How is Taylor Swift better than Radiohead and Nirvana?: "Red (Taylor's Version)" Review

[@KL99067]

The original 22 felt out of place, but the magic with the new 22 is after All Too Well 10 minutes mentioned the important one didnt show up at her 21 birthday, 22 is purely a celebration of moving on I'm going to enjoy my 22nd birthday and it's supposed to be fun like her dad said in all too well

[@jaybonn5973]

22 only makes sense on the album with the context of ATW10 and that's what's so great and awkward about it.

[@blackmilk1000]

I agree, when I listened to 22 after 10 min ATW, it crashed me. I TEARED UP during 22. It's incredible how a context can change the meaning of a song.

[@MissteriousMisstress]

How can I like this when there's 111 likes on it now?

[@elsalarsson2887]

@@jaybonn5973 dude we literally had “the moment I knew”, which was mainly based on her 21st bday being horrible. She even said it in multiple interviews😂

[@elsalarsson2887]

Really I don’t know what it is about the chorus in 22 and WANEGBT, I think it felt flat. Not like her vocals were bad. But I just fee like the original was more upbeat 🙈 ATW10 I will admit I didn’t like the production originally but now it’s just perfect in my opinion🙉

[@Clara-mm2yi]

I think Taylor‘s re-recordings are so successful projects because as long as she is able to capture the emotion and the narrative of her old songs again, it doesn‘t matter if every single note is the same as in the old version. She is even able to add to it with her experience and maturity, she is in a very unique position as an artist because the songs truly belong to her, she crafted them inside and out and you can hear that, no matter which version.

[@Bro-kf5xm]

Radioheads still better

[@asimnath8155]

Starlight in about the Kennedys, event took place in '45. It's not about her. And James Taylor is her favorite singer, she was named after him.

[@bardust]

One problem I have with reviewers not bothering to do proper research for the background and context of the material and artists they're reviewing is that they still take the liberty of making assumptions that colour their opinions. Other than that - glad that you enjoy Taylor's work and respect her as an artist.

[@Augustforever13]

I agree. I cringed when he went on about starlight possibly being racist hahah like duuude no! It’s one of those songs where you need to know the story behind it.

[@jonasnaveros8764]

i don't agree. i think you're just frustrated as a fan of others not knowing as much as you about the things you're fan of.

[@bardust]

@@jonasnaveros8764 what you just wrote actually makes no sense as a reply to my original statement.

[@edpotter1170]

@@jonasnaveros8764 the frustration is reasonable though. Some non-fans could review an artist with implicit bias and totally miss the point. I've seen so many non-fan reviewers who kept on asking "who is she singing about?" when the songs were fictional, or "that sounds toxic" when the songs were satire. They'd rather make assumptions and criticize her character as the songwriter instead of doing a bit of research. So yes, it is frustrating.

[@jonasnaveros8764]

@@edpotter1170 i agree, and i do feel frustrated sometimes. but i think particularly professor skies does a great job analyzing songs and we kind of miss the point expecting everybody to be as invested as we are, as fans, in going through every single aspect of the making of the songs. that takes a lot of work and time that not everyone is willing to waste. someone missed something? we point out in comments and the conversation keeps going. that's what we should do i guess. it's not like people are stuck with the same pov forever lol

[@Starbuck-dr7yl]

I love your reactions and how thorough your reviews are. I also respect that you don’t know or care to know the back story to a lot of the songs. I understand it. At the same time it helps to understand the context of the songs. For instance. Starlight is about Ethyl Kennedy. She played the song for her and got her blessing. Another example is Begin Again. If you had known the context of the lyrics. She wasn’t trying to be cool. She was struggling. The guy she had been dating put her down all the time, didn’t like this about her, didn’t like that about her, didn’t think she was funny, didn’t like it when she wore high heels or listen to this Or that music. So she’s going on a first date with someone new and she’s nervous and acting a little shy, and she is sooooo conditioned to being criticized that this new guy is just behaving normally and she is realizing how nice those things are. He was there early, instead of late or not showing at all. He pulled out her chair, a normal thing to do, but the previous boyfriend didn’t do that for her. She was surprised that this guy laughed at her jokes because she was so used to being told that she wasn’t funny. Yes, even Taylor Swift had insecurities and at age 20-21 especially. yea.so a bit long winded but I do respect not knowing the context, but at least in Begin Again’s case I think it helps to better understand her POV. It was nominated for country music awards, Grammy awards.

[@ArgoBargo]

What a great way to say you don’t like a song “it’s beneath her”. Not only is it accurate, but it shows a genuine respect for the artist. Love this channel

[@professorskye]

That is exactly what I meant! Thanks for the comment.

[@athinyamani9211]

I love The Last Time. It's a nice refresher after hearing so much Taylor and so much pop. It's a ballad where we get to hear a very deep voice after Taylor's (really good) higher and soft voice.

[@lastsundaydrive]

I actually love classical music, nirvana, pink floyd, rock, oldies, kanye etc. I also listen to Chinese, Thai, traditional music and I love Taylor Swift. The beautiful thing about music is that it's also art. I don't ever want to compare these artists. They're all so good for different moods.

