Taylor Swift

[nick_z]

Since we are back talking about Taylor Swift...

...A couple of days ago I was listening to Red as I was driving with my wife. I'm pretty convinced it's my favorite album of hers.

And State of Grace is a top, top song.

[KevShmev]

Yep, from beginning to end, it is hard to top Red.  There are times I prefer Speak Now or Evermore, but there is no fat on Red (the original).  I agree about State of Grace, although I can name at least a handful of songs from that record I like more now. 

[MirrorMask]

Anyway, with folklore and evermore out, and my previously mentioned alternate version of Midnights with all acoustic guitar / piano stuff (thank you creative people of YouTube!), I've been able to create my acoustic / minimalistic Taylor Swift compilation (and, like most of my compilations, I have a weird habit of organizing them like a setlist), an imaginary intimate theatre tour where she plays a mostly acoustic show and saves a full band arrangement for the encores.

Here's how my imaginary "folklore / evermore / Midnights acoustic tour" would go, all songs are meant to be acoustic save for the last song and the encores:

The 1
Willow
Anti-Hero (the official acoustic version)
Cardigan
Champagne Problems
Maroon (custom made piano / acoustic guitar version)
My Tears Ricochet
You're on Your Own, Kid (original strings version)
Exile
No Body, No Crime
Question (custom made piano / acoustic guitar version)
This is me Trying
Would've, Could've, Should've (acoustic guitar version)
Mad Woman
Carolina
Bigger than the Whole Sky ("sad piano" version I found on YouTube)
Sweet Nothing (original strings version)
'Tis the Damn Season
Betty
Mastermind (custom made piano / acoustic guitar version)
The Lakes
All Too Well (10 minutes version, an heavier mix I found on YouTube)
==================
Wildest Dreams (live version, voice and electric guitar only)
Red (original song)
Love Story (rock remix I found on YouTube, custom mixed with an added orchestral intro and outro)



Before I discovered on YouTube all kinds of possible piano and acoustic versions of all Midnights songs, and I was "bound" to use only the few officially released acoustic remixes of the Midnights songs, I had room for Dorothea and Long Story Short in the set. Also, I found a spot for Illicit Affairs but I sacrificed it for Carolina, soundtrack song for the movie Where the Crawdads Sing, since I became hauntingly obsessed by that wonderful song. Also an acoustic version of Vigilante Shit and a female vocals only version of Evermore were contenders if I had more running time (takes me 45 minutes and counting to go to work so all my "setlist playlists" are 95 minutes long, give or take. If played live, I'd reckon they'd all go over 2 hours with all the pauses and breaks between songs in a show).

[KevShmev]

I think with a fictional show like this, doing Cardigan, August and Betty back-to-back-to-back is almost a must, given that it's a trilogy.

It is wild to think that she could do 2-3 nights in a city on the upcoming tour and play nothing but songs she has released since her last full length tour and have no repeats in any city (if she rotated set lists each night, which I know is not her thing, outside of a few spots).  To say she is prolific would be an understatement.

I don't think I've heard the rock remix of Love Story, but the synth version she did on the 1989 tour was spectacular.  She could do that version every time she plays the song going forward, and I imagine many fans wouldn't argue with it.

[MirrorMask]

I don't think I've heard the rock remix of Love Story, but the synth version she did on the 1989 tour was spectacular.

You can find it on YouTube by a guy named Matt Ebenezer, he also did what I consider the best rock version yet of Anti-Hero.

[KevShmev]

I don't think I've heard the rock remix of Love Story, but the synth version she did on the 1989 tour was spectacular.

You can find it on YouTube by a guy named Matt Ebenezer, he also did what I consider the best rock version yet of Anti-Hero.

I actually didn't like that rock version of Love Story.  Some of the riffs and transitions sounded pretty generic to me.  That transition after the first chorus into the second verse was pretty blah, for example.  See, this is what happens when others try to inject their own ideas into Taylor's songs.

[KevShmev]

Tour starts next week! 

