Taylor Swift’s long awaited “Red (Taylor’s Version)” was released on Nov. 12. Following the rerecording of her album “Fearless, Red (Taylor’s Version)” was originally released in 2012, but this time, contains Swift’s spin on some of her classic songs. It holds nine new songs that have never been released, but were cooped up in the Vault.
The Vault is a term used to signify that some of her songs were written but never released due to her record label, Big Machine Records, denying her.
After leaving the toxic label, Swift set out to release her own recordings of her songs due to the contract she signed with Big Machine Records at the age of 14. “Red (Taylor’s Version)” is the intended full version of the album in Swift’s own unique sound.
The songs in this new album that listeners grew up screaming sound very similar to her original songs. In the new album, however, the most notable change is that Swift’s voice is more prominent and contains more of a raw aspect to it. Classic songs like, “We are Never Getting Back Together,” “22” and “I Knew You Were Trouble,” have the same sound and drive, but focus more on her voice.
The most anticipated re-recorded song was “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault).” The new version added a few more lines of lyrics to depict the story of her relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal. The only notable song that had the most change was “Girl at Home.” Whereas the original track was an acoustic, slow song, the rerecording was techno and upbeat.
The nine extra songs added to her album included songs that Swift wrote, but was never allowed to release. This did not prevent her from giving the songs to other artists to perform. These songs were “Babe”, performed by country artist Sugarland, and “Better Man”, performed by Little Big Town. Swift originally accompanied Sugarland in “Babe” and the new album features these songs the way she would have performed them. The recording of her songs are now true to her sound and focused on her roots: country.
As most Swifties know, “Red” was her transition album from being mostly a country singer to a pop princess. A song that showed this change was “I Bet You Think About Me.” In the new album, Swift sings this song with country artist Chris Stapleton, to emphasize her roots as a country artist.
“I Bet You Think About Me” was originally written about her ex, Gyllenhaal, stating that he still thinks about her and he will never be happy. The song’s drive gives a type of spunk all girls want after a bad breakup. The song also has more of a country pop sound that meshes the two genres together perfectly. This is not the only song that featured her ex on “Red (Taylor’s Version).”
Due to her new album, Gyllenhaal may be the most hated man on the internet right now. The song, “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” resparked the once strong flame of hatred toward Gyllenhaal. Back in 2010, Swift and Gyllenhaal dated for three months. This relationship did not end well, leaving fans to side with Swift in the aftermath.
Accompanying the new album was a short film titled, “All Too Well.” The short film allows fans to literally step through time to view what may or may not have occurred during their relationship. The short film was written and directed by Swift to depict the narrative of the song “All Too Well.”
Swift’s matured voice takes center stage in the making of some new songs and old songs. In the album’s entirety, according to Swift in an interview, it represents “a fractured mosaic of feelings that somehow all fit together in the end. Happy, free, confused, lonely, devastated, euphoric, wild and tortured by memories past.”
