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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think Taylor Swift is our century's answer to William Shakespeare

511 replies

beastlyslumber · 28/10/2021 16:01

She's such an incredible storyteller and lyricist (and her songs are ridiculously catchy. It's all about the hooks.) Listening to her album 'folkore' this afternoon - she wrote two whole albums in lockdown, you know. And they're both great, but 'folklore' is insanely good. As she moves away from autobiographical writing into character stories, her storytelling is getting even more emotionally direct, and even more fun. She's a total genius. Even on the rare occasions when her hooks and melodies don't grip you, her lyrics always get right to the heart of things.

If there's any justice in the world, Ms Swift will still be celebrated in 500 years for her original, moving, funny, perceptive and subversive writing.

YANBU = Obviously! She is the Bard of Pop
YABU = WTF? She's way better than Shakespeare

OP posts:
WhereTheSpiritMeetsTheBones · 30/10/2021 20:06

OP ARE YOU ME?! I completely agree with all your posts and regularly chew the ear off of anyone who will listen, telling them how amazing taylor is. Thanks for posting this, lovely to read the opinions of others who enjoy her music too

Twillow · 30/10/2021 20:12

Most people posting are you insane/drunk etc will probably only have heard the older pop hits. She really has grown into a wordsmith, you are right. Folklore was an absolute treasure and I think I like Evermore even better.

hidethexylophone · 30/10/2021 20:25

For all the TS fans here, if you haven't already seen, the Long Pond sessions on Disney+ is really worth a watch - it's her performing folklore with the 2 guys who she made it with, but with conversation in between talking about the tracks. It's just so good.

Also, Miss Americana on Netflix for those who dismiss her as an airhead.

Original poster
beastlyslumber · 30/10/2021 21:25

@WhereTheSpiritMeetsTheBones

OP ARE YOU ME?! I completely agree with all your posts and regularly chew the ear off of anyone who will listen, telling them how amazing taylor is. Thanks for posting this, lovely to read the opinions of others who enjoy her music too
I don't think you're me! But I'm so happy to not be alone in this!

It's lovely to talk to all the other Lovers of TS and lovers of excellent songwriting in general. Almost everyone who's contributed to the thread has put a smile on my face, so THANK YOU Smile

OP posts:
adrianmolesmole · 30/10/2021 21:32

She is crap!!

Original poster
beastlyslumber · 30/10/2021 23:15

No, you're getting confused with yourself Smile

OP posts:
PandoraRocks · 31/10/2021 01:31

Ha ha Taylor Swift, OP how old are you? Grin. Try listening to Billy Joel if you want a master songwriter.

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 31/10/2021 03:04

I'm no Swiftie but I absolutely hate Billy Joel. I pray to God I never have to hear Piano Man or Uptown Girl again in my lifetime.

Silenceisgolden20 · 31/10/2021 03:46

How many Shakespeare plays have you read and watched on stage? Or studied?
I'm sure you do love TS but to compare her to Shakespeare is absolutely ridiculous. How old are you, 10???

Silenceisgolden20 · 31/10/2021 03:47

@TeaTime27

Reading some of the replies here and it is honestly so cringeworthy. How on earth has a thread about someone loving Taylor swift's songwriting riled people up so much they feel the need to reply so violently. I can't imagine seeing a thread about any artist and feeling the need to rip the OP to shreds about it, music snobs are literally the absolute WORST. Surely they know they just make themselves sound like absolute tw*ts?!

I really enjoy Taylor Swift. Often genuinely amazed at her lyrics, and the talent she has. She tends to release her more catchy music to chart, but majority of her fans favourites will usually be album tracks she hasn't released. I know a few "taylor haters" who are now fans due to Folklore. They may not like her older stuff but would openly admit that Folklore is so incredibly well written and made.

Perhaps it's an age thing. As a 30 year old I find a lot of her lyrics relatable hence my admiration. 'Marjorie' is so beautifully written and makes me tear up anytime I hear it.

I don't think it's because it's Taylor Swift, I think it's the comparion to Shakespeare
Original poster
beastlyslumber · 31/10/2021 06:46

@Silenceisgolden20

How many Shakespeare plays have you read and watched on stage? Or studied? I'm sure you do love TS but to compare her to Shakespeare is absolutely ridiculous. How old are you, 10???
I'm an English lecturer. I teach Shakespeare Grin
OP posts:
dresstokillmytime · 31/10/2021 08:10

@Silenceisgolden20

How many Shakespeare plays have you read and watched on stage? Or studied? I'm sure you do love TS but to compare her to Shakespeare is absolutely ridiculous. How old are you, 10???
GrinGrin Really should have read the thread
wotsitsandwine · 31/10/2021 08:14

What's with the "how old are you" questions? Why does that matter? How rude.