I cannot recall...is anyone else going to see her on this tour?

Note: I will take no replies as a no.

[XeRocks81]

still waiting on Canadian dates…

[nobloodyname]

I'd like to see her in the UK but as with Canada, nothing's been announced yet. And I suspect my chance of getting a ticket is probably minimal. And I might also feel a bit odd attending as a solo 50 year old male but what can you do?

[Deadeye21]

Man, I used to hate her. I thought she was the antithesis of my taste in music (which for the most part, she always has been). And then I started working retail at night when there’s bigger all customers. Midnights is massive in the rotation on our radio station, so I’ve gotten a lot of Anti-Hero and, oddly enough, Question…? listens. So I went back and started listening to her a lot and…


…goddamn it, I like Taylor Swift now.

[KevShmev]

I'd like to see her in the UK but as with Canada, nothing's been announced yet. And I suspect my chance of getting a ticket is probably minimal. And I might also feel a bit odd attending as a solo 50 year old male but what can you do?

Nothing odd about it. Good music is good music.  Don't let anyone shame you into thinking otherwise.

Man, I used to hate her. I thought she was the antithesis of my taste in music (which for the most part, she always has been). And then I started working retail at night when there’s bigger all customers. Midnights is massive in the rotation on our radio station, so I’ve gotten a lot of Anti-Hero and, oddly enough, Question…? listens. So I went back and started listening to her a lot and…


…goddamn it, I like Taylor Swift now.

Nice!  I never hated her, as I had zero experience with her music prior to the winter of 2020-2021, but, as I have said before, do not let the pop elements fool ya.  She is the real deal. 

[Stadler]

I don't know yet if I'm going to go, but my daughter and one of her friends are locked and loaded with their ticket.

[nobloodyname]

I'd like to see her in the UK but as with Canada, nothing's been announced yet. And I suspect my chance of getting a ticket is probably minimal. And I might also feel a bit odd attending as a solo 50 year old male but what can you do?

Nothing odd about it. Good music is good music.  Don't let anyone shame you into thinking otherwise.

Oh, sure! I was coming at it from the 'being in a sea of 15-20 year old females'-angle

Still, nothing that couldn't be overcome by borrowing a friend's daughter. If I had any.

[faizoff]

I do have to say when I got my wife concert tickets back on the Bad Reputation tour, I was sitting with her in a sea of teen or preteen girls and I felt really awkward as hell. I like her music but the audience in that stadium was part of a demograph that I was a clear minority in.

Oddly enough right in front of us were two very older couple must've been in there 70s? or late 60s? they had no kids with them and sat there for the whole concert pretty stoic, taking pictures on and off and just left after.

[Deadeye21]

I guess at least i’ll only be 25-27 when she comes through Australia. If there’s enough of the setlist that i really vibe with, I’d consider joining the war for Eras tickets.

[nobloodyname]

I guess at least i’ll only be 25-27 when she comes through Australia. If there’s enough of the setlist that i really vibe with, I’d consider joining the war for Eras tickets.

Mate, you'll still look 50 to a 20 year old

[KevShmev]

I don't know yet if I'm going to go, but my daughter and one of her friends are locked and loaded with their ticket.

 

[KevShmev]

I'd like to see her in the UK but as with Canada, nothing's been announced yet. And I suspect my chance of getting a ticket is probably minimal. And I might also feel a bit odd attending as a solo 50 year old male but what can you do?

Nothing odd about it. Good music is good music.  Don't let anyone shame you into thinking otherwise.

Oh, sure! I was coming at it from the 'being in a sea of 15-20 year old females'-angle

Still, nothing that couldn't be overcome by borrowing a friend's daughter. If I had any.

Haha, I hear ya!

[KevShmev]

I do have to say when I got my wife concert tickets back on the Bad Reputation tour, I was sitting with her in a sea of teen or preteen girls and I felt really awkward as hell. I like her music but the audience in that stadium was part of a demograph that I was a clear minority in.