[@classykalai]

Exactly 💯.

[@disgaeajean13]

“cowriting” wait til you have to review Speak Now her version, Professor 🥺🥰

[@MiniKitty27]

in the original The Last Time it sounded more like Taylor was a feature on her song but in this new version she sounds so much more present and like it's actually *her* song, if that makes sense? also i like how soft the song is, it really drives the emotions that's in every aspect of this song and everything sounds so much more present. it grows on you man it's great

[@OYJluv]

I love both songs. I think her voice and the voice from the guy from snow patrol mesh so well together. The harmonies are top notch and that sometimes gets overlooked.

[@JesusGomez-ob2qt]

It's supposed to sound like that. That's why the re-recording is weaker. In the og the male voice is stronger because that's supposed to represent Jake, its a duet after all. Her voice is minimized because Jake overpowered Taylor in the relationship and was stronger than her hence the man getting the stronger vocals. Taylor is pulled down and silenced by him. The new one completely removes this sonical context making it a less intelligent choice

[@josephpoole1497]

What a timely video. Much like you with your nieces I have been trying to "educate" my daughter about what real music and artistry is about Apart from a shared early obsession with the Beatles, we didn't make many connections musically. Then this year I got her a Hayley Williams album, which much to my surprise I loved as much as she did. So for her recent birthday, I got her Evermore (she is a big Taylor Swift fan), thinking maybe we can connect over this. And, what a great album... and beyond that, we are having big discussions about Taylor Swift and music and all the things that my daughter is interested in when it comes to music (have you ever heard of Vocaloids?). It's so great that my daughter has an artist that is making a difference and standing up for something while also making great music. My only fear now is I will put her off by being too much of a Taylor Swift fan myself... I have to play it cool. Probably too late for that though, I ready gushed to her excitedly that 1989 Taylor's version might be the next release! Anyway, I really enjoyed this video, and a lot of what you shared rang true for me. Thanks for creating and sharing original and thoughtful content. BTW, I actually found this video while learning more about Taylor Swift!

[@chloealicaya]

Same, I noticed that Taylor wasn't able to replicate really well the most poppy songs in this album I would miss those but this is the Red album I'll listen to onwards.

[@disgaeajean13]

but then she was also at that age of discovery, so it makes her innocence and enthusiasm genuine, because these songs were generally written in the years preceding the release of this albummm

[@adi._.]

Actually the correct “All Too Well” lyric is: “So casually cruel in the name of being honest.”

[@blackmilk1000]

No. From now on it's 'so casually cruel like a neighbour being honest'. That's how I'm going to sing it anyway.

[@ClaudioQ9]

@@blackmilk1000 me too.

[@andrewmacdonald3667]

‘In the name of being honest.’

[@user-lm1ps2eh4d]

She sings about new york that way because she just got there, the person who she was in a relationship with in all too well introduced her to New York. That's why in all too well 10 minute version she's says "when your Brooklyn broke my skin and bones" she says his Brooklyn emphasis on the word his because it didn't belong to her at the time. And that's why she starts the next album 1989 with Welcome to New York, she wants to turn the city into something other than heartbreak. That's why 1989 is an entirely Pop album. She used genre to reflect mood in a way that is so ahead of her time that I don't think most people have caught on yet. I mean you're exhibit A of that, not that I'm blaming you, you don't really know that much about her discography so it would be kind of hard to put all the pieces together. But when Taylor Swift uses a specific genre is almost always to indicate something. That's why I Bet You Think About Me is so country, it's because she wants to show the juxtaposition of being a 'country bumpkin' in comparison to his 'upper crust circles'

[@simenthebruhmachine4647]

as a metal-head I really love TS. She is an amazing artist.

[@anfilias]

I see your point about "Red". Yes, basically all lyrics are corny on that song. And basic. I actually like that for the title track. It's the non-fleshed out presentation of what the album is about, or the center theme of it. But I completely undertstand why you don't. However, I will fight you on the lyric "Fighting with him was like / Trying to solve a crossword and realizing there's no right answer". First it's "fighting" not "loving". And second, at least how I always read it right from first listen is (for me) it lowkey indicates how the other party can manipulate their way around any fight to escape blame or even the concept of blame ever existing; no matter how justified for something she couldn't win. But well, that's me and my brain anyway.

[@OYJluv]

Yep the professor needs a deep dive in this album and he will place it on the altar with evermore and folklore.

[@bardust]

The fight scene in the All Too Well short film depicts this perfectly. The gaslighting, the shifting of blame and the total lack of accountability on his end.

[@JoshuaWSiegel]

The "It's so fun" is in the original. I love it, though.

[@naomimila9257]

same. yes, it strikes me as a little inauthentic (as do most adlibs -- i agree), but as an og fan, the song would sound so incomplete without taylor's lols

[@sadkaique]

I just have to mention how much I love the titles lol

[@justcutiecats2733]

The thing about Taylor Swift is she always wants to try a new sound for her new album. That's why her albums sound different, despite being the same genre. Many people tried but failed. That doesn't happen to Taylor. And Taylor's songwriter first, she wrote all of her songs, even wrote her third album Speak Now by herself. Not to mention her impact, apple Music, Spotify, record deal etc.

