Pick any of the songs from "Speak Now" that are rumored to be about a famous Tay-Tay boy-toy. "Back to December" will serve today's example nicely. Let's say she admits it's her apology song to Taylor Lautner - we all know it's true anyways - would you listen to this song differently?
Great country songs forge an emotional connection to the listener. If you've lived, loved, and lost it's likely there's a guy/girl who you think about from time to time and wonder "What if?" Admit it, when you hear "Back to December" you think about that person. Maybe not every time it's on the radio, but some of the time.If Taylor admitted she wrote the song about Taylor Lautner, only women who have played kissy-face with "Twilight's" Jacob could relate. He's an attractive man, but I'm guessing the total number of women he's shared intimate space with is less than the sum of all women in the universe. For the rest of us, the song quits acting as a slice of everywhere, and begins serving as a slice of gossip. We'd feel a little naughty after a half dozen listens, like a peeping tom who knows he/she will never get caught.
Taylor figured this out (if she didn't someone close to her did) so she pretends to keep her secrets as secrets while giving hints about each song in the lyric book. "Dear John" will never be a radio single for the same reason "Forever and Always" was never a radio single. It's too obvious both are about famous men - John Mayer and Joe Jonas - and her biggest fans (read: everyone) won't be able to relate.
The men behind her best songs ("Love Story," “You Belong with Me,” "Tim McGraw") remain anonymous. That's not coincidence.
2 comments:
I whole heartedly disagree. I KNOW that song's about Taylor Lautner and as far as I'm concerned, she admitted it in the hidden message of this song in the album booklet which says "Tay." And I still relate to it. I know who Tim McGraw is about: her first boyfriend Drew (not the Drew in Teardrops, a different Drew). I still relate to it. I know who Dear John is about, I relate to that too. I know who Forever and Always is about and I relate to both versions a RIDICULOUS amount. But I can separate who she wrote them about and what they mean. That's part of the reason I don't understand all the hate Superman (Speak Now Target Deluxe Edition) gets. I've heard countless people say "I don't like it! It's about John Mayer and it's sweet!" I love it because it's cute, catchy, and everything down to the title fits Smallville's version of Clark and Lois (I say Smallville's version because I have NEVER read/watched any other Superman anything). But every time I hear that song, I don't think about John Mayer and how he was at one time Taylor's superman... I think about Erica Durance (Lois Lane in Smallville) in that adorable yellow dress she wore in the 200th episode (titled Homecoming) singing to Clark as he goes off to save the day. Another example is Innocent. We all know for a fact (and she's confirmed) it's about the Kanye incident. But every time I hear it I see the Spuffy (Spike and Buffy) relationship from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's an amazingly fitting song for their relationship. In conclusion, I think regardless of who or what the song was written about/for a good song can relate to anyone/anything and a good listener can look past the knowledge of who it was for/about. If you can't you're paying attention to the wrong thing. I guess with me, regardless of knowing the stories behind the songs, it's about her music. It's always been about her music. And it will always be about her music.
Also I feel it should be pointed out Love Story and You Belong With Me aren't about actual people, but rather situations that interest Taylor. She's been in the You Belong With Me situation but it wasn't written about anyone, which is why it's anonymous. Because those guys don't exist.
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