Dear all,
The CMA recap is coming in the next post. It somehow doesn't seem right to be in this one.
A few months ago, I mentioned the estimable, incomparable, formidable, venerable, and exceptional Pat Burns. I said that I wanted to write him a song, for what he brought to our lives and to ensure that his achievements will never be forgotten. And I said that I wanted to finish it as soon as possible. Well, I got about four verses and a changing chorus, but it didn't seem right. It didn't seem to come from the heart. And it certainly felt false to be writing a song in which the last verse is singing to a dead man, when he wasn't. Until Friday. And so, this is my "thank you for everything, we love you, Pat Burns" post.
I also said I wanted it to be perfect.
So, in order to achieve that, I threw out the three pages that I had. And started from scratch, forgetting everything that I had written before so that I could truly make it heartfelt and perfect and written with love and true gratitude. I'm not saying that it's good compared to any Taylor Swift song, but for what I want it to say, I think it's appropriate.
For those who don't know, Pat Burns died (that's hard to write) on Friday, November 19th, after a six-year battle with cancer. He was 58 years old. But one thing that he would not have wanted was to dwell on the sadness (even though I've cried almost three times a day since I first heard the news). So, to focus on the highlights, he achieved his biggest dream on June 9, 2003, when his New Jersey Devils beat the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to win the Stanley Cup. Prior to this, he won the Jack Adams' Coach of the Year Trophy three times, with three different teams (the Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Boston Bruins), which is a National Hockey League record. He won a career total of 501 games as a head coach - a remarkable number in and of itself, yet one that illustrates wordlessly how his brilliant career was cut far too short, because it should have been higher.
He took no prisoners as a head coach, and he certainly showed that same fight while trying to beat cancer.
This Song's For You
it's hard for me to imagine someone who doesn't know your name
or someone who can't attest to your passion for the game
because the character you had all but filled up the room
and so to commemorate that, this song's for you
your specific brand of candour made the world wait the bated breath
because we couldn't wait to hear just what you'd say next
you made it to the top no matter what you set your mind to
because you amaze me, this song's for you
CHORUS:
you packed two lifetimes into fifty-eight years
now I'm on the other end, choking back tears
I know you wouldn't want us to be sad after the hero falls
you'd rather we be happy that he lived at all
but like other heroes, forgive me if I'm wrong,
you lived the kind of life that should be immortalised in song
there's a quiet kind of resolve in your iron-willed spirit
that's matched by your booming voice and what you say with it
you can fight with words but you can kick some ass, too
and to continue your fight, this song's for you
CHORUS:
you packed two lifetimes into fifty-eight years
now I'm on the other end, choking back tears
I know you wouldn't want us to be sad after the hero falls
you'd rather we be happy that he lived at all
but like other heroes, forgive me if I'm wrong,
you lived the kind of life that should be immortalised in song
BRIDGE:
I watched you from afar
I admired all that you are
and you opened my eyes to the beauty of life
you held yourself with such grace
and put pretenders in their place
and there was so much elegance in the way that you died
how can a person fade when his presence in life was so strong
the world's a little less colourful, now that you're gone
as you were in life, so shall you be in death, too
I know it's not much, but this song's for you
CHORUS:
you packed two lifetimes into fifty-eight years
now I'm on the other end, choking back tears
I know you wouldn't want us to be sad after the hero falls
you'd rather we be happy that he lived at all
but like other heroes, forgive me if I'm wrong,
you lived the kind of life that should be immortalised in song
it's hard for me to imagine someone who doesn't know your name
or someone who can't attest to your passion for the game
I know it's not much, but this song's for you
I love you so much, Coach, this song's for you...
I still find it remarkable that, after having battled with every word and every phrase with the last version of this song, this version flowed and came out in the space of about an hour and a half. I guess if there's something to be said, it'll come out all on its own.
I also want it recorded that I came up with the idea behind this song (including the title) in late February/early March, so that's far before the Joey + Rory song of the same name came out. No copyright infringements.