[@anfilias]

did you notice the synchronicity? "The Lucky One" was always paralleled to Britney's "Lucky". And on the say she releases the Taylor Version, Britney has the audience in which she is finally freed from her conservatorship. I hope this is not too much information but something personal about Taylor is that she loves the number 13. Britney's legal hell endured for 13 years. Universe just wanting to be funny.

[@professorskye]

That parallel is neat. And 13 is my favorite number as well.

[@josecarlolemus9928]

In response to you ad-libs question, we ADORE them. I jumped every single time I knew one of those was coming, and there’s many in her discography so we’re hyped about that. Is it the most authentic thing ever? No, but we would not be so happy if she skipped them. It’s just so exciting hearing 31 year old Taylor saying them lol

[@moonsappho]

“so casually cruel in the name of being honest” is the lyric lol

[@coryharbour57]

I know you don’t care about background stuff but I do think it’s important for context a lot of time especially if you’re going to voice assumptions about their meanings (especially if they’re somewhat cynical or negative about her intentions). Starlite is about Bobby and Ethel Kennedy. It’s not just a random old timey story although I do understand your point. She briefly dated Connor Kennedy and spent time with Ethel and wrote this song for her. On the same topic of assumptions, Begin Again is allegedly about Connor Kennedy and the James Taylor line isn’t her trying to be cool, it’s likely something they actually talked about (just like the movies his family watches like she says in the song). Taylor was named after James Taylor and she’s a big fan as she is of lots of singer songwriters. The Lucky One is thought to be about Joni Mitchell (who of course has her album Blue and the song about her is on Red *nudge, nudge*). Just some info for you to help sort out some of those assumptions! Overall I appreciate you opening your mind to her and am happy that you see her talent. 😊

[@JoeyRH]

I like that at 1:13 you say that in 2013 you were "much older than [you are] today"

[@OYJluv]

I was marinating my thoughts for a few days to give you a proper response professor. The weak point of this review is that Taylors music doesnt exist in a vaccum. Especially red which is her most personal album to date. Because yeah we saw part of her splattered in all her albums but Red is all about the process of having a relationship to the moment we move on, regret it and remembering. What this rerecording proved is that critics didnt understood the album when it came out and now the reviews are glowing. Rollingstone magazine have a specialist to analyze all "taylorisms" since her music acts like a diary and everything in her album serves a purpose. Also having the vault tracks in red gives us the opportunity to understand Taylors true intentions behind the album. Im not suggesting we treat Taylors music with silk gloves, im just saying that for a casual listener they will understand Red on the surface. I understand that you also want to separate Taylors personal life from her music but thats not possible and Red is evidence of that. Red is a far more better album than Folklore or evermore. Why? Red is a very personal album but still Taylor found a way to convey a message that would appeal to everybody. In Folklore and Evermore she substracted herself from the music and that a nice change of phase but to me is a blunt edge. RED is a dagger, sharp as hell and dipped in poison for good messure. Next albums taylor has been trying to replicate that magic. Red had to walk so 'Folklermore" could run. I appreciate this review but is a casual listener one and it lacks a lot of vital information and thats not ur fault professor Red is such a complicated album.

[@OYJluv]

Ill also like to add that folklore and evermore is made to appeal more to the casual listeners. Yeah there still some "taylorisms" here and there but Red even tho has a more pop sound is an autobiographical work filled with personal details of a young adult.

[@Augustforever13]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 yess love Rob hahah and he is a testament to your point of not treating her music with silk gloves. He is an actual fan of hers and his reviews aren’t biased, he always has criticisms and stuff he doesn’t enjoy.

[@user-lm1ps2eh4d]

Listen, I'm not coming for you in any way but I feel there is a misunderstanding here. Most die hard fans are not listening to Taylor Swift for technical greatness. We don't mind it, in fact we love it because of the acknowledgement and accolades it gets her but that's not why we listen to her, atleast from my perspective. The first time I heard a Taylor Swift song I was 8, I was going through some shit that made me feel like I didn't have much of a childhood. When I heard Love Story that 1st time it was like believing in magic again, I could just be a little girl who believed in fairytales, and that was okay, In fact it was celebrated by Taylor and her music. Her ability to be so unabashedly herself and so emotionally vulnerable turned her into the voice of a generation, Taylor Swift is how most of us got to experience girlhood/womanhood for the 1st time in a way that was not through the perspective of men or catered to men. Her songs are like her diaries, they all show multifaceted parts of her identity. She is extremely intentional with all of them ( the only exception I found was Me! Lmao) she breaks her life up into motifs and all these motifs mean something to her, you can often follow them throughout albums to draw a picture of her life. She experiences her life in metaphors that symbolizes things and that's how she connects her inner world to her fans. The motif Red in the TSCU(Taylor Swift Cinematic Universe) refers to a specific kind of love, one that is passionate and bright and burns out fast this is juxtaposed with the kind of love she expresses on Lover which is gold ( see the lyrics to the song Daylight "I once believed love would be burning Red but it's Golden" and on other songs in Reputation.) this is just one example of one of her motifs she often has threads of them going through all her albums, her lyrics often referencing other songs which reference specific feelings for her. The world she created for us with her albums are vast and full of meaning, I'm still finding crumbs 10 years later. It's like a really well written book series and revisiting it year after year because you keep making new connections. In short songs like Red need to exist because they are part of the puzzle that makes up the whole it's a metaphor that runs through the next 4 albums. There are sooo many of them. Red is important because of what it represents in the TSCU. The same with the colour Grey, it also represents something important that she continues to call back to in later albums, along with headlights, dive bar etc they all mean something very specific to her. That's why we listen to her music, for insight into her vast inner world that has a tendency to almost mirror the narratives of our lives. To put it simply Taylor Swift does not make music, she makes an all consuming all encomposing experience. One that stays with you for the rest of your life because of the emotional impact. And I understand this sounds unhinged to the uninitiated but that's how I see most of us diehards experiencing her music, it's like poems with extended mataphors through each of them spanning decades and motifs. Hope this helps you understand us a bit better lmao.

