Fearless Album: Rankings and Discussion

Insights into meaning, musical elements, and making sense of the creative process

Welcome back to my blog! If you’re a first time reader, in this blog I intend to discuss and rank every single Taylor Swift song album by album. Last week I went ahead and ranked the debut album, and in this post I will go through all 19 songs from the original Fearless album, including the deluxe version tracks, but excluding the Taylor’s Version vault tracks, which came out much later.

I am so excited if you are reading this. I have been listening and looking into all the details of these songs for about a year now and I’m just dying to see what you all think. Do you agree or disagree with my rankings? Which songs should be higher or lower than I ranked them in your opinion? What are some insights I missed as to the meaning and backstory of the songs?

I also have one other post I’ve made which details my inspiration for this blog, as well as my detailed ranking criteria and number system, if you’re curious how I ended up ranking each song down to the hundredth of a point.

As usual, to keep this blog reader friendly, I will post my rankings both for this album, and then also a separate ranking list with all the songs so far, here at the top of the blog post, but you can scroll down to any particular song to read more details about it. For each song I will cover my favorite lyric from each song, what (or sometimes who) the song could be about, other notable lyrics or elements of the music itself, and even the hidden messages Taylor Swift has given for each song. If this interests you, keep on reading and don’t forget to share this with any of your friends who might be interested! Thanks for your support!

Album Rankings

Here we go! Here are my rankings for the Fearless album, released in 2008:

Fearless

1. The Best Day (9.29)

2. Forever and Always (8.96)

3. You Belong With Me (8.88)

4. Fearless (8.5)

5. The Way I Loved You (8.5)

6. Tell Me Why (8.29)

7. Love Story (8.27)

8. The Other Side of the Door (8.23)

9. Jump Then Fall (8.21)

10. Come In With the Rain (8.04)

11. Today Was a Fairytale (8.04)

12. Untouchable (7.83)

13. Fifteen (7.77)

14. Hey Stephen (7.52)

15. Change (7.13)

16. White Horse (7.10)

17. Superstar (7.02)

18. You’re Not Sorry (6.94)

19. Breathe (6.5)

If you think I’m way off, I totally get it! I look at this list sometimes, and even after all my amendments I argue with myself from time to time too! Let me have it in the comments.

For my cumulative rankings so far, I’ll bold the ones that are new so you can see the changes. I also included two singles, both released in 2008: “Beautiful Eyes” and “I Heart ?”. I only included songs that Taylor Swift has both writing credit, and a recording where she appears vocally on the track. It was a little ambiguous which era to include certain singles into, so I decided to move some of them into the Speak Now era next week since Fearless already has so many songs to cover.

Cumulative Rankings

Cumulative Rankings (through Fearless era)

1. The Best Day (9.29)

2. Forever and Always (8.96)

3. You Belong With Me (8.88)

4. Fearless (8.5)

5. The Way I Loved You (8.5)

6. Tell Me Why (8.29)

7. Love Story (8.27)

8. The Other Side of the Door (8.23)

9. Jump Then Fall (8.21)

10. Teardrops On My Guitar (8.19)

11. Come In With the Rain (8.04)

12. Today Was a Fairytale (8.04)

13. I’m Only Me When I’m With You (7.92)

14. Untouchable (7.83)

15. Fifteen (7.77)

16. Our Song (7.73)

17. Mary’s Song (7.69)

18. Hey Stephen (7.52)

19. Invisible (7.5)

20. Beautiful Eyes (7.38)

21. The Outside (7.23)

22. Should’ve Said No (7.23)

23. Change (7.13)

24. White Horse (7.10)

25. Christmas Must Be Something More (7.04)

26. Superstar (7.02)

27. You’re Not Sorry (6.94)

28. Cold As You (6.81)

29. I Heart ? (6.71)

30. Breathe (6.5)

31. Tim McGraw (6.46)

32. Christmases When You Were Mine (6.46)

33. Stay Beautiful (6.42)

34. Hold On by Jack Ingram (6.32)

35. Picture to Burn (6)

36. A Place In This World (5.65)

37. Tied Together With A Smile (5.58)

38. A Perfectly Good Heart (5.35)

If you couldn’t tell, as much as I liked the debut album, I really liked the Fearless album, which takes up 9 of the top 10 songs so far! I think Fearless was a huge step forward for Taylor Swift as a songwriter and as a vocalist.

Also, there were 19 songs on the original deluxe version of Fearless (though, in respect for Taylor Swift’s efforts, I’ll be using Taylor’s Version for everything), and I added two singles to this era, so there’s a lot of ground to cover here. I’m realizing just how ambitious of a project this blog really is. I hope you all enjoy it or get something from it! I know it’s been very fun to write so far.

Catching You Up If You’re New To The Blog

As a songwriter, one of the main reasons I started going through Taylor Swift albums was to learn more about her creation process. There are two different sets of playlists she has released over the years which divide her songs into various kinds of categories. Since this really sheds some light on how these songs were made, I’ll be discussing which categories each song falls into as well.

The first set of playlists divide the songs up into categories based on how she was feeling when she wrote them. The three categories are: glitter gel pen songs, quill pen songs, and fountain pen songs. This is a pretty feminine way to think about songwriting, but even though it may be difficult to relate I’m going to see what insights I can gain from it. As she has described them, these are what the categories mean:

• Glitter Gel Pen Songs: Songs that make you want to dance and not take yourself too seriously

• Quill Pen Songs: Songs that make you feel old-fashioned

• Fountain Pen Songs: Songs that are modern, personal stories written like poetry.

Most songs, she claims, fit into the fountain pen song category.

The second set of playlists divide the songs up into categories based on what kinds of emotions the song is processing, specifically when it comes to grief. The five categories in this set of playlists each are defined by one of the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Although the playlists are based on these emotions, she names each of these playlists with a line that embodies that emotion from her newest album, The Tortured Poet’s Department. These are the five categories in this set of playlists:

• “I Love You, It’s Ruining My Life” Songs: Processing or experiencing denial

• “You Don’t Get To Tell Me About Sad” Songs: Processing or experiencing anger

• “Am I Allowed To Cry?” Songs: Processing or experiencing bargaining

• “Old Habits Die Screaming” Songs: Processing or experiencing sadness or depression

• “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart” Songs: Processing or experiencing acceptance or healing

Not all songs are about grief at all, especially on a light-hearted album like the debut album or even Fearless, but I will try my best to point out when I think a song could fit into any of the above categories. Although Taylor Swift did put out playlists, they aren’t exhaustive or inclusive of all the songs that could have fit, so as fans we have to do some evaluating for ourselves. Let me know if you disagree with any of my thoughts about which category each falls into.

Also, sometimes I’m going to make more in-depth music theory references, but I’ll give a warning beforehand so that if it sounds like hieroglyphics to you, you can skip that next paragraph. For those of you who are not familiar with my music theory references, I apologize. You can skip things like this if you wish, but I wanted to include them in case I get to nerd out with someone who also has studied these small technical details. Or, you could read them anyways, and even if you don’t get all of it, it could shed some light on why some things sound the way they do.

Let’s jump into this deep-dive! I’m not afraid!