Much love, and thank you Pat Burns,
Just Another Ordinary Girl
p.s. I thought I would introduce a new item on my posts, and that is their ending with a Taylor Swift lyric. After my recapitulation of Speak Now, I figured that it's too hard to pick just a few lines here and there, and so I decided to feature a little bit of [real] country music songwriting in each post. And perhaps not always necessarily just Taylor Swift. So, that's what's new.
Long live all the magic we made, and bring on all the pretenders; I'm not afraid. Long live all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you.
22 November 2010
13 November 2010
why I continue to write songs
.
[Edited by author 8 July 2011, 9:34 a.m.]
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I have no clue.
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Much love, and thank you for the musik!
Just Another Ordinary Girl
[Edited by author 8 July 2011, 9:34 a.m.]
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I have no clue.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
Just Another Ordinary Girl
10 November 2010
Speak Now
Two years ago, I wrote my very first non-song blog post. And its title was "Fearless!" This is because it was exactly a week after the release of Taylor Swift's shining sophomore album of the same name. And here we are, almost exactly two years later, and I'm here to do the very same thing for the triumphant third album of hers, Speak Now.
On October 25th, I had quite the adventure when I went to purchase it. I had looked up the opening time of my nearest Borders store (8 am), so that I could get there and be one of the first to obtain a copy. I was up at six, and got there on time, around 8:01. I searched the store high and low and even looked at the website, but all to no avail. They didn't have it. What to do? I went about my day, periodically checking the Borders website to see if things had changed. It wasn't until I was free again to do what I wanted, about 5 pm, that the website had changed to indicate that they had it (although, tragically, under the store at which I had intended to purchase it, there was a little note that said "SOLD OUT."), so I went there to - finally - get my hands on the treasure of the year. I was not discouraged by the website, but I was nervous when I got to the store and it was nowhere to be found, until the last place I checked. I was so ecstatic I started laughing, and the customer nearby looked at me like I was insane. Well, I was. I nearly ran all the way back home, because I was in such high spirits and in such anticipation, and because I just wanted to rip off the plastic packaging and have her change my life for a third time.
It has become a tradition for me to listen to a Taylor Swift album for the first time while sitting in front of a fireplace, holding a CD player (mostly my dad's, because it's the only one not broken in our family - he probably doesn't even know I have it, at this point, as it has been in my possession since Fearless, anyway). However, this year, I was not within a 100-mile radius of a single fireplace, and if I was, it was not in my knowledge, so I made do. I found a 10-minute fireplace video on youtube and played it on continuous loop. And it was almost like home. Almost.
But then I opened the CD case, and pulled out the booklet. I read the prologue a few times, and particularly loved this section: "These songs are made up of words I didn't say when the moment was right in front of me. These songs are open letters. Each is written with a specific person in mind, telling them what I meant to tell them in person. To the beautiful boy whose heart I broke last December. To my first love who I never thought would be my first heartbreak. To my band. To a mean man I used to be afraid of. To someone who made my world very dark for a while. To a girl who stole something of mine. To someone I forgive for what he said in front of the whole world."
After I read through this, I pressed play on the CD player. And I found myself in heaven for the next 67:29. I heard "ah-oh oh" and I could feel my world lighting up yet again.
"Mine" - The first single, the first track, the first glimpse of a new Taylor. Of course, I could see the music video playing out when I closed my eyes, because I had watched that more than enough times, but the song speaks for itself without the video. Beautiful, optimistic, expressive. You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter, you are the best thing that has ever been mine.
"Sparks Fly" - If I had to say something negative about the album at all, I'd say that this is the weakest song on the album (which only goes to show how strong the album really is). I would expect it more from either Taylor Swift or Fearless, as it doesn't exactly match the other songs in terms of depth (it's not really about anything) and expression. That said, it's still signature Taylor, and that means it's still amazing. I'm captivated by you, baby, like a fireworks show.