I'm 33 and I've been listening to Taylor Swift since I was 20.

She started songwriting when she was 12 years old, and is now 32 herself. If you listen to her entire discography you can see her songwriting evolve over the years.

Love Story was written when she was 17. Pretty impressive if you ask me. Compare to the likes of Ivy, Marjorie, Champagne Problems and you see how her style has matured, and developed over the years. Her imagination, and way with words does make her one of this generations most talented song writers in my opinion.

Those saying she only writes songs about her ex's, 100% untrue and shows you have never even attempted to listen to anything other than the odd song of hers you've heard on the radio. But sure, work away and dismiss her based purely on that assumption.

Just some topics below that taylor swift's has written songs about;

  • her relationship with her mum and dad
  • friendship
  • mourning the death of a young child
  • her mother's cancer diagnosis
  • Sexual Assault
  • Fame
  • Bulimia
  • Sexist attitudes and Misogyny
  • The death of a grandparent

Also, in her defence of writing songs about her love life, don't the majority of artists?? But because it's her, it's not ok. Ok, sounds fair Hmm

Silenceisgolden20 · 31/10/2021 08:15

Oh yeah, I did scroll and got bored tbh. My bad.
Than I'm ven more flabbergasted on this.
Jesus you must be a young teacher?

Silenceisgolden20 · 31/10/2021 08:19

Course it matters how old you are because I would say TS for a more young crowd. That's not being rude.
Can still like her at any age, I just find it weird that someone educated is comparing a historical great writer to a pop writer. You can't really compare unless TS starts writing for the theatre.
But I'm allowed to find it weird and you are allowed to disagree. I quite like the Ryan Adams cover of her 1989 album

wotsitsandwine · 31/10/2021 08:23

@Silenceisgolden20

Course it matters how old you are because I would say TS for a more young crowd. That's not being rude. Can still like her at any age, I just find it weird that someone educated is comparing a historical great writer to a pop writer. You can't really compare unless TS starts writing for the theatre. But I'm allowed to find it weird and you are allowed to disagree. I quite like the Ryan Adams cover of her 1989 album
You genuinely don't think your first comment was rude?

"How old are you, 10?!?"

You know she's not 10. She's on Mumsnet. Yet writing that allowed you to illustrate your dismissive, judgment of her. Even though you couldn't be bothered reading the entire thread.

To me, an uneducated person wouldn't comment on a situation without knowing all the facts.

DrSbaitso · 31/10/2021 08:25

Course it matters how old you are because I would say TS for a more young crowd.

Why on earth would that make it matter how old her fans are?

wotsitsandwine · 31/10/2021 08:27

@DrSbaitso

Course it matters how old you are because I would say TS for a more young crowd.

Why on earth would that make it matter how old her fans are?

Exactly. The age references are ridiculous.

I listen to TS at 33, my daughter listens to TS at 5, my niece listens to TS at 13, my SIL listens to TS at 45, and my mum wants to go to her next concert with us, she's 64.

MsTSwift · 31/10/2021 08:33

Why thank you 😁.

We LOVE her. Kids listened to her we eye rolled then realised her stuff is properly good. Saw her in concert as a family on the Reputation tour dd still says it was “the best night of my life”.

Her lyrics in some songs are great for early teens friendship issues. We listen to Best Day and Mean loudly when dd2 previous friendship group suddenly turned on her - it definitely helped that someone like TS had been through a similar thing.

MsTSwift · 31/10/2021 08:36

God and the one about her mum being ill “soon you’ll get better because you have to” you’d have to have a hard heart to dismiss that.

TrishM80 · 31/10/2021 08:44

If, in half a millennium from now, "haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, shake it off, shake it off, du du du, shake it off, shake it off" has replaced King Lear, MacBeth and Julius Caesar on the school curriculum, then yes I'll agree with you.

DrSbaitso · 31/10/2021 08:49

@TrishM80

If, in half a millennium from now, "haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, shake it off, shake it off, du du du, shake it off, shake it off" has replaced King Lear, MacBeth and Julius Caesar on the school curriculum, then yes I'll agree with you.
They don't do Titus Andronicus because that one is shit.
RAFHercules · 31/10/2021 08:51

YABVU That crown belongs to Jarvis Cocker, but I've been saying for a long time that Stormzy is a poet (if you ignore the misogyny).

SuperstoreFan · 31/10/2021 08:52

You're having a laugh.

Sparklingbrook · 31/10/2021 08:52

Actually Jarvis Cocker is a good suggestion.