I have a lot of feelings about this video... it's a pretty deep video- but this isn't the first time a music video has gone this deep... but it kind of surprised me from Taylor Swift.
I have to say... I can never tell if I'm a fan of Taylor Swift or not. I like her music for the most part. I've listened to Speak Now, Red and 1989 in full... I think my favorite is Red... then Speak Now and then 1989. I want to listen to Red again because... I feel like I have newfound respect for it from this video.... and I'll get to that in a little bit... but I think Taylor was really proud of that album and she seemed to just really be happy with it.
My initial reaction to hearing the song on the radio was that it sounded like "The Lego Movie's version of a Taylor Swift song." It just kind of sounded like a parody... which I guess it kind of is? Taylor Swift is good at parodying herself... but she doesn't like when other people try to get in on the joke.
Before I go on to referencing specific parts... I'm just going to link Buzzfeed Article 1 and Buzzfeed Article 2 right here.
A lot of the references- in the first article especially are a little vague. The second one is more detailed and a little better... I didn't pause at any moment or anything... I'm not the biggest Taylor Swift Fan even though I think I am a fan... I wasn't going to pause and analyze everything. I haven't seen all of her videos... so yeah. Doesn't make sense.
I think the thing I can appreciate most is the car crash scene. I don't like watching car crashes... so for me this was pretty disturbing... but it seems that the Grammy she is holding in the scene isn't her actual grammy but the grammy Swift believes she deserved for Red. And I have to say... it is probably a better album than the album that did win. Anyone remember what that was? Random Access Memories from Daft Punk. I like Daft Punk... I haven't listened to that whole album- but I didn't like "Get Lucky" so I don't know how I'd like the rest of the songs... and Red is a really great cd. I really liked it... I can see Taylor really worked hard and I think that is her best album because of it.
Also at the actual 2014 Grammy's while they announced that Daft Punk won the Grammy for Album of The Year... Taylor Swift thought that they were announcing her name and she got very excited because she thought that she deserved to win.
After not winning that grammy- she changed her music a little bit in 1989. She did a more "socially cohesive" album- dropped the country and went to pop because she believed that next time she would win the grammy. So the car crash represents her feeling backed into a wall to change her sound and kind of abandoning what she worked so hard on just to please the grammy's. At least that's my interpretations. I do think she's dressed like Katy Perry in this on purpose... and I think maybe the Cheetah is in there for that reason also. I feel like the reference to Calvin Harris being backed into a wall makes sense also... but I think the main thing is she feels robbed of that grammy and regrets abandoning her "Red" phase.
The next thing referenced in Article 2 is another favorite... Engagement rumors? This whole scene is kind of amazing. So it is a robbery scene where Taylor is wearing a sweatshirt with a cat and surrounded by people in cat masks. She is robbing something that says "Streaming" which is a reference to Taylor's Open Letter to Apple Music when they first started- and Taylor made them pay artists more fairly because of that. She was dating Calvin Harris at the time of this and he was proud of her... which makes sense that there is an open engagement ring box in the scene.
Now in the scene with Taylor in the bathtub there's a necklace that resembles the locket that Harris gave her for their one year anniversary and it spells "No"... my thought of this was that Taylor was expecting an engagement ring from Harris when she received the locket. Some people are interpreting it as a hidden message that Swift was engaged to Harris... but I don't know. I feel like I'd be upset if I was expecting a ring and I got a necklace... and this kind of ties into the "Gullible Taylor thinks she's getting something when she isn't" theme that first played out with the Grammy... huh? Makes sense right.
And I feel like Taylor is justified in being upset about this. It seems unfair when you think you deserve something and you don't get it. It's likely a miscommunication of some sort between people if you don't get what you think you deserve in these instances... not something to hold grudges over... BUT it's something to be reasonably upset over and it's a valid feeling that I think women are judged for having a lot of times... so it makes sense to be upset at that.
Now the 13 different Taylors aspect at the end... idk. I kind of dig this... but again it scares me. I like Taylor Swift from Red. I like Taylor from the "You Belong With Me" video... I don't know if I like that there is a zombie taylor that is denouncing them all... and that's kind of my main problem with the song... but also maybe my favorite part? Depending on interpretation.
