Highs and Lows of "Speak Now" (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift Essay/Review

[@laurenl6569]

Sorry to burst ur bubble but nothing on the album is about Jake. Dear John and all the songs about date an older man on this album are about John Meyer

[@professorskye]

Even better!

[@mariaperpetuadeguzman2314]

You can't react to Taylor. She is superior. And you're not! Don't use Taylor so you can have subscribers. You can't even hold a candle for Taylor.

[@chloealicaya]

I bet you haven't really digested/listened to Taylor's words maria, I hope the professor isn't that bothered too much by your words. Also, Taylor isn't above or below anyone, she's just our person, like how swifties are Taylor's persons.

[@mamab4720]

​@@professorskye😂😂😂

[@borathebrat]

@@chloealicayawho said any of that?💀

[@jaylynn8630]

I think you're the first reactor/reviewer I have ever seen who properly appreciates the excellence of the line, "you made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter," and I'm so delighted about it! I've felt it was emblematic of her skills as a lyricist since the OG album was released when I was a teenager. That one little line tells a whole story in itself! Also, I mention this because as a grown man, you may not know it, but in regards to the romanticizing toxic relationship things, that’s extremely common among teenage girls. Probably because it’s extremely common in media made for teenage girls. Books, movies, tv shows… all of it has a large selection of romanticized relationships that are at best toxic and worst outright abusive. At this time Taylor didn’t have a lot of personal experienc in relationships, so a lot more of her writing was informed by stories she consumed. After Speak Now, she does very little romanticizing toxic relationships, and portrays that sort of thing negatively in general. I think it’s no coincidence that that happens after she’s grown up a bit and gotten more dating experience. Another piece you are missing, because you don’t know that Dear John is about John Mayer, is that she very deliberately wrote the music itself (and esp the guitar) to imitate his signature style. So that guitar lick you were complaining about? I'm told by John Mayer fans who have heard this song that it's just the kind of guitar lick he is known for putting in his songs. Speaking from experience: Never Grow Up is every bit as emotional to listen to from the other side. I listened to it the first night after my parents had dropped me off at my dorm in an out-of-state college and basically cried myself to sleep! Really interesting to get your perspective on Innocent. I was still in elementary school when it happened, so even though I was already a big fan of Taylor Swift, I never heard any of the conversations you are talking about. And if I had heard them, I had no real understanding of what racism is and how it works, so I wouldn't have picked up on this stuff. I'm glad you brought it up!

[@laurenl6569]

Long Live is about her band and fans. And how she felt on top of the world while touring fearless. It’s very interesting now that we also have the other side of the coin with the vault track crumbling castles

[@laurenl6569]

For Better than Revenge Taylor has said exactly what you said about the song as well. That it was something she wrote at 19 back when she thought someone can steal your partner. She also changed a line in this version cause the previous line was very slut shaming.

[@jl0562]

This album it is not her best but it is my favourite because it feels like the last cry of earnestness before irony seeps into everything you do and say, i could never hate this album or the person who wrote it

[@rebellius_9190]

SAME

[@azulablue6988]

Folklore is her best, but this is my absolute favorite evveeerrrr!!!!

[@rileygarrett8541]

A lot of Taylor fans consider Dear John to be about the same relationship as Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve from Midnights, but WCS is her reflecting back on it now that she’s the same age that the older man was at the time. Both have lyrics about being 19 and the idea of “I should’ve/would’ve known”.

[@destinykendall7999]

AVAA I was worried for a second you weren't going to like never grow up but I was pleasantly surprised. You have the most interesting reviews on KZbin in my opinion. I like that I can't really predict which songs you'll like or dislike even though I've watched a lot of your videos. Your respect for her is appreciated and it's very endearing when you bring up Jake Gyllenhaal, I honestly can't tell if it's a bit and I don't want to know either way. Anyways thank you. I'm going to try my best to try and get your video to vault track numbers because I'd love to hear your thoughts on I can see you and timeless.

[@jl0562]

the music critic anecdote is so funny but I think she was also inspired by her experience with bullying in high school, either way it's a great example of her ability to turn everything into universal feelings

[@JesM94]

i love that taylors albums are memory totems that can take me back to the past but also let me appreciate who the older me is. it's really cool to hear what someone with fresh ears thinks, thanks!

