I’m so happy Speak Now is out! When Taylor first announced she was re-recording her works all I could think about was reliving her eras. The last few weeks have taken me straight back to 2010; I remember Taylor releasing ‘Mine’ at the start of the summer and thinking it was the greatest love song ever written. The music video still holds up and a tiny part of me still lowkey ships Taylor with Toby Hemingway. Earlier this year photos of Taylor recording a music video in Liverpool leaked onto the internet. Those who had been near the location revealed that Taylor was with Joey King and Taylor Lautner but I couldn’t dare to believe it, it would just hurt me if it turned out it wasn’t true.
I watched the ‘I Can See You’ video in bed the morning after it came out. Joey King is about 3 months older than me; I’ve grown up watching her, and I thought she looked ethereally beautiful. I remember thinking if she’s in the video, maybe, surely…
I screamed so loudly my brother thought I was being attacked.
Then I watched everything from the concert that I’d missed. I do this the morning after all of her shows to be honest but this one was extra special; I never thought I’d see Taylor reunited with her best ex on stage in the year 2023.
Going back to the album, getting to re-listen to a record I loved so much growing up was a very transformative experience. I could barely contain my excitement at hearing songs like 'Ours' again for the first time; the track was my stan song for many years. ‘People throw rocks at things that shine’ will always be one of my favourite lyrics. Taylor paying homage to her aesthetic and visual legacy in between revisiting eras is one of my favourite parts of the re-recording process. Whilst some amendments are present (none of the re-records have Taylor’s name or the title of the album on the cover), each of the covers so far sees Taylor partially recreating the original album photoshoot. Like the original, the Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) cover is a painting. The strokes are less subtle, though; you can see the outline and style of the dress Taylor is wearing. I think the change makes the cover more impactful, especially without the title sprawled across. Less is more.
The Vault tracks so far have been remarkable, I can’t pick a favourite. Trying to match each song to the 2009-2010 timeline in which Taylor wrote Speak Now has been fun - I figured, we could go through it together. And recommend some books along the way!
I can only assume ‘I Can See You’ wasn’t released with the original album because it didn’t fit Taylor’s innocent, country singer image at the time. The lyric ‘I can see you up against the wall with me’ alone probably threw Big Machine Records, and Andrea, off the release. Initially, I supposed Taylor had written the song about Taylor Lautner. They first met during filming for Valentine’s Day in 2009 and lyrics like ‘we kept everything professional’ imply she met the subject in a working environment. Having him in the music video only confirmed my assumption.
Whether or not workplace romance is an anecdote you enjoy, Strictly Business by Carrie Elks is a great read, especially when you’re in a reading slump. I’ve mentioned Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating before and for those of you who read and enjoyed it, Elks writes with the same humour as Christina Lauren. The protagonist, Ava, returns to work after a holiday only to encounter her colleague Myles. The pair have met in the past, though have never gotten along. I found Ava’s independence refreshing to read; she is content with being alone and is considering options to have a child without a man’s input. It was more difficult for me to warm to Myles, though by the end of the book, he’d grown on me. I found his love for his family very relatable.
‘Timeless’ is a stunning song; the country sweetness and charm remind me of ‘You All Over Me’, and ‘Breathe’. I love the storytelling elements also - the references to photographs, leaving for war and crowded streets paint a picture of Noah and Allie’s story in The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. Most of you, I imagine, will have watched the film. It’s a wonderful adaption that perfectly embodies the warmth Sparks threaded into his prose. The novel isn’t too different for those of you who haven’t read it; Allie heartbreakingly still has Alzheimer’s in the text. Noah constantly reminds her of their timeless love affair and his love for her - despite her grey hair.
