Any Context I Need for Taylor Swfit: Speak Now
Added 2024-01-22 14:38:16 +0000 UTCHey everyone,
For those who listen to the Taylor Swift album reactions, I was told to do a post by some of you before I react to it to maybe get some context to certain songs. If you prefer me just going in blind with the songs just mention that down below and I'll pick and choose which ones I go into blind with.
I will be reacting to it this weekend most likely (and should be up next week), so again, any context you think I might need, let me know below!
Comments
you should listen to better than revenge twice ( non tv & tv ) because there’s a lyric change
Lu
2024-01-30 00:20:35 +0000 UTCOk most was already said but a few things: I assume you are listening to the Taylors Version. the vault tracks are woth it so definetly listen to them! I recommend listening to Better than revenge twice - the Taylors Version and the old version as there was a major lyric change. the old lyrics were kind of mysogynistic (?) Also PLEASE listen to If this was a movie, which was originally on this album but the Taylors version isn't - according to the cover its now part of Fearless - its was a bonus track and the only one with a co-writer. All other songs were written by Taylor alone at age 19 or younger.
Anki
2024-01-24 14:20:24 +0000 UTCyes great video, maybe also for later if there are questions. its funny how i knew which video it was before clicking on the link
Anki
2024-01-24 14:14:39 +0000 UTCI get what you're saying but I think it's just inevitable that people think about who this particular song is about. And in some cases it's good to know, like with John Mayer and what a creep he is.
Heida
2024-01-23 14:44:49 +0000 UTCMy favourite (or one of my favourites) is Haunted too!
Heida
2024-01-23 14:18:32 +0000 UTCThings that haven't been covered or I may have missed: Mine - Taylor said it's about a boy she liked and imagined what it would be like if she actually let her guard down. It is rumored to be about Cory Monteith from Glee, who she was actually friends with and possibly dated (only rumours). Coincidentally the song was covered on Glee (though not by Cory). Back to December - About Taylor Lautner whom she dated back in 2009. The lyric "That September night, the first time you ever saw me cry" is in reference to the night Kanye interrupted Taylor's acceptance speech at the VMA's. Speak Now - Inspired by a story of a friend of hers (rumours are it's about Hayley Williams from Paramore). Taylor actually wanted to name the album Enchanted but her label didn't agree. She settled on Speak Now because she felt it captured the album's essence, with each song being a confession to different people. Dear John - About John Mayer, whom she dated when she was 19 and he was 32. There's also a song about him on the Midnights 3am edition called Would've, Could've, Should've. John Mayer is known to be a very problematic player. He said the song "humiliated" him and called it cheap songwriting. His song Paper Doll is believed to be a response to this. I recommend watching the live performance of Dear John from the Speak Now Tour. Taylor sings with so much emotion and expression on her face, especially when she sings "You should've known" in the last chorus. And during the line "I'm shining like fireworks over your sad empty town" there were actual fireworks on stage. Gives me goosebumps every time. Mean - The inspiration came from a critic who trashed her for apparently singing off-key at the 2010 Grammy Awards. Taylor got the last laugh because 2 years later she performed Mean at the Grammy's, changing the first line of the final chorus to "Someday, I'll be singing this at the Grammy's" and received a standing ovation. ICONIC. The Story of Us - Also about John Mayer. The song references her awkward encounter with him at the CMT Awards. Better Than Revenge - About actress Camilla Belle, whom Joe Jonas left her for after she appeared in a Jonas Brothers MV. Taylor changed a lyric from "She's better known for the things that she does on the mattress" to "He was a moth to the flame, she was holding the matches". She has said multiple times she regrets the original lyric because of the slut-shaming and pitting women against each other. I know some fans don't like the change but it's only cuz we're used to it in a certain way. Personally, this just makes me respect her even more. Times change and Taylor is not the heartbroken 18 year old girl anymore. Innocent - About Kanye, this was her way of forgiving him. That's why it's extra sad that he and Kim started publicly attacking her and making up lies about her. Haunted - Don't know who it's about but it's one of my favourites. I love the rock sound, the instruments and Taylor's earlier live performances of this song is a full on theatrical performance (specifically the Speak Now tour). It's so dramatic and I love it. Last Kiss: About Joe Jonas. The intro is 27 seconds because he broke up with her via phone call that lasted 27 seconds. "That July 9th" is a reference to that date in 2008 when Taylor went to see the Jonas Brothers perform in Dallas, Texas. Taylor recently said she thinks it's the saddest song she's ever written. Long Live: A love letter to her fans and her band/crew, most of whom have been with her since the beginning. When Emma Falls in Love: Rumored to be about Emma Stone, one of