[@j.6133]

What a great review! Thank you! Taylor wrote this album completely by herself when she was 18-20. This is what she wrote in a message to her fans on the re-release day, 'It's an album I wrote alone about the whims, fantasies, heartaches, dramas and tragedies I lived out as a young woman between 18 and 20. I remember making tracklist after tracklist, obsessing over the right way to tell the story. I had to be ruthless with our choices, and I left behind some songs I am still unfailingly proud of now.' I hope this video gets more than 5K views (as it should!!), and we will hear your opinion on the vault tracks, especially on 'Castles Crumbling' (ft. Hayley Williams from Paramore) and 'Timeless'.

[@mamab4720]

I know right! I enjoyed this reaction so much.

[@tasnuvarawshan5827]

CAN YALL GET THIS VID TO 5K VIEWS ALREADY

[@ZenMother1]

To the careful man with a careless father: This was a wonderful analysis and a joy to listen to. Keep up the great work. Hope you get to 5K views. I think you'd be missing out on some great poetry if you don't get to the vault tracks. 💖🕊️

[@vitorstenner3355]

Actually "Speak Now" as the title of the album means what you thought it did (people think I can't write my songs, well now I'm gonna speak now) and it also means speaking up on things you never had the courage to say to someone. The marriage thing is only in Speak Now the song.

[@Augustforever13]

I always love your videos even when I disagree with parts of it hahah this is one of my favorite albums of hers mainly because I was there in 2010, I was 12 years old feeling like a grown up listening to her big feelings whilst still too young to relate to any of them... I do know you don't like knowing her personal life, but knowing Dear John is about John Mayer actually gives some context to the production of the song, because she very purposefully chose to mimick John's guitar signatures which I think is brilliant, even if it is petty hahaha great video as always 😉

[@briannasummey2257]

I agree with you on it being better stripped down. The way you described Taylor at 8:49 is incredible. I appreciate that you see her for the true songwriting artist she is. I’ve been a fan since her debut album, and her songwriting has always been what matters the most to me. There’s so much below the surface and real insights into the human condition. As a writer myself, I consider her a great inspiration to my craft. Also she’s definitely a Jackson Browne fan. She also likes James Taylor. Apparently her mom introduced her to the older music she is influenced by, which I love because I have the dynamic with my mom. ERAI, Professor Skye 😊

[@farhanasafran8124]

Thank you for this video! I always appreciate your reviews on Taylor's albums. They're always very thoughtful.

[@ekkihugsa9769]

Every since I watched this video I've been "Ah-ah, ah-ah"-ing harder than ever in Mine 🤣 Thanks for the thoughtful review as ever! I had never paid much attention to this album mainly due to it's production, but WHAT was I missing. Taylor's lyricism here is really unbelivable for her age and I think that this new recording with the updated vocals and production completely revitalized it. To listen her 32 year old sing about her 19 year old experience in Dear John in unbeliably heartbreaking. Back to December shows the rare glimpse of self-awareness that Taylor would only show again in Anti-Hero. And Mine will have forever what I consider to be the best line she has ever written: "You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter".

[@isabelamelo530]

AVAA! Love the review and I couldn't agree more, from fallen heroes to racialized fame, it really resonated with me, just as speak now resonated with the careful daughter of a careless man I was when I was growing up. Saw another person comment on how fascinating it is to figure out which songs made it to your heart, because they're never the obvious choice, and YES! Don't know if anyone pointed it out yet, but it's great to listen to Would've could've should've and Dear John back to back. To hear her grown-up perspective on the same events makes it even more significant and sadder at the same time, 10/10 would recommend! Can't wait for the review of vault songs!

[@almeida5823]

I really love your reviews, always saying interest things about the singer and life itself and you're funny From Brazil

[@B0KN0WS]

