we are is skin and bone, trained to get along.” – “Treacherous”
-
Taylor Swift literally breaks down human existence into the simplest of terms here.
- “But on a Wednesday in a cafe, I watched it begin again.” – “Begin Again”
-
This song gives hope that love will find you once again, and that maybe it’ll be better this time.
- “And there in the bathroom, I try not to fall apart, as the sinking feeling starts.” – “The Moment I Knew”
-
These lyrics are relatable to more than just relationships. We all know the sinking feeling she’s talking about and how much it hurts.
- “Taxi cabs and busy streets that never bring you back to me” – “Come Back…Be Here”
-
Not being near those you love is so heartbreaking, and this song really breaks down how that distance can affect you.
- “You wear your best apology but I was there to watch you leave.” – “The Last Time”
-
Goodbyes are hard, and they’re even harder when you have to do them all over again. These lyrics give strength to standing your ground and not accepting apologies from people who have hurt you, because watching them leave yet again would be detrimental.
- “You’ve got your demons and darling they all look like me.” – “Sad Beautiful Tragic”
-
Heartbreak leaves a lasting scar, and these words hit deep.
- “Up in your room and our slates are clean, just twin fire signs, four blue eyes.” – “State of Grace”
-
One of the things that make Taylor Swift such a good song writer is her ability to tell a story through her lyrics. A good story always has strong imagery, and she does a beautiful job laying out the scenes for us so we can perfectly imagine them. This line from “State of Grace” is a good example of this.
From this list, it’s clear “Red” is a passionate album, mostly about heartbreak. All of its songs are beautifully written and put on display through Taylor Swift’s songwriting abilities. Whether you’re a Swiftie or not, there’s no denying she has talent, and I encourage you to listen to “Red (Taylor’s Version)” as soon as it comes out this November so you can hear these lyrics for yourself.