Taylor's best friends. I Can See You: Don't know who/what exactly it's about but the video has a LOT of Easter eggs. It stars Taylor Lautner, they are now good friends along with Taylor L's wife, who is also not only called Taylor but Taylor Lautner too since she took his name (maiden name is Dome). I know, it's confusing! Along with Taylor L, Joey King and Presley Cash star in the video (they starred in the MV for Mean back when they were kids). In the video, Taylor is literally locked in a vault with Speak Now TV. She escapes with that album but looks back because she has to leave the original album behind. It ends with them leaving on a 'getaway car' (a song on Reputation) to what appears to be New York. The interstate says 1989 TV which was the biggest hint that that album was next (Taylor had moved to NY at that point and the album has a song called Welcome To New York). All the outfits are Taylor's outfits from her MV, tours and performances, including the one she is wearing (not all of them are from Speak Now but that's because she still had 3 albums left to re-record). There is also a piano and a balcony from the Speak Now tour (Love Story). 13 is her lucky number and the lyrics on her left arm say "I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you" from Long Live. The dress Joey and Taylor L are looking at in the video is the dress Joey wore in the Mean MV. Also Joey hits a security guard with the banjo Taylor had in the video. And Taylor L's fight is reminiscent of an SNL skit he did when he showed what he wished he had done to Kanye after the 2009 VMAs. Castles Crumbling feat. Hayley Williams: At least partially about Kanye. “Used to chant my name, now they’re screaming that they hate me” hints at the moment people booed Kanye for stealing her moment at the VMA's. In Taylor's Netflix documentary Miss Americana she said she thought the people were booing her. Foolish One: Fans think the song could be about John Mayer as the lyrics draw many parallels to Dear John. Others believe it could be about Joe Jonas as the bridge references her ex moving on with someone else like in Better Than Revenge, and it draws parallels to Mr. Perfectly Fine, which is a song about him on Fearless TV. Timeless: About her grandparents. Taylor previously wrote about her grandmother, who was an opera singer, in the song Marjorie (her name) on Evermore. She was also inspired by her grandfather, a war veteran, in Epiphany on Folklore.
Heida
2024-01-23 14:17:26 +0000 UTCjust a quick note as well, I LOVE that you watch the music videos for the ones that have them. so many people miss her music videos reacting and they're so good!
ke
2024-01-23 04:06:21 +0000 UTCPersonally I dislike when fans make her songs about the people that supposedly inspired them instead of relating them to their own lives or appreciating them for what they are, beautiful well-written songs, without the association with celebrity drama.
N K
2024-01-23 04:05:52 +0000 UTCoh yeah and John Mayer sucks. dear John is about him and their weird relationship (she was 19 and he was 32). also the only song she's ever put the ex's name in the title of the song
ke
2024-01-23 04:04:48 +0000 UTCeveryone pretty much covered the main points, but I just wanted to say this album is labeled country but actually has a lot of rock elements. Haunted especially
ke
2024-01-23 04:03:16 +0000 UTCI knew what video this was before I even clicked on the link 😂💜
Sashwathi Sriganesh
2024-01-22 22:35:24 +0000 UTCBack to December- Taylor laugher- she broke his heart and the song is her saying sorry to him Dear John- about John Mayer a 32 year old who dated her when she was 19 and really messed with her:( Enchanted- About the guy in Owl City when she had a crush on him when they first met Last Kiss- About Joe Jonas- in fearless we get the angsty “forever and always” track and here we get a song about her mourning the relationship Never grow up- suhc a sweet sweet beautiful song🥹 Innocent- is about her trying to forgive Kanye and show him grace after what he did to her at the VMAS Better than Revenge- such an angsty hit! Tay was in her blame THR girl who stole her bf phase at this age but such a bop! Long live- the most special song so so many swifties- it’s a dedication to her band and her fans and its even more meaningful the more Taylor grows❤️ Speak now(song)- will def make you laugh it’s also angsty and immature and fun! This ENTIRE album is self written- only Taylor since people didn’t believe she was writing her own music
Sashwathi Sriganesh
2024-01-22 22:30:45 +0000 UTCJohn Mayer sucks. 🥰
Neftaly Duran
2024-01-22 21:59:50 +0000 UTCwish I could highlight this comment cause it's so concise
RuthGA
2024-01-22 19:46:28 +0000 UTCDear John is about John Mayer who she dated when she was 19 and he was 33
Hollie
2024-01-22 17:45:10 +0000 UTCnever grow up is about her moving out of her family home. Speak now is about her friend hayley williams from paramore’s ex boyfriend getting married and taylor imagines what it would be like to interrupt the wedding. Story of Us is about John Mayer, they were both at an award show shortly after they broke up and they were sat near each other. They both ignored each other and she was wondering whether it was as hard for him as it was for her to see each other and not speak. Castles crumbling is about struggling growing up in the spotlight.