AVAA! Hey Skye, I don't know if you know this (and I know it may not matter to you at all) but Beyonce won video of the year for Single Ladies at the Vmas that year, which is the top prize. As she should, for it was absolutely the best video that year. Taylor only won best female video. It was also her 1st time winning a vma. It made what Kanye did even more unnecessary. I completely agree with everything else that you said about that incident though. I hadn't thought about some of what you said, about how it gave racists something they had been waiting for for a long time especially. That is so insightful and true. I don't think that Taylor realized all that at the time either, she was very young and was still growing up. But she has certainly realized in the years since, when the far right labeled her an "aryan goddess" and thought she was a crypto conservative. She has said of that incident and the things that happened between Kanye and her later on that "I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative, one that I have never asked to be a part of, since 2009". Also, I wanted to say that I love watching your honest and thoughtful album reviews btw. Especially Taylor and your Ethel Cain videos. And i completely agree that Midnights is s Taylor's best Album! Even if it isn't my absolute favorite, there is so much subtilty and complexety happening there... The production! The songwriting! The artistic growth! And even the concept of the album seems to be evolving in real time since it came out as she has released the bonus songs "Hits Different" and "You're Losing Me" It's presented as an album about 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout her life, but now we can see that she was reflecting and ruminating on her past loves and mistakes, looking for answers for why her relationship that she thought would be forever was falling apart. Like she says in 3am track "Dear Reader ", "I prefer hiding in plain sight" the whole album is hiding in plain sight. So clever. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to make your videos and take care!

[@wandermander6122]

AVAA! I was very excited to hear you mention Jackson Browne. As a swiftie, I absolutely adore his work - and for the very same reasons you recommended him. I feel like I’ve done my homework before it was even assigned, this is great.

[@rileygarrett8541]

Fun fact about the music. Taylor described this album as a patchwork with the variety of genres/production in the songs. Lots of critics didn’t like that about it, so she became obsessed with making her subsequent albums sonically cohesive. You hear it a bit on Red, and you’ll hear it a ton on 1989! Also, Dear John was written about John Mayer, so it’s suspected that she wrote the guitar in that song to reference his signature sound. I hope you can listen to the bonus & vault songs! Some of them are a very different vibe from the rest of the album but I like them all.

[@cheesewithxbread]

I'm here for the pettiness. 😂 To be fair, she wrote every song by herself between 18-20 years old.

[@rebellius_9190]

AVAA! this is probably my favorite taylor swift album (maybe it's red, it might change in a few months or maybe even tomorrow, idk it's just how it is for me) but I agree that it's not the best and that's a good thing because she grew artistically and its a very transitional album so she knew all along that she was going to move to bigger things for the best or the worst. when you said you probably would've preferred the album if the production was more stripped down is when I realized how much I love it the way that it is, saying this as someone that loves folk-evermore type of production too. when I first listened to this taylor's version I was really afraid that they were going to handle the production too differently than the original (and sometimes just butcher it, holy ground staring at you) like they did in the last two rerecordings but this one was actually the most faithful of the three. at some point you said it's crazy how taylor still sounds very young sometimes and that's what I thought too! (was the AI thing you said a joke?. if it wasn't, of all people I don't see taylor being pro AI especially since she cares a lot about owning her art) I agree with your flops but I still like to listen to them sometimes, in a strangely opposite way: I think that innocent can work only separated from the event that made taylor write it and embraced more as a personal forgiveness song as she seemed to push in all the posts she made prior to the release, about how when she was rerecording she was 32 (and still growing up now), kind of a "never grow up sequel" but the original is still the better one. I see better than revenge as some petty banger, I think that's the appeal of it for some people, reminds of how early on she had a really homophobic song and there are people that still listen to it illegally on spotify as satire, both can only work in its time period. I see why she changed the lyrics but it's less mysogynistic than it was originally but it still is so what's the point? about the autenticity in this album, there are people that say that taylor's pop isn't as authentic and the reason is simply because it's pop and then folklore came out and all of this people freaked out over it ect. but for this album the argument is different. we're not really saying that her pop persona is inauthentic, I agree with the argument you started in the lover video, but she hasn't been as authentic as she was in this for different reasons such as her image + the perks of not having any other co-writer and having a mind like taylor is that left on her own without no one filtering her thoughts and all the details, that's why taylor describes it herself as diaristic confessions, pieces of herself. I want to finish this saying this is probably my comfort channel and I don't know why I didn't comment ever before. I'm italian and english is not my native language so I'm afraid I might've written some bullshit that doesn't make any sense and got all the conditionals wrong, I hope it's not the case. have a good day/night!

[@rebellius_9190]

I forgot to mention that I remember watching the second midnight video when it came out and when you said that would've could've should've wasn't about taylor I wondered if by the time you would've done this video and listened to dear john you'd remember about would've could've should've and put the pieces together. I listened them one after the other once and it was a painful experience.

[@professorskye]

Your English is wonderful! As a language teacher, I appreciate your efforts. Glad you enjoy the channel.