[@ketousienocatherinevupru4173]

Every. Single. Word.👏

[@hollybeck605]

Goodness this was spot on. ❤️

[@chloealicaya]

I almosy cry my eyes out laughing with "you're cruel like a neighbor being honest" hahaha petition to make this the rerecorded lyric.

[@harryyrrah9942]

I'll sign that lol

[@anfilias]

You ask a lot of stuff. lol I'm gonna adress them in several comments as to not make a 30paragraph one. But first: yeah, Taylor is gonna give you trouble sometimes if you don't care about the biographical stuff. Sure you don't have to know the song is about a specific male (she never confirmed it's about Jake, we're just not dumb. Specially with the short film now lol), but maybe it's cool to know Starlight came to be because she saw a photo of Ethel and Robert F. Kennedy on a party, looking super happy and she made up a whole story around it. And then she showed it to Ethel K. and she loved, fastforward and it ended up on the album. EDIT: not every song is about Gyllenhaal. So you can reserve that heartbreak for All Too Well and not picture him for other songs of the album.

[@matthewbrown7572]

Enjoyed the Dylan reference, " I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now". It's interesting how much our attachment to music/art is tied to the emotional state we were in at the time we bonded with it.May we never stop being curious.To quote "HIM" again, "those not busy living are busy dying", or something like that. Ok, I love it when you get a little bit angry, LOL. Oh, and about the age thing, We still live in a culture that does not respect or value people that are in their older years. We are an ageist culture. We seem to think people can't be creative when they age.Were you listening to NPR this morning ?

[@salmahalloumi]

Wow such interesting opinions. The last time is one of my favorites.For me it's the driving the rythm and the harmonies.

[@JoshuaWSiegel]

Red is my favorite song of hers ever😧😧😵😵

[@OYJluv]

I love it too... the Professor just doesnt get it. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@megimihaylova98]

I would highly recommend the vault tracks, especially: -forever winter (about a friend of hers who overdosed and how she didn't know to reach out to help him) (I may not have explained this one perfectly, but the melody is amazing and almost distracts you from how devastating the words are) -nothing new (she talks about fame as a female artists here and growing older as a woman... and it gets dark, which is why I think it wasn't on the album originally) -better man (she gave this song to little big town in like ~2016 and is one of my favorites just cause it hits a personal nerve and talks about how this person would have been the one for her if he would have just been a better man) The other vault tracks are great too, these are just my favorites!

[@MiniKitty27]

also people have probably already written the actual lyrics to All Too Well but imma do it anyway so yeah the actual lyrics are "and you call me up again just to break me like a promise, so casually cruel in the name of being honest"

[@OYJluv]

And those are devastating. He unknowingly dodged Tay Tays dagger.

[@disgaeajean13]

“you break me up again just to break me like a promise, so casually cruel in the name of being honest”

[@5880041]

I really love your reviews and was so happy to see this! And, just like a TS album, it took me on a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions haha

[@justcutiecats2733]

It's okay to not like all of the songs from the album. She wrote this album mostly when she was 19/20, so it makes sense with some cringe lyrics. I don't even like Never ever or 22, I like I Knew You're Trouble tho. But maybe there's a reason why she put these songs on the album. Surprisingly I like all the song from the vault, it's all good. My favorite is Nothing New and I Bet You a think about Me.

[@jaybonn5973]

So ATW10 is kind of the crux of the entire album because every other song, mostly, is a reference to this one relationship. Never Ever Ever Never whatever references Indie Records which is about Jake. Trouble is about Jake but I forgot why. 22 Is about the aftermath of Jake and feeling free while drowning your sorrows in superficial fun. It's just framed around the fun to hide the sandess.

[@rndmusrnm2763]

I didn't care for most of the vault tracks, but 'Nothing New' was definitely a standout. The message is similar to The Lucky One's but it goes about it in a more emotional and reflective way. I'd recommend giving it listen. So far, that song and Sad Beautiful Tragic have been in heavy rotation for me.