Deep-Dive and Discussion

Fearless

This opening song perfectly sets the tone and the theme for the album. This is such a feel good song, about letting go of all the nerves and fully enjoying the moment you are in.

This song takes on a special meaning for me personally because, although I didn’t really know the song until a couple of years ago, it reminds me of one of the first dates I ever went on with my wife. This whole song could have been written about this whole night, with just a few details changed and the roles reversed.

Best lyric:

“It’s the first kiss, it’s flawless

Really something, it’s fearless”

Right off the bat, the album has so much intrigue on the first downbeat. I love the snare drum that hits just about as loudly and boldly as possible - you might say, fearlessly. And the guitar line that plays during the regular instrumentals really sets the laid-back, yet excitable tone of the song.

Music theory reference:

Coming out of the instrumental before the bridge, the chord progression is brilliant. The instrumental ends on a V chord, and from there you would usually expect it to go to a I chord. Instead, the bassline walks up (with a very intriguing rhythmic pattern) to a flat VII chord. Now a flat VII chord doesn’t typically fit in the key. This chord is momentarily borrowed from a different key and brought into the song. From there, the progression leads up to a I, then ii, then I/iii, then IV, and finally V. The progression literally walked up the entire scale from the V chord to the V chord, superimposing a borrowed flat VII into the sequence. And from there, you would think it would resolve to a I chord finally. Instead, it walks back up to the flat VII and does the exact same thing, building the tension all the way until the band finally does die down and goes from the V to the I. But it only dies down for a brief second before it builds back up and the chorus gets a second wind. This is some genius, next level instrumental writing.

The theory also goes very well with both the lyrics and the vocals. Taylor really leans into the lyrics extra hard when she sings,

“Well you stood there with me in the doorway,

My hands shake, I’m not usually this way…”

Both the words she is singing, and the way she sings them add to the dynamic of building tension, which dies down in a satisfied way when she finally sings the word, “fearless”. (*chef’s kiss*) That’s how it's done.

If you aren’t familiar with Taylor Swift’s work or are a newer fan like me, when she released the original CDs for her first few albums, she used to include hidden messages in the lyric booklets by capitalizing certain letters to spell out words or phrases which may give insights as to what the song was about.

The hidden message for this song is: “I loved you before I met you”. I think this message doesn’t really reveal any big insights about Taylor Swift’s actual relationships or life, but it is rather a reflection of a feeling she desires to have: a connection with someone that feels like it has been around a long time, even when she just met them- familiar, yet fresh. This tracks with what Taylor Swift has said about this song, that it was written more as an expression of what she wishes for, rather than what she had actually experienced at this point in her life.

This is a fountain pen song. It tells a personal story poetically. It wouldn’t really fit into any of the set of five playlists processing grief emotions, but rather it explores feelings of excitement, adventure, and romance.

Fifteen

This is a great reflection song, and it also could be sort of a warning song. So many people are way too excited to get into relationships before they really know a whole lot about themselves or what they want in life. And when you get in too deep with someone else before you really know who they are or what they want in life also, you usually end up getting pretty hurt. I know that’s a pretty unpopular opinion. This is why I don’t really want my kids to date when they’re too young. I look back at my younger relationships and wonder what was I thinking? It’s a great track to balance the message of “Fearless”, that says to just go for it.

Best lyric:

“When all you wanted was to be wanted

Wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now.”

I love how Taylor really paints a picture of what it’s like to walk into school and wonder who you will connect with, but then also tells a story of how she met her high school best friend, and the difficult times they went through together learning about dating. She really packs a punch vocally when she sings, “Cause when you’re… fif - teen”. I wish everyone sang with that much passion all the time.

One of my favorite things musically about the song is how after the last chorus, when it feels like the song should die down, it gets a really fun second wind, like when a fire is going out but an ember catches and there’s a new blaze for a short time.

I like how there are three main instrumental voices, and each has lines that pop out at different times to evoke different emotions. First, the twelve string guitar line at the beginning really stimulates a feeling like the jitters before the first day of school. Second, the banjo line at moments like after the line, “You sit in class next to a redhead named Abigail and soon enough you’re best friends” creates a feeling of excitement similar to when you find that one person you really click with. Finally, the electric guitar line at the very end right after the line “take a deep breath, girl” feels somber, reminiscing on the whole situation in hindsight. Very creative use of different sounds to create different feelings!

The hidden message for this song is: “I cried while recording this.” That must have been a really special moment! I’m sure it can be really difficult to fully feel the emotion required for each song when actually in the studio, especially after rehearsing it so many times. When you write a song, it’s like a fresh memory, but playing it for someone else later on feels like trying to recall something that happened last week, or even a month ago. Sometimes that memory/feeling is vivid, and other times it fades a lot more than you would want.

Apparently, Taylor Swift wrote this song and played it for Abigail, her friend who was mentioned in the song, and she basically told her, “I wrote this for you, and no one else will ever hear it unless you want them to.” When Abigail heard it, she encouraged Taylor to go ahead and put it on the album, and it was released just about a year after it was written. Surely enough, when Fearless won album of the year at the Grammys in 2009, Taylor performed this song with Miley Cyrus. I think it’s remarkable that Taylor Swift didn’t shy away from putting the real details in the song (which is what makes it so relatable to so many and so tangible), but then she was also willing to never share it with the world for the sake of her friend’s feelings. It’s a great indicator of their friendship, but it also makes me wonder how many songs Taylor has written that were too personal to release to the public, and if they were as good as this one, or better. The world may never know.

This song is a fountain pen song, and I think it could fit into the “Old Habits Die Screaming” playlist well. There is a sense of grief over the loss of innocence and there is a sense of disappointment that this relationship didn’t play out like Abigail thought it would.

Love Story

This song took Taylor Swift’s fame to a new level, surpassing that of any song from her debut album. It became a true 2000s classic.

Taylor Swift has stated in interviews that she wrote this song when she was 17 about a guy she liked, who her parents did not approve of. They never actually dated, she says, but in her anger at her parents she wrote this song, for the first time really relating to the story “Romeo and Juliet”.

A lot of fans apparently have a theory that this song was about the same person who inspired the song “White Horse”, though I doubt this theory. “White Horse”, in my opinion, seems to be about Joe Jonas, but “Love Story” was about a guy she never dated. Fans who support the theory that both songs were about the same person say that Taylor had given “a clue” about this connection in a behind the scenes look at her “White Horse” music video, but that this video was later taken down from Youtube. There still are videos online showing behind the scenes footage for the shooting of that video, so I’m kind of slow to trust the word of random fans on the internet claiming there used to be other videos which conveniently supported their theories.

Overall I think this song is so well written! It has such a unique melody, very intricate instrumental lines, and a great song structure. However, I docked the song slightly for its overall meaning, simply because I find the message of “Romeo and Juliet” to be a little immature and childish. After all, the story is about a three day relationship that ends in the death of several people, and so I don’t see it as the model for true love by any means. Nevertheless, the purpose of songs like these is to give expression to feelings, not necessarily to reflect reality or to give solid life advice.

Best lyric:

“This love is difficult, but it’s real”

I think one thing this song does portray very well is the idea that all the challenges and things that stand in the way of a happy relationship don’t diminish the value of the love two people share. If anything, it makes the relationship that much more meaningful for both people when they overcome their challenges and differences.