[@ferielksarihabiles8104]

AVAA Bonjour, je regarde toujours vos reviews sur les albums de Taylor Swift mais c’est la première fois que je laisse un commentaire. Je tenais a vous dire que votre perception est très rafraîchissante par rapport a nous les super fan qui connaissent de A à Z la vie privée et les messages cachés de Taylor dans sa musique. Bonne continuation dans vos video.

[@professorskye]

Merci bien

[@Marxnchill]

Taylor absolutely inspired me to learn how to play music (can now play ukulele guitar banjo mandolin) and start painting by putting that same diligence she inspired me to put into music. This was about 10 years ago and although I didn’t keep up with music I still paint and have improved immensely. In my old age I will be truly amazing. I thank Taylor for all that. Her fearless documentary was it for me. I was forever a Swiftie after that ❤

[@Marxnchill]

Also yaaaa Libby!

[@Marxnchill]

And I went homeless to get away from NH 😂 I’m really enjoying this video

[@Marxnchill]

Ok last comment: spot on with Innocent 💯

[@GinoGreenDay]

Cooool video as always, love if you did another one for the vault. Btw she wrote sparks fly 2 records ago, for her debut, but then changed the 2nd verse a bit

[@mariselas.1221]

Thank you for sharing your honest opinion about innocent. I’ve never thought about what Kanye experience after the VMA incident quite like you do. However, I also think that we should not invalidate Taylor’s experience going through that because it wasn’t just an uncomfortable moment for her. It really did affect her. Nonetheless, thanks for sharing your perspective and reminding us about the dire consequences Black men have had to face.

[@phuong-anh11]

Thanks for the interesting review on the album! I don’t necessarily agree with everything but I really like and agree with some of your points of view and connections, especially on Innocent and Never Grow Up. Many people think that it’s very nice of her writing a nice song about Kanye in spite of what he has done but I have always thought that it’s offensive. But she might really have done it with good intention. It might not be related but as an ethnic minority myself, some good intention acts could be offensive. In fact, he had done so many worse things to her after that incident so I think it went outside the racial issue and it’s mainly his own terrible personality. She used to say this few years ago “I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative, one that I have never been asked to be a part of, since 2009.”

[@TerryMarsh2024]

Speak Now (Original) was the first album I bought of Taylor's

[@superchick946]

Your comments about taking a walk through New Hampshire and having this catharsis makes me want to hear your thoughts on Noah Kahan’s album Stick Season. It is truly a cathartic album and one that has some truly amazing lyrics. Great review as always! ❤

[@mamab4720]

I am a Swiftie and I come in peace by saying I loved this reaction! Thanks for the honesty. I am almost 50 and have become a fan in just the last decade so much of this album was new to me. She wrote this whole album herself and it's CRAZY right!? Also I feel like Kanye has shown us a narcissistic personality and what type of behavior comes with that. Much of her vault tracks sound alternative. ♡⁠˖

[@thaigo_tigas_tigo]

Taylor and Kendrick are coming to my city this year and we may or may not witness a Bad Blood Remix live performance and yes this is important for our society.

[@sebastianromero7085]

Not innocent being one of the written best songs in the album tho :( I think you're doing what you say you never do which is to bring the context into the art. I've heard that song so many times and it's never been about Kanye even tho in the back of my mind I'd kinda heard about it before. Try to listen to it without that context (like with Mean), it just hits different. I've just always seen that song as she singing to herself as she does in songs like Never grow up, and the 32 is like her seeing into the future and singing to that future self like, hey, even if you-re 32 and still struggling life is tough, etc... Now, ofc I know the context makes it so that's not the case, but again, the context is not objective fact w art

[@laurenl6569]

Can we just say professor doesn’t even know how much Taylor would love this made up 31st tense because of no reason on than the number 😂

[@skiwii26]

To me that's an unfair take on innocent. Imo the 32 growing up now line doesn't sound patronizing, it's just a line about all of us making mistakes. About the tracklist, i think the positioning doesn't reinforce the idea of revenge but highlights the contrasts of the album, which is all about confessions, and it shows that taylor is a complex human being. And the whole vma incident wasn't as equal as two millionaires clashing at the time, that was one of the first big awards taylor won at 19 and kanye had a successful career for years and was well stablished. The racial discussion is super relevant but i read her reaction as well intended

[@ivy8522]

omg hi i'm the first one!! i've been waiting for your review i'm so curious about what you think of the album

[@cheesewithxbread]

Dear John references the emotional abuse and psychological torment John Mayer subjected her to. (In fact he drove Jessica Simpson to alcoholism.)