[@sirsimonthesentry4787]

Red as an album is a tough one for me- a few of my favorite songs on this album as well as the songs I like least of hers. 22 and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together are like nails down a chalkboard for me. I always liked All Too Well but I feel her 10 min version is a masterpiece because who can write a 10 min song and not have it be too repetitive and keep you engaged. As for the scarf.. too literal. This song is about holding out and finally giving her virginity to a man she thought loved her the same way and (at the time believed it was forever); yet he used age as an excuse to break up and after he broke up with her he then said he loved her, missed her and just yanked her around and it wasn’t just any relationship but the one that cut really deep - that first true love. The scarf is a metaphor for her virginity- ‘he mailed back her stuff’ except her ‘scarf’ because he can’t.. there is no going back to how it was before she lost her virginity. All Too Well and Tolerate It are similar in the love being so invested in one side and not so much on the other side. I still think, knowing her ‘dating’ history, despite what the songs say thru the years dealing with them, this one cut deep and probably was hardest to recover from. I think All Too Well masterfully depicts that situation and evolution of that relationship.

[@disgaeajean13]

YEHEEEEEEES I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO YOU PROFESSORRRRRRRR

[@marabu_00]

The "nerver met one girl who had as many James Taylor records as you" line is not her trying to be cool, she actually likes him because she grew up with them. Her mom played them for her as he was her mom's favorite and Taylor is named after James Taylor due to that

[@OYJluv]

And shes surprised he likes something another guy devaluated for her. So its more a surprise thing more than being a pick me girl. Yeah th professor needs to listen again to the album.

[@user-lm1ps2eh4d]

Starlight is reference to how the Kennedys fell in love. She was dating Connor Kennedy at the time and the song was and ode to that family. " I met Bobby on the boardwalk summer of '45" Bobby as in Robert.F Kennedy. So it's not really a Yolo song, she's telling a story about the legacy of the guy she was dating at the time who also happened to be her neighbors. She's not being nostalgic, she's telling the story of the Kennedys.

[@davidsantos5942]

I really hope this becomes a podcast. So much witty commentaries!

[@abdullahjaved0330]

Starlight was about a story Mrs.Kennedy told her because she dated their grandson I believe

[@MermaidCore_]

No: “casually cruel in the name of being honest” 😬

[@jaybonn5973]

Alright this is a really sloppy case but I like the last time because of how the harmonies blend with the chords in the music. I can't explain it much better than that. It starts so simple and dark which is really great. The worst aspect might be the vowels on the bridge in how the lyrics are being sung but otherwise I love it. Borderline my favorite.

[@OYJluv]

The harmonies are amazing.

[@rileygarrett8541]

I was listening to The Last Time and came to this video hoping you would talk about how awesome it is lol😂 but here’s my case: Their voices blend beautifully, and normally I’d prefer Taylor to sing first but in the context of the story of him showing up out of the blue to get back together with her, I feel like it works. I love the chorus and how each line of it means something different for each person. For him, he’s hopeful and pleading for her to take him back like “I swear this is the last time, I’m not gonna hurt you, I can be your #1 again” and from her perspective, she’s been hurt so many times by him that she’s warning him like “Okay, but this is the last time I’m gonna forgive you, please finally make me your priority” and you can really hear those emotions conveyed at the very end, when he has the higher notes like he’s pleading and she has the lower notes like she’s kinda warning him & warily accepting. And I like the “no past, nowhere to hide, just you and me” line bc it shows them being vulnerable and letting their guards down. I’d imagine this is the sad painful precursor to We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.

[@snoozy9820]

Starlight was based around Ethel & Bobby Kennedy.

[@disgaeajean13]

Wait til you hear Dear John from Speak Now LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

[@prophetessoftroy]

I am a Swiftie (literally wearing the sweatshirt rn), and I am not annoyed. None of your critique is a bad faith criticism, which is what I think so many Swifties are used to hearing (and why they immediately jump on the defensive). I actually really appreciate the reviews of more casual listeners (even critics) because they catch things that I often miss, or don't appreciate. So thank you for what you do (and as a daughter who once had a father who approached the music I loved the way you did with your nieces, thank you for reevaluating, and saying it out loud!) Red is admittedly my favorite of her pre-pop albums, largely because it hit me at exactly the right time. and the fractured, almost bipolar tone of the track list was exactly how I felt at that point and feeling like I wasn't alone was everything. Perhaps because of that, I think what it shows is exactly where she was: She's always had the spark of being a brilliant lyricist, and some times early on it shone through brighter than others. She was trying to grow beyond being a country princess, beyond being a teenager into young adulthood; occasionally clunky lyrics and all. This album was her transition piece, and I think that is what you really see. Especially listening to it now, it reminds me a lot of Joni Mitchell's different recordings of "River". The way her voice changed over time, the tiny hitches in inflection give every version different weight, different color. Beyond the stated intent of owning her masters, having this time capsule of her essentially revisiting diary entries is a kind of gift. I also have to agree with another commenter in saying that Red had to walk so Folklore/Evermore could run, and that separating her music from her personal life excludes a significant, very rich dimension of the album. I appreciate that you don't care about that element and would rather approach each album for what it is independently, but particularly for those first 4 albums, excluding it necessarily excludes a lot of nuance to the songs. (Also, for what it's worth: I'm 100% with you on the new version of "Trouble," by the way. Doesn't quite hit for me, and the original was a steadfast favorite.)