Musically, my favorite thing about the song is how the melody, the chord progression, and the instrumental lines all work together to build the song up slowly to the strength of the chorus.

Music Theory Reference:

In the pre-chorus, when Taylor Swift sings, “You were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles, and my daddy said stay away from Juliet”, the chord progression that compliments the melody is “IV - V - vi”. So far, the song has centered mostly on major chords, but just as the conflict begins (where her dad voices his disapproval), the chords shift to center around that relative minor chord, and the melody really emphasizes the sad, minor sound. This shift in tone is really smart and well coordinated! Another time this happens is when the song goes from the happy, celebratory chorus sound to the minor vi chord again when the bridge comes around and she sings, “I got tired of waiting, wondering if you were ever coming around…”. This shift happens again in the same way. This is what we call a “deceptive cadence”, when you expect the next chord to be a resolved I chord, but the progression actually takes you back to the relative minor (vi) chord.

The key change is also a nice addition, when in spite of all the problems and conflicts mentioned, the chorus once again celebrates their love and all that she dreams it will be.

The hidden message for this song is: “Someday I’ll find this”. This hidden message again points to the idea that the muse for this song was someone Taylor never dated, but she still was using this situation to dream about what true love could one day look like for her, in spite of all the challenges and things that could stand in the way (in this case, her pesky parents).

Finally, we have our first quill pen song! Almost every song has been a fountain pen song so far, but this song really is the prime example of a quill pen song, one that makes you feel old-fashioned. What is more old-fashioned than a Shakespeare inspired romance? I see “Love Story” almost as the period piece version of “Our Song”, though the tone is slightly more anxious or wistful.

I think this song mostly explores the feelings of yearning, but the case could be made that the song belongs in the “You Don’t Get To Tell Me About Sad” songs playlist, which explores anger, because Taylor did say she wrote the song when she was angry at her parents for disapproving of her crush. It just doesn’t strike me as an angry song, though.

Hey Stephen

Taking a page from her own book from the debut album, Taylor Swift begins this song also calling out a crush by name: “Hey Stephen”. Apparently the song was written about Stephen Liles, the lead singer for the band “Love and Theft”, who Taylor toured with back in 2008. This is confirmed by the hidden message for this song: “Love and Theft”. According to an interview with Stephen Liles, he did know that she wrote a song about him, but he never heard it before the album came out. He told the interviewer in 2009, “She didn’t say like, ‘I wrote a nice song about you’, so I’m just thinking, ‘what did I do?’, because she doesn’t write very many nice songs about guys. So I was relieved when it turned out to be a nice song, and it’s actually one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.”

Stephen Liles actually wrote a song about Taylor Swift just before she wrote the song about him. The song is called “Try To Make It Anyway”, released under his own name in 2011. I don’t think the song is nearly as good as the one she wrote about him, but it’s an interesting listen if you want to look it up! It seems they really liked each other, though there’s no evidence they ever dated or pursued anything.

The song is a lighthearted, feel good song about a crush. It is about just enjoying the little things you notice about them, and all the excitement that goes along with that experience.

Best lyric:

“As we walked we were talking

I didn’t say half the things I wanted to”

I think this line really captures the feeling of getting caught up in a fun moment with someone you’re beginning to enjoy being around.

Vocally, I love the low notes at the beginning. In this album, Taylor really begins to experiment with her lower range more than she did on the first album. This is an underrated element of skill for female vocalists in general. I also really love the break in her voice when she switches from full voice to false seto in the bridge on the lyrics, “shine, shine, shine.”

Instrumentally, there are two elements that really stand out to me. First, the snare hit at the very beginning of the song really reminds me of the beginning of the song “Fearless”, carrying on that “live in the moment” attitude that continues through the album.

Music Theory Reference:

Second, I really enjoy how the chord progression at the beginning is very simple (just a I chord back and forth to a IV chord), but the interesting rhythm, together with the more intricate bassline and organ riffs give the song a lot of instrumental intrigue.

This song is a fountain pen song, and it primarily explores feelings of infatuation.

White Horse

And so we come to track #5 on this album, the track known especially by swifties for being the most vulnerable track on the album, although Taylor Swift herself didn’t notice this pattern until fans pointed it out to her after the release of Red. Of all the songs on Fearless, I would say this song fits the bill.

This is a sad song about dealing with hurt and betrayal from someone you had high hopes for, or about someone you had a high opinion of who let you down.

Most fans agree that this song was written about Joe Jonas, who cheated on Taylor Swift for Camila Cabello. It seems like most likely, Joe came back to apologize to her, but she wrote this song which essentially says, “You can’t just come back after you betrayed me and expect for everything to go back to normal.” Once you’ve hurt someone like this, you really can’t do anything to make up for it. The ball really is in the other person’s court to choose whether they want to forgive or trust you again.

Personally, I like to try to always forgive quickly, but I also realize that there are some hurts that linger for a long time even if you are actively trying to forgive over and over again.

Best Lyric:

“And there you are on your knees

Begging for forgiveness, begging for me

Just like I always wanted, but I’m so sorry”

Ouch. What a sad picture.

Another great lyric:

“My mistake, I didn’t know to be in love

You had to fight to have the upper hand”

This lyric seems to indicate that the muse for this song tried to shift the blame as part of their apology at some point. When you mess up, you have to fully own the mistake without excuses. As difficult as this can be, when you let your pride take over and try to shift the blame in some way to get the upper hand in the situation, it only makes things worse.

One other lyric I just have to mention:

“I’m gonna find someone someday

Who might actually treat me well”

To me, this is a great line, but it also pretty much proves the song is about Joe Jonas. When Taylor Swift was on the Ellen Degeneres show and was asked about whether she was dating Joe anymore, she said, “When I find that person that is right for me, he’ll be wonderful. And when I look at that person, I’m not even going to be able to remember the boy who broke up with me over the phone in 25 seconds when I was 18.” Again, ouch!

Years later, Taylor Swift did apologize for this when she was on the Ellen show again. But she is nothing if not honest and authentic!

This song has a lot more going on lyrically than musically, although I do love the piano line. I think it really reflects the sad sense of disappointment prevalent in the song. I also love the second wind that happens again in this song, just like in “Fearless” and “Fifteen”, where it seems like the song is about to die down, but then it picks up again for a short time.

The hidden message for this song is: “All I ever wanted was the truth.” It seems that if the muse was simply honest with her, maybe she would have forgiven him.

This song is a fountain pen song, as well as a “You Don’t Get To Tell Me About Sad” song, primarily focusing on anger. As a close second though, it could almost fit into the “Old Habits Die Screaming” playlist, which takes more of a sad tone than an angry one.

By the way, this song won a Grammy for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance. I think the song is fantastic, but it does surprise me that this song won the award instead of a few other songs on this album.

You Belong With Me

This song was apparently written when Taylor Swift heard a guy at her high school talking on the phone with his girlfriend. She was apparently being really unreasonable with him, and it got Taylor thinking about an imaginary situation where she really wants a guy to recognize that he would be a lot better off with her than with his current, crazy girlfriend.

It’s remarkable to me that she can write so vividly about this situation, even though the idea itself was sparked by simply overhearing a conversation. Inspiration is truly everywhere, it seems. If only the rest of us could notice just as often!

