On Friday, at about six minutes after midnight, I hit play on Fearless (Taylor's Version) and fell asleep to the familiar songs that I've known for more than a dozen years. In the morning, I woke up and wanted to finish the album immediately. And since then, I've listened to it front-to-back and in parts more than I've taken in any other single form of media or entertainment.
The first and most obvious observation is that these songs, the ones from the original and deluxe albums, still sound like they did when I heard them and learned them and loved them in 2008. There are no drastic changes that take you out of the moment and make you feel like this is a reinvention. These are true to the songs re-recordings, as they deserve to be.
The second observation is that the biggest change comes in Taylor Swift 's voice - and it's wonderful. The original Fearless album was recorded in 2007 & 2008. Taylor Swift was still a teenager. She was still growing into her voice, learning how to use it, building it into what it is now when she recorded folklore and evermore. And now we get that grown, learned, seasoned, strong voice on songs that benefit from it.
Taylor Swift - Love Story (Taylor's Version)
With that growth and strength though, we don't lose the youthful enthusiasm, heartbreak, or energy that we got in 2008, and that is impressive. It's something that Swift deserves praise for. It couldn't have been easy to go back in time that far and capture the same feelings, or to channel them at least, to record this recreation.
And speaking of going back in time, we can't ignore the songs from the vault. These six songs date back to the original Fearless era. They were written by teenaged Taylor but never shared with the world. And it's one thing to go back and re-record the songs and stories and feelings that the world has already heard before. It's an entirely different thing though to go back and share stories from a time in your life that has long since passed. Imagine going through your diary, journal or old teenage poetry and reading it for the whole world to hear. Imagine being able to embrace it instead of cringing. I'm not sure I could.
Oh, and by the way, they all sound fantastic. The pre-release feature of Maren Morris on made my country music-loving heart happy. And bringing in Keith Urban on That's When, after opening shows for him in 2009 and featuring with him on Tim McGraw's Highway Don't Care in 2013 , is the kind of reconnection to her own country music career that was absolutely wonderful to see and hear.
Any of these songs could have made the original or deluxe album and I'm certain that the fanbase would have embraced them. But, as they say, better late than never. And having Mr. Perfectly Fine, Bye Bye Baby, We Were Happy, and Don't You to go with the collaborations is a very nice treat that fans will prove to be thankful for.
Taylor Swift (ft. Keith Urban) - That's When (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)
At the time of this release, we are only months away from the 15th anniversary of Tim McGraw being released as Taylor Swift's first single. In that time she has been a chart-topper in country and pop. She's won three Album of the Year GRAMMY awards. She's toured the world. But it all starts, and always has, with the songs she's written. And that's what I take away from Fearless (Taylor's Version).
From Fearless off the top to Bye Bye Baby wrapping up the songs from the vault at the end of the 26-song tracklist, this is an exercise in listening to Taylor Swift write songs. Her vocal performance is stronger now, she's more experienced and experimental in her career choices and directions. But none of it matters without the songs.
A generation of fans has gone from teenagers to 30-year-olds along with Taylor Swift. And still, the songs from their collective youth, stories that connected then, connect again now. It's the power of music. It's why I love singer-songwriter music across all genres. It's why Taylor Swift has been able to go from Fearless to 1989 to folklore.
My Favourite Music Podcast Right Now: Every Single Album - Taylor Swift
I've had conversations in the past about Taylor Swift's eventual return to country music. And yes, Soon You'll Get Better and Betty might count, but I've always been waiting for a country album. I never expected (three or four or five years ago) that it would be this. I had always imagined a new country album as she moved into her mid-30s. I never had a reason, just some fabricated timeline. And we still might get that album - but for now, we're getting Fearless (Taylor's Version) and maybe we'll get Speak Now (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version) and Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version) for the country fans over the next months and years. I don't know. I do know that I'd listen. That I'd love to hear current Taylor's voice sing those songs like she does these ones.
Whatever she decides to do (which always seems to be a pretty good decision for her career), Taylor Swift has the world watching and waiting and listening.
Now it's time to listen again. Read through the complete tracklist and hit play on the Fearless (Taylor's Version) stream. Enjoy.
Taylor Swift, Fearless (Taylor's Version) Tracklist
1. Fearless (Taylor's Version)
2. Fifteen (Taylor's Version)
3. Love Story (Taylor's Version)
4. Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)
5. White Horse (Taylor's Version)
6. You Belong With Me (Taylor's Version)
7. Breathe (ft. Colbie Caillat) (Taylor's Version)
8. Tell Me Why (Taylor's Version)
9. You're Not Sorry (Taylor's Version)
10. The Way I Loved You (Taylor's Version)
11. Forever & Always (Taylor's Version)
12. The Best Day (Taylor's Version)
13. Change (Taylor's Version)
14. Jump Then Fall (Taylor's Version)
15. Untouchable (Taylor's Version)
16. Forever & Always (Piano Version) (Taylor's Version)
17. Come In With The Rain (Taylor's Version)
18. Superstar (Taylor's Version)
19. The Other Side Of The Door (Taylor's Version)
20. Today Was A Fairytale (Taylor's Version)
21. You All Over Me (ft. Maren Morris) (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)
22. Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)
23. We Were Happy (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)
24. That's When (ft. Keith Urban) (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)
25. Don't You (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)
26. Bye Bye Baby (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)
27. Bonus Track: Love Story (Taylor's Version) - Elvira Remix