"Back to December" - Incredibly poignant and moving. Everyone knows what it's about, but she presents it, truly, as an apology. Well, an unorthodox apology, but one that continues to resound long after the song is over. I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile, so good to me, so right.
"Speak Now" - Gosh, I love this song. It's upbeat, optimistic, cute. This is going to sound incredibly odd, but it reminds me of wedding cake. Not merely because it's about breaking into a wedding/marriage ceremony, but because it's light and fluffy and sweet. Who honestly hasn't dreamed about storming a wedding and telling the groom (or bride) she (or he) is in love with him (or her)? I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion, but you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl. It ends happily, fortunately. And it's the inspiration for the album's title, and the catalyst for its theme.
"Dear John" - The girl in the dress wrote you a song. Depending on what you have been reading, this song is Taylor Swift's magnum opus, this song makes the album, this song really marks Taylor's maturation, this song is the certain departure from previous Taylor stories. For me, it's astoundingly written. The words are incredible. It is cutting and painful and cruel, but ultimately victorious. Maybe it's me and my blind optimism to blame / or maybe it's you and your sick need to give love then take it away. It is a triumph, it really is. But, it's not the best song on the album. I found the bluegrassy elements of it refreshing, and the melody simple but stunning. I just wish the buzz weren't only focusing on one single song from the album, when all fourteen songs are worth the same amount of attention (which is a lot). You are an expert at sorry / and keeping lines blurry / never impressed by me acing your tests.
"Mean" - My mom says that this song is a perfect illustration of why this isn't a 'mature' album, because she doesn't think that a 'mature' person would resort to the word 'mean' to describe a bully. I beg to differ. I think the use of the word 'mean' is brilliant. And it's a fun, uplifting, light way to push back and to serve someone his own medicine. Plus the handclaps in the background are phenomenal! You have pointed out my flaws again, as if I don't already see them. I would use this song to shove the treatment I've received over the years back in people's faces, because it's not as hurtful as it would seem. I love this song, for its pure genius and for its simplicity. Sometimes the most amazing thing to say only takes a few words.
"The Story of Us" - I like the tempo, rhythm, and beat of this song. Normally, I would have thought it would be more natural to include a slower song after the tempo of "Mean," but it works. And this song rings true, standing alone in a crowded room is basically the story of my life. But I got chills when I figured out the encoded message ("CMT Awards"); literally, my blood ran cold, because I knew what it was about and that creeped me out a little. A little. It's like the "Forever and Always" of this album, only about someone else. I'm scared to see the ending / why are we pretending this is nothing? / I'd tell you I miss you, but I don't know how / I've never heard silence quite this loud.
"Never Grow Up" - Songs really don't get any better than this. Without this song, the album would not be nearly as good, as powerful, as strong, as beautiful. This song hits home, every. single. time. Never in a million years would I have thought that she and I would have this in common, that the beautiful little moments of childhood are worth returning to (don't lose the way that you dance around in your pjs getting ready for school). I cry every time I hear this song - literally. It's been over two weeks and over sixty listens, and I still get major tears in my eyes, because it feels like she's talking to me, like she knows what I've been trying to put into words every since I realised that nothing in life is ever going to be as perfect as it was when I was seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen years old. (I have gotten better, though; it used to be sobs, now it's just a few solitary tears rolling down my cheeks.) This song is Taylor's best, hands down. Taylor's finest moment is track number eight of this album. Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room, memorise what it sounded like when your dad gets home / remember the footsteps, remember the words said, and all your little brother's favourite songs / I just realised everything I have is someday gonna be gone. That's my absolute favourite section of the song, and yes...here come the tears. No joke, let me get a tissue.
"Enchanted" - You know how some albums start off really strong and then kind of fizzle out by the end, so you really only like to listen more to the first half than any other part (Taking the Long Way is one of those, actually, and so is 5th Gear)? Well, throw those conceptions away, because Speak Now only gets better as the track numbers go up. "Enchanted" is original and creative, and supported by such a beautiful melody that is so intriguing all you want to do is to have this song on repeat. The idea is also creatively dealt with - the lingering question kept me up / two a.m., who do you love? - in a way that only Taylor could come up with. The background vocals are also extremely fascinating. Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you.
