Since June, Swifties have been anticipating the release of Red (Taylor’s Version). From doing word searches to figure out the vault tracks to spending all of our money on the multiple merch drops, on top of the fact that she hasn’t released any singles, we are anxious. With the album finally coming on the 12th (a whole week earlier than we originally thought), I decided to look at the track list and rank each song based on how excited I am to hear Taylor’s Version. I excluded “Ronan” from my list because it didn’t feel appropriate to rank given the subject matter of it.
All Too Well (ten minute version)
This one is a given. Ever since I heard that a ten minute version of this song existed, I knew I needed it in my life. And itâs explicit? After this one, I wonât ever be able to watch a movie with Jake Gyllenhaal in it again. This song is also the perfect length so that itâs all I need to listen to on my commute to work. Thereâs nothing better than blasting âAll Too Wellâ after dealing with annoying customers for hours on end. Itâs free therapy. Thanks, Taylor. Also with the announcement of the short film for it as well, this is going to be the only thing I talk about for the next year.
State of Grace
Not only is this her best album opener, but itâs also one of her best songs ever. Itâs my personal favorite on Red and second favorite out of her whole discography (right behind âCleanâ off 1989). The heavy drums in the beginning and the absolutely beautiful lyrics get me every time and I cannot wait to hear it with her mature vocals. This song is an entire cinematic experience from start to finish.Â
Better Man
Donât get me wrong, I absolutely love the Little Big Town version of this song. However, thereâs something so intimate about hearing a song performed by the original writer. Swift wrote âBetter Manâ all by herself and I canât wait to hear the emotion in her voice that she put into the lyrics. The live performance of her singing it at the Bluebird Cafe isnât enough for me.Â
The Lucky One
Swift wrote this song pre-Kayne West and pre-Scooter Braun. She had no idea what was coming for her when she originally created this song and this concept. She had yet to really grasp the concept of âThey tell you that youâre lucky but youâre so confused / âcause you donât feel pretty, you just feel used / and all the young things line up to take your place.â Sure, she had had her fair share of negative media attention in the first half of her career, but nothing compared to what she endured in the past five years. Iâm really excited to see a new perspective on this song since the message still remains clear nine years later.
Nothing New (ft Phoebe Bridgers)
As a die-hard Pharb, Iâm more than ready to hear my two favorite sad girls collaborate. I just hope that Phoebe actually gets a verse and is not just doing backup vocals like some of Swiftâs recent songs with female artists have been such as âNo Body, No Crimeâ with Haim and âYou All Over Meâ featuring Marren Morris. Hopefully Swift took the criticisms on her duets to heart and will use Bridgerâs beautiful and haunting voice on this track.
Holy Ground
One of the biggest critiques surrounding Swiftâs re-releases is that the emotion is not there since she has healed from so many things she used to write about. However, for âHoly Groundâ, a much happier song, Iâm looking forward to this tone shift as she can now record this with Joe Alywyn in mind and the âholy groundâ they have created for each other over the years. Especially the lyric âTonight Iâm gonna dance for all that weâve been through / but I donât wanna dance if Iâm not dancing with you.â Which strongly parallels âDancing With Our Hands Tiedâ off Reputation.
The Last Time (ft gary Lightbody)
Sorry Ed stans, but this is hands down Swiftâs best duet of all time. There is no better feeling than listening to this at eight in the morning with the windows down on your way to your local Dunkinâ Donuts. The lyrics and the strings and just how beautiful Swift and Gary Lightbodyâs voice sound together is a magical thing. The buildup and production of this song mixed with Swiftâs mature vocals is something the re-recording would not be the same without. Itâs a top tier track off Red and doesnât get enough appreciation.Â
Begin Again
A song about starting fresh after a toxic relationship re-recorded by a woman who finally met her soulmate? Come on! If anything, this track will be filled with the most emotion out of all the songs sheâs re-recording. Letâs not forget to mention the fact that Swift and Alwynâs anniversary is September 28th, 2016 which was a Wednesday⊠So she can truly say that on a Wednesday in a cafe she watched it begin again.
Everything Has Changed (ft Ed SHeeran)
I can imagine this re-recording to be therapeutic for Swift. Since she first wrote this song everything in her life has changed. One constant that remained was her friendship with Ed Sheeran, though. Through all her eras and boyfriends and âscandalsâ she continued to collaborate with Sheeran and support him making this song almost like a love letter to their friendship.Â
Red
In 2019, Swift closed her Lover album with the song âDaylightâ in which she wrote âI used to think love would be burning red, but itâs golden like daylightâ. This is a direct parallel to âRedâ as she describes a relationship through colors. She uses blue, dark grey and red to portray her feelings to her listeners. All of those colors bring some type of negative emotion. However, Swift now sees love as golden like daylight. This re-recording may not have the most emotion or heartbreak behind it, but Iâm looking forward to the growth and healing in her voice.