I said this in my Lady Gaga video but at a certain point... we have several different versions of ourselves. At the Lady Gaga concert she says she can't remember not being famous... she didn't say it in a snobby way or anything- but that is significant! I feel like I was a lot different in College than I was now, in High school I was different... before my niece was born I might have been a little different... heck- I can't remember what it's like not to post 2 blogs every single day... so lots and lots of different Shannon's. As embarrassed as I am by those Shannon's and as much as those Shannon's might have hurt me in some way... I can't denounce them because at the end of the day I really am just Shannon. I'm Not Blogger Shannon, I'm not Shannon that Doesn't Wear Makeup, I'm not Shannon that Only Talks About Makeup... I'm just plain Shannon. And I have to love and accept all of these other versions of myself so that I can appreciate and love the Shannon that I am now. That sounds deep and sad... but it makes sense.
I think the general interpretation everyone is getting of this is that Taylor is denouncing all of the other Taylor's and she's the "Reputation" Taylor trying to build herself back up to be "The Real Taylor"... I think all the other Taylor's are equally real. It's kind of a disservice to yourself to denounce any former version of yourself. I had a couple of friends a few years ago that I was really close to and they very suddenly stopped talking to me. It's something that upsets me still... I've blamed them, I've blamed myself... really no one is to blame. Shit happens- I may have changed but I've always been my real self and nothing's ever really going to change that... so if they're being their real selves and don't want to talk to me any more... it's their loss. I have amazing friends now and I don't regret a thing!
So yeah... I think that's all I have to say about that. Always be true to who you are- don't abandon your past selves... remember where you came from... and celebrate it. I think the positive interpretation should be that Taylor is not critiquing her former selves- rather celebrating them... and poking fun at them just a little bit.
Also... I have to just say it because it's already out there... Taylor Swift is releasing Reputation on November 10th which is the 10 year anniversary of Kanye West's mother's passing... I don't think it's a coincidence and I think that is actually horrible and that is what scares me so much about this Dark Taylor Swift... or Taylor Daggers as I'll probably refer to her because... it does seem kind of like Robin Daggers from How I Met Your Mother. Lol.
Byeee!
-Shannon
I have to say... I can never tell if I'm a fan of Taylor Swift or not. I like her music for the most part. I've listened to Speak Now, Red and 1989 in full... I think my favorite is Red... then Speak Now and then 1989. I want to listen to Red again because... I feel like I have newfound respect for it from this video.... and I'll get to that in a little bit... but I think Taylor was really proud of that album and she seemed to just really be happy with it.
My initial reaction to hearing the song on the radio was that it sounded like "The Lego Movie's version of a Taylor Swift song." It just kind of sounded like a parody... which I guess it kind of is? Taylor Swift is good at parodying herself... but she doesn't like when other people try to get in on the joke.
Before I go on to referencing specific parts... I'm just going to link Buzzfeed Article 1 and Buzzfeed Article 2 right here.
A lot of the references- in the first article especially are a little vague. The second one is more detailed and a little better... I didn't pause at any moment or anything... I'm not the biggest Taylor Swift Fan even though I think I am a fan... I wasn't going to pause and analyze everything. I haven't seen all of her videos... so yeah. Doesn't make sense.
I think the thing I can appreciate most is the car crash scene. I don't like watching car crashes... so for me this was pretty disturbing... but it seems that the Grammy she is holding in the scene isn't her actual grammy but the grammy Swift believes she deserved for Red. And I have to say... it is probably a better album than the album that did win. Anyone remember what that was? Random Access Memories from Daft Punk. I like Daft Punk... I haven't listened to that whole album- but I didn't like "Get Lucky" so I don't know how I'd like the rest of the songs... and Red is a really great cd. I really liked it... I can see Taylor really worked hard and I think that is her best album because of it.
Also at the actual 2014 Grammy's while they announced that Daft Punk won the Grammy for Album of The Year... Taylor Swift thought that they were announcing her name and she got very excited because she thought that she deserved to win.
