If Taylor Swift has proven anything, especially in the last year with her truly enchanting eras tour, it is that she could never go out of style. Friday, October 27 Swift welcomed us to New York with the release of her fourth re-recorded album 1989 Taylor’s Version settling the bad blood as she now owns it and yet another one of her stolen albums has made it out of the woods.
The re-recorded album originally debuted exactly nine years to the day of the album’s re-release. The Album’s re-record was particularly special to Taylor as she mentioned in the album’s prologue on music streaming platforms Apple Music and Spotify, “The 1989 album changed my life in countless ways.” This album was Swift’s introduction to the pop industry. Leaving her comfort zone genre of country, albums Taylor Swift, Speak Now, Fearless, and semi-transitional album Red, full force entering a new style of music that was different from her 2008 dramas taken to Shakespearean heights. 1989 Taylor’s Version did away with this and embraced a lightness and play, including a kind of confidence younger Taylor was too passionately involved to grasp.
The re-record allows her devoted fans, swifties, to listen to the songs many of us grew up listening to on the radio without the guilt of listening to the stolen versions. In a sense, we grew up with Taylor from the original making of 1989 to Taylor’s Version’s debut this past Friday. Making this album even more special to fans across the globe and the addition of the five additional tracks, also known as vault tracks, even more exciting. The metaphorical “vault” includes tracks from varying eras of Swift’s career that didn’t make the cut on the original production of the albums. As Swift is re-recording her first six albums in an attempt to earn back the masters of her songs, she releases previously unreleased surprise tracks for fans as a thank you for the continuous support on her journey. These tracks include, “Say Don’t Go”, “Now That We Don’t Talk”, and “Suburban Legends” in addition to two more tracks.
When students and staff at Point Pleasant Boro High School were asked how they felt about the album as a whole and their opinions of the five new tracks, the overall consensus was that the album as a whole was a hit and these tracks rival Red and Speak Now’s from the vault tracks.
When Digital Photography and Art teacher, Mrs. Mitrueter was asked what her thoughts were on 1989 Taylor’s Version, she said, “Being born in 1989 I think I speak for Taylor when I say that it really is the best year. I love how Taylor works in a few new songs that weren’t recorded the first time around, making it new for the OG fans”
When Juniors, Avery Jackson and Rylie Casalino, were asked their opinion on this album’s vault tracks they both answered similarly as they both thought they were all really good. Avery mentioned her personal favorite being “Is it Over Now?” or “Now That We Don’t Talk” adding that she felt the fault tracks “are giving midnights those I must say.” Rylie added that her favorite is “Is it Over Now?” and the new tracks are “so catchy and meaningful at the same time!”
Junior Brayden Merritt added he felt “The remastering of this album truly brought the 1989 vision to life. Each track embodies more emotion and drama than the original 2014 version. The vault tracks added so much to the table in terms of the style of the album.”
When asked how she thought 1989 compared to 1989 Taylor’s Version English II and Journalism teacher Mrs. Jensen also told us that she felt “the release of 1989 did not disappoint! Not only did I enjoy Taylor’s Versions of the songs that we already know and love, but I also really like the vault tracks on this album. 1989 is a great year to be born!”
Now that yet another album has returned home joining Fearless, Red, and most recently Speak Now the next question is when will she be announcing Reputation Taylor’s Version and lastly bringing it full circle with Debut? Until then, we can appreciate the wonderland that truly is 1989 TV as its return fills the blank space in our hearts allowing us to shake it off since the album fell nothing short of being our wildest dreams.