[@Maggielesetoiles6]

This album is best appreciated after a good 4 listens. I did not understand this album the first two run throughs but the irritating thing - as you’re discovering - about Taylor is that she’s just so good that the shit grows on you hard - I can’t get it 😅

[@trelew2023]

Beyonce won video of the year, so Kanye had just to wait until the end of the award show and he just had been fine. There was no need to poop on TS award. I believe MTV just considered both TS and Beyonce good videos and gave TS the award to best female video and since Beyonce's was better, they gave her the video of the year awards.

[@Maggielesetoiles6]

yaaaassss this is the ultimate dream reaction ❤❤❤❤

[@eschrad]

“Speak Now” as the album title does have that bigger meaning that this is an album of Taylor saying “I’ll show you who writes my songs”, but it also means the songs on the album are all things she wished she said in the moment, but didn’t have the nerve or the quick-mindedness to do so at the time. (Taylor has said all this.) She wrote “Speak Now” the song (inspired by a friend whose ex got married), and then used that as the title of the album on Scott Borchetta’s suggestion. She wanted to call the album “Enchanted” originally, but Scott thought that was too fairy tale-juvenile sounding.

[@paolomasia91]

I imagine that most of your auditors are American or speak English as a first language, but for someone who is not a native speaker you have no idea how interesting your reflections on song lyrics are. Although I can speak English, I cannot pay attention to lyrics when I listen to music, and I often made the mistake over the years of stopping listening to an artist if the music was not the best for me. I never understood Taylor Swift until I listenerd to your essays about her, and now thanks to you I can definitely appreciate her more. This is even more important when it comes to hip hop. Besides the fact that it is not a genre I am so familiar with, a lot of study and research is required for me when I read the lyrics. So you are also doing a great job of music outreach in making it easier for your non-american auditors (I think others can agree on this) in making the content more usable, while at the same time opening a great space for personal/social/political reflection. So.. Amazing, Professor!

[@andrewmacdonald3667]

‘Dear John’s’ guitar lick is supposedly a parody of John Mayer’s guitar style. Hence your annoyance?

[@gerardovazquez6441]

As an instrumentalist, she does not have the authority to make fun of anyone

[@ValentinaDanaus]

Did you actually cover the vault tracks on RED (Taylor´s version)? I guessed I must have missed that video. I believe you only covered vault tracks from Midnights actually. Would love to hear your opinions on all of them. I run to the channel every time there's a new release :)

[@laurenl6569]

Also (lastly) 1989 will be next she’s made it clear in her music video. Release probably in September or October

[@catnipevrdn]

personally, regarding innocent i feel the same way you said you feel in general about her, i prefer the song without the context. i grew up in a country were racial issues are not as present in everyday life, and when the vma's thing happened she wasn't as popular here either, so at the time i didn't see or hear any of the repercutions you mentioned. but then when the song came out i was at that age when i started to recognize the humanity of my parents and myself and people in general, and the fact that i was hurt by who cared about me and also hurt people who i cared about. so it's always felt like a cathartic song in that sense. "Today is never too late to be brand new" can be applied to anyone at any age it was something i really needed to hear at the time. i do understand how it can be infantilizing and petty within the context you explained though

[@VanCityGal]

As you have found out already, Dear John is about John Mayer. This is the reason for the guitar lick (we think). It was meant in irony of his ego. He later called the song cheap songwriting and put out his rebuttal song called Paper Doll which is by far one of his worst songs IMHO. Not a good look for him.

[@CamillaJeneau]

(Fun?) Fact, she’s the age she references (32) now for both Dear John (he was 32 and she was 19) and Innocent 😢 Also Never grow up hurts extra more from a grown up Taylor

[@j.6133]

She's 33 now. She was born December 13, 1989

[@therandomname69420]

I disagree with you on not liking how Taylor Swift writes about her personal experiences(love, heartbreak, bullying etc.). I feel like the more details the more people can relate to it and the more you learn about the artist.

