Naudia

behind the music with @taylorswift

Surprise!! 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is on its way to you 🔜! The 1989 album changed my life in countless ways, and it fills me with such excitement to announce that my version of it will be out October 27th. To be perfectly honest, this is my most FAVORITE re-record I’ve ever done because the 5 From The Vault tracks are so insane. I can’t believe they were ever left behind. But not for long! Pre order 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on my site 😎

Don’t blame is not about karlie because she wrote daisy but irl it was a peony and she said halo and trip but she actually was thinking cloud and picnic, wonderland is not about dianna and she just chose a book full of easy references and london boy is not about joe (or lily if you want) because it was actually a boston person but london sounded cooler.

My examples are obviously hyperbolic but my point is that we should at least try to stick to the lyrics and believe what she says in her songs to analyze them

Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the release of the Joni Mitchell album Blue - which is widely regarded as one of the best albums of all time. Joni pushed the boundaries of music genre and soul baring poetry in her highly confessional tracks.

Taylor has mentioned being influenced by Joni several times, so I am here to do some analysis on how Blue influenced Taylor Swift.

“I used to cry about Joni Mitchell all the time after a few glasses of wine,“ Swift says. "All my friends would know, once I started crying about Joni Mitchell, it was time for me to go to bed.” (Rolling Stone, 2014)

It's rumored that Taylor first listened to Joni in 2009, while she was working on Speak Now, after a critic told her that she needed to "listen to Blue by Joni Mitchell" and then quoted her several lines from "A Case of You" to spark her interest.

We know that she was strongly influenced by Joni after hearing the album and while writing Red. Taylor even mentions Blue in her journal entries from the Lover release.

"I've been thinking a lot about getting older and irrelevancy and how all my heroes ended up alone. I wrote a song on the plane ride from Sydney to Perth on the Appalachian dulcimer I bought the day of my flight. I bought it because Joni played on most of her Blue record. I taught myself to play "A Case of You"."

This parallel comes through very clearly given that the title of "Red" and the album cover both pay tribute to "Blue". The titular colors, the close up of the artist's face looking down, and even the fonts and the stacking of the title on top of the artist's name are all similar.

I would even argue that Taylor's hairstyle for Red was inspired by Joni's iconic long, straight, blonde hair, and bangs.

And finally, Blue ends with a song called "The Last Time I Saw Richard" - a beautiful ballad about healing after heartbreak. Taylor seems to have been very strongly influenced by this song. Even though Taylor has a song called "The Last Time" on Red, I actually think that "Begin Again" is the song that "The Last Time I Saw Richard" inspired. I would even go so far as to say that the line "he always said he didn't get this song, but I do" is about "The Last Time I Saw Richard" (that's just a guess but I feel like it checks out!!)

Taylor even goes as far as to name check James Taylor, one of Joni's exes and a collaborator on Blue.

Both songs are about healing after heartbreak. "Begin Again" seems to pick up where "Richard" left off. In "Richard" Joni's companion tells her that "all romantics meet the same fate someday/cynical and drunk and boring someone in some dark cafe". Joni counters him, insisting that love and romance still exist, and that he deserves love. In the final line in "Richard" Joni reminds us that even when we're upset and have been hurt we will find love again. The final song and lyric on "Blue" reminds us that it's "only a phase, these dark cafe days".

The Eras Tour | Speak Now Section | Version 5

Nicole + Felicia Couture custom

Of course, what better way to honour Speak Now TV release weekend than a new and incredibly purple dress for what we can actually call a Speak Now ‘set’ thanks to Taylor surprising the crowd with fan favourite “Long Live” played on her heartwarmingly nostalgic Taylor Guitars koi fish 6-string she played every night on the Speak Now Tour.

The ombré sparkly multi layered tier confection here really is giving gown shaped like a pastry. It’s subtle, but I do like the accent details at the waist that add a little something of interest and also extra definition to give that voluminous skirt extra oomph.