After not winning that grammy- she changed her music a little bit in 1989. She did a more "socially cohesive" album- dropped the country and went to pop because she believed that next time she would win the grammy. So the car crash represents her feeling backed into a wall to change her sound and kind of abandoning what she worked so hard on just to please the grammy's. At least that's my interpretations. I do think she's dressed like Katy Perry in this on purpose... and I think maybe the Cheetah is in there for that reason also. I feel like the reference to Calvin Harris being backed into a wall makes sense also... but I think the main thing is she feels robbed of that grammy and regrets abandoning her "Red" phase.
The next thing referenced in Article 2 is another favorite... Engagement rumors? This whole scene is kind of amazing. So it is a robbery scene where Taylor is wearing a sweatshirt with a cat and surrounded by people in cat masks. She is robbing something that says "Streaming" which is a reference to Taylor's Open Letter to Apple Music when they first started- and Taylor made them pay artists more fairly because of that. She was dating Calvin Harris at the time of this and he was proud of her... which makes sense that there is an open engagement ring box in the scene.
Now in the scene with Taylor in the bathtub there's a necklace that resembles the locket that Harris gave her for their one year anniversary and it spells "No"... my thought of this was that Taylor was expecting an engagement ring from Harris when she received the locket. Some people are interpreting it as a hidden message that Swift was engaged to Harris... but I don't know. I feel like I'd be upset if I was expecting a ring and I got a necklace... and this kind of ties into the "Gullible Taylor thinks she's getting something when she isn't" theme that first played out with the Grammy... huh? Makes sense right.
And I feel like Taylor is justified in being upset about this. It seems unfair when you think you deserve something and you don't get it. It's likely a miscommunication of some sort between people if you don't get what you think you deserve in these instances... not something to hold grudges over... BUT it's something to be reasonably upset over and it's a valid feeling that I think women are judged for having a lot of times... so it makes sense to be upset at that.
Now the 13 different Taylors aspect at the end... idk. I kind of dig this... but again it scares me. I like Taylor Swift from Red. I like Taylor from the "You Belong With Me" video... I don't know if I like that there is a zombie taylor that is denouncing them all... and that's kind of my main problem with the song... but also maybe my favorite part? Depending on interpretation.
I said this in my Lady Gaga video but at a certain point... we have several different versions of ourselves. At the Lady Gaga concert she says she can't remember not being famous... she didn't say it in a snobby way or anything- but that is significant! I feel like I was a lot different in College than I was now, in High school I was different... before my niece was born I might have been a little different... heck- I can't remember what it's like not to post 2 blogs every single day... so lots and lots of different Shannon's. As embarrassed as I am by those Shannon's and as much as those Shannon's might have hurt me in some way... I can't denounce them because at the end of the day I really am just Shannon. I'm Not Blogger Shannon, I'm not Shannon that Doesn't Wear Makeup, I'm not Shannon that Only Talks About Makeup... I'm just plain Shannon. And I have to love and accept all of these other versions of myself so that I can appreciate and love the Shannon that I am now. That sounds deep and sad... but it makes sense.
I think the general interpretation everyone is getting of this is that Taylor is denouncing all of the other Taylor's and she's the "Reputation" Taylor trying to build herself back up to be "The Real Taylor"... I think all the other Taylor's are equally real. It's kind of a disservice to yourself to denounce any former version of yourself. I had a couple of friends a few years ago that I was really close to and they very suddenly stopped talking to me. It's something that upsets me still... I've blamed them, I've blamed myself... really no one is to blame. Shit happens- I may have changed but I've always been my real self and nothing's ever really going to change that... so if they're being their real selves and don't want to talk to me any more... it's their loss. I have amazing friends now and I don't regret a thing!
So yeah... I think that's all I have to say about that. Always be true to who you are- don't abandon your past selves... remember where you came from... and celebrate it. I think the positive interpretation should be that Taylor is not critiquing her former selves- rather celebrating them... and poking fun at them just a little bit.
Also... I have to just say it because it's already out there... Taylor Swift is releasing Reputation on November 10th which is the 10 year anniversary of Kanye West's mother's passing... I don't think it's a coincidence and I think that is actually horrible and that is what scares me so much about this Dark Taylor Swift... or Taylor Daggers as I'll probably refer to her because... it does seem kind of like Robin Daggers from How I Met Your Mother. Lol.
Byeee!
-Shannon
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