[@Henrique96Alves]

I don't like Speak Now as an entire album but I think it has one of the best Taylor's song. I haven't heard yet the Taylor's Version but I'm listening her discography after many years (because I'm not a big fan of her work) and the best thing so far I notice is the production and mixing quality. Taking the original Fearless I don't think is a good album, but listening the new version I could understand that it has good compositions, but horrible mixing from the time with overprocessed instrumentals and vocals. Most of her country albums has that problem but I'm glad that she is recording

[@XEveryoneLovesEmilyX]

Dear John is about John Mayer and written in the style of John Mayer 😎

[@jl0562]

the thing about her father is a big debate in the fandom, a lot of people think that she has "daddy issues" but taylor is super private about her family,I think that the most private thing that she has told about her family is that both of her parents are cancer survivors and that in her mother's case she no longer has possible treatment, she has even tried to keep her parents' divorce a secret lol

[@j.6133]

This is what Taylor said about Scott a few weeks ago on stage during her Eras Tour in front of 70 000 people, 'I have a really, really incredible dad, like hasn’t missed a show type of dad. He’s the best and I love him so much'.

[@catnipevrdn]

@@j.6133 the relationship she has with him now as an adult may not be the same as the experiences she's had with him while growing up. it's one thing to openly say to a full stadium that you're happy and that you love your dad but it would be a very different and hard thing for her to be so open about it if she was abused, or if she ever had a bad relationship with him. either way, it's a good thing their relationship is in such a good place now.

[@j.6133]

@@catnipevrdn You honestly think it's OK to assume a horrible thing about a person you don't personally know? Or even speculate about it? Wow. Just wow.

[@Augustforever13]

uhh also haha you might actually enjoy the production of the vault tracks more, they're a lot more toned down

[@Augustforever13]

except electric touch hahaha

[@Maggielesetoiles6]

Hang on hang on hang on hang on I know I’m not the first to say this but actually, the correction is extremely relevant in Dear John because of the guitar part (and we may not be interested as much the age gap) Dear John is literally about John Mayer, and that is the whole point of the title of the song being a double entendre, but also from a musical point of view, extremely relevant, because of the songwriting and the instrumentation

[@laurenl6569]

Sorry I have so many comments. She definitely did not have have a niece. She only has 1 younger brother. Also the line “But don't make her drop you off around the block, Remember that she's gettin' older too” kills me especially since my mom died I can barely listen to it

[@professorskye]

Love all the comments. Helps me to get the stuff I don’t focus on.

[@tvil8]

Some of yall need to take her advice and calm down. Everyone is allowed to have their opinion and should be allowed to listen to her music without knowing every detail of her life.

[@kiroolioneaver8532]

I was only familiar with the songs "Back to Decemeber" and "Enchanted" so this was my first full listen of this album. I do agree it's the least interesting of her "Taylor's Version" albums so far but I think she probably sang "Never Grow Up" with what must be more weight being older. Also, she apparently changed the lyrics on her obviously "Misery Business"-inspired "Better Than Revenge" to be less misognysitic (the original lyrics where an actress better known for what she does on the mattress).

[@K.Angelina]

I honestly always had the thought that Innocent was actually about John Mayer. They dated when he was 32 and had a pretty crooked past publicly. That song seems like it has to be about someone she knew more intimately. Not someone she only met for a second when they ran on stage at an award show. I think she wrote it about John then regretted it in hindsight so she told everyone it was about Kanye. Which obviously was not a good move. That song is widely disliked in the Taylor Swift fandom.

[@cheesewithxbread]

Revenge is based on context in my opinion. Sure, some situations do not warrant revenge, but other situations absolutely does.

[@pauletteray577]

I completely agree with your analysis of innocent, it has never sat right with me. Even if she didn’t mean to be offensive, the song’s premise never felt genuine.

[@akiki03]

I think your analysis of the whole VMAs situation is missing the Taylor perspective. You dismiss her so easily by saying awards are pointless, she has money, a moment of glory in a lifetime of glory. She was 19 years old winning an award in a place she didn’t feel she belonged. I know you don’t like to know all of the details but maybe it would help to know how she felt at that time. “It was so echoey in there. At the time, I didn’t know they were booing him doing that. I thought they were booing me. For someone who’s built their whole belief system on getting people to clap for you, the whole crowd booing is a pretty formative experience. That was sort of a catalyst for a lot of psychological paths I went down and not all of them were beneficial. It was all fueled by not feeling like I belonged there. I’m only here because I work hard and I’m nice to people.”

[@therandomname69420]

Can I ask why do you prefer Fearless over Speak Now?

