week 3 post 2: All too well

 When Red was first released it signified the merging of country and pop genres. Songs like “22,” “I Knew You Were Trouble,” and “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together” dominated the radio, but fans were paying attention to a different song. A scathing, emotional 6 minute song titled “All Too Well,” with the kind of bridge one couldn’t help but scream and the kind of intricate storytelling Swift is known for instantly became a favorite. In an interview Swift discussed how the song was made, explaining that she was in a bad mood and started ad-libbing in rehearsal, and the song went on for 10-15 minutes. Every Swiftie desperately wanted to know what that ten minute version of their favorite song would be like.  

When Swift started re-recording her past albums, she released tracks from the vault. That meant that songs originally written for an album that never made the cut would be released to the public in order to understand the full story of what the album was supposed to be. In the Red re-recording, she released the 10 minute version of “All Too Well.” It features some of Swift’s best songwriting with seasonal imagery of a relationship dying, scathing jokes about the age difference, and the kind of anger and sadness all of her listeners could relate to. This ten minute anthem that she was advised not to release became one of her most streamed songs and is performed in its entirety on tour to crowds of 70,000 people, paying attention to every single word.