"Better than Revenge" - Everyone loves this song, if the ratings on iTunes are any indication. This song was the first that my sister told me she loved; "provocative" was the word she used. It's catchy and has a tremendous melody and rhythm, not to mention its astonishingly biting lyrics. It's great! Sophistication isn't what you wear or who you know / or pushing people down to get you where you wanna go / but they don't teach you that in prep school, so it's up to me / but no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity.
"Innocent" - Ah, yes, the song she performed at the VMAs this year, as a direct response to 2009's Kanye West-gate. It is gentle and (I read this adjective somewhere) loving, and issues sweet forgiveness in the classiest way possible. I would almost say that it was written in a similar frame of mind as "Never Grow Up," because the childhood imagery is prevalent (wasn't it easier in your firefly catching days / when everything out of reach someone bigger brought down to you / wasn't it beautiful running wild 'til you fell asleep / before the monsters caught up to you) and merely underscores her message - that 'life is full of little interruptions,' but that that's no reason to change who you are or how you approach situations. Time turns flames to embers / you'll have new Septembers / every one of us has messed up, too.
"Haunted" - Astounding, passionate, pulsating. This song hits you like a wave, and then another, and another, and another, until you're filled with the extraordinary rhythm and melody of the song, and then comes the tidal wave of the chorus. If there were no drumbeats in the music, the song would be good. But with them, it's sensational. I have yet to make heads or tails of the storyline, but I'm captivated by the lyrics and mesmerised by the melody. This is another one to have on repeat. I thought I had you figured out.
"Last Kiss" - Her use of 3/4 time is a rare departure from her signature rhtyhm, and it's incredible. It would be perfect to waltz to (most 3/4 songs are good for this, as the waltz is a 3/4 time-dance, but you don't want to break out in dance to EVERY 3/4 song, do you?). The lyrics express such an emptiness, and the coldness that you almost feel emanating from the headphones is almost a soundtrack to a fall afternoon, with the mist hanging over the trees and dew on the grass, with an overcast sky. The more I listen to the song, the more I love it, and if I'm any indication, its staying power is fantastic. I'll watch your life in pictures, like I used to watch you sleep / and I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe. Plus it mentions July 9th, which is a special date in my life.
"Long Live" - Just as "Change" was a fitting ending to Fearless, "Long Live" is no less fitting an end to Speak Now. It's a tribute to her band after her Album of the Year win at the Grammys, but it could very well be about any one of her triumphs (or a triumph of any sort - especially of the underdog). I think it's probably her best writing yet (tied with "Never Grow Up"), lyrically. She employs such spectacular imagery - for a moment, a band of thieves in ripped-up jeans got to rule the world, for example, or we are the kings and the queens / you traded your baseball cap for a crown - and shapes the pictures with her sculpted words. It doesn't get much better than this, and it really instills such an insatiable desire for more Taylor Swift songs. I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you.
I marvelled at Taylor Swift, was amazed by Fearless, but Speak Now blew me away, and has done nothing but take my breath away since around 7 pm on October 25th.
My final words on the subject are these: I cannot imagine anyone not loving this album, because it's a shining masterpiece. She has become the most fantastic musician, artist, lyricist, and songwriter (not to mention person), and this is a milestone that will be hard to surpass by anyone following in her footsteps.