Best lyric:

“And I know your favorite songs

And you tell me bout your dreams

Think I know where you belong

Think I know it’s with me”

This lyric reminds me of the movie “Love, Rosie”. It’s an excellent movie, if you haven’t seen it! In the movie, the main protagonist (Rosie) has a crush on her best friend growing up, and although he also likes her, he gets the idea that she doesn’t like him back. He dates several other women throughout the movie, and even though Rosie really gets him, he just doesn’t see it.

The melody of this song is just so good! I especially love the interval jumps on “why can’t you see, you belong with me”.

I also love the turnaround of the melody on the lyric, “You say you’re fine, I know you’re better than that”. The playfulness in her voice here kind of reminds me of the song “Speak Now” from the following album.

Instrumentally, I love the guitar riff that comes into play in the middle of the verses, when the rest of the band backs off for a couple of bars. I also really enjoy how just before both the vocals and the instruments come in at full force to start each chorus, the bass drum sounds like a heart beating in the pre-chorus while she sings, “What you’re looking for has been here the whole time.” It took me forever to notice that!

Overall, the power and the relatability of this song make it a certified banger.

The hidden message for this song is: “Love is blind, so you couldn’t see me.” This is kind of funny and cheesy to me. It does make me wonder, however, if the song was actually about someone, even though she said it was about this imaginary situation. It certainly feels more personal than that.

This song is a fountain pen song, and I think it belongs in the “Am I Allowed To Cry” category, because she is mainly bargaining with her muse to notice that she really is the one for him. There is definitely some level of grief taking place here, and maybe multiple levels beyond the bargaining. To me, it doesn’t seem like the song is expressing sadness, but more frustration prompted by unreturned affection.

Breathe

Taylor Swift said that this song was written as an apology to a friend, reflected by the hidden message for this song: “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” She really hasn’t revealed which friend the song is about, but a lot of fans theorize it could have been written for Emily Poe, who was Taylor’s fiddle player from 2006 to 2008, since she left the band around the time this song was written, presumably with an air of mysterious tension and conflict surrounding the situation.

One interesting, but far-fetched theory is that Emily Poe could have had a crush on Stephen Liles while they were all on tour together, and Taylor may have hurt her feelings by flirting with him. There doesn’t seem to be any backing for this theory though. Sometimes we’ll never really know what the song was truly about.

Best lyric:

“Never a clean break…

You’re the only thing I know like the back of my hand.”

Whoever Taylor wrote the song about, she must have been really close to them. Some have said the song must actually be romantic because of the song connection that seems to be described in the lyrics. I think it is kind of unfair to assume everything is about romance though, especially when certain details are given by Taylor to the fans. Why not just believe what she says about her own songs, you know?

Instrumentally, I love how smooth the chord progression sounds on the guitar at the beginning.

Music Theory Reference:

Though most of the song is pretty straight-forward instrumentally, the last chord is suddenly thick with extended harmonies. When you keep on stacking thirds above a basic triad chord, you get notes that should sound dissonant together, but because they are spread out, the notes actually sound good together. There is still some sense of dissonance, but it isn’t as acute as if the notes were played right next to each other. This particular chord is a IV chord, but it sounds like it is a IV 13 chord, with three other notes stacked up on top of the triad, although some are omitted. Very interesting choice! I think it brings out the tension of loss the song is conveying very well.

It’s interesting how just two songs ago, with “White Horse”, Taylor Swift was singing about how it feels to be disappointed in someone who has betrayed you, and how it can be difficult to forgive or trust that person again, but now she is on the other side of a similar situation. Apparently she has now done something to hurt her friend, and she is the one looking for forgiveness.

It can be a helpless feeling sometimes knowing there is nothing you can do to undo the hurt you have caused. All you can do is to own it and hope for the generosity of the other person to forgive even though you don’t deserve it.

This song is a fountain pen, “Old Habits Die Screaming” song.

Tell Me Why

I love this one. It was revealed that “Tell Me Why” was written when Taylor Swift went over to write a song at her co-writer’s house, and she was very upset by a boy she liked. I kind of think this one is also about Joe Jonas, just because he seems to have been her most significant relationship from this period, and it seems like he didn’t always treat her very well (as evidenced by her infamous Ellen interview). Liz Rose, the co-writer, asked Taylor, “If you could voice all your frustrations in a song, how would you say it?” Taylor Swift began with the line, “I’m sick and tired of your attitude, I’m feeling like I don’t know you”, and in just 25 minutes, they had written this absolute bop. She’s here serving up masterpieces in less time than it takes to get your burger at Sonic!

This song is really all about anger at someone who minimizes your feelings and cuts you down. There is nothing more frustrating than someone who doesn’t listen to you or care about your feelings. It can be such an isolating experience to argue with such a person, particularly when they mean a lot to you.

Best lyric:

“You took a swing, I took it hard

And down here from the ground I see who you are”

Wow. This reminds me a little bit of “The Great War” from Midnights. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Another great lyric:

“Here’s to you and your temper

Yes, I remember what you said last night”

Vocally, I love the belting throughout the song. There’s such a depth of emotion in every word of this whole song. It’s hard not to get carried away by the feelings of it. I also really enjoy how Taylor flips up into the false seto on “Here’s to you and your temper.”

Structurally, one of the things that consistently makes Taylor Swift stand out is the way she has symmetry in her songs, where the melody and rhythms are mostly the same, but the lyrics slightly change or play off of one another from verse to verse or even from chorus to chorus. For example, the first chorus begins, “I’m sick and tired of your attitude / Feeling like I don’t know you”. The second chorus has the same melody and rhythm, but begins, “I’m sick and tired of your reasons / I’ve got no one to believe in”. This reiterates the same idea, but in different language, completing a more vivid picture.

Instrumentally, the song begins with such an iconic violin solo. It perfectly embodies that boiling point of frustration that spills out throughout the song. Well done!

The hidden message for this song is: “Guess I was fooled by your smile.” This one is kind of funny to me. As mature as this song is in processing this complex frustration, this hidden message seems so middle school to me, like a cryptic facebook status.

This song is a fountain pen song and a “You Don’t Get To Tell Me About Sad” song.

You’re Not Sorry

This is a great song to express the feelings of exasperation when someone just continues to hurt you over and over again, and it doesn’t seem like they are really willing to change. I think I probably rated this one too low, partially because I just hate the feeling of helplessness when asking for forgiveness and truly meaning it, but realizing the other person doubts your sincerity. However, I’ve more recently better understood this feeling which the song communicates: “You don’t actually care. You just want me to tell you everything is okay.” I used to think this song was a little too dramatic, but it’s actually the perfect song to express this feeling. I just hadn’t really been in a place in my life to be able to relate very well.

Again, this song fits the theme of betrayal and being asked for forgiveness. I would venture to guess this is another song about Joe Jonas. Sometimes a situation like this is just hard to get over, and it may take working through the same emotions multiple times before really being able to move on.

