So, I am going a little out of order here but I really didn't feel like doing "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" today. So I skipped over it and decided to write about this song- "Stay Stay Stay".
In this song, a really adorable story is told. Click here for lyrics. So it's the story of a couple that got into a fight one night that almost ended their relationship. So the next morning they go and talk about what happened and she tells him how much she really loves him and how she really wants him to stay. She compares him to the other guys she has been with and realizes he is much better than anyone else she has dated. And to her this is a really great relationship and one she wants to be in for a really long time. So she tells him all of this hoping that he will stay with her. It's a really cute little country pop song that fits well on the album after the very strictly pop track of "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together".
So there are some ups and downs to this song. I think it's important to express how we really feel to a person that we love or care deeply about. But there is a lesson that all must learn that is kind of a downer. You can't change someone else's mind. If someone has decided that they don't want to be with you, there is nothing you can say to truly change how they feel. You can't really convince them to stay. But why would you want to? If they don't want to be with you then you shouldn't want to be with them. You should want to be with someone who wants to be with you too.
And one more thing: If it's meant to be, it will be. Couples fight. It happens. But if you really love each other, you'll get through it.
Love to all,
-Autumn the Music Girl
So, if I had gone in order, I would be doing "22" right now. But I already did that song so now I have to move on to this track- "I Almost Do". This is another sad breakup song on the album but one with a message people can relate to as is usually Taylor's goal.
Well I couldn't find much on Taylor's inspiration for the song but as you go through the lyrics, this one is pretty obvious as far as the message goes. Click here for the lyrics. Now I actually cried when I first heard this song. The emotion of the lyrics and the music itself is really intense and powerful. You can really feel her heartache- her longing. How she misses this person and how she wishes she could just be in their arms again but she can't bring herself to tell him this. It's heart-wrenching. And she can't stop thinking about him and she hopes that he still thinks about her. I think we all secretly wonder sometimes if that recent ex still wonders how you are doing, or cares for that matter. And then there's a point (and this may be a long way off) where you just stop wondering. You stop caring about whether or not they care. And they'll try and talk to you and of course pull the "we can still be friends" line- but how often does that really happen? Most of us girls try to be friends with our exes but for the most part, when you really loved them, it just hurts. And it's just like Taylor says here. It doesn't occur to them that we will always be scared that they will leave again even as friends. And all we want is for them to "take us back".
Well I've learned a valuable lesson in the last few months. You DON"T want them to just "take you back". You want them to WANT you back. And eventually you'll let your heart heal and give it to someone else. And then you won't even care about that other person wanting you back anymore. He'll realize what he's missing right around the same time that you've moved on. That's how it works. I don't know why, but that seems to be always how it works.
So, the reason why I skipped a day of Taylor blogging is because this particular song is very sad, but it's the next song on the album and one that does have a message which needs to be addressed.
As far as the inspiration for the song it is reportedly about her ex Jake Gyllenhaal. Taylor has said this song was the hardest to write on this album.
All Too Well” [was difficult to write emotionally] because it took me a really long time to filter through everything I wanted to put in the song without it being a 10 minute song, which you can’t put on an album. I wanted a story that could work in the form of a song and I called my co-writer Liz Rose and said, ‘Come over, we’ve gotta filter this down,’ and it took me a really long time to get it."
Well I think Taylor accomplished her goal well because the song truly does tell a story. A story of young love (look at lyrics here) and a great relationship. Her memories of her first time going over to his sister's house and forgetting her scarf there, knowing he would take it. And how she felt like she fit in there- felt right at home. She remembers every detail from the weather to the looks on their faces. She remembers everything good and wonderful about that relationship. And then in this pre-chorus there is one line that really stood out to me in its confusion and its beauty. "I might be okay, but I'm not fine at all." It could mean a lot of different things. It could mean that she seems okay on the outside but she really isn't doing well or that she is doing better now but she still isn't great because she still misses him. I think you can sort of interpret that in your own way. And then there's the typical part of the relationship where you look at old school photos and what not that she remembers and there's one line I find particularly find saddening and confusing. "You taught me about your past, thinking your future was me". And it seems to me that this person broke up with her, and it's confusing for her because she too believed she would be his future. So why would he leave? Well I think she is confused by that, too. I think her point in this song even was that she still remembered every detail of their happy relationship and that what makes those pleasant memories painful was that she didn't understand why it ended. And it has a sense of longing to it, but not for him to come back. She knows it's over and she knows that even if they did get back together that they would never be the same, but it doesn't stop the memories from coming back. And then she transitions into this stage of a little bit of anger where you see she blames herself saying maybe she "asked for too much". But then she basically says "Well, you know what? Maybe it's your fault. You destroyed this amazing thing we had." And I think she even wants to make him feel a little guilty by telling him "You remember it all" so she's saying "I know you remember all of it so why would you do that?"