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
Just Another Ordinary Girl
p.s. The 2010 CMA Awards are in a few hours, but I wanted to post this before then, because I didn't want to sully any Speak Now post with news from the award show. But you can be sure to find a run-down of performances and winners (with a bit of editorialising, but I'll keep it brief) here next time.
p.p.s. I figured out how to do hyperlinks! So that's why you have some words a different colour, because they're linked to other webpages that I found pertinent to include. Prepare yourself, because now that I have figured it out, I will be using this a lot more often. I may even go back and fix other posts, to allow for hyperlinks.
p.p.p.s. You may have noticed that I included a few more italicised portions of the lyrics in each blurb about the songs, but that's only because I couldn't only pick one line or phrase to repeat. They're all so stunning, and it's a true testament to Taylor's development as a songwriter. This is also the album that she wrote entirely by herself (no Liz Rose, no Hillary Lindsey, no other co-writers), and I think she should never change this precedent, because she's a genius. She's brilliant.
On October 25th, I had quite the adventure when I went to purchase it. I had looked up the opening time of my nearest Borders store (8 am), so that I could get there and be one of the first to obtain a copy. I was up at six, and got there on time, around 8:01. I searched the store high and low and even looked at the website, but all to no avail. They didn't have it. What to do? I went about my day, periodically checking the Borders website to see if things had changed. It wasn't until I was free again to do what I wanted, about 5 pm, that the website had changed to indicate that they had it (although, tragically, under the store at which I had intended to purchase it, there was a little note that said "SOLD OUT."), so I went there to - finally - get my hands on the treasure of the year. I was not discouraged by the website, but I was nervous when I got to the store and it was nowhere to be found, until the last place I checked. I was so ecstatic I started laughing, and the customer nearby looked at me like I was insane. Well, I was. I nearly ran all the way back home, because I was in such high spirits and in such anticipation, and because I just wanted to rip off the plastic packaging and have her change my life for a third time.
It has become a tradition for me to listen to a Taylor Swift album for the first time while sitting in front of a fireplace, holding a CD player (mostly my dad's, because it's the only one not broken in our family - he probably doesn't even know I have it, at this point, as it has been in my possession since Fearless, anyway). However, this year, I was not within a 100-mile radius of a single fireplace, and if I was, it was not in my knowledge, so I made do. I found a 10-minute fireplace video on youtube and played it on continuous loop. And it was almost like home. Almost.
But then I opened the CD case, and pulled out the booklet. I read the prologue a few times, and particularly loved this section: "These songs are made up of words I didn't say when the moment was right in front of me. These songs are open letters. Each is written with a specific person in mind, telling them what I meant to tell them in person. To the beautiful boy whose heart I broke last December. To my first love who I never thought would be my first heartbreak. To my band. To a mean man I used to be afraid of. To someone who made my world very dark for a while. To a girl who stole something of mine. To someone I forgive for what he said in front of the whole world."
After I read through this, I pressed play on the CD player. And I found myself in heaven for the next 67:29. I heard "ah-oh oh" and I could feel my world lighting up yet again.
"Mine" - The first single, the first track, the first glimpse of a new Taylor. Of course, I could see the music video playing out when I closed my eyes, because I had watched that more than enough times, but the song speaks for itself without the video. Beautiful, optimistic, expressive. You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter, you are the best thing that has ever been mine.
"Sparks Fly" - If I had to say something negative about the album at all, I'd say that this is the weakest song on the album (which only goes to show how strong the album really is). I would expect it more from either Taylor Swift or Fearless, as it doesn't exactly match the other songs in terms of depth (it's not really about anything) and expression. That said, it's still signature Taylor, and that means it's still amazing. I'm captivated by you, baby, like a fireworks show.
"Back to December" - Incredibly poignant and moving. Everyone knows what it's about, but she presents it, truly, as an apology. Well, an unorthodox apology, but one that continues to resound long after the song is over. I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile, so good to me, so right.
"Speak Now" - Gosh, I love this song. It's upbeat, optimistic, cute. This is going to sound incredibly odd, but it reminds me of wedding cake. Not merely because it's about breaking into a wedding/marriage ceremony, but because it's light and fluffy and sweet. Who honestly hasn't dreamed about storming a wedding and telling the groom (or bride) she (or he) is in love with him (or her)? I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion, but you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl. It ends happily, fortunately. And it's the inspiration for the album's title, and the catalyst for its theme.
