Pam Goodwin
Chief Copy Editor
[email protected]

When I was a kid, I inherited this old boombox from my great-grandparents. It took up all of the space on top of my dresser, and if I turned it up enough, I could hear my favorite album, Taylor Swift’s “RED,” from the trees in our front yard.

On Friday, Nov. 12, Swift released “RED, Taylor’s Version,” a remastered version of her 2012 Grammy-nominated album “RED.” “RED” is an album predominately about breakups and the pain that comes from them even long after they’re over. In the original album, Swift gave us 16 songs, but the new release holds a whopping 30 songs, making it one of Swift’s longest albums ever. I’m not going to drone on and on about each and every title, so I’m going to focus on the highlights.

Of the songs from the original album, Swift gives us several that really hit.

The second song of the album, “Red,” Swift gives us the story of trying to get over a breakup, but moving on is difficult when all one can think about is the other person. This song uses a lot of creative metaphors and color associations, which makes the English major in me very, very happy.

“I Knew You Were Trouble” has always been a top-tier song, and this new version goes even harder than the original. Swift has added a lot of variation into this song, especially with her filler words, and it really helps round out the song with a more mature vibe.

“All Too Well” is my favorite song on this album. In this song, Swift remembers a relationship in which the parties both thought they were never going to break up, and that made their breakup even more painful. With lyrics like, “You call me up again just to break me like a promise,” Swift delivers a powerful message about how no one really knows what the future holds, and sometimes all we have is the memories of someone.

“22” is one of those songs that makes one want to get up and dance no matter the situation. Swift didn’t make many changes to this song, but the more mature quality of the vocals gives this song a different kind of tone, as if the characters are much older than 22. I think this song is one of the best recreations on the album because the new sound adds to the nuance of this song.

Some of the remastered songs fall a little flat, in my opinion. For example, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” mixes the tight vowel sounds that characterize Swift’s early work and the more open sounds of the rerelease in an inconsistent way, which makes some parts of the song almost grind in one’s ears. Once one gets past that, though, the song is really good.

Swift also used this album to release songs that haven’t been officially released or were released in exclusive deluxe versions of the original album.

“The Moment I Knew” is about Swift’s 21st birthday party and how her boyfriend at the time, Jake Gyllenhal, missed the party and called to apologize, and how this was the moment Swift knew their relationship was doomed. Anyone who has gone through a relationship that ended badly can relate to this song.

According to Country Music Television, “Ronan” is about Ronan Thompson, a three-year-old boy who died of neuroblastoma in 2011. His mother, Maya Thompson, blogged about her experience, which caught Swift’s eye. According to Newsweek, Swift used quotes from Thompson’s blog in the song, which makes the song all that much more raw and heartbreaking.

Swift also released several songs “From the Vault,” which is the name she gives to songs that have not previously been performed or released.

“Nothing New” is about having doubts in a relationship and wondering if someone will still be in love after the relationship has lost the “new” feeling. This song hit me hard, and I loved how Swift portrayed the anxiety that comes with being in a new relationship.

The 10-minute version of “All Too Well” is an amazing closer to this album. In this song, Swift adds verses into the original song, adding more context to the relationship she’s singing about. She also adds to the chorus in some parts, which takes away from any repetitiveness the song may have had. This song is getting a lot of attention, and I think it’s well-deserved. 

Overall, Swift’s recreations of these songs reflect a more mature, more open sound that characterizes Swift’s newer work. The rich vowels and open tones throughout all of the songs reflect a more mature version of Swift, and help counteract the social idea that her work is just the feelings of a teenage girl. This new version reflects Swift’s growth as a person and an artist. I give this album a solid nine out of 10.