At the time of its release, “Speak Now” was one of Taylor Swift’s most remarkable bodies of work. It is—as of now—her only self-written record. Swift swaps the rainbow-tinged romance of “Fearless” for a loose, adult concept album based on leaving behind her youthful optimism. Swift explores the love she endured versus what she wished it was and reflects on her time in the spotlight. A shift in genre accompanied that shift in perspective, with the album signaling the early stages of Swift’s transition to pop-infused country and rock.
And now, after 13 years and a giant fiasco in between, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” is the latest of her re-recording efforts that aims to live up to the original’s youthful charm, while simultaneously exposing young “Swifties” to the ethics of the music industry and the importance of self-ownership. Much like the re-recordings of “Red” and “Fearless”, “Speak Now” (Taylor’s Version, or SNTV) contains the main set of tracks from its original, with an additional six “From the Vault” tracks.
In the roughly two months since its release, many have closely scrutinized the differences in production and execution in SNTV compared to the original stolen version. Some are critical of the inclusion of Swift’s most frequent collaborator as of late, Bleachers frontman Jack Antonoff, as some prefer the original album’s less “grandiose” or “full” production. Some critics even added that the younger Swift’s youthful fervor lends her songs more emotional potency. Additionally, the widely debated lyrical change on “Better Than Revenge” from “She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress” to “He was a moth to the flame / She was holding the matches” is seen by some as a bad-faith attempt to rectify the original’s misogynistic undertone, while also throwing the song out of sync with the overall album concept.
Even so, these drawbacks do not leave too big of a scar on the final result, which is an album that still retains its realistic pain and romanticism, and with a 33-year-old Swift behind the microphone this time, the mature vocals and updated production work in her favor. Ballads such as “Never Grow Up” that lament the fleeting childhood years feel more poignant with lyrics such as “Wish I’d never grown up, I could still be little.” Meanwhile, songs such as “Haunted” and “The Story Of Us” now feel more like the pop-rock songs from which they take their cues, while Swift’s consistently energetic performances in “Enchanted” and “Long Live” perfectly encapsulate how the latter’s lyric “One day/We will be remembered” still rings true. But no discussion of SNTV can proceed without noting “Dear John,” which is perhaps her most devastating work of writing ever. In SNTV, the song still maintains the anguish and blues that gave the original its cult status in Swift’s songwriting catalog, and its more stable and skilled vocals make the new version even more tear-jerking.
Regarding the “From the Vault” tracks, though many may find themselves attracted by the rather intriguing, sensual nature of “I Can See You,” tracks like “Castles Crumbling” and “Timeless” feel more representative of SNTV’s overall concept and Swift’s own knack for chronic fantasy syndrome. Featuring Hayley Williams from Paramore, “Castles Crumbling” repurposes the fantastical imagery of “Long Live” to demonstrate the fragility of her state of mind while navigating public scrutiny and feuds. Swift and Williams’ crestfallen yet sultry vocals play well in this toned-down ballad, despite drifting away from the album’s country/pop-punk foundations. “Timeless” is a proper Swift track to close and lock the vault. Set to a whimsical country beat, Swift conjures up alternate realities built around herself and a former significant other engaged in what could have been a perennial romance, all triggered by an antique box of cheap black-and-white pictures.
Though it has received mixed fanfare for its production and vault tracks, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) feels decidedly positive, particularly because we can see how much has changed for the singer-songwriter in the 13 years since her foray into adulthood. Swift’s growth as a singer and a storyteller is palpable, and it is a hopeful sign for what lies ahead in her personal future.