Oddly enough right in front of us were two very older couple must've been in there 70s? or late 60s? they had no kids with them and sat there for the whole concert pretty stoic, taking pictures on and off and just left after.

Oh, for sure.  Even though I get irritated with the "I thought Taylor Swift was for teenage girls" crap, women are certainly more of the target audience, but just like women are the minority at a Dream Theater concert, I will have no problem being in the minority at Taylor's concert. 

[Stadler]

I guess at least i’ll only be 25-27 when she comes through Australia. If there’s enough of the setlist that i really vibe with, I’d consider joining the war for Eras tickets.

Mate, you'll still look 50 to a 20 year old

HAHA. "Who's the old guy?" 

[Deadeye21]

I guess at least i’ll only be 25-27 when she comes through Australia. If there’s enough of the setlist that i really vibe with, I’d consider joining the war for Eras tickets.

Mate, you'll still look 50 to a 20 year old

HAHA. "Who's the old guy?" 

Hmm.. what you’re saying is… irrelevant because I don’t care about what other people think? I’m
Kinda the guy who goes to concerts ngl. Going to a Metallica tribute on Saturday night and then Ed Sheeran on Sunday, who’s only 10 days before I see Megadeth and they’re the day before Trivium.

[KevShmev]

I guess at least i’ll only be 25-27 when she comes through Australia. If there’s enough of the setlist that i really vibe with, I’d consider joining the war for Eras tickets.

Mate, you'll still look 50 to a 20 year old

HAHA. "Who's the old guy?" 

Hmm.. what you’re saying is… irrelevant because I don’t care about what other people think? I’m
Kinda the guy who goes to concerts ngl. Going to a Metallica tribute on Saturday night and then Ed Sheeran on Sunday, who’s only 10 days before I see Megadeth and they’re the day before Trivium.

That's the spirit! 

I can't wait to see what the set list is next week, and what, if any, changes there are from night to night given that she is doing multiple nights in every city.

[nobloodyname]

Awww. I was poking fun at younger people's perception of age rather than anything else I very clearly remember being 19 and thinking a woman who was 22 was past it and then some.

Of course I should attend a Taylor Swift concert and not care. But social norms, which perhaps I shouldn't care about one iota, might make it a little uncomfortable. Not a dissimilar feeling to wanting to take a photo through the fence of the local primary school the other day when I noticed a climbing wall in the playground looked more like a set of stocks. It struck me as hilarious and would have made a good post on Facebook but yikes... I'd probably have been arrested on all manner of charges (I should add no children were around!).

Anyway, sorry again, Deadeye. I wasn't having a laugh at your expense; your post was just the catalyst for what was really a reflection on my own current day insecurities over reaching 50 and being alone

[Deadeye21]

Awww. I was poking fun at younger people's perception of age rather than anything else I very clearly remember being 19 and thinking a woman who was 22 was past it and then some.

Anyway, sorry again, Deadeye. I wasn't having a laugh at your expense; your post was just the catalyst for what was really a reflection on my own current day insecurities over reaching 50 and being alone

Hey, no offence taken matey! My post is actually the counter-argument to your own there. If someone was too old but was genuinely there to enjoy the show, who gives a  what people think? Go, have a great time. Just, maybe don’t talk to younger people because that could end your career real fast.

[hefdaddy42]

I don't have any interest in seeing TS, but if I did, I would go and shake my ass like everyone else.

[KevShmev]

I don't have any interest in seeing TS, but if I did, I would go and shake my ass like everyone else.

We can almost visualize you doing this...

[hefdaddy42]

You're welcome.

[Skeever]

Awww. I was poking fun at younger people's perception of age rather than anything else I very clearly remember being 19 and thinking a woman who was 22 was past it and then some.

This is a good one. CL musicians forums used to always have qualifiers like "Looking for people between the ages 18-24". Like, what??? C'mon, man!

