Taylor’s Version speaks to long-time fans
Almost 13 years after its original release, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” was released in early July of this year, making this the third stop on the way to Taylor Swift owning all her own music once again.
Since it was revealed in 2019 that Swift’s entire music catalog had been sold without her knowledge, she set out to re-record all of her previous albums. Two have been released so far both in 2021, almost two years ago. While fans anxiously await the rest of her discography to be re-recorded, she is taking her time and dropping subtle hints, what she calls “easter eggs.”
Her most recent re-record being “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).” Some of her greatest hits belong to this album including “The story of us,” “Back to December,” “Sparks Fly” and many more. On its initial release it sold 100,000 copies its first week, but the rerecord managed to sell 716,000 copies in its first week, making it the highest selling country album by a woman.
Although the songs are (almost) all exactly the same, some quickly noticed the new maturity in her singing voice and her lyrics. In her song “Better than revenge” she changed a whole lyric entirely. In the chorus she changed, “She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress” to the more feminist-friendly version “He was a moth to the flame she was holding the matches.” Audiences have applauded her on her new found maturity.
On this new version she has also included four extra songs called vault tracks. These are songs that were written for the album but didn’t make it on it the first time around. One thing that makes this album so special is that she wrote all of the songs by herself with no help from a co-writer. These extra songs are no different despite having features on them, from Fall Out Boy to Paramore.
Thirteen years later this album has held up and delighted audiences once again with its youthful optimism, heartfelt lyrics, and originality. It has proven its timelessness to audiences and critics all around.