Taylor Swift’s “Red” re-release went “All Too Well”
Kendra Martinez, Co-Opinion Editor
The Taylor Swift saga continues with the release of her second re-recorded master, “Red (Taylor’s Version),” on Nov. 12. Now available on most music streaming platforms, the highly anticipated album exceeded expectations and managed to give almost decade-old songs new nuance, while simultaneously letting fans relive the nostalgia of listening to the album for the first time.
“Red (Taylor’s Version)” includes the 21 songs from the old version and nine new “From The Vault” tracks, making for a total of 30 songs. The new songs were the most highly anticipated by fans, especially “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)”.
“All Too Well” has been a fan favorite since it was first released. To say it is finally getting the recognition it deserves would be an understatement. Not only did Swift release a 10 minute version of the song, she also filmed and directed a short film for it. The 10 minute version within itself is a mind blowing experience. Fans have been waiting to hear the full version of this song ever since Swift said the original was upwards of 10 minutes in an interview back in 2012. The new lyrics fit the song perfectly, adding new levels of complexity, heartache and anger. The overall production of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” is deserving of a Grammy — it just sounds magical. The addition of a short film is really just the cherry on top. Actors Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien star in the film as the two main characters who are in a relationship. Their intense acting and ridiculous on-screen chemistry give the relationship depth and help capture the essence behind the meaning of “All Too Well.” On Nov. 18, Swift surprised fans once again with the release of “All Too Well (Sad Girl Autumn Version) - Recorded at Long Pond Studios”. She managed to make the song even sadder, as this version is more raw and the production matches the meaning behind the lyrics better.
Just three days after the release of the album, a music video for “I Bet You Think About Me (feat. Chris Stapleton)” was dropped on YouTube. The video was directed by Blake Lively, and stars Miles Teller and Swift herself. It’s a fun and very “Red” video.
There is one thing that is crucial to understand when it comes to the Taylor Swift fandom: easter eggs. Fans are constantly looking for them in everything Swift does, from songs to interviews to social media posts; this video was no exception. Many were quick to point out the multiple nods to Swift’s third and fifth studio albums: “Speak Now” and “1989.” Theories that one of the two will be the next re-recording quickly surfaced on apps like TikTok and Twitter. Whether or not this is true is all hearsay, that is until Swift makes the announcement herself.
The subject of Swift’s re-records is a controversial one, especially now that there are two out; she plans on re-recording six masters. Many still believe it is completely unnecessary to re-record albums that are already popular and some even said the re-recorded albums would not do nearly as good as the originals. Swift has proven them wrong with both albums: “Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and “Red (Taylor’s Version).” The latter already broke two Spotify records, one of which was previously held by Swift with one of her previous albums.
Fans will continue to stream this album as they patiently wait to hear the announcement of which album will be next. When that will happen, who knows. Needless to say, if you haven’t listened to “Red (Taylor’s Version),” you should join the 90.8 million people who have.
Photo from taylorswift.com