And please don't think it escaped my notice that this gown has three tiers.

Just because Gaylors don’t think Taylor & Taylor L had a romantic relationship doesn’t mean he wasn’t an absolute sweetheart who she developed a genuine bond with.

I certainly feel the sincerity in his wish he’d realised what was happening with Kanye in 2009 in time to step in.

Maybe they even had a real relationship for the fifteen seconds they were together. Most Gaylors are pretty open to the idea Taylor had real relationships with men. I certainly think she has.

electric touch and emma: 2010

“Look What You Made Me Do” music video | August 27, 2017

Oscar de la Renta custom gown (Met Gala 2014)

Kaufmanfranco Resort 2009 gown (MTV VMAs 2009)

Mandalay ‘Fringe Dress’ (Fearless Tour)

Marina Toybina custom ensemble (RED Tour)

J. Mendel custom gown (“Out Of the Woods” music video)

BCBG Max Azria Spring 2006 dress (ACM Awards 2006)

Mary Katrantzou Resort 2015 romper (MTV VMAs 2014)

Balmain Spring 2015 jumpsuit (BBMAs 2015)

J. Mendel top and skirt (ACM Awards 2014)

Monique Lhuillier custom gown (BMI Pop Music Awards 2016)

Not found (Country Weekly photoshoot 2010)

Charlotte Russe jacket, Michael Kors top, Joie Pants, Miu Miu oxfords (RED Tour)

Jaded London jacket (1989 Tour)

Kaufmanfranco jumpsuit (1989 Tour)

Zuhair Murad leotard (1989 Tour)

Ashish top and pants (MTV VMAs 2015)

Jovani gown (Fearless Tour)

Forever 21 top and shorts (“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” music video)

Taylor Swift squirrel pajamas (“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” music video)

Ashish top (“22″ music video)

Bassike shirt (“I Knew You Were Trouble” music video)

Aubrey Hyde custom gown (Fearless Tour)

Custom ensemble (“Shake It Off” music video)

Vintage sweater (1989 album photoshoot)

Old Gringo boots (Fearless Tour)

Joseph Cassell/Jessica Jones custom ensemble, Carlo Pazolini custom boots (Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve performance)

Victoria’s Secret custom (VSFS 2014)

Thanks to the behind-the-scenes video “Taylor Mountain” I managed to get an even better look at all the Taylors used in the “LWYMMD” music video. 

It’s been well-known for years that Taylor has been hoarding the near majority of the clothes that she has worn on tour, in music videos and on red carpets. A lot of these clothes are either put in commemorative exhibits (like the Taylor Swift Experience GRAMMY Museum) or are auctioned off for charity. Here, Taylor brings back a variety of iconic ensembles she has worn over the years. 

This post is meant to serve as a comprehensive masterpost of all the Taylors included in the video. 

As respect for Taylor’s body doubles, their faces have been cropped. 

If I’m missing any Taylors, let me know over at @taylorswiftstylequestions​! Otherwise, enjoy.  

"I Can See You" music video | July 7, 2023

Susan Hilferty custom dress (Speak Now Tour)

Reem Acra custom dress (Speak Now Tour)

Susan Hilferty custom dress (Speak Now Tour)

Colette Dinnigan dress (Speak Now Tour)

Jenny Packham dress (Speak Now Tour)

Marchesa custom gown (Speak Now Tour)

Mandalay dress (Speak Now Tour)

Alice + Olivia custom dress (Speak Now Tour)

J. Mendel dress (2011 People’s Choice Awards)

Temperley London dress (Speak Now album photoshoot for “Mean”) 

Lulu’s dress (“Mine” music video)

Valentino gown (Speak Now Tour)

Reem Acra gown (2011 American Music Awards)

This is not the first time that I've had to make a post like this. If you've been around long enough, you'll recall the masterpost I made of all the archival outfits seen on past Taylor's in the "LWYMMD" music video.