"Dear John" - The girl in the dress wrote you a song. Depending on what you have been reading, this song is Taylor Swift's magnum opus, this song makes the album, this song really marks Taylor's maturation, this song is the certain departure from previous Taylor stories. For me, it's astoundingly written. The words are incredible. It is cutting and painful and cruel, but ultimately victorious. Maybe it's me and my blind optimism to blame / or maybe it's you and your sick need to give love then take it away. It is a triumph, it really is. But, it's not the best song on the album. I found the bluegrassy elements of it refreshing, and the melody simple but stunning. I just wish the buzz weren't only focusing on one single song from the album, when all fourteen songs are worth the same amount of attention (which is a lot). You are an expert at sorry / and keeping lines blurry / never impressed by me acing your tests.
"Mean" - My mom says that this song is a perfect illustration of why this isn't a 'mature' album, because she doesn't think that a 'mature' person would resort to the word 'mean' to describe a bully. I beg to differ. I think the use of the word 'mean' is brilliant. And it's a fun, uplifting, light way to push back and to serve someone his own medicine. Plus the handclaps in the background are phenomenal! You have pointed out my flaws again, as if I don't already see them. I would use this song to shove the treatment I've received over the years back in people's faces, because it's not as hurtful as it would seem. I love this song, for its pure genius and for its simplicity. Sometimes the most amazing thing to say only takes a few words.
"The Story of Us" - I like the tempo, rhythm, and beat of this song. Normally, I would have thought it would be more natural to include a slower song after the tempo of "Mean," but it works. And this song rings true, standing alone in a crowded room is basically the story of my life. But I got chills when I figured out the encoded message ("CMT Awards"); literally, my blood ran cold, because I knew what it was about and that creeped me out a little. A little. It's like the "Forever and Always" of this album, only about someone else. I'm scared to see the ending / why are we pretending this is nothing? / I'd tell you I miss you, but I don't know how / I've never heard silence quite this loud.
"Never Grow Up" - Songs really don't get any better than this. Without this song, the album would not be nearly as good, as powerful, as strong, as beautiful. This song hits home, every. single. time. Never in a million years would I have thought that she and I would have this in common, that the beautiful little moments of childhood are worth returning to (don't lose the way that you dance around in your pjs getting ready for school). I cry every time I hear this song - literally. It's been over two weeks and over sixty listens, and I still get major tears in my eyes, because it feels like she's talking to me, like she knows what I've been trying to put into words every since I realised that nothing in life is ever going to be as perfect as it was when I was seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen years old. (I have gotten better, though; it used to be sobs, now it's just a few solitary tears rolling down my cheeks.) This song is Taylor's best, hands down. Taylor's finest moment is track number eight of this album. Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room, memorise what it sounded like when your dad gets home / remember the footsteps, remember the words said, and all your little brother's favourite songs / I just realised everything I have is someday gonna be gone. That's my absolute favourite section of the song, and yes...here come the tears. No joke, let me get a tissue.
"Enchanted" - You know how some albums start off really strong and then kind of fizzle out by the end, so you really only like to listen more to the first half than any other part (Taking the Long Way is one of those, actually, and so is 5th Gear)? Well, throw those conceptions away, because Speak Now only gets better as the track numbers go up. "Enchanted" is original and creative, and supported by such a beautiful melody that is so intriguing all you want to do is to have this song on repeat. The idea is also creatively dealt with - the lingering question kept me up / two a.m., who do you love? - in a way that only Taylor could come up with. The background vocals are also extremely fascinating. Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you.
"Better than Revenge" - Everyone loves this song, if the ratings on iTunes are any indication. This song was the first that my sister told me she loved; "provocative" was the word she used. It's catchy and has a tremendous melody and rhythm, not to mention its astonishingly biting lyrics. It's great! Sophistication isn't what you wear or who you know / or pushing people down to get you where you wanna go / but they don't teach you that in prep school, so it's up to me / but no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity.