Best lyric:

“All this time I’ve been waiting for you to come around

I’ve been giving out chances but all you ever do is let me down”

This also reminds me a little bit of “The Moment I Knew”. There is a sense of swinging back and forth between fierce anger and deep disappointment at someone who just won’t show up for you, even though you really trusted them. You can really hear these emotions reflected in the intensity of the vocals, as usual. One more instance where you can especially hear this vocally is in all the “No, no no”s at the end of the bridge. I think it is interesting how much Taylor Swift ad libs (sings notes almost spontaneously, without lyrics) on this album, both here, and on other songs like, “Fearless”, “Fifteen”, and “Hey Stephen”.

Another great lyric:

“You got your share of secrets

And I’m tired of being last to know.”

One other reason why this song was rated a little lower than some others was because the song is pretty simple instrumentally. One part that does stand out, however, is the bass line in the instrumental right before the second verse. If you listen closely, there is a moment where the bass player slides up the neck to play a higher melody part with an intriguing rhythm kind of reminiscent of “Peace” from Folklore.

The hidden message for this song is: “She can have you.” Again, this is a nod to the whole cheating situation. Yikes.

This song is a fountain pen song and a “You Don’t Get To Tell Me About Sad” song if I ever saw one, although instrumentally it sounds more sad than angry.

The Way I Loved You

This is another amazing song about the difference between the role of logic and the role of emotion when navigating crushes and relationships. In the verses, Taylor explores all the things she logically really likes about one guy who seems to be perfect, but in the choruses and especially in the bridge, she emotionally confesses that in spite of all that logic, she actually wants to be with this other guy who just has more of a connection with her for some reason.

It seems this song was probably not written about two different actual guys, but more likely it was written while Taylor was considering other options, but still hung up on Joe Jonas. Or it could be about the general feeling of being drawn to the kinds of connections that aren’t exactly logical.

This song means a lot to me because there was a brief time early on in our dating relationship where my wife and I broke up and then got back together. During this time, I heard this song somewhere, and although I really only listened to the chorus, it made me realize how much I missed her. It made me want to fight to win her back, because I realized “I never knew I could feel that much” for anyone.

Best lyric:

“It’s a roller coaster kind of rush

And I never knew I could feel that much

And that’s the way I loved you”

There’s so many incredible lyrics in this song. Here’s another:

“He can’t see the smile I’m faking

And my heart’s not breaking

Cause I’m not feeling anything at all.”

Ouch. One more:

“Just so frustrating, intoxicating, complicated

Got away by some mistake and now”

I really felt this lyric too. Our fights were pretty crazy back then, but I still felt like I just had to pursue the relationship again anyways.

Vocally, it's a small detail, but I love the way she sings “cursing your name” with such a fierce bite to it! It kind of reminds me of the way Draco Malfoy says “Ppppottah”

I also love the way Taylor Swift sings the same chorus later, but softly after the bridge. This is another great example of how mostly the song can be expressing one emotion, but simply changing the dynamics of the song can bring out a totally different feeling. In this case, it’s sadness instead of frustration and passion.

Instrumentally, I want to point out two things. First of all, the guitar solo before the bridge fits the moment like a glove.

Music Theory Reference:

Second, one of the most clever things about the song is how the verses sound very proper, with a very straight eighth note rhythm and an almost formal chord progression: “I - V - ii - IV”. It sounds happy, but stiff, just like the relationship she is describing. But just before kicking into a different gear for the chorus each time, the last chord of each verse is a minor iv chord, which doesn’t fit into the key, so it sounds out of place. In the first verse this occurs on the lyric, “you look beautiful tonight”, and in the second verse, “and I’m comfortable”. It’s like that is the moment where she realizes that even though everything feels great, it’s actually off. Then, the chorus comes in with a much more passionate rhythm, even though the chord progression is the same, and it totally shifts the mood. So well thought out!

The hidden message for this song is: “We can’t go back.” This leads me to believe the song really is her considering all these other logical options, but really just missing Joe Jonas after their breakup, but she knows deep down that she can’t go back to him because she doesn’t trust him anymore.

This is a fountain pen song. I also think it could be an “I Love You, It’s Ruining My Life” song, processing denial. This is the first such song that we have looked at so far. I think it fits this category because she is dreaming about getting back together with this guy who really has a connection with her, but like she said in the hidden message, she knows she can’t actually go back. She’s in denial about her feelings. This is a different kind of grieving from the other songs on this album or her last. Notice how “loved” in this song is always in the past tense.

Forever and Always

Having this song come right after “Tell Me Why”, “You’re Not Sorry”, and “The Way I Loved You” really makes me think that Fearless is very underrated as an album. This song is yet another banger!

This song again explores the feeling of someone who said they would be there with you and there for you, but you are absolutely floored when they simply don’t show up. You wonder if you misread the entire relationship, or if you were wrong to care about them as much as you do.

This song is another obvious Joe Jonas song. Thank you Joe for being such a terrible, wonderful muse (even though it sucks that Taylor Swift had to go through all this for these songs to exist).

Best lyric:

“I stare at the phone

He still hasn’t called

And then you feel so low you can’t feel nothing at all

And you flashback to when he said forever and always”

Such a gut punch of a lyric! She’s thinking back to all the things he said and wondering, “Was that all a lie? What am I missing here?” She’s just exasperated at the broken commitment.

Another one:

“It rains in your bedroom, everything is wrong

It rains when you’re here and it rains when you’re gone”

As incredible as the lyrics are for this one, I think the vocals bring out the lyrics to land even harder. For example, notice how she really leans into certain words, like, “Were you just kidding” or “Here’s to silence that cuts to the core”, or even the “oh” right before the guitar solo before the bridge.

One other example of how the vocals really bring out the meaning of the song is when Taylor doesn’t lean into a line, but instead backs off of it. At the end of the bridge, when she sings, “Did you forget every- thing”, on the last half of that word, the tone shifts from anger to sadness as she approaches that final note with more of a soft, mournful tone rather than the fire she uses for all the other notes.

Instrumentally, I love how the drums and the band temporarily back out during the verses to bring more emphasis to some lines: “So here’s to everything” (backing out during the pause then coming back in) “coming down to nothing”, “Here’s to silence” (repeating the pattern) “that cuts me to the core.”

The hidden message for this song was: “If you play these games, we’re both going to lose”. There are zingers within zingers on this track.

This song is a fountain pen, “You Don’t Get To Tell Me About Sad” song, no question.

The Best Day

This song really explores both the feeling of intense isolation, but also the feeling of deep connection with family. These moments of connection are the most precious and beautiful moments in life. Life is all about moments, and this song captures them like a true masterpiece. It is one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs of all time.

The song tells the story of how Taylor was bullied one day at school, but her mom took the moment to really connect with her and make it into a wonderful memory by taking her out and spending time with her. As a result, Taylor reminisces on not only that moment, but all the moments where her mom showed her that she cares deeply, and she feels immense gratitude for her whole family and upbringing.

This song both brings up some of my favorite memories with my parents, who did a great job at various times connecting with me, and it inspires in me a deep longing to one day create these kinds of memories and moments of connection for my own kids. If my kids think of me this way one day, I will know I spent my life well.

Best lyric:

“I don’t know why the trees change in the fall

But I know you’re not scared of anything at all”

Taylor, as a little kid, sees all this beauty in the world and has so many questions about how it all works, but the most beautiful thing she knows and can hold onto is the feeling that her mom is strong and she is there for her. Wow.