Well, girls, here's the problem. Like the lines in the photo above, if he is that cruel to you, to give you no reasons why he is leaving, then he wasn't that great of a guy to begin with. If he would do something like that to you, then you deserve better. And there's another line in there that says "I forget about you long enough to forget why I needed to". That indicates that there was some reason why you needed to forget him and that could be that there were times he didn't treat you well. I mean, every couple will have times when they don't treat each other well but if that happens a lot, he isn't that great. That may not be what you want to hear but sometimes it's what you need to hear. There is someone else who won't ever leave you and he is out there. So even though these memories come back now, they won't forever. They'll fade with time- you just have to let time do its job. You have to step back though. Even if it seems that time is moving at a snails pace while trying to help with those painful memories, you have to let it. And eventually you won't see those memories as painful anymore. So try to just let time heal you because it will. You just have to be willing to let it and to let go of those memories.
So just for today I'm taking a break from Taylor Swift to switch on over to Avril Lavigne. Avril is a 28 year old Canadian artist who was first famous for her songs "Complicated" and "Sk8er Boi". She now has four studio albums and a total of 17 singles. "Smile" is one of my overall favorites, though.
So, as always, click here for lyrics. The first verse talks about how Avril is a sort of wild and free spirit and that this guy flies with her. And then the two pre-chorus parts are basically saying that she fell in love the moment they met. The chorus is my favorite part. She is so in love with this person that he has become the only thing in her life that makes her truly happy. The next line makes you think that maybe she got out of a relationship a while a go and she was pretty sad for a while but that this guy- this one person- made her happy again. He turned her whole world around and made everything make sense again. and suddenly he's all she needs. And needing someone is a kind of complicated issue. Because sometimes needing someone to feel okay is normal and sometimes it's not. But it depends on the case really. Because you can need someone in your life without needing them in a negative way- like needing them to stay put together. Now, the second verse is mostly about showing how they kind of just live life by the moment and do crazy things.And the rest of the song goes back to the chorus and the lines "You know that I'm a crazy b****, I do what I want when I feel like it. All I wanna do is lose control."
This song is kind of simple compared to others I have done. But I love that it's this awesome punk pop song that is a tribute to someone you love- someone who makes you smile. And another thing I love about this is the idea of letting yourself lose control with someone. Love unconditionally and uncontrollably and love the people who bring a smile to your face. That's what I think this song is saying. I think we need to do this more. We also need to smile more and just be happy. So many people let so many things get them down. Sometimes you can't help it. But when you can, try to push out the bad and just smile about something.
I think the music video helps to bring this message out.The video begins in a white room. She shakes a can of spray
paint, and sprays a smiling face on the camera with x's for eyes. She then decorates the
walls around her with The Black Star Tour
posters, and various miscellaneous words and designs (some of which are "smile"). She plugs a red
electric guitar into an amplifier, and begins to sing the first verse.
She makes her way outside into New York City.
She walks over to people looking upset or distressed, and takes a
piece of a broken heart represented by glass lying by them. When she
takes the piece, they begin to smile. The video switches between those
locations;the white room and in the city, the same theme
recurring throughout the duration of the video. The director has said this about Avril's role in this video:
"Avril's serving as an unseen muse in the brokenness of life, and she
sees the broken scattered remnants of hearts around the city, displayed
by glass, and removes those pieces from people's lives [...] causing
them to feel as though there's hope again."
—Shane Drake (director), Smile (Behind the Scenes)
I think it's a really awesome message and I hope you like the song and can appreciate it as much as I do.
So, since I am going in order, the next song on "Red" is "I Knew You Were Trouble". This was the second of her two big hit singles from this album, the first being "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together".
As we all know, Taylor's love life is not a private thing and her songs about those relationships are rather easy to decipher. This one however could be for one of two people. The first being John Mayer and the second being Harry Styles of One Direction. Though there are some flaws with that theory because the song was out and written before they ever broke up (maybe before they even started dating), so I personally think this one is about John.
This song is the story of a good girl falling for a bad guy and she gets her heart broken. She regrets the relationship because it was one of those "I should have seen that one coming" moments. Taylor has described it as a "toxic relationship". She's said this about the song's inspiration:
"I had just gone through an experience that made me write this song
about like knowing the second you see someone like, 'Oh, this is going
to be interesting. It's going to be dangerous, but look at me going in
there anyway... I think that for me, it was the first time I ever kind
of noticed that in myself, like when you are curious about something you
know might be bad for you, but you know that you are going to go for it
anyway because if you don't, you'll have greater regrets about not
seeing where that would go, but I think that for me it all went along
with this record that was pushing boundaries, like the sound of this
record pushes boundaries, it was writing about something I hadn't
written before."
