On Oct. 27, 2014, Taylor Swift shocked the world when she transitioned from country to pop music with “1989.” Nine years later on that exact date, the singer reimagined one of her most revolutionary works, releasing the re-recorded version, “1989 (Taylor’s Version).”
An album centered around Swift moving to New York City in her early 20s, living out the ups and downs that come with adulthood, it was a step away from her previous songs about breakups and high school-esque dramas. What “1989” did was open the door for albums that would follow it, allowing Swift to prove she could not be bound to just one genre.
After waiting for nine years, Swift’s return to the tracks on “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” sadly lost some of their charm, especially on major lead singles like “Blank Space,” “Style,” “Shake It Off” and “New Romantics.” With quiet vocals, fewer ad-libs and a louder emphasis on production, it felt odd to hear the singer restrain herself, especially for someone who is so vocal about her personal life in her music.
Thus, this made much of this new version of the album feel forced, and sadly rushed, and I was expecting more growth. However, a few renditions genuinely surprised me, as many of them were not standouts on the original version of the record.
For example, “I Wish You Would,” “How You Get The Girl,” “This Love” and “I Know Places” were all worlds apart from their original sound, with Swift pushing her vocal range and tone. She also just sounded more at ease on these songs, not necessarily worried about sounding exactly like she did nine years ago.
Also, these songs didn’t sound like they were raised up or down an octave unlike the singles mentioned beforehand, which made all the difference. While Swift can’t perfectly replicate her old works after her masters were sold back in 2020, it still was disheartening to see her change what instruments and vocal runs were previously in each song.
Luckily, the end of the album is where all Swifties saw the singer reflect on her past, which was executed through the addition of five new “vault tracks.” The five tracks – “Slut!,” “Say Don’t Go,” “Now That We Don’t Talk,” “Suburban Legends” and “Is It Over Now?” - are all vastly different from one another, which is usually what Swift has done on past re-records like “Red (Taylor’s Version)” and “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).”
The first of the five, “Slut!,” sees Swift for the first time address how the media perceives her, and how they’ve gotten away with sexualizing her in the past. In the prologue for the album, the singer talked about this dilemma, saying, “It became clear to me that for me there was no such thing as casual dating, or even having a male friend who you platonically hang out with. If I was seen with him, it was assumed I was sleeping with him.”
This becomes clear in the lyrics, as Swift sings, “But if I'm all dressed up (If I’m all dressed up) / They might as well be lookin' at us (Lookin' at us) / And if they call me a slut (If they call me a slut) / You know it might be worth it for once (Worth it for once).” As one of the more painfully honest vault tracks, it’s sad yet interesting to see what the singer was thinking and feeling during the mid-2010s, hiding much of her pain behind a new pop sound.
Meanwhile, “Say Don’t Go” is more of a blend of country and pop sounds, emphasizing that Swift hasn’t lost touch with her roots. Juxtaposing the feelings of loneliness and anxiety with longing and appreciation, the singer debates with herself over letting go of a relationship. Much like the central themes found throughout the original “1989,” Swift starts to let listeners into her inner fears, knowing her notoriety is sometimes a curse.
Arguably, “Now That We Don’t Talk” is the best out of the five tracks, even if it is the singer’s shortest song to date. At only two minutes and 26 seconds, Swift perfectly encapsulates how it feels to not hear every day from someone you once loved, and how awful it can be sometimes to move on emotionally. It also seems to reference her relationship with Harry Styles, hinting at their breakup as she says, “You grew your hair long / You got new icons / And from the outside / It looks like you’re tryin’ lives on / I miss the old ways / You didn’t have to change.”
“Suburban Legends” and “Is It Over Now?” finish the album, and while they’re by no means standouts, they both have captivating storylines. The first track discusses Swift’s previous involvement in a powerful relationship, but that ended because of how successful she was becoming. The latter track also mentions a breakup, but one that allowed the singer to realize her self-worth and independence, which is really at the core of “1989 (Taylor’s Version).”
Overall, “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” may not be anywhere close to the original version in sound, but its vault tracks give Swift the opportunity to prove her self-worth and ability to overcome adversity after a nine-year return.
Rating: 3/5