Another great lyric I couldn’t leave out:

“Now I know why the trees change in the fall,

And you were on my side even when I was wrong”

I absolutely love both the sentiment here, and the way Taylor almost breaks and starts crying when singing this line. It is such a meaningful development to the song. When Taylor was young, she didn’t understand how the world worked, but she could stand on her mother’s love for her. Now, she does understand the world, and she still knows that above all else, her mom is there for her, always. I can’t listen to this and not cry.

Vocally, I love the way she lightly bounces from one note to the next in the verses. This technique really gives a whimsical nature to the stories she tells in each verse. Later, at the end of the bridge, she uses this same, slightly bouncy technique, but then accents certain notes to subtly outline the changes in the chords when she sings, “I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run, and I… had… the best days with you”. Just elegant!

Music Theory Reference:

In the verses, the melody is walking down the major scale starting on the third scale degree. What is interesting about the melody, though, is that although the chords are centered around the tonic I chord, the melody walks down the scale outlining a minor chord on top of it. This creates an effect of sadness layered on top of something joyful. This perfectly reflects the tension which is explored in this song: isolation from the outside world, but solace found in deep family relationships.

I also think the short acoustic guitar solo before the bridge is just a perfect transition out of that second chorus. It is rare to see an acoustic guitar solo, even in a country song like this one.

Structurally, this song is a masterclass in how to tell a good story in a song. It uses the same outline melodically and harmonically of having a “verse - chorus - verse - chorus” flow, but the words and syllables fit perfectly into this mold, though each verse/chorus combo tells a different strand of the story. The bridge reflects on the significance of these stories and the depth of these relationships. And finally, the third verse tells yet another story, full of joy and melancholy all at once, taking on a sadder tone, while at the same time bringing the theme full circle, back to when she was a child.

The hidden message for this song is: “God bless Andrea Swift”.

This song is a fountain pen song, and it could fit into the “Old Habits Die Screaming” playlist, but personally I think it is more of a celebration of her relationship with her mom than it is a sad song about feeling left out.

Change

This song is about sadness at the way things work in the music industry and the way society undervalues and marginalizes women, among other political and societal problems she sees, and how over time speaking about it, it really is possible to see things change. At least that’s my take on it.

In interviews at the time she said it was about her small record label trying to break into being a major part of the industry. She definitely keeps the song vague enough to keep it’s meaning questionable. At the time Obama was running for President and his campaign slogan was “change”, so this could have been her subtle way of voicing her opinion without making too big of a splash in the political scene, something she was afraid of doing earlier in her career.

There are religious undertones of belief for that change which aren’t all that covert: “We’ll sing hallelujah”. She still was clinging to her roots at this point. It seems that over the years she has changed her beliefs and values, and that can be seen over time throughout her songs.

At the beginning, the song seems like a celebration, with a bold and joyful guitar line. Then there is a complete mood shift when she sings the first lyrics as the band dies down dramatically:

“Well it’s a sad picture

The final blow hits you

It’s hard to fight when the fight ain’t fair”

This is my favorite lyric from the song. I think it really captures that feeling of realizing that there is injustice in the world and that it is hard for any one person to really affect change, even someone as famous or influential as she is.

Music Theory Reference:

One thing that kind of annoys me about this song is that after the chorus before the bridge, there’s a beautiful chord progression: vi - IV - I - V, and although the guitar solo is simply quarter notes roughly outlining those chords, it builds so much momentum. She could have gone anywhere with that momentum, but instead she goes straight to the I chord to start the bridge. It needs to keep building, but it feels like it resolves and loses some of that momentum from that point. It eventually does build it back with the long instrumental, but every time I hear it I expect and want something different. But I think she was trying to do something different than some of the other songs on the album, since there are a few songs that have similar guitar solos and chord progressions, where she went anywhere else but the I chord for the beginning of the bridge.

And here we see yet another example of the second wind at the end of the song as the band has an extended instrumental to close out the original album. I’m sure the band had a lot of fun just jamming out in the process of recording and touring with this album. I love how in the last few bars they added the double time snare hits on the final time through the instrumental. The song really does seem celebratory, even though it explores feelings of frustration with the world and things that need to change. There seems to be a lot of hope that these changes can actually happen.

The hidden message for this song is: “You made things change for me.” This seems to be a message intended for Scott Borchetta, who originally signed Taylor Swift to her first contract with Big Machine Records, which allowed her the chance to record her first several albums. Of course, her feelings of gratitude changed over the years, as many of you who are fans are aware, but we won’t get into all that just yet.

This song is a fountain pen song, and I think the tone is more hopeful than grieving, so I don’t think it would fit into any of the five playlists in that regard.

Jump Then Fall

This song is about the moment where you allow yourself to explore your feelings about a new crush. It’s such a fun song, focusing on all the things she likes about her muse, and hoping that he also continues to feel the same way about her, and that he won’t hold back for fear of the relationship failing.

There is no evidence that really ties this song to any particular muse, though some fans have theories that this song is about her secretly having a gay crush. I disagree with all theories that Taylor is secretly gay because in interviews Taylor has always reacted to this idea negatively, particularly during the 1989 era when she said that she was shocked that people “can and will sexualize” any relationship she has, even with other women who she happens to be friends with. Although Taylor Swift does tend to put details in her songs that cause her fans to look into the song’s meaning and try to find information about her real life, and she enjoys reading about the theories, I think it is unfair to try to read situations into her music that she has specifically denied over and over again.

Best lyric:

“We’re on the phone and without a warning

I realize your laugh is the best sound

I. have. ever. heard”

I love the way the guitar and the whole band pause as she sings these words. There is such enthusiasm, but also playfulness in her voice on that line.

Instrumentally, I love the punch and accents on the guitar strumming pattern. I think this musical texture really gives the verses the playful, fun energy she is going for in the song. I also think the syncopated rhythm that occurs throughout the song really adds to this effect, particularly in the bridge, when she uses an even more aggressive syncopated rhythm on “I’ll catch you, I’ll catch you”, breaking off from the main pattern.

Another great lyric:

“I’ve never been so wrapped up honey

I like the way you’re everything I ever wanted”

The bridge seems pretty dramatic when she sings lines like, “the time is gonna come when you’re so mad you could cry.” This has led people to speculate, what kinds of things could make her muse feel this way? But when you look back at the kinds of feelings Taylor Swift wrote about in “The Way I Loved You”, these lines make a lot of sense without much specific explanation.

The hidden meaning for this song is: “Last summer was magical.” So whoever the song was about, their romance happened the summer before she wrote the song. It could have been about either Stephen or Joe, or maybe someone else who Taylor liked at the time. It could be about anyone really.

This might be a glitter gel pen song. It seems like just a fun song that makes you want to dance, and it isn’t too serious, besides the bridge. I think this song explores the feelings of excitement and… fearlessness.

Untouchable

“Untouchable” is the only song on Taylor Swift’s whole discography that was originally written without her. However, because she changed the song so much, the band that wrote the song actually gave her songwriting credit.