[@lesliemiller1757]

Starlight is about Robert and Ethel Kennedy

[@kyliepollert8341]

I said the exact same thing when I listened to "Red (Taylor's Version)" a couple weeks ago: "State of Grace" sounds a lot like U2, from the drums to the guitars to the arena rock production to the emotion in Taylor's vocals.

[@conmom1825]

She is recreating the adlibs! and they are PERFECT!!!! She sounds like she is having FUN!!!!

[@elftower907]

The song red is absolutely insane. Makes me cry all the time.

[@catnipevrdn]

in stay stay stay, the ad lib is intentional and the first time i heard the new version of the album i didnt like that she said it because it was so similar to the original that it obviously didnt feel genuine. to be honest sometimes i still find it weird if i think about it. however that song in particular is one of the only few songs ever that i only listen to when i really need something silly to cheer me up, and it sort of works in a pavlovian kind of way i guess. So now when decide to play the song, the "that's so fun" does feels real because im not thinking about it or analyzing anything, im just honestly having fun with a song that i know by heart from a decade of listening to it in that specific context, and those three words at the end happen to be a part of it. as the kids say "no thoughts, just vibes" lol

[@disgaeajean13]

YOU’RE TEARING UP HUHU I love listening to Ronan maybe that’s a problem omg

[@jaybonn5973]

Sad Beautiful Tragic is a great song that no one likes because it is so basic and sad. But there are subtleties in the music that make all the difference.

[@OYJluv]

The problem with the song is the placement in the album. It feels like a big hole. I believe the song shouldve been moved closer to the begining.

[@ahmaddiab9480]

I am not mad at u at all btw😂 but Red (song) is top 3 on the album and one of my favorite songs of all time! I like the simplicity of the color metaphors, yes simple but very effective i think. She uses parallelism to its fullest extent here, and it just makes the song so infectous and irresistible to sing along to. I think for this song the structure is the real star rather than the lyrics themselves.

[@Augustforever13]

I 100% respect your opinion on the whole biographical thing and not diving into the backstory of the album. I understand it, it can get stupid keeping up with celebrities lives. However hahahaha when it comes to Taylor by doing that you miss things and interpret too far from what the song is actually about, you almost need to know at least a little bit of background not on WHO she’s dating, but more on what she was going through, for example 22 isn’t a yolo song, is a song celebrating coming out of a toxic relationship and being happy with yourself and where your life is at even if for just one night (in the vault song nothing new she expresses feeling lost and feeling like her success was slipping out of her hand, another theme on red is lost of innocence, losing a friend as expressed in forever winter) without a bit of context on her you will make wrong assumptions, and therefore your review loses some weight. Otherwise, I love your videos, love how much you appreciate her talent and how much you’re willing to debunk your pre conceived notions about her.

[@OYJluv]

Exactly and Red is her more personal album to date. Thats why in 2012 it was so jarring to some people. Its a self absorbed album and thats ok, thats her art but she found a way to convey an universal message that took some time for people to pick up. Red is better than folklemore and people can fight me on that. Red is a complex personal album that touches the heart of the masses. Folklore and everemore are stunning and more cohesive in terms of sounds but are not that kind of magic. Also Taylor was so young when she wrote Red and still even sometimes she acts her age in it, there were very deep personal ideas there that were super mature for her age. She might felt lost but truth os that she had her shit together better that most of us. There are gonna be some cliches Taylors music sometimes it kitschy but again thats what makes it relatable. The professor needs and could make a 30 page essay on this album. 🤣🤣🤣 i mean i like the guy and this review but is a casual listener one.

[@Augustforever13]

@@OYJluv hahahah 100%! personally I prefer folkmore but purely cause I’m more of a folk/indie listener. However the TV made me fall in love with Red WAY more than the original and yes it is her most personal because she was really going through a lot and being so young she may not express that in such a mature way which is why it’s such a brilliant record. I found that you really can’t be a casual listener of hers and do in depth reviews, it just doesn’t work. She has an extensive history, it’s 15 years of doing this, there’s nuance, there’s an actual mythical lore behind her and her music at this point, there’s no way to ignore it. Like I get not liking songs I mean starlight it’s beautiful and yet I really dislike it hahahah but you need to know the story behind the song in order to not say online she might come off as ra*ist in a song about an specific couple and family 🥴

[@OYJluv]

@@Augustforever13 yeah even in the cover shes dressed like that to evoque the vintage feeling the other album had.

[@michael_loc009]

I am really into your humor when you are critiquing the not-so-good songs. :)

[@user-lm1ps2eh4d]

Dude, you're massively underestimating her genius. Everything she does is intentional, every song, every line. All of it is meant to tell a story, you'll never see the whole picture of you take it at face value. The album is an experience, you have to think as the song in relation to the lyrics of the entire album. You have to ask yourself why she would put that in that position and why the song sounds the way it does. There's a level of critical analysis that I think you're missing here because of how you're underestimating her.

