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Track by Track: Taylor Swift’s 'Speak Now' (Part 1)

A Song-By-Song Review of Taylor Swift's Third Album

By Lily KristianPublished 6 years ago 5 min read
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Speak Now, Taylor's third album and her only completely self-written album

Speak Now was Taylor Swift’s third full-length studio album. It is her only album to date to be written entirely on her own. Full of iconic country hits, Speak Now is accepted by Taylor’s fandom as one of her best albums. In this article and the two following, I will go song by song through this album and discuss each track. Speak Now is my personal favorite Taylor record, and I hope to do it justice in this review. In this first part of my three-part review, I’ll cover the first six songs on Speak Now, as well as list a favorite lyric from each song.

1. "Mine"

Speak Now starts off on a great note with “Mine.” It’s an upbeat country tune reflecting back on a story of falling in love and making it through life together, even through the bad times. “Mine” was the lead single from Speak Now in addition to being the opening track, and it definitely set a strong standard for the album’s following singles. The lyrics of this song are some of Taylor’s strongest, and they are some of the best examples of her storytelling prowess.

Favorite lyric: “You made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughter.”

2. "Sparks Fly"

“Sparks Fly” is, in my opinion, one of the best songs Taylor has ever recorded. The introduction immediately sets the tone for the rest of the song; you can feel the vibe of the track before Taylor even begins to sing. And once the lyrics do come in, they’re incredible. Taylor paints a vivid picture of the dynamic she has with her love interest in this song. “Sparks Fly” has to be one of her best songs musically and lyrically. “Sparks Fly” was originally written years before its release, and due to overwhelming fan interest in the song over the years, Taylor updated a few lyrics and placed it on Speak Now. The lyrics that ended up in the final version of “Sparks Fly” are mature, beautiful, and full of beautiful metaphors. The song deservingly became a single.

Favorite lyric: “The way you move is like a full-on rainstorm / and I’m a house of cards.”

3. "Back To December"

Yet another single from Speak Now, “Back To December” is a heartbreaking apology from Taylor to a former beau. This track is about Taylor owning up to the fact that she let a beautiful relationship slip away and how she wishes she could turn back the clock and change the way things turned out. The lyrics are quite raw and almost tangible. It’s truly sad to hear Taylor so broken up over the past and reminiscing on something she can never get back.

Favorite lyric: “You gave me roses, and I left them there to die.”

4. "Speak Now"

“Speak Now” is a really fun track. Its simple tune and smart, funny lyrics make for a happy, feel-good song to buffer the previous sad song. Who hasn’t imagined themselves barging in on their crush’s or ex’s wedding and whisking them away? “Speak Now” is the ultimate wedding crasher daydream. The lyrics are so visual that you’ll probably end up involuntarily imagining a music video playing out in your head while you listen to it. “Speak Now” obviously ended up being the title track for this album, and the phrase “Speak Now” came to mean making yourself heard whenever you have something you feel you need to say for Taylor and for her fans.

Favorite lyric: “I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion / but you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl.”

5. "Dear John"

Ah, the iconic track five. “Dear John” is one of the most emotional, heart-wrenching, and honest songs Taylor has ever written. Without delving into the full story behind this track, “Dear John” details the aftermath of an (at least emotionally) abusive relationship Taylor experienced. She was young and in love. He was older and, apparently, quite manipulative and inconsiderate, to put it mildly. Taylor describes this relationship several times as a game her partner was completely in control of. People warned her about him, but Taylor couldn’t see then what everyone else could about her partner. Taylor tragically is left alone to look back on all the wasted time, heartache, and struggle this relationship caused her. However, never one to be knocked down for long, Taylor turns the tables on John in the bridge of the song. She’s on top of the world now and better off without him.

Favorite lyric: “But I took your matches before fire could catch me / so don’t look now / I’m shining like fireworks / over your sad empty town.”

6. "Mean"

“Mean” was another single off of Speak Now. It became an anti-bullying anthem and an encouragement to anyone who felt small or looked down on by others. In “Mean,” Taylor turns a horrible thing like bullying into fuel for the fire of her dreams and passions. She determines that someday she’ll be stronger and living in a big city living her dreams. And the person who made her feel small will always be the same—mean. “Mean” is another great example of Taylor taking negativity and transforming it into a force of positivity.

Favorite lyric: “I bet you got pushed around / somebody made you cold / but the cycle ends right now ‘cause you can’t lead me down that road.”

Thanks for reading the first of my three-part review of Speak Now! Stay tuned for part two!

album reviews
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About the Creator

Lily Kristian

Future broadcast journalist and lifelong Swiftie!

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