Break Down: Taylor Swift - 1989 (Taylor's Version)
Is it really the 'Pop Bible'?
It’s finally here. Taylor Swift’s 1989 has long been called the "Pop Bible" by Swifties and non-Swifties alike. Rightfully so, it features bangers such as Blank Space, New Romantics, Style, and yes Shake It Off. Undeniably, 1989 is Taylor Swift’s most far reaching album. Even if you’re not a Swiftie, you’ve likely heard more than a few tracks off of 1989.
But was Taylor Swift able to re-create the same magical experience I experienced nine years ago? Let’s dive into 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
Welcome To New York
Right off the bat from the very first note on Welcome To New York I noticed a stark difference in the production of this track compared to the “stolen version” (referred to as original version from here on out) of the song.
The opening synth is much higher in the mix and sounds like there’s a bit of distortion added to it, compared to the original. It really punches you in the gut. In the first verse, you notice that the shaker is higher in the mix as well. If you listen carefully, you can barely hear it in your left channel on the original. But even on my AirPods Pro, you can hear the shaker in the left bud on Taylor’s Version.
Also, if you listen carefully you can hear the toms coming out of the center and left channels in Taylor’s Version in the second and final choruses. Those toms were very very low in the mix in the original version of this track and are almost inaudible unless you were in an ideal listening environment but are much louder this time around.
Then, the vocals come in and of course, they sound much more mature as we've come to expect with Taylor's Versions of her previous albums. I also noticed that she went in and changed how some of the lines were sung. You can hear that very clearly when she sings, "Searchin’ for a sound we hadn’t heard before" and "… it’s been waitin’ for you," with a lot more sass. There are pretty substantial changes made to this track, but they were for the better in my opinion.
Blank Space
The only change that really stood out to me is the secondary drums that come in halfway through the verse after the line, “Love’s a game, wanna play?” Those distorted drums are much louder in the mix and have a lot more top-end/treble to them. The snare drum throughout the verses seem to almost blend in with the kick and the hi-hats here as well, making it more difficult to pick out. In the original version of the song, the snare drum was obviously different and was elevated higher in the mix, making it easier to hear.
Overall, I think they did a pretty damn good job with the rerecord of this track. The acoustic guitar out of the left channel is still there, at the same relative spot in the mix. The sound is a bit wider, and there’s a bit more treble/top end to this track, and that kick drum still hits deep. If it weren't obvious, I love this version of Blank Space.
Style
Oh boy. Where do I start? Style is when I started to see a trend in the artistic changes that were being made for this rerecord. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. All of the previous rerecords were also sonically different one way or another in order to modernize the sound.
I think the main complaint I’ve heard from other production enthusiasts about Style is that in the original version, the song had a more “bedroom” type sound with what was likely a high-pass filter to filter out much of the detail and sparkle from the top end. The original version of the track was very lush and warm sounding, giving you a sense of intimacy. This is very obvious when you put the two tracks side-by-side. The bass notes in Taylor’s Version are a bit bouncier and lose some of the low-end rumble found in the original version of the track. And after the guitar intro, you’ll notice the hi-hats are not only present but are much sharper in her version.
The toms in the right channel in the first verse going into the pre-chorus are much lower in the mix on Taylor’s Version. I feel in the original version of the track, it was trying to fill out those higher frequencies, while in Taylor’s Version, it’s not absolutely necessary.
The claps on this track also lose all of its reverb on her version. In the original version, the clap had a lot of space and decayed pretty nicely. This is especially noticeable when going into the first chorus (at around the 1:19 mark), where the clap’s reverb blends quite nicely into the synth. While on her version, the clap is just a dry clap with very little effects added. It sounds out of place and once you hear it, you can't unhear it.
Vocally, I think the rerecord is miles better. She has more energy in her voice. The separation and layered vocals are more cohesive. Again, it doesn’t sound like there was a high-pass filter to her vocals or the track in general. I love how the left channel synths are much more present in Taylor’s Version of this song. I could see why some may prefer the original version of this song, though.
Out Of The Woods
I don’t have much to say here. It stayed very faithful to the original recording in my opinion. As is the case with the rest of the album, there’s more treble added here versus the original. But in this case, it’s much harder to notice as the song is composed with instruments that stay within the lower- and mid-frequencies. From the muted guitar to the lack of hi-hats. This allows Taylor’s new vocals to shine.
The song sounds as fun and energetic as the original track. It’s a headbanger and definitely passes the vibe check for me.
All You Had To Do Was Stay
This track was very hard to evaluate for me. On one hand, it does try to remain faithful to the original recording. Not much has changed. But on the other hand, and you already know what I’m going to say - the added treble brings a new perspective to this song. It’s the first track where I went, "Oh, this sounds different but it elevates the experience."
Vocally, this track demonstrates how comfortable Taylor is and how much she’s matured as an artist. In the verses, her vocals have a sort of country twang to them while remaining pop. The Hey, hey, hey’s at the beginning of the track have more sparkle and sharpness to them.
Once again, the hi-hats and shaker are sharper. The guitar, while still lower in the mix, has a bit more body and blends nicely with the synth. The kick drum hits deep and blends with the driving bass throughout the track. It’s different, but in the best way possible.
Shake It Off
Shake It Off is one of those songs that changed a ton, but I’m not quite sure if it was for the better. It very much sounds like there’s less dynamic range compared to the original, and in turn, the soundstage is a bit smaller than its original counterpart.
The bass and kick drum seem to be a few notches higher compared to the original and is missing that lower, rumbling bass that really hits you in the gut. It feels as though anything below 40ish hertz was lowered in volume significantly. Likewise, there also seems to be a high-pass filter added to this track, cutting off the sharpness of hi-hats and the shaker coming out of the right channel.
Vocally, I have no complaints. The vocals on the original track were already done really well. It stayed faithful to the original song with little deviation. Shake It Off is another track where I'd understand if you prefer the original version over Taylor's Version.
I Wish You Would
Similar to All You Had To Do Was Stay, I have very little to say with I Wish You Would. The darker tonality of the original track translates very well to Taylor’s Version. It gives Taylor’s vocals more room to breathe. Yet another track that remained relatively faithful to the original as much as possible. I'm a fan!
From backing vocals, main vocals, drums, bass, synths, everything. I loved this track