Deep Dives: Taylor Swift Part Two (Fearless)

Boys and girls, we are back with part two of our Taylor Swift Deep Dive. This time we're talking about Fearless. Taylor's first of several commercial peaks. I'll be talking about the Taylor's Version of Fearless. I feel conflicted about the Taylor's Versions and the original versions because I'm so used to the originals. Not that there's anything wrong with the Taylor's Versions. They're kinda like Sprite, they're crisp and clean yet they have caffeine. Lots of it. But the originals are what we sang along with, pretended we were in music videos with, and what made us fans in the first place. For the greater good, however, we'll be talking about the Taylor's Versions! Let's dive on in!

    You know, Fearless ranks on the lower end of my Taylor Swift album rankings. Not that I dislike the album or think that it's bad. On the contrary, Fearless is lush with country pop nuances and perfections that made it the Grammy award winning smash that it is today. I mentioned in Taylor Swift's deep dive that Fearless is thematically less mature. Not that this is a bad thing, Fearless' themes are what define it. It's high school. It's young love. It's "Fifteen." It's the epitome of the average teenage girl. It's themes are what make it shine and relatable. However, I am an adult that has been smashed by taxes and crushed by the politics of the real world and shade of coworkers twice my age. So, I think it's harder for me to relate to this album more now than I did then. Ah, the natural course of things. Though Fearless is a snapshot of who Swift was at this moment in time and who she still is at times. Pure. Young. Fun. A woman in the spring of her life embracing the uncertainties that come with youth. 

    That said you know most of the songs here are genius. Opening title track, "Fearless," perfectly encapsulates the rest of the album with its light, peppy, romantically nostalgic instrumental that makes you think about the times you danced in the rain. Fun fact: don't know why but I always imagine dancing in the rain while thinking of this song, but it's dancing in the rain in a Cracker Barrel parking lot. Why is that?! Where did that random image come from?! I'm a southern boy myself but dang. 

    Fearless was released as the follow-up to Swift's debut which catapulted her to the forefront of Nashville. Her then-partner-in-crime, Nathan Chapman, returned to produced this set. Interestingly, she collaborated with Colbie Caillat of "Bubbly" and "Fallin' For You" fame who also features on the track, "Breathe." Fearless brought Swift to nationwide fame and made her a household name with her singles "Love Story" and "You Belong With Me." She broadened her crossover sound with a variety of instruments, pop-leaning hooks, and the universal themes of high school, fairytales, and young love. Fearless spent 11 weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 becoming her first number one album along with her first diamond-certified album. Seriously, everyone listened to this album or bought the singles from it on iTunes. I had the platinum edition, myself. 

    Swift became popular amongst girls and young women during this time, and she was cool. Though as with all things that are mania-level popular, people began to mock her. Which just wasn't right. She was a young woman writing about what she knew. Which is what all writers should do. It's how you make your best material and breathe emotion into it. She began getting the reputation (no pun intended) that she only wrote songs about ex-boyfriends and all that stuff. Unwarranted criticisms that would follow her before she laid them to rest with 1989 and reputation. 

    Her songwriting and lyricism shine best here on songs where she gets more idealistic, I think. Like on "White Horse," a gorgeous, heart-wrenching ballad told through fairytale metaphors. And also, "Breathe." Another ballad. Of course the hooks are career-defining and so very unique that no one else would have come up with them besides Swift. See "You Belong With Me," the bop to end all bops, and "Love Story." "You Belong With Me" becomes instantly likeable due to the "she wears short skirts/I wear t-shirts..." pre-chorus. Immediately gets stuck in your head and makes you say "wow" upon the first listen. If I could figure out how to successfully combine "Shakespeare" with "Swift" (Swiftspeare?) it would be "Love Story." It tells a full story in just 4 minutes. 

    "Hey Stephen" is a nice, coffee-shop vibe. Hum along to the "mmhmms" in the beginning. "Forever & Always" is one of Swift's legendary singles that should have been. This Joe Jonas diss track continues with the fairytale theme with it's opening "once upon a time" lyrics and a great hook in the chorus. I feel like songs such as "You're Not Sorry" teeter on the melodramatic. Which isn't bad. This is a teenager girl, after all. "The Best Day" in retrospect makes me cry, but we're not going to talk about that!!

    "Change" is a good album ender for the original Fearless because it perfectly encapsulates its themes and sound and ends it on a high note instead of a slow ballad. The platinum edition tracks and then further, the Taylor's Version tracks, keep the fun going. The addictive "Mr. Perfectly Fine" and "That's When" give the later part of the 26 song track list a punch of energy. We won't talk about the accuracy of Swift's fortune telling with songs about her exes. We been knew. "Jump Then Fall" and "Come In With The Rain" are also good things. Very good things. 

    Let's talk about the differences between the originals and the Taylor Versions. The Taylor Versions here see Swift singing more comfortably and confidently and a little less shrill. She's grown. And improved. It's perfectly showcased right here. The instrumentals are still lush. The tracks are still crisp like a refreshing pink lady apple. 

    The original Fearless did its job successfully, and it is a thrill to revisit and recapture the memories with those who grew alongside of it. It will always hold up and be the best at what it does. There's is no question about that.

Rating: A Rank! We'll sing hallelujah!

Recommendation Level: Yes. Feel like a less-awkward teenager this time around while listening to it.

Standouts:

    Fearless ⭐

    Love Story 💖

    You Belong With Me 💣

    Forever & Always 

    Today Was A Fairytale

    Mr. Perfectly Fine ⭐

    That's When