"Innocent" - Ah, yes, the song she performed at the VMAs this year, as a direct response to 2009's Kanye West-gate. It is gentle and (I read this adjective somewhere) loving, and issues sweet forgiveness in the classiest way possible. I would almost say that it was written in a similar frame of mind as "Never Grow Up," because the childhood imagery is prevalent (wasn't it easier in your firefly catching days / when everything out of reach someone bigger brought down to you / wasn't it beautiful running wild 'til you fell asleep / before the monsters caught up to you) and merely underscores her message - that 'life is full of little interruptions,' but that that's no reason to change who you are or how you approach situations. Time turns flames to embers / you'll have new Septembers / every one of us has messed up, too.
"Haunted" - Astounding, passionate, pulsating. This song hits you like a wave, and then another, and another, and another, until you're filled with the extraordinary rhythm and melody of the song, and then comes the tidal wave of the chorus. If there were no drumbeats in the music, the song would be good. But with them, it's sensational. I have yet to make heads or tails of the storyline, but I'm captivated by the lyrics and mesmerised by the melody. This is another one to have on repeat. I thought I had you figured out.
"Last Kiss" - Her use of 3/4 time is a rare departure from her signature rhtyhm, and it's incredible. It would be perfect to waltz to (most 3/4 songs are good for this, as the waltz is a 3/4 time-dance, but you don't want to break out in dance to EVERY 3/4 song, do you?). The lyrics express such an emptiness, and the coldness that you almost feel emanating from the headphones is almost a soundtrack to a fall afternoon, with the mist hanging over the trees and dew on the grass, with an overcast sky. The more I listen to the song, the more I love it, and if I'm any indication, its staying power is fantastic. I'll watch your life in pictures, like I used to watch you sleep / and I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe. Plus it mentions July 9th, which is a special date in my life.
"Long Live" - Just as "Change" was a fitting ending to Fearless, "Long Live" is no less fitting an end to Speak Now. It's a tribute to her band after her Album of the Year win at the Grammys, but it could very well be about any one of her triumphs (or a triumph of any sort - especially of the underdog). I think it's probably her best writing yet (tied with "Never Grow Up"), lyrically. She employs such spectacular imagery - for a moment, a band of thieves in ripped-up jeans got to rule the world, for example, or we are the kings and the queens / you traded your baseball cap for a crown - and shapes the pictures with her sculpted words. It doesn't get much better than this, and it really instills such an insatiable desire for more Taylor Swift songs. I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you.
I marvelled at Taylor Swift, was amazed by Fearless, but Speak Now blew me away, and has done nothing but take my breath away since around 7 pm on October 25th.
My final words on the subject are these: I cannot imagine anyone not loving this album, because it's a shining masterpiece. She has become the most fantastic musician, artist, lyricist, and songwriter (not to mention person), and this is a milestone that will be hard to surpass by anyone following in her footsteps.
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
Just Another Ordinary Girl
p.s. The 2010 CMA Awards are in a few hours, but I wanted to post this before then, because I didn't want to sully any Speak Now post with news from the award show. But you can be sure to find a run-down of performances and winners (with a bit of editorialising, but I'll keep it brief) here next time.
p.p.s. I figured out how to do hyperlinks! So that's why you have some words a different colour, because they're linked to other webpages that I found pertinent to include. Prepare yourself, because now that I have figured it out, I will be using this a lot more often. I may even go back and fix other posts, to allow for hyperlinks.
p.p.p.s. You may have noticed that I included a few more italicised portions of the lyrics in each blurb about the songs, but that's only because I couldn't only pick one line or phrase to repeat. They're all so stunning, and it's a true testament to Taylor's development as a songwriter. This is also the album that she wrote entirely by herself (no Liz Rose, no Hillary Lindsey, no other co-writers), and I think she should never change this precedent, because she's a genius. She's brilliant.
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