“Untouchable” was originally released by the band Luna Halo on their self-titled debut album in 2007. If you’ve never heard it, you should really give it a listen! It’s incredible to see just how different the song is from the version Taylor produced. The original song was a fast-paced rock banger, and the lead singer is almost screaming the melody. The verses had a completely different melody too.

The song seems to have more abstract concepts in it than Taylor Swift’s normal lyrics do, but that makes sense since these lyrics were actually from someone else. I think this song seems to be about having feelings for someone who just seems so out of reach. You’re in awe of them, but they seem unattainable, or “untouchable”.

Best lyric:

“Untouchable like a distant diamond sky

I’m reaching out and I just can’t tell you why”

This opening line says it all with great imagery. The rest of the song really is a little repetitive lyrically, but there is so much happening musically and vocally that I honestly don’t even notice the repetition.

One other line that has confused me is this one (the only other lyrics in the song besides the chorus):

“It’s half full and I won’t wait here all day

I know you’re saying that you’d be here anyway”

I’m kind of stumped on this one, and so are lots of other fans on the internet. My best guess is that the world seems pessimistic at the thought of her never being together with her muse, with a “glass half full” mindset. The second line really doesn’t make sense to me though. Any thoughts or ideas about what this one could mean?

Vocally, this song is so well done. All throughout the song, her voice bends every which way through every nook and cranny of the melody, bringing out the emotion and the feeling of the song in a way that really paints a picture more than the lyrics do.

The original song has no bridge. Instead, there is a long guitar solo. Here, instead of the guitar solo, Taylor Swift has the slow acoustic riff continue while she ad libs over some “ohs”. Again the breaks in her voice here as she goes back and forth between full voice and false seto is just masterful. You really feel like you’re flying towards the sun while listening to this song.

Instrumentally, the simple rhythm on the acoustic guitar, combined with the slight melodic phrases that compliment the melody in the instrumentals, are what really make the song so unique and clever. I also love the keyboard sound in the background. It almost sounds like a vibraphone. This musical texture really adds to the nebulous feel of the song.

The hidden message for this song is: “We always want what we can’t reach.” Taylor Swift may not have written this song, but it seems she had a crush on someone who didn’t like her back, and really related to this song enough to want to renovate it and include it on the album. I wonder who it was.

This song is a fountain pen song, and I think it belongs in the “Am I Allowed To Cry” songs category, because she is again hoping that her oblivious muse will notice her and “come on” and “say that [they’ll] be together.”

Forever and Always Piano Version

Since I’ve already discussed the original version of “Forever and Always”, I just want to note that although this song has the exact same melody, chord progression, and rhythms, it takes on such a different emotion here. This is due in large part to the instrumentation, with a simple piano supporting it, as well as the soft, pleading vocals, as opposed to the fiery angst of the original. I also love the harmonies that Taylor layers together on the “ohs” after the bridge. This is another example of the versatility and creativity Taylor Swift has, to completely make something that was familiar become brand new with just a few tweaks.

The hidden message for this song is: “Still miss who I thought he was.” This must have been written about Joe Jonas at a time where she was more sad than angry. It’s interesting how feelings can shift so much when thinking about a single situation or person. Because of the change in tone, I think this version of the song belongs in the “Old Habits Die Screaming” playlist, processing sadness.

Come In With the Rain

This is one song I just did not understand at first, either lyrically or musically. However, over time I have begun to see how genius it is. This is a song of disappointment for someone who just won’t show up when you need them, a theme on this album, and one that lately I can relate to strongly. It’s about the realization that she needs to move on from this person who, despite all her hopes (leaving the window open for him to climb through out of the rain), she finally sees that they will not really change and become the person she needs them to be for her.

She is saying that her muse is so foolish and stubborn, he won’t even come inside and be reasonable when it starts raining.

Best lyric:

“Talk to yourself, talk to the tears

Talk to the man who put you here

And don’t wait for the sky to clear”

She is saying, “If you don’t like the fact that this relationship is over, then go complain about it to yourself, since it's your fault this is ending.” Ouch.

Another phenomenal lyric:

“I’ve watched you so long, screamed your name

I don’t know what else I can say.”

This is that feeling of powerlessness that occurs when you finally have to accept that you cannot change someone else, no matter how deeply you care about them. They have to want to choose to be different.

One more key lyric:

“I’ve got you down, I know you by heart

And you don’t even know where I start”

Again, she feels so deeply for this person and knows them so well, but she realizes that they just don’t care about her in the same way. This is true, so much so, that they don’t even begin to understand her.

Vocally, I love how the verses show off the low register of her voice so well, perfectly matching the line, “I could go back to every laugh, but I don’t wanna go there anymore, and I…”

Musically this song is genius.

Music Theory Reference:

This song does something called “modulation”, where the song moves back and forth between two different keys temporarily. The verses are set in the key of D, where Taylor can show off those low notes and reflect on her disappointment in more of a tone of sadness. But after the pre-chorus where she sings, “talk to the man with the reasons why, and let me know what you find”, the bass is playing the V chord, then it touches the IV, and pivots from that chord to the new IV chord in the new key, the key of G. So at first, when the bass plays the IV chord in the old key, it sounds like a IV, but then it functions as the new I chord. The relationship between these keys is close enough on the circle of fifths that Taylor Swift is able to make this transition seamless enough to go back and forth between these two keys several times. The new elevated key in the chorus puts the vocal range in a spot where she can really belt out her frustrations and show off her high range.

Continued Music Theory Reference:

As the song approaches the bridge and the band gains momentum, it almost sounds like the song changes keys in a different way, going up again. However, the song simply modulates back to the original key of D. The notes Taylor sings in the bridge are actually lower than those in the chorus, but because the band is fuller, it almost sounds like the key keeps going up. Once more, after the chorus, the guitar line sets up the elevated key of G for one last chorus. Overall the song modulates six times, effectively putting it in two different keys throughout the song. I don’t know of any other song in the world that does this. I’m sure there are a few, but certainly not many.

These key changes can make the song seem a little awkward to some, but I love it. I think it makes sense, but I will admit it was a little off-putting to me at first.

The hidden message for this song is: “Won’t admit that I wish you’d come back.” I tend to think this one is also about Joe, just because it seems like whoever the muse is really has affected her deeply. The feelings of the song really seem to match all the other songs about him.

This is a fountain pen song, and I think it belongs on the “You Don’t Get To Tell Me About Sad” songs list.

Superstar

This is another song I underrated at first because I thought it was cringey. But there’s actually such a nuance to the emotions in this song, and she was 18 at the time of this release, so it makes sense for it to not be as grown up as some other songs.

It’s a song about being in awe of someone before you really know them, wondering if you could actually get their attention. That’s actually very relatable to most people. I think this song is about John Mayer because of all the musical elements that sound like they are influenced by his music, as well as the line, “I knew from the first note played, I’d be breaking all my rules to see you.” John Mayer was 30 when they dated around this time, and of course, Taylor was 18 or 19 at that same time.

Best lyric:

“And I knew when I saw your face, I’d be

Counting down the ways to see you”

Even though I don’t love the relationship between her and John Mayer, knowing how it ended, I do think the emotions expressed in the song are still valid. The feeling of wanting to be together when you are first getting to know one another is exciting, and any song that can bottle that feeling up is exciting in the same way.