And like she says, this song's sound pushes boundaries especially for Taylor's usual style. She experiments in this song with some dubstep. Personally, I think it worked well for her. It was nice to hear something that different from her and I'm glad she pushed the boundaries. I think that the sound really adds a lot to the song itself.
Now for the lyric analysis! Click here for the lyrics. In the music video for this song, she has this spoken part as a confessional voice-over and it really shows her feelings in this situation. The first verse here shows that she liked his carefree nature and when she fell in love with him, the feelings were not returned. That can sometimes be a crushing feeling. And sometimes you have the hope, "Well, maybe if he just spends more time with me, he will start to feel the same way." I can tell you from experience that if they have their mind made up about you, there is nothing you can do to change it. And you know when you're with that person that they aren't really with you. They're off somewhere else in their head, perhaps even thinking about someone else. And here, Taylor blames herself because she knew it would happen, but she went for it anyway. He made her feel different than any other guy had, hence, "Flew me to places I've never been". And then he just left. In the second verse she realizes he feels no guilt about it at all. And in the second pre-chorus, she sees that that's just how he is and there is no way she'd ever be able to change him. And that little bridge part is actually really powerful. Because if this person she's singing about can make any girl fall for him but drop them all in the dust, you have to wonder if he truly feels anything for any of them. But that's the thing- we'll never know.
Although this is a really sad experience and one that is difficult to go through, it is one we must all experience. I think all girls dream of having the "bad boy" who is sweet only to her. But that's the problem. He won't be. If he was, he wouldn't really be a bad boy. And it will only end in heartbreak. When you get the feeling that something isn't good for you, it probably isn't. But sometimes you just have to go for it. You don't know why, you just fly. And that's all right sometimes. The only real issue is when you blame yourself. Know that there is nothing you can do to change a person's mind or who they are if they are set in their ways. So do not blame yourself for those things. There is someone out there who is perfect for you. I'm not saying they'll be perfect, but they'll be perfect for you. And they won't leave you. So hold on for that.
So to continue with my journey through Taylor Swift's latest album, I thought I would do "Treacherous". "Treacherous" is the third song on the album and one of the most beautiful songs on it in my opinion. And I cannot wait to dive into it!
First I want to talk about this particular track's sound. The vocals specifically are just beautiful and the harmonies in the song build to an almost threatening power. It's really amazing to listen to. As for the style, it's classified as country pop. On this song, and you will understand why when you listen to it) the background vocals are one of my favorite parts. They just really build the song into something powerful.
Taylor Swift says on the origins and background for this song:
"Treacherous is a song I wrote with Dan Wilson, and I brought him this
idea because I wanted to explore the idea that something could be
dangerous and enticing at the same time, you know, put the positive side
of that, like I believe this can work, you know. It's got this big
bridge at the end of it that kinda sounds like a second chorus. It's got
all these vocals in the background and it says "Nothing safe is worth
the drive". And to me, that says so much about this album because I
really do feel that if even if something really hurt you, if it made you
feel something, it was worth it."
Now for the typical lyric analysis. Click here as usual. I love this part because the lyrics are really what make a song- give the song meaning and depth. Don't get me wrong, beautiful music can occur where no lyrics are present. But I personally think that words add things that a song is sometimes otherwise...lacking. This first stanza is really gorgeous and sets the mood for the whole song. It's saying that she knows if they kiss that it's all over because there is a connection between them that cannot be denied. But I think there's also a really strong sexual attraction between the two of them with the line "I'll do anything you say if you say it with your hands". And for whatever reason, she knows that being with this person will not be good for her, but she can't seem to help herself. Maybe it's about being with someone who is already taken, or just a person with qualities that aren't good for her. Either way it's something she knows she shouldn't be doing but it's like she just can't resist but she likes the feeling. It definitely is an adrenaline rush that you get when you know you're doing something you shouldn't be. It can be an enjoyable experience- if you choose to see it that way.
The second verse mainly talks about her attraction to this person. How she feels so connected to this person that she can't even tell if it's a choice- whether or not she gets "swept away" into this relationship that she knows isn't good for her. How she doesn't want to let him go. How she sees him as so different from all the other people she is around or all of the other people she's been with.
This bridge part is my favorite part of the whole song. I like to picture this as a scene in a movie. A night where she knows that because of seeing him, she won't be able to sleep. She watches as he drives away and gets in her car to follow him, knowing it isn't safe but knowing she has to be with him. She just knows that she can't stop thinking about him. And she'll follow him home because he has become her home. It's a beautiful thing- this moment of realization and recklessness. Knowing it isn't good, but not caring. Because what she says is true; Nothing safe is worth the drive. Sometimes we have to be reckless and crazy and take risks because that is what will pay off. It reminds me of a quote about the three C's of life.
And this is why we must take chances: to cause change. But you first have to make a choice. And maybe the better choice is to follow that person home. But you'll never know if you don't start the car.