[@laurenl6569]

As a swiftie this is also my least favorite Taylor swift album. But it’s a lot like her reputation album (my favorite of her albums). The ppl who love it really love it

[@laurenl6569]

Though the vault tracks might push it above her debut album so maybe it’s my second least favorite now

[@AntonioDeVita-zf4sl]

AVAA Shamelessly plugging Alexz Johnson because I think you should listen and review her as well.

[@roli9091]

The Dante reveal ...! avaa.:)

[@feelthemoodshiftin]

bro go from covering billy woods to Taylor swift lol love the versatility

[@almeida5823]

Professor please, please, please listen to the vault tracks and come back to talk to us! ❤

[@vinicius99157]

Hey, AVAA, I really want to hear you talk about the new foo fighters record; its such a tragic but great comeback for the band

[@leec4849]

acting like the bigger person is very much how taylor swift cope with unpleasant and sometimes traumatic experiences, other than being straight up petty. and both are much more harmless compared to the actual experiences she had.

[@Yvy-temp]

AVAA, but I really do mean it 💞

[@almeida5823]

Ps: you should really talk about books too❤

[@mohaddesehtaheri1661]

The fact that you assume every single song is about Jake Gyllenhaal is hilarious and cute at the same time... I'm not gonna tell you who is dear John about so I won't ruin it for you.❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[@josecarlolemus9928]

Let her infantilize him he STILL has some growing up to do to this date lmao 💀 and that’s not racist it just shows how sh-t of a person he and his values are yet

[@jensen6929]

I mean I usually love your commentary and all even when I don't agree with them, but like, you might be taking "innocent" a little too seriously 😅sure, those issues exist, but, take it easy my man.

[@tvil8]

Your from new hampshire?! Im from maine shout out new england folkery

[@ethanlammar5554]

Day 146 of Asking you to Review Achilles Come Down by Gang of Youth

[@williamlongjon9649]

AAAVA AVVA VAAA AVAAA AAVA VAAA AAVA AVAA

[@maxrush-hl8ib]

I cannot believe you would like lover and midnight more than Speak Now. Speak now is literally my favorite Taylor Swift album. That's okay I'm just in shock ISLTVT

[@jackmcconnell1775]

Jake gyllenhall is NOT overrated smh. Prisoners?

[@Maggielesetoiles6]

Drawer of things - she is a consummate observer and watches a lot of movies. I have no doubt that she wrote this line but it’s really irritating that she did and it’s far beyond her years.

[@mugochoks9169]

Dont agree with your analysis for innocent at all. It kind of mirrors never grow up in a way but the whole premise of the song is that nomatter your age you can still learn and grow as a person. Better than revenge was written by a teeneger God knows we have all thought that someone can steal your partner .

[@wardpaine8194]

AVAA

[@derory05]

GRIAN CHATTEN

[@paolomasia91]

very good record!

[@lauragalvez3596]

The review was nice till you started blaming Taylor for writing a song about Kanye West. Chao

[@LaiseAyres]

You're misinformed about JK Rowling, just sayin'

[@brucebrown3837]

wasted 14minutes of my life before I stopped listening.

[@robotubetwob]

Never bought this phenomenon and hate fans generally.

[@rebellius_9190]

so why are you here?

[@robotubetwob]

@@rebellius_9190 Bc she takes up space and wastes one's time. There are literally thousands of artists better than her struggling to make a living.

[@virgo_things]

​@@robotubetwobThen go support those other artists and stop wasting your time commenting on things you don't like. Life is too short to dedicate so much time hating other people.

[@gerardovazquez6441]

One thing supports the other. there are no great phenomena without great fandom. The epic behind these re-recordings is inadmissible for someone who is not a fan, it is clearly a business, but she had the cunning to invent a villain she called Braum and the fandom accompanies her unconditionally , can also be called John or Jake or Kanye or Katy, the important thing is that the drama circulates, no one understands marketing better than her.

[@laurenl6569]

@@gerardovazquez6441have you read anything about scooter? Like other artists or ppl on the industries experiences with him? He is famously an awful person in the industry. Also the fandom did not follow her in 2016 with the Kanye drama. She spent years climbing back up tht hill

[@thisismeharper]

This album is her WEAKEST. All kanye albums is better in my opinion but atleast she made folklore and 1989 tho.

[@Jess4evermore]

True revenge is “mean” winning 2 Grammys 🥹 AVAA

[@brimussy]

the race talk is crazy lol. good for her to treat kanye like a child, he *was* acting like a child.