I sadly didn't enjoy 'Electric Touch' as much as I was hoping to. Fall Out Boy are known for their clever, punchy lyrics and whilst I know they don't have songwriting credits, I was hoping for more from Taylor. Nonetheless, I love the synchrony of their voices and the rhythm of the song. In Mhairi McFarlane's Just Last Night, Eve is secretly in love with her friend Ed, though she fears breaking up their friendship group if she acts on her feelings. It's an incredible read for those of you who are the overthinking observer in your friendship group; the one who sees the manipulation, lies, victim-complex and hypocrisy in everyone.
‘When Emma Falls In Love’ is for the girls who wear their hearts on their sleeves and have never been able to keep their trips in love a secret. Lyrics like ‘hangs in the air like stars in outer space’ remind me of Train’s Drops of Jupiter, which Taylor covered on the Speak Now Tour in 2011, and lyrics like ‘she’s the kind of book you can’t put down’ are the kind of lyrics I’d wish a guy would use to describe me. I read Evelina in my second year of university, shortly before the first lockdown. After reading the likes of Moll Flanders and Pamela, Frances Burney’s novel saved me from a last-minute module change.
The titular character, who is named after her grandmother, lacks Jane Eyre’s fierceness but isn’t necessarily timid. She is kind, and her countryside upbringing away from her father contributes to the delicacy behind her actions and dialogue. Despite the likes of Sir Clement expressing an interest in her, she is aware enough of her worth that she rejects him, and maintains a closeness with nobleman Lord Orville who she realises possesses the same morals as her. As Lady Howard states, ‘(Evelina’s) politeness is so well supplied by a natural desire of obliging’. Her constant desire to help leads to her saving Mr Macartney from his suicide attempt, a Scottish poet who is later revealed to be her long-lost brother. Emma’s accepting view of the world bares similarities to Evelina’s unshaken optimism throughout Burney’s novel - it’s an excellent classic.
Similarly to ‘Innocent’, ‘Castle’s Crumbling’ seems to reference the 2009 VMA’s incident. I love the references Taylor makes to King’s, Queen’s, kingdoms and crowns throughout her discography; there’s a power that comes with the title that doesn’t pertain to wealth or possessions. It’s your achievements, the persona you’ve built up for yourself, the person people believe you are.
I recently read No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen. The protagonist, Felix, and his mother, Astrid, to put it simply, have lost everything: after downsizing from home to home, they wind up in a camper van. Like many of their hardships, Astrid insists the living situation is temporary, though the family’s fortunes don’t change for months. All the while, Felix maintains to those around him, and himself, that things are fine. He lies to his friends about his living situation which becomes even more unbearable when Astrid loses her job. The book’s poignant references to depression, poverty and homelessness were very insightful to read; the text leaves you with a lot to absorb.
**trigger warning - suicide ** And last but not least, 'Foolish One'. Taylor calls out everyone stuck in a situationship with the line 'don't know what to call this situation but I know I can't call you mine'. I've mentioned my love for Gayle Forman in the past, and how I started devouring her texts when I was fourteen. During the first lockdown, I read her book 'I Was Here', a heartbreaking text about Cody, who tries to decode the reasoning behind her best friend Meg's suicide. It's a dark, emotional read, not something I'd recommend to anyone struggling, and the inevitable Forman romance stems from Cody falling for her dead best friend's ex.
For those of you who love reading texts centred around people who shouldn't fall in love, this one's for you.
Hi everyone! I hope you're all well.
A few personal updates - firstly, I want to say thank you to my friends Fathima, Anna, Alex, Chloe, AJ, Holly, Joseph, Aimee and Isabel and George. Over the last few weeks I've felt incredibly supported and cared for by you all and I want to publicly express my thanks. Massive apologies to anyone I've missed out - I'm writing this late at night!
Secondly, a lot of people have sent me DM's asking if I'm seeing Taylor next year. YES. I'll be seeing her at Wembley and I can hardly wait!
In the last week, the viewership on this blog has gone up 46%. I'm so, so grateful to every single one of you who takes the time out to read my little articles. I hope you all have an amazing week!
Lots of love,
Karisma xxx