Song of the Week breaks down and talks about the song we just can’t get out of our head each week. Find these songs and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist. For our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Taylor Swift seems to be signaling that a return to the 1989 era is imminent with her re-release of “This Love.”
Sure, there’s no word yet on if we are officially re-entering the 1989 era — but in the meantime, Taylor Swift has shared the re-recorded version of one of the hidden treasures of her pop metamorphosis record.
“This Love (Taylor’s Version)” joins “Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version)” as the latest 1989 (Taylor’s Version) preview. Featured in the trailer for the upcoming Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty, it’s a stunning reminder of just how authentically Swift has always been able to capture the magic, devastation, and fantasy of romance.
What’s more, perhaps the best thing about these re-recordings — which largely leave production and mixing choices untouched — is the fact that Swift’s vocal abilities have only grown over the past decade, just as her fan base has grown up alongside her. “This Love (Taylor’s Version)” spends most of its time in Swift’s lower register, where she tends to excel.
There’s always something sentimental about the release of Taylor’s Versions: Fearless, which featured especially nostalgic tracks like “Fifteen” and “Love Story,” might have been the height of emotion when it comes to revisiting her discography. (Yes, that even includes “All Too Well.“) It’s touching to hear an artist who has spent so long in the public eye and seems to be in a stage of her life yielding some of her best work to date re-inhabit spaces that were undoubtedly tumultuous and thrilling at the same time. It’s miserable and magical, right?
The particular magic of Taylor’s Versions is watching her slip into these eras like an old cardigan. To that end, 1989’s metaphorical attire would be sleek, and just a little sparkly; it probably features a pair of high-waisted shorts, a crop top, and sunglasses. Taylor Swift, like any of us, has grown and evolved — but it’s nice to see her back in that space anyway, as long as she chooses to inhabit it again.
— Mary Siroky
Contributing Editor