[@MermaidCore_]

“Taylor Swift IS the music industry.” - Barbara Walters Others have re-recorded their masters (Reba McIntyre for instance) but no one has done it better than Taylor. She will drive down the worth of her original masters to nothing by the time she is done, as she intends. And I am here for it all. She is a genius marketer, lyricist, and they really did poke the wrong bear, those frightful men! By the way, Kelly Clarkson is the one who told Taylor to re-record, offer new merch and incentives for fans (Reba is her MIL).

[@anfilias]

"I Knew You Were Trouble". Yes, it is different. Maybe faster yeah. Whatever the change (I haven't had time to process yet), I did really really like this new version better. Actually, aside from All Too Well and maybe Red (because of the delivery of certain lines), I have no reasons to go back to the stolen version. And regardless I still won't. Oh my god, "so casually cruel like a neighbor being honest" I HOWLED!! x'D It's one of her most iconic lines ever and it's "And you call me up again / Just to break me like a promise / So casually cruel in the name of being honest"

[@duke86fan]

i kinda have the issue with the idea of treating these rerecordings as an innovation and seizing the means of production... i do enjoy the album and think the bonus tracks are well deserved (and honestly somewhat better than the songs included), but the original drama about the masters was what kinda feels like another subtweet at kanye over the now 5 year old drama (i mostly say because in the tumblr post its a lot more references to the awful of kanye than the awful of scooter). and it is a bold and powerful move that shows artists can be free and do what they want and have their rights... if you are literally an artist too big to fail and are guaranteed mutimillions for singing these songs again (and in fearless case not really doing any changes to the songs that would improve them). my issue is that only taylor could and its very likely only taylor WILL do this, the real radical thing would be to advocate for full authorial rights (as well as free of annoying copyright ruining free expression, which no she is not against), musician strikes, advocating against the marginalization of LGBT artists outside of the indie scene, the clear rape culture in the music industry and the fact that even after being known for sexual abuse dr luke will still be nominated for a grammy, or even just talking about how universal (who OWN the label she is currently on) are planning on extending the limit for rerecording for the future, the album is this is the closest direct action she can directly do without being "dangerous" and "scary" to the biden voter.

[@jakobytaylor2189]

I know I’m a little late, but she had a very bad experience on her 21st birthday and it just wasn’t good so for her 22nd, she made sure that she had a really good time and did whatever she wanted to do and it’s just about feeling good.

[@veselinandreev2001]

I quite enjoy your review but for the next one please be more prepared because often I catch you speaking nonsense. With your regular artists it might be easy to speak with no context behind the songs but that’s Taylor. Furthermore you aren’t o forget that this album was written and released when she was 21/22. So you have to be a bit more objective here and put yourself in her shoes as a 22 year old heartbroken person.

[@Kim-zm7dc]

Red is not my favorite song but I don't get how you preffer stay, stay, stay to Red. I'm sorry.

[@conmom1825]

My favorite lyric by Taylor Swift maybe ever.... You called me up again just to break me like a promise So casually cruel In the name of being honest I'm a crumbled up piece of paper lying here and I remember it all too well... 💔😭

[@Lily_-iz4py]

So casually cruel IN THE NAME OF BEING HONEST 😂😂

[@michael_loc009]

I think Prof. Skye said "in the neighbor of honest".

[@sknight2810]

Actually she gets around 70% of the $ from her old records it’s just that with this one she wants to OWN it and has a say in it. The old one yeah she gets $ but she can’t say yes or no when someone reach out that they want to use this song for this and that

[@Neo-ff6gy]

Ed sheerans old stuff is worth a listen

[@Neo-ff6gy]

@@naomimila9257 yeah deffo. And his EPs before that

[@user-lm1ps2eh4d]

Begin Again is again a reference to the aftermath of the relationship in All Too Well ( like most of the album tbh) she mentions James Taylor, not because she wants to be a cool girl but the lyric is a comparison to her last relationship with the guy who likes "indie music that's much cooler than hers" vs the guy who likes the same music she does which is "James Taylor" who she is named after by the way. You come across as kind of misogynistic for someone who claims they're not one. She literally named after the guy, how is liking him her trying to come across as being cooler. Claiming that you think she's a pick me for just mentioning that she has James Taylor records is giving very much the guy who sees a young girl with a Nirvana shirt and then proceeds to attack her with sentences like "Name their most underground songs" "I bet you don't even know who Dave Grohl is" "do you even know the album in utero". It's giving me misogyny my guy. For someone who knows so little about her you seem to make a lot of biased assumptions.

[@ljp1013]

Enjoyed this immensely. Thank you.

[@user-lm1ps2eh4d]

Like I said, Taylor Swift is extremely intentional with her music. 22 exists because it's a celebration of feeling really shitty on her 21 birthday because of the events of the song The Moment I Knew. She says "dressed up like hipsters and made fun of her exes" specifically because her ex used to dress like a hipster. Also this song is supposed to be ironic, she's making an unapologetically pop son because her ex hated this kind of music like she references in We Are Never Getting Back Together "An indie record that's much cooler than mine" which is also an over the top pop song for the exact same reason that 22 is. It's a fuck you to the guy whe said she wasn't cool because of her music. Because there's " Nothing she does better than revenge"

[@jolie5109]

when i got to the part where he said red was bad and beneath her all I could think is wait till he hears stay stay stay 🤣 anyways loved the review most swifties don't mind people HAVING an opinion and disliking a song as long as u are respectful obv not everything she does is perfect.