Sienna Tallentire
2024-01-22 17:38:29 +0000 UTCI Can see you has a music video which features joey king, taylor lautner and presley cash. Presley Cash and Joey King were in the mean music video back when the album was first released. Swifties freaked out when the music video premiered at and eras tour show when taylor lautner appeared as they previously dated around this time and back to december is about how she wishes she treated him better. The cast also surprised the fans at the concert.
Sienna Tallentire
2024-01-22 17:28:22 +0000 UTCThe songs with music videos are: Mine Back to december Mean The story of us Ours I can see you
Line Johansson
2024-01-22 15:45:47 +0000 UTCBack to December is about Taylor Lautner. Better than Revenge is about Camilla Belle who dated Joe Jonas. Dear John is about John Mayer when he dated her when she was 19 and he was 32.
Meredith Cox
2024-01-22 15:39:22 +0000 UTCThe album is entirely self-written after people started saying she doesn’t actually write her own songs Back to december is about taylor lautner When you listen to speak now (the song) think about the character she played in new girl (the song was not written about that but it’s very fitting haha) Mean is about a critic who wrote very badly of her Enchanted is about adam young from owl city (they never actually dated but he did make a very cringe cover of the song as a response so check that out if you want hahah) Better than revenge is about the girl Joe Jonas started dating after her, at the time she felt she ”stole” him from her, since her view of the situation is different now she did change part of the lyrics on taylors version Innocent was her song forgiving kanye after the incident at the vmas 2009 Last kiss is about Joe Jonas and the intro is 27 seconds because he broke up with her in 27 seconds over the phone Long live is about her band (who she is still with on her current tour) and her fans and it’s pretty much the swiftie anthem I believe the songs about John Mayer are the story of us, ours, superman (not 100% sure about that one) and of course dear john (she was 19 and he was 32 when they dated) Timeless is about her grandparents relationship
Line Johansson
2024-01-22 15:38:44 +0000 UTCBlank space is on 1989
Inna
2024-01-22 15:24:14 +0000 UTCBlank Space is one of my favs and it’s a satirical take on the media stories about her being a “clingy seriel dater” types.
Radha Karia
2024-01-22 15:12:01 +0000 UTCShe received a lot of criticism that she wasn’t writing her songs just because a few other people were in the room when she wrote previous songs. She decided to write this album entirely by herself to prove that she could.
Stephanie Davis
2024-01-22 15:00:03 +0000 UTCThat's all I got, can't wait to watch! :)
Alycia Ortiz
2024-01-22 14:50:35 +0000 UTCLong Live is a fan fav as it's about her band and the fans (she thought the height of her success was guna be Fearless). Back to December is about Taylor Lautner (werewolf from Twilight). Mean is about a music reviewer (I think) that criticized her singing. Better than Revenge has a lyric change in the Taylor's Version as the original had a problematic line in it. Last Kiss is about Joe Jonas. When Emma Falls in Love is rumored to be about Emma Stone. In the song "Dear John" about John Mayer, she uses a guitar riff that is very similar to how he plays in his music.
Alycia Ortiz
2024-01-22 14:48:58 +0000 UTCi think you should know that speak now was album written all by herself it doesn’t have one song where someone helped her write!! the song “back to december” is about Taylor Lautner (Jacob from twilight) and the song “Dear John” is about John Mayer who she dated when she was 19 and he was 32,and you should listen to both versions of the song “better than revenge” because there is a lyric change or just go to 0:46 in the “stolen” version so you can see the change! And the song “Innocent” is the song she wrote for Kanye after the VMA 2009 incident. Also “if this was a movie” is a song that was originally on the stolen speak now album and it was then released on a fearless (taylor’s version) album and you didn’t listen to it when you were doing fearless tv so i think you should also listen to that!! My personal favourite is “Haunted” (it’s my second favourite ever) and i can’t wait to see what’s yours going to be!!
Inna
2024-01-22 14:46:51 +0000 UTCsome songs are about John Mayer who she dated when she was 19 he was 32. innocent is about the 2009 vmas incident with kanye
Nada
2024-01-22 14:41:56 +0000 UTCIf you want some context to the songs, this is a very helpful video! It is almost an hour long, but goes into detail about pretty much everything https://youtu.be/dch5p9YLCsg?si=6a0oqGysVmPnP4gc
olivia
2024-01-22 14:40:20 +0000 UTC