[KevShmev]

I will reiterate that I have no idea how she is possibly going to narrow down all of these eras to a single set list (and she historically only leaves one or two spots open per night to rotate, and those are usually the songs she does solo, just her and her guitar or piano). Consider that since her last full length tour:

-She has released four brand new albums (her 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th) with (counting bonus tracks) 73 songs.
-She has also re-released two prior albums under the TV name, which combined have 15 new (to fans) songs.

So, that is 88 new songs since 2018, and that is not even counting Carolina and other random songs.

You then have to factor in all of the songs and countless hits from the first six albums.

It's crazy to think that if she decided to do five completely different set lists at the five LA shows at the end of the tour, that would still leave a ton of songs fans want to hear un-played.

How she is going to come up with a single set list for a whole tour (assuming that is the case) is beyond me.

[nobloodyname]

Yeah, interesting.

My guess is she'll limit Folklore and Evermore perhaps to one or two songs from each, or maybe that and a combined medley. If there's too much from those two albums and also Midnights, it'll be one slow, downbeat concert. Not necessarily saying there'd be anything wrong with that but I don't think, very generally, that's what her younger fans would want. She could quite possibly sex up tracks from all three albums, too.

[KevShmev]

I would be shocked if she "sexed up" anything.  Maybe she might give a sultry performance of a song or two, ala I Knew You Were Trouble on the 1989 Tour, but sexing things up is not really her thing (thankfully).  I mean, shaking her butt in Shake It Off is like the most risque thing she does, and that's like a 1.5 outta 10.

My guess is Folklore/Evermore songs will fill one of the "Taylor and her acoustic" spots every night.  She could easily play almost any song from one of those two albums each night like that, given the nature of those songs.  I could also see a mashup of songs from both where we get parts of like 5-6 songs in a 8-minute mashup or something like that.

[Deadeye21]

There’s only really 2 songs I care for from folklore, and I’m totally unfamiliar with evermore. The two I’d like to see are cardigan and the last great american dynasty.

Kinda makes me weirdly anxious how none of these titles are capitalised. Especially now that the word American has a red line under it because it’s always spelled with a cap.

[nobloodyname]

I would be shocked if she "sexed up" anything.  Maybe she might give a sultry performance of a song or two, ala I Knew You Were Trouble on the 1989 Tour, but sexing things up is not really her thing (thankfully).  I mean, shaking her butt in Shake It Off is like the most risque thing she does, and that's like a 1.5 outta 10.

Oh, god. This is a great example of two countries being divided by a common language

'Sex up' in British English kinda just means adding a bit of pizazz, jazz it up a bit. That kind of thing. Not to be taken literally.

[nobloodyname]

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/entertainment/articles-reports/2023/03/09/best-taylor-swift-albums-and-songs-according-swift

[KevShmev]

I would be shocked if she "sexed up" anything.  Maybe she might give a sultry performance of a song or two, ala I Knew You Were Trouble on the 1989 Tour, but sexing things up is not really her thing (thankfully).  I mean, shaking her butt in Shake It Off is like the most risque thing she does, and that's like a 1.5 outta 10.

Oh, god. This is a great example of two countries being divided by a common language

'Sex up' in British English kinda just means adding a bit of pizazz, jazz it up a bit. That kind of thing. Not to be taken literally.

 

There’s only really 2 songs I care for from folklore, and I’m totally unfamiliar with evermore. The two I’d like to see are cardigan and the last great american dynasty.

Kinda makes me weirdly anxious how none of these titles are capitalised. Especially now that the word American has a red line under it because it’s always spelled with a cap.

I totally forgot about that.  I find that kind of stylization rather silly.  I have every song in my iTunes capitalized the normal way.

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/entertainment/articles-reports/2023/03/09/best-taylor-swift-albums-and-songs-according-swift

The lack of love for Speak Now makes me a little sad, but it's not surprising.  It's probably not country enough for the early country fans, and it's not poppy enough for the pop fans.  Plus, it doesn't have any of her most popular songs with the masses.  I think it has many of her best songs, but, when it comes to her most well known songs, there is no Love Story or Shake It Off or Anti-Hero on there.