A love letter to Taylor Swift’s magnum opus, 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
The pop supernova’s culture-bending fifth studio album never went out of style, even after nine years.
Taylor Swift’s 1989 is the reason why I love music.
A bold and daring statement to make, but true to every string and fiber of my being.
Don’t get it twisted, though — I’ve always been a music listener, especially Taylor Swift’s. Core childhood memories include watching the “You Belong with Me” video on repeat, or making Video Star edits to “22” with my closest friends. However, 1989 marked a notable shift — in the culture, of course, but also in the life of an eleven-year-old from Miami, Florida.
Up until 2014, Taylor Swift was just another singer in a long list of pop divas whom I enjoyed listening to. I had a big Lady Gaga phase in 2010, followed by my semi-rebellious Miley Cyrus / Bangerz moment in the fifth grade; however, when Swift dropped “Shake It Off,” days before my start of middle school, something clicked in my brain. In the mind of a juvenile Joseph, Swift’s foray into uncharted territory as a pop singer mirrored the uncertainties that came with the commencement of my adolescence. From that moment on, I started to see Swift in a new light — as a relatable role model, an artistic visionary, and a brilliant businesswoman, constantly willing to push boundaries in order to achieve her sky-high aspirations.
In many ways, 1989 is reminiscent of a collection of priceless artifacts at the Smithsonian. Complete with detailed historical accounts and heirlooms from an era long-forgotten, 1989 is best understood through the lens of a time capsule, carefully recounting the highs and lows of a young woman living in New York for the first time. However, unlike the fossils at the Smithsonian, 1989 is rich in ingenuity, timelessness, and exuberant energy, even a decade after its initial release. With her first full-fledged pop record, Swift cultivated the perfect concoction of euphoric, eyes-wide-open synth-pop; in layman’s terms, though, 1989 is just a fucking incredible pop record, complete with banger after banger.
Admittedly, I was most excited for 1989 (Taylor’s Version) out of all the projects in her re-recording saga, and boy, did it live up to the hype. Listening through the original track list was like a gift sent from the heavens above. Swift’s seminal classics, “Blank Space” and “Style,” still sounded as rich and addicting as they did in 2014 (even though the guitar riff at the beginning of “Style” was a little more robotic than I would’ve liked). The following track, “Out Of The Woods,” was also a real show-stopper. Rich in the melodrama of a snowmobile excursion gone wrong, Swift’s painstaking delivery on this track was as powerful as ever, effectively making the original version worthless. To no surprise, the other Jack Antonoff cuts, “I Wish You Would” and “You Are In Love,” were just as expertly produced as “Out Of The Woods.” I still can’t help but do a little shimmy and groove when the beat drops in “I Wish You Would,” and the production of “You Are In Love” beautifully echoes through listeners’ ears, perfectly capturing that soothing sensation of what it means to be in love. Even cuts like “Shake It Off” and “Bad Blood,” which have been criticized as some of the weaker moments from the album, show considerable nuance to Swift’s character, as she playfully dances around her haters and nemeses.
taken by Beth Garrabrant.
Just like that wing at the Smithsonian, 1989 has been meticulously and perfectly curated, with every track adding a distinct dimension to Swift’s multi-faceted persona. However, with 1989, Swift also achieves the precarious feat of sonic and thematic cohesion, each song weaved into the next like a ten-foot-long multi-media tapestry. Tracks like “This Love” and “Clean” gracefully emulate one another, producing a unique soundscape of salty sea foam air on a summer beach day. “Clean” is also one of my all-time favorite Taylor Swift songs. With the assistance of the incredible Imogen Heap, Swift depicts her own unraveling through motifs of water, drought, and rain. By the end of the track, Swift has found solace in being “clean” of her ex-lover, and in finding herself, she has achieved “everything” she has ever longed for. [Interestingly enough, in the liner notes of the original version, Swift wrote a hidden message for “Clean,” embodying the song with the following statement: “She lost him, but she found herself, and somehow that was everything.”] The vault tracks are also expertly intertwined with the rest of the album. “Slut!” takes on the same breezy sonic elements as the two aforementioned tracks. “Say Don’t Go” flaunts an epic, end-credits-roll-type cinematic chorus, much like the other powerhouses on the record (a la “I Know Places” and “All You Had To Do Was Stay”). “Is It Over Now?” was even proclaimed by Swift as the sister track to “Out Of The Woods” and “I Wish You Would.” Living up to the original version always seemed like an impossible feat for 1989 (Taylor’s Version) — however, as Swift has demonstrated on multiple occasions, no summit is too high for her to climb, and on this re-recording, enhancements over its predecessor are bountiful.
In many ways though, the very essence of 1989 is best captured with the original version’s closing track, “New Romantics.” Paying homage to the 1970s cultural movement of the same name, “New Romantics” is the thesis statement of 1989 and the perfect embodiment of what it means to be “happy, free, confused, and lonely at the time” (taken from Red, but you get the point). In life, we’re all bound to make mistakes — date the wrong guy, say the wrong thing to a friend, handle a situation poorly. However, as a young twenty-something-year-old, imperfection is inescapable, especially as one navigates the ups and downs of adulthood. Coming from a Type A perfectionist himself, “New Romantics” taught me early on that my flaws, emotions, and experiences will only make me stronger in the end — after all, “life is just a classroom,” as Swift triumphantly chants on the track. Imperfection is what makes us human and what makes life so invigorating, and for bolstering that message, “New Romantics” carries 1989 to the mountain-top, cementing the project as my favorite Taylor Swift album, and arguably, Swift’s best and most fulfilling record.
As I handle the trials and tribulations of my twenties, I know I can continuously look to Swift and 1989 for guidance and motivation. 1989 is a conflagration of ecstasy, excitement, and euphoria, and as we’ve seen, it has and will stand the test of time as one of the most important albums of our generation. I am eternally grateful for this album, and I don’t how I’d live without it. Thank you, Taylor — not only for inciting my love of music, but for teaching me how to love, laugh, and gracefully move through the game we call life. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) will always be my biggest role model and the ultimate inspiration for who I want to be. Thank you for molding me into the person I am today.
From your biggest fan,
Joseph
album artwork believed to belong to either the publisher of the work or the artist.
photos taken by Beth Garrabrant.
