Taylor Swift

[GinJarRogers]

My girls are 10 and 8 and really into Taylor Swift. I’ve never really listened to her music before but her lyrics are amazing, she’s so talented and I’m just so happy that women like her are here to be role models for my girls.

It absolutely does, with the album as a whole... when it came out first though, I wasn’t sure if I’d like the album.

So I think if people haven’t listened to albums and only singles on the radio or whatever, they don’t give a good picture of her music.

I mean, they clearly work because they do well, lol, but it’s more if people haven’t heard anything else I think it’s definitely worth listening to albums before deciding if she’s their cup of tea or not.

Leo Sayer. Odd-looking guy but some properly amazing songs.
He's still touring.

@tabulahrasa Absolutely. LWYMMD is a world away from Getaway Car for instance, which would probably have mass appeal to anyone who likes a strong pop chorus.

I can't think of any other artist who bonds me and my DD14 so completely. We had to stay in the car 5 minutes after arriving home last night so we could finish singing All Too Well. She's a straight up lyrical genius.

Ah I love her so much too. So many great songs and lyrics. Even though she’s a superstar it feels like she still gets underestimated, cf Damon Albarn. So many of her songs and lyrics have a special place in my heart. My kids are little but they already love her. Recently been getting more into Evermore. Absolutely obsessed with “Tis the Damn Season”, “Cowboy Like Me” and “Right Where You Left Me”. My favourite songs of hers changed all the time but I and quite a big fan and still uncover new ones all the time, she is prolific.

Finding it hard to listen some of her love songs now she broke up with Joe Alwyn. Especially Sweet Nothing. And some of her lyrics make me feel so sad for her, like “All of my heroes die all alone, help me hold on to you” from The Archer. But I’m probably projecting, she appears to be fine and having an amazing time touring.

Love Taylor Swift! Like others, Evermore was my main way into her; before that I liked her but didn't fully appreciate her talent and strength.

Without wanting to derail the thread, can I also put praise out there for Olivia Rodrigo - another great songwriter and story teller, mature beyond her years about relationships and society!

She will be fine! But this will give her next album an indignant/independent edge perhaps? She was so in love for years that she had to read Elizabeth Taylors autobiography for inspiration.

For a novice would-be fan...where's the best place to start? Start at the beginning and go forward?

Depends what sort of music you like.

Her first album is super country - fans call her Ye-Ha Taylor for a reason - so unless you already like country it might not work for you straight away.

Fearless and Speak Now are true country pop bangers. Just brilliant with an air of youth and naivety.

Red, Folklore, and Evermore are really good musically and lyrically and I think are pretty accessible. They are well produced and have good pop on there while feeling a little stripped back.

Reputation is very sonically interesting and her most experimental album, it’s a fave of mine but one of her most divisive, I would say pop at it’s core.

1989 and Lover and pure pop joy. While they both have deep cuts they are largely upbeat and fun.

Midnights isn’t her best work IMO but probably fits between Lover, Reputation, and Folklore in terms of sound.

My dd got me into her when she was 7. She’s now 17 and still loves her.

l think she’s a great role model for girls.

Right where you left me? It seems there are deluxe album songs I haven't heard!!

Off to download now.

So nice to read the comments on here. I agree Taylor is a real unifying force between me and my girls. We all love her!
Also feeling quite proud of my 5 year old whose current favourite is Look What You Made Me Do.
I love her lyrics, she captures so perfectly a lot of the experience of being female in today’s world. And some of them make me feel so sad, in Mr Perfectly Fine when she sings “now I’m Miss going to be alright someday” - it’s beautifully bittersweet.
Fingers crossed for a UK tour announcement soon.

Our family trip to see the Reputation show followed by a trip to Creams was described by dd2 then late primary as “the best night of my life”

This!! The 10 minute version is amazing.

I so want her to hurry up and come to the U.K.! We’re due our second baby at the end of November so if she could come here for August/September/October that would be perfect. It would be such a shame to miss it because I have a tiny baby. Not that I’ve considered taking them with me

LWYMMD is one of my faves!
i would very much like to be excluded from this narrative....<points mic at MN>

Thanks tabula

I find the non love songs more relatable too, except for Champagne Problems

the narratives of Last Great American Dynasty and No Body, No Crime....amazing.

@EmmaEmerald I may be slightly biased due to the amount of times I've heard my 4 year old DD change it to "Look What You Made Me Poo", tbf. The video is a masterpiece though!

I have a big soft spot for Reputation, that and Folklore are the albums with the fewest skips for me.

Agreed, I love her, and think she's a brilliant role model for DDs. Grungy16yo me would have been horrified at 50yo me me getting teary eyed over pop songs, but her talent and her integrity are really powerful

I mean, it’s a pretty popular song, I’m sure lots of people like it, for me though, at the time, it was a bit of a jump scare, lol, but it works with the concept of the album and with the album and the tour performance I definitely appreciate it more than when it came out.

I like me, like I think it’s a great pop song, other fans seem to hate it, as a lead single though, I was expecting lover to be a cheesy pop album, which I was up for, what you get instead is anxiety 😂 I mean, it’s a great album and actually I think me is genius set against the rest of it, but, I don’t think someone who heard look what you made me do or me on the radio would get the albums they expected to if they bought them just on the back of those.

I only discovered this song fairly recently but I really love it, another great story telling one. In my head it’s a modern take on Miss Havisham.

Oh and re deluxe editions, yep, the bonus tracks are often the best.

@beguilingeyes I’d say start with Red, it’s the most ‘crossover’ album in terms of sound so if you like it you should find something to like on all her others.

@TaraHill I’m struggling with Cornelia Street atm, my fave off the album too! ‘That’s the kind of heartbreak time could never mend…’ 😭

Agree, I think I prefer the 3am songs on Midnights. I’d be really interested to know whether ‘Bigger Than the Whole Sky’ is about miscarriage, I think it is.

My people!! ❤️❤️
I am pretty sure the European tour will be next summer (2024). Bigger than the whole sky is definitely about her experiencing a miscarriage.
I can’t help but feel really sad about her and Joe as I was so into the love songs about them, particularly Cornelia Street, The Great War, New Year’s Day. But as long as she’s happy and thriving as she seems to be on tour then I’m happy for her. She’s just an incredible woman, so talented and such a good role model. My family know my favourite song ever is Long Live and should be played at my funeral.

I think bigger than the whole sky is about a miscarriage as well, though I don’t take that to mean she had one, it could easily be for someone close to her.