[@CAROLGAMERLIFE]

Red is bad lyricism? Mannnn what... The song Red made me cry first time i listened to... The image of every single line in The song is amazing. For me this song is one of my favorites in lyrics.

[@redSaichie]

Good Review but I hope that next time before you do this in depth review on the songs, try to properly search or read the actual lyrics first so that what you are talking would actually make sense. Missing one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking lyrics in all to well is a shame you know? "So casually cruel IN THE NAME OF BEING HONEST"

[@lasagna312]

Ed Sheeran is one of those artists that have some songs that I absolutely LOVE and other songs that I really hate. Listen to Castle on the Hill, released on the same day as Shape of You but infinitely better in every way.

[@disgaeajean13]

Patiently waiting for your 30 by Adele review 😊

[@Augustforever13]

Ed Sheeran is a complicated one for me hahaha I absolutely adore his eps and his first album “+”, but REALLY can’t connect with his work after that, it became way too mainstream and he sacrificed his incredible writing talent for it. But he is a good artist and a great guy in general. He sang ‘I’m in love with your body’ and John Mayer sang ‘your body is a wonderland’… But John sucks in many ways other than this song hahah but he is a great guitar player 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@shannonm6118]

I thought I was the ONLY ONE that thought thisss

[@Augustforever13]

@@shannonm6118 oh definitely not hahahah I really enjoy his first album and even “x” but nothing after that

[@anfilias]

"Stay Stay Stay". Yes, it is the same ad lib. Yes, I don't really like it. I find the new one marginally worse than the old one, but I never really cared much for this song. Won't skip it, won't look for it. "The Last Time" I don't know what to tell you man. I remember not liking this at first. Then it grew a little bit on me, but not much. And then this re-record came and I'm like "yeaaah". I don't know. And please don't hate me for it, but I almost can place it evermore. Not as good as anything there for sure, but the general sound of it.

[@leviblue1795]

to answer the thumbnail question, it’s because she’s taylor swift

[@carolinamiranda3505]

I loved the vault songs more than the original album. Are we going to see some videos on that later? I would love to (especially Nothing New)!!

[@davidsantos5942]

Max Martin didn’t work on I knew you were trouble on the rerecord. It only has Shellback, and yes it is different.

[@Lily_-iz4py]

SO CASUALLY CRUEL IN THE NAME OF BEING HONEST 🤣🤣🤣

[@user-lm1ps2eh4d]

The ad lip on stay stay stay is intentional because the song is just for fun, she's just having fun. Because the entire album is intentionally all over the place because she is "happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time" it's supposed to make you go "wtf why was that there lol, that was fun".

[@sknight2810]

Excuse me RED is GOOD 😭😭 like one of the best to me! Esp the similes like the concept of using color to describe emotion is genius to me

[@ryanhopkins5239]

I live Taylor swift, but some points i would like to make are that, nirvana no longer exist as a group, so its doesnt make a lot of sense for there to be much out of a reissue, and radiohead is probably more of a a label cash grab than anything. Radiohead is by no means dead they just take a while between projects, while working on other projects so they diversify

[@jorsh1908]

Has anyone heard the vinyl? Is it a good pressing? I listen on a high end system and I use Tidal or Qobuz for hifi streaming, is it better than 96khz flac? Good vinyl is much better, but I don't want to spend 50 bucks to be presented with as good or worse than I get from the hifi streams.

[@disgaeajean13]

The Millennial in me is screaming

[@MermaidCore_]

Trouble: Max Martin genius!

[@pck4491]

Ok so I am mad at you for what you said about Red the song 🤣 because part of what makes her so genius is she has versatility when it comes to superficiality vs depth and simplicity vs complexity. I'd argue that Red doesn't and shouldn't need more meaningful metaphors of colours and emotions cuz it's intended to be a catchy pop song expressing the core album theme - burning red love. Not every song has to be deep to be good, fun catchy songs can be simple and also considered good! Stay stay stay, on the other hand.........no comment

[@dylpicklethebugslayer]

It's "you are casually cruel in the name of being honest". Tho I prefer your "neighbor" version😂😅

[@conmom1825]

Ed Sheeran was NOT in Harry Potter (That's Rupert Grint) and yes he did Shape of you

[@OYJluv]

😂😂😂

[@luisaalves2233]

30:17- she had just moved to Ny

[@nicov8860]

You got the lyrics wrong in "all too well". She said "so casually cruel in the name of being honest". Nothing about a neighbor hahahah

[@skeeter9505]

yeah

[@thewhiteboy114]

you lost me in the statement stay stay stay is a good song and the last time is a bad song

[@ridmahoq2261]

“Casually cruel in the name of being honest” sir your ears ok?🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