Taylor Swift - Fearless Review

MikeMaroon reviewed Taylor Swift's Fearless CD and it sounded like something I would enjoy.  It was during the holidays so I couldn't go out and buy it for myself but I earmarked it for a later purchase.  Back in January a friend sent me the CD because she said the song Love Story reminded her of the love that her brother and I shared before he was killed in a car accident.

Well, I immediately listened to that song and then I listened to the rest of the CD.  Listening to Taylor Swift is like breathing clean air.  When you read the lyrics to her songs, which were written or co-written  by her, you feel as if you have opened the diary of a young girl and you are seeing her life played out in song.  Taylor Swift will probably be the next Martina McBride in country or Olivia Newton-John in pop.  She has a voice that makes you stop and listen.  Her music is being played on both the country (WCOS 97.5) and lite rock stations here in my hometown.  Right now they are probably giving equal time to Love Story, White Horse and her latest Our Song.

Taylor Swift makes you remember what it was like to be young and in love.  She takes you back into the world of a high school girl who wants everything; friends, fun, boyfriends and popularity.  For parents she is the proverbial girl next door.  She is being presented to the public as a young and wholesome teenager who is just good at entertaining.  At this point in her career she hasn't messed up and caused a bunch of bad publicity so it is easier for adults to accept the music. 

Adolescence is a tumultuous time as a young person exits childhood and begins to make the entrance into adulthood but for a couple of years they are caught up in "where exactly do I belong?"  They are being told to grow up but then the reins are tightened to keep them from maturing too fast.  Taylor's talent shows that she is making the transition really well and all eyes are on her and most are hoping that she keeps going in the right direction. 

Love Story is a modern day Romeo and Juliet ballad.  It's about a forbidden love that doesn't have to end tragically.  In this song Prince Charming does get the girl.

Chorus:

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone.  I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run.  You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess.  It's a love story, baby just say yes.  

When I hear You Belong With Me I think this is the epitome of young love.  Every guy or girl has their eye on someone they can't have.  You are either separated by social status, money, culture, education, etc. but something draws you to this person like a bee to a honeycomb.  We all knew about the social cliques in school.  There were the nerds, scholars, jocks, musicians and so forth.  Sometimes we pushed the envelope and crossed over but most of the time we hang with our own. 

Chorus:

She wears short skirts and I wear t-shirts.  She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers dreaming about the day when you wake up and find that what you're looking for ahs been here the whole time.  If you could see that I'm the one who understands you.  Been here all along so why can't you see you belong with me. 

Have you ever been in a relationship but was wishing you were with someone else?  I have.  I dated guys but knew my heart wanted to be with the love of my life and I found myself constantly thinking of the other guy.  In The Way I Loved You I sense that is what Taylor Swift is trying to say.  She's with one guy but remembering all the things that made her love another.  It's like always having a thing for your first love.

Chorus:

But I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain.  And it's 2 a.m. and I'm cursing your name.  You're so in love that you act insane and that's the way I loved you.  Breakin' down and coming undone it's a roller coaster kinda rush and I never knew I could feel that much and that's the way I loved you.

Forever & Always is a song about breaking up.  Is he sure that's what he wants?  Can you really be happy and go on if he made the choice to leave you?  Adolescence is a turbulent time and when someone gets their heart broken they feel as if there is no reason to go on.  Taylor Swift puts her heart into the song and if ever a girl knew how it felt to get dumped she can relate.

Chorus:

And I stare at the phone and he still hasn't called and you feel so low you can't feel nothing at all and you flashback to when he said forever and always.  Oh, and it rains in your bedroom everything is wrong.  It rains when you're here it rains when you're gone cause I was there when you said forever and always.   

The enhanced Fearless CD has 13 songs and 2 videos:

1. Fearless
2. Fifteen
3. Love Story
4. Hey Stephen
5. White Horse
6. You Belong With Me
7. Breathe
8. Tell Me Why
9. You're Not Sorry
10. The Way I Loved You
11. Forever & Always
12. The Best Day
13. Change

Music videos for Love Story and Change

Fearless was released in 2008 by Big Machine Records.  I have seen it at Walmart and Target for about $15.