So, yes, I have pretty much decided that over these next few weeks I will just do all of my favorite songs off of Taylor Swift's album, "Red". After deciding this, I thought "Why not start at the beginning?". So I am! "State of Grace" is the first song on the album and on the deluxe version of this CD, there is an acoustic recording of this song that is absolutely phenomenal.
This song's style is a little different from some of her past stuff. Some have compared its sound to that of U2, Muse, and The Cranberries. It's pretty interesting and the drum beat is really cool- it's one of my favorite parts of the song. As for Taylor's description of the song, she says:
“I wrote this song about when you first fall in love with someone — the
possibilities, kind of thinking about the different ways that it could
go. It’s a really big sound. To me, this sounds like the feeling of
falling in love in an epic way.”-Taylor Swift
Lyric analysis time! Click here (as always) to view the lyrics. The first verse here is really talking about life, I think. It's talking about how most people are just caught up in their busy lives. And I think the last two lines speak of how love has become an invaluable thing in our culture. Now people change their minds about their relationships all the time and someone can say "I love you" one second and be gone the next. Hence, "We fall in love till it hurts or bleeds or fades in time". Now the chorus here is the most important part of this song. It shows what this song is really about- falling in love unexpectedly. And falling in such a way that you know you will never be the same. It's about when someone enters your life and they have a tremendous impact on you and that's something to look forward to, whether they remain in your life or not. And the second verse really displays those feelings of a returned hope and what it feels like to let yourself fall again. When we are hurt, we build walls. And when we meet someone and unexpectedly find these feelings again, we let our guard down. Sometimes this can be bad (for example, I feel that sometimes I let my own guard down far too easily) but other times you simply can't help it. There are just some people out there who know how to break down your walls and before you know it, "All we know is don't let go". And sometimes when you're with certain people, you can forget your past mistakes. You have a clean slate and that is such a beautiful thing.
And this next section is one of my favorites.
"So you were never a saint
And I’ve loved in shades of wrong
We learn to live with the pain
Mosaic broken hearts
But this love is brave and wild"
It's this moment when you realize that sometimes two people with the worst pasts can create the best future. It's learning to let go with someone else. Let go of your past pains and failures and start over. And the next part is also wonderful. Sometimes you just know when something is worthwhile and no matter how hard it is, you fight for it and hold on to it no matter what. And the one line that I think everyone can learn from here is this: "Love is a ruthless game unless you play it good and right". And it is. Everyone gets their heart broken- it's impossible not to. And as everyone says, "love hurts". Unless you treat love as something valuable and not to be taken lightly. It is something real and you know when it's real.
So I hope I was able to teach you at least a little something from this song. It's really beautiful- especially the acoustic version. While the original has a sort of alternative sound, the acoustic one is really sweet. I'll put videos for both below :)
So, as I'm sure you all can tell, I'm in a little bit of a Taylor Swift phase. But I just love this new album so much, I can't stop listening to it! This song in particular is one that I love for many reasons and it's called "Everything Has Changed". This song has a really nice and acoustic feel to it and her harmonies with Ed Sheeran are just beautiful. It just goes to show that she doesn't need any fancy extra effects to have a great song. She just needs her own talent and in this case, the collaboration of another fantastic artist.
You can find your usual lyrics here. Taylor has spoken about her meaning for this song, saying:
"It's about falling in love," she said. "It's about meeting someone and
all of a sudden your entire perspective on the world changes - you're
thinking for two, instead of one." -Taylor Swift
For me, this song is about when you wake up one morning after you meet someone and realize that that person is amazing. You have this moment where you think to yourself, "WOW!" and you can't stop thinking about that person. And love does that. Not only that, but it is often unexpected and often comes too soon. But it changes your perspective on everything. It can bring you out of sadness and pain and reintroduce you to light. And not only is this song about love, but the beginnings of it. Like when you can't stop thinking about this person and then all you want to do is see them and talk to them and get to know them better.
True love is a hard thing to come by these days. Everyone wants it, everyone believes in it, but often times right when we think we have found it, we lose it. I think that all girls want to find their prince charming- and I believe that we all eventually will. But some have a vision of finding their "high school sweetheart" and living happily ever after. I believe in fairy tale love, but I can tell you that in high school, it is extremely rare. So instead, why not just focus on having fun and experiencing love? Fall in love, sure. But don't get your hopes up too high because you'll only get hurt that way. Just kind of let it be. If it's meant to be, it will be. If not, Prince Charming is still out there somewhere waiting for you. There's a quote I read once that fits nicely here-
"If someone held the key to your heart, but they left you, it doesn't mean they lost that key. They just gave it to someone else you need to go and find."-Anonymous
And when you find that next person, everything will change. The way I see love at this age is like this: All the ones who leave are simply making room for the one who is supposed to be in your arms.
So don't worry- Prince Charming is still out there and waiting.