I do think that ending the chorus with, “Give me a photograph to hang on my wall… superstar”, is a little cringey, but musically I think Taylor Swift makes up for it.

The guitar lines throughout are pretty complex and clever, as well as the instrumental lines after the chorus. Even the mid-verse riffs really give a nod to John Mayer’s creative lead guitar playing.

Music Theory Reference:

This song contains another modulation (temporary key change)! The song starts in D, moves up one whole step to E for the bridge, and then actually moves back down to D for the chorus. It is very uncommon for a song to move back down once a key change happens, but very clever here! You can really sense the excitement when the key moves up for the bridge, as she expresses the longing for him to see her as special, the way she views him. But when she goes back into the chorus, as she settles back into the normal key, there is a renewed sense of genial interest and infatuation.

The hidden message for this song is: “I’ll never tell.” It’s funny that she’s trying to keep this song about their relationship a secret, but she puts so many hints in the song that makes it obvious who the song is about.

I believe this song is a fountain pen song, and it primarily explores emotions of awe and longing for someone who has been put on a bit of a pedestal.

It’s amazing to me now that Taylor Swift felt inferior or unworthy in a way of John Mayer, knowing where both of their careers ended up. This is just another example of how the way you see yourself is really important. Everyone has value and potential, and unless you see that in yourself, it can be easy to idolize others. In reality, the people you put on a pedestal may not have any more potential than you do, only more experience.

Other Side of the Door

This song is about the feeling of wanting to be angry and keep your distance from someone during a fight, but also really missing them and just wanting to be with them again.

This song used to kind of annoy me because I hate the feeling of being shut out or stonewalled. But I realized after some time that stonewalling is not the only way to shut someone out. Other people do it by being defensive, by insisting on having things their own way or being right, or even by using sarcasm or a critical attitude to keep others at an arm’s length. All of these things are rooted in pride and can keep us from the people we care most about. Now I see that this song is about realizing that the people we care about are ultimately more important than how we are feeling at any given moment, and sometimes we just need some time to realize that during a tough argument or disagreement.

Best lyric:

“I’ll scream at the window

I can’t even look at you

I don’t need you but I do, I do, I do”

Also, I love the little rant at the end:

“With your face and your beautiful eyes

And the conversation and the little white lies

And the faded picture of a beautiful night

You carry me from your car up the stairs

And I broke down crying, was she worth this mess?

After everything in that little black dress

After everything I must confess, I need you”

The reason I like this rant is because it gives quick little glimpses into the relationship, almost like a movie scene that cuts between several different clips really quickly. It is also a mouthful, but really fun to sing if you can remember the words!

Vocally, the song is just sung with so much passion, just like so many other songs on the album. I don’t know that I could even pick out one or two key moments, because every note is just sung with such an intensity.

Instrumentally, I love how the simple guitar solo before the bridge literally walks up and down the major scale, but it still builds so much momentum going forward.

The hidden message for this song is: “What I was really thinking when I slammed the door.” It must have taken a lot of work to find all the letters in these lyrics to spell all that out.

This song is a fountain pen song, and I think it belongs in the “You Don’t Get To Tell Me About Sad” songs playlist, although there really could be some debate about that because the song does focus a lot on wishing they could just make things right. However, I do feel that the primary emotion being explored in the song is anger.

Today Was a Fairytale

I know this song, originally appearing on the 2010 soundtrack for the movie “Valentines Day”, was released during the Fearless Era technically, and that it appears on Fearless TV, but because it was so close to the Speak Now era, I’m going to wait on discussing this one until next week. Also, this post is already so long, and there aren’t as many songs on Speak Now.

Beautiful Eyes

This song was never actually recorded in the studio (that we know of), but it was written by Taylor Swift, and there is a recording of her singing it live from 2008, so it fits on this list. I think this song is about an all-consuming infatuation, and about the connection that happens when you make eye contact with someone and there is definitely chemistry there. Lyrically, there isn’t a whole lot going on besides her thinking about how beautiful this guy’s eyes are, but that’s kind of how it can be with infatuation. You can’t think about anything else.

Best lyric:

“I wanna be somewhere where you are

I wanna be where

You’re here, your eyes are looking into mine”

The main reason why I like this song is because of the way she sings it, the general feeling of the song, and because of what is going on instrumentally rather than what is happening lyrically.

The vocals are a little raw, since it is a live recording from when she was still 18, but you can start to see hints of her ability to switch between the different registers of her voice, and use those different breaking points to highlight key intervals within the melody, something that you can see more clearly in the studio recording of Fearless, on songs like “Untouchable”, “Jump Then Fall”, or “You Belong With Me”.

Instrumentally, I love the acoustic guitar melody line that happens throughout the instrumentals and verses, and I especially love the guitar solo, even though it only has three notes in it. The solo capitalizes more on rhythmic intrigue the melodic interest, switching notes just a half a beat behind the chord changes.

This song is a glitter gel pen song, and it simply explores the feeling of feeling feelings. You know what I mean, right?

I Heart ?

This is another song that never made it to an official release, but there are recordings of it on youtube. The song is about picking yourself up and moving on from a breakup. In the song, she has an attitude similar to the one found in “Picture to Burn”, from the debut album. It’s about acting like she doesn’t care because she is angry with her muse, though the song maintains a positive, light-hearted approach to processing the situation.

Best lyric:

“And now you ask about you and I,

There’s no you and I

Remember what you put me through”

The main hook of the song says “And I’ll bet you thought you beat me, wish you could only see, I’ve got an I heart question mark written on the back of my hand”. It’s a cheeky way of saying, “You think you meant that much to me, and you’re asking how I’m doing after how you ended things? I’ll show you that you didn’t actually mean that much, because I’m ready to move on.”

Music Theory Reference:

The chord progression is pretty unique, using a chord borrowed from another key. The progression goes: “I - II - IV - V”, and that progression plays throughout the entire song. The reason this is unique is that usually the two chord would be a minor chord, but she uses a major two chord here, which includes a note that doesn’t fit into the key. That out of place note is resolved every time the progression moves to the IV chord. The progression definitely sets up the feeling of, “Just you watch, I’ll be fine without you”, while at the same time being upbeat and fun.

I have no idea who this song could be about. It was unofficially released in 2008, so it could have been about any of the guys from either the debut or Fearless albums, or even about a different guy we don’t know about. Does anyone else have any other thoughts or theories?

This song is a glitter gel pen song, but I think it also fits into the “You Don’t Get To Tell Me About Sad” category, an odd mixture.

I like both this song and “Beautiful Eyes”, but I can see why they didn’t make it into the album. They have some great elements to them, but the quality of them is inconsistent from one criteria to the next compared to the Grammy winning album where almost every song is amazingly creative and well executed. Perhaps these two singles will appear on the Debut Taylor’s Version album? It would be interesting to see how she might revamp them or add a guest artist.

Conclusion

Whew! This concludes my rankings and discussion of every single Taylor Swift song from the Fearless era. Let me know all your thoughts and opinions! I love to ramble about my thoughts, but I want to hear yours even more, so go ahead and leave them all in the comments. Also, please if you enjoyed this, share it with others and tell your friends who would be interested in it. It would mean the world!

Thanks for reading, and I’ll post next week about Speak Now!