For 17 years Taylor Swift’s music moved millions, making them sing along; “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” is no different.
Released nine years ago, “1989” marked a pivotal moment in Swift’s career and status as a pop icon. Its 16 tracks detailed Swift’s move to New York, highs and lows of her love life and the media scrutiny she faced.
It’s been two years since Swift won the master rights of her first six albums. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” is her fourth re-recording.
Some argue the re-records lack the emotion in the original albums. Do I agree? Yes; but that doesn’t stop me from singing along. Besides, I don’t see how one would recreate raw heartbreak from nine years ago.
Hearing Taylor’s mature vocals shows her growth as an artist. Listening to songs like “Blank Space” and “Shake it off” re-create the magic I felt the first time I listened to them. It’s also fun spotting differences between the original and re-records.
Alongside the original 16 tracks, the album included five bonus tracks: “Slut!”, “Don’t Say Go”, “Now That We Don’t Talk”, “Suburban Legends” and “Is it Over Now?”. How these got cut from the original album, I’ll never know.
Swift’s shortest song, “Now That We Don’t Talk”, packs quite the punch. “Suburban Legends”, with no intro, cuts to the chase-creating a sense of urgency throughout the song. “Say Don’t Go” and “Is It Over Now?” had me screaming to the lyrics as if my heart was just broken. Theorized to be an angsty hit, instead “Slut!” sadly described Swift’s experiences with the media.
Swift is a storyteller. The details she weaves throughout her songs make it feels like listening to a friend vent. Not to mention her strong lyrics are a work of art themselves.
Yesterday “1989” wasn’t even in my top three favorite Swift albums. Today it’s number one.
