I recently read Rob Sheffield’s article where he rated all 199 of Taylor Swift’s songs on the Rolling Stone website. While Sheffield is a notable journalist and author, I was in awe at the inaccuracy of his ratings. I decided to write this article to address the Taylor Swift songs that are underrated by the world (and Rob Sheffield). No hate to Rob, I am just an avid Swiftie and had to respond in my own way. I am also including the best lyrics in each song (in my opinion) which is an idea I got from Sheffield. And for my fellow Swifties out there, I tried to do thirteen songs but then I ended up with twenty so I stopped at ten.
- “The Lakes” (Folklore bonus track)
This poem-sounding track is one of my favorites not only on the album but also of all of Tay’s songs. I also love how she subtly takes a stab at Scooter Braun who now owns all of her masters by referring to him as a “name dropping sleaze”. I am a sucker for Taylor’s private relationship with Joe Alwyn and this song is such a beautiful way to sing about it. I love how she refers to Joe as her muse and beloved without straight up saying that it’s about him. “The Lakes” definitely has not gotten enough recognition for its elegant lyrics and instrument pairings and if you haven’t listened yet, you have to.
Best lyric: “a red rose grew up out of frozen ice ground with no one around to tweet it”
- “The Other Side of the Door” (Fearless Taylor’s Version)
I must emphasize the fact that Taylor’s version is the version of the song that is underrated and a jam. This is an old country jam that I admit I didn’t have appreciation for until she released Taylor’s Version of Fearless. I love how dramatic Taylor’s love songs can be and this one is one that I love screaming to. In my perspective, the song is about a boy who hasn’t been treating Taylor very well. When she tells him to leave she secretly hopes he stays and makes it all better because she still loved him. This is extremely relatable to me (as are most of Tay’s songs) but is underrated and not recognized enough.
Best lyric: “all I really want is you, to stand outside my window, throwing pebbles screamin’ ‘I’m in love with you’”
- “Clean” (1989)
“Clean” from the highly recognized 1989 album is about getting over a relationship. She compares it to being “clean” referring to substance addiction. I love this song for the music itself but the lyrics are really deep and I love the metaphor that is the basis of the song. Heartbreak is extremely difficult, but I can always rely on Tay for a good song to help me move on and this is one of the top picks for me. I wish that this song was talked about more because it is quite literally one of the most beautiful and creative songs in her entire collection.
Best lyric: “when the butterflies turned to dust that covered my whole room”
- “Getaway Car” (Reputation)
I must begin by saying that Reputation is hands down my favorite album despite the popular opinion. Listening to this album gives me such a powerful feeling and there’s nothing else like it. She writes this about a new boyfriend that she runs away with in a metaphorical getaway car. Ultimately the relationship doesn’t work out because it started out on a bad note since it was immediately after leaving another relationship. The song itself is a jam, but the lyrics behind it need to be hyped up more because she is a genius.
Best lyric: “there were sirens in the beat of your heart”
- “Dancing with our Hands Tied” (Reputation)
Another Rep song of course. This happens to be my favorite on the album and for good reason. The relationship Taylor is singing about is not bound to last because of the world around them tearing them apart. I believe this could be a reference to the media analyzing her relationships and life. She says that she could spend forever in the burning room with this man just to feel the way she did when they were dancing for the first time. She wanted to be able to stay in this loving relationship, but she had “deep fears that the world would divide [them]”. Again, such a bop, but also such a beautiful meaning inside the lyrics that paint a love story that didn’t get to live happily ever after.
Best lyric: “I’d kiss you as the lights went out, swaying as the room burned down”
- “I’m Only Me When I’m With You” (Debut Album)
This old country song of hers is pretty straightforward. The person she is writing about is someone that she feels the most herself with. It is elegant and has a country/pop tune that is easy to vibe with. I love the meaning behind this song because it seems to be a healthy relationship. She was so young when she wrote this and being young and in love is so special. This song is most definitely not talked about enough probably because it isn’t as lyrically advanced as her recent music… but she was 17! That’s what makes it so special to me.
Best lyric: “through it all nobody gets me like you do”
- “Crazier” (from Hannah Montana Movie)
The Hannah Montana movie was an iconic film from my childhood and I remember my reaction seeing Taylor’s little feature at the hoedown. Another love song that lifts my spirits and makes me want to get married. I actually have this on my list of potential first dance songs at my future wedding but let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. There’s not much to dig into here besides the fact that it is about loving someone so much that it makes you crazy. It’s a perfect song to dance around the kitchen with the love of your life, and it definitely added spice to the Hannah Montana movie.
Best lyric: “every sky was your own kind of blue”
- The Story of Us (Speak Now)
I saw the Speak Now concert at Gillette Stadium when I was eight years old. I honestly fell asleep because it was my first concert but I remember jumping up and down to this song with my cousin. After having quite a few heartbreaks in my time, I relate to this so much. It’s obvious that Tay writes about her relationships a lot, but we love it. This song is iconic because of how tragic it is with such an upbeat tune. I also love how she sings it like it’s a book. It’s just so cute and so underrated.
Best lyric: “this is looking like a contest, of who can act like they care less”
- Haunted-acoustic (Speak Now)
I love the song itself but the acoustic version just has me feeling like I’m in a music video. Unfortunately, this is another heartbreak song where Taylor watches her lover fall out of love. Knowing that someone is falling out of love with you is heartbreaking but we always have blondie to help us get through it.
Best lyric: “Stood there and watched you walk away, from everything we had, but I still mean every word I said to you”
- The Last Time ft. Gary Lightbody (Red- Taylor’s Version)
I loved this song before Taylor’s Version was released but now I love it even more. Gary Lightbody is from Snow Patrol and I saw them perform a few years ago and I am obsessed with the combination of their voices. I love the back and forth lyrics as if they’re having a conversation and you get to see both sides of the breakup.
Best lyric: “This is the last time, I won’t hurt you anymore”