The Moment I Knew
I know this one will lack the emotion of the original recording but honestly I donât care. I think it will be refreshing to hear her go back to this moment from nearly ten years ago and sing from the heart regardless of if it still hurts her or not.Â
I Almost Do
I have a similar stance on this song as I do âThe Moment I Knewâ but mainly this is ranked so high because itâs a really good song.
Run (ft Ed Sheeran)
I absolutely adore âEverything Has Changedâ so Swift and Sheeranâs songwriting and vocals together on another song from the Red era is going to be something amazing. Both are incredibly talented and Iâm really looking forward to another duet from them.Â
Treacherous
One of Swiftâs best lyrics of all time is in this song being âIâll do anything you say / If you say it with your handsâ and Iâd argue this song also holds one of her best bridges. I think the emotion will still be in this song because on her most recent albums sheâs sang about similar concepts from âTreacherousâ like in âIllicit Affairsâ which she is able to execute beautifully on an emotional level.Â
All Too Well
Iâm more excited for the ten minute version, although I know the original length one will still make me cry just as much. Everyone loves the classics and this song is just that for Swifties. So even though there will be a longer, explicit version, I will still go back to this one in the name of nostalgia.
Come Back⊠Be Here
Considering Swift currently has to face the pain of being in a long distance relationship with someone who lives in London while she mainly lives in New York is going to make this re-recording probably better emotionally executed than the original. The dependency she sings about in this song can also parallel âCornelia Streetâ from Lover. She feels very passionately about Alwyn and a song like this will only show her love for him even more.
Forever Winter
I just know this one is going to be sad. I really hope it has something to do with being frozen in time like she sang about in âAll Too Wellâ and âRight Where You Left Meâ because that concept is something Swift captures so well.Â
I Bet You Think About Me (ft Chris stapleton)
Although I am not familiar with Chris Stapleton, with him being a country artist, I have a feeling I know what to expect from this song. Iâm not a big fan of country music, unless itâs coming from Swift, but Iâm looking forward to this being a (hopefully) spiteful bop based on the title.Â
Sad Beautiful Tragic
I find myself skipping this song when I play the album in the car or when it comes on shuffle. Not that itâs a bad song, but itâs kind of a bummer. Itâs beautifully written and produced but I canât say Iâm super excited for the re-recording.Â
The Very First Night
Iâm mainly looking forward to this one since I really am not sure what itâs going to be. With an album like Red, nothing is off limits. It could be super poppy or it could be country or it could be a ballad⊠the title does not indicate much so Iâm looking forward to finding out what itâll be like.Â
Stay Stay Stay
I am definitely looking forward to hearing a song so cheesy and almost silly with her new mature vocals. Many people have a strong dislike for this song from the original Red, but I donât share those feelings. I think it is necessary to make the album a true breakup album. Now that she has found someone who has stayed with her it will be one of those songs you can almost hear her smile in.Â
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
I honestly just canât wait to hear âUgh. So he calls me up and heâs like âI still love youââ (Taylorâs Version).
Message in a Bottle
The title sounds a bit corny, but Swift does corny well, so while Iâm excited for it regardless but Iâm not drawn in by the title alone.Â
Babe
âBabeâ is another country song Taylor Swift has forced me to listen to. I think itâs a good song overall, but I donât listen to the Sugarland version often because it isnât really my vibe. However, I think Iâll prefer Taylorâs voice on the track. The lyrics arenât anything special, but itâs a really catchy song overall.Â
State of Grace (acoustic)
Shockingly this isnât higher in my ranking. However, as much as I love âState of Graceâ, I think that the production is part of what makes it so beautiful. The drums are one of my favorite things about the song and without it, it doesn’t feel the same. The acoustic version is beautiful but Iâm not as excited for it as I am the others.Â
I Knew You Were Trouble
This song is a bop and I loved it at the time it came out originally but compared to everything else on the album it falls flat. Iâm not a huge fan of the whole EDM vibe she went with for this song.
Starlight
When I was in the fifth grade I auditioned for my school talent show with a dance to this song and I didnât make it so honestly I still canât listen to it or enjoy it to this day and Iâm not sure Taylorâs Version will fix that.Â
22
Iâm not sure how to feel about a 31 year old singing about dancing like sheâs 22. I adore this song but the re-recording might feel a bit weird.Â
Girl at Home
I hate this song.
Red is one of my favorite albums and certainly holds a lot of nostalgia for me. I think the concept of it being so messy like a person who has a broken heart is genius and often overlooked. I can see myself listening to this on repeat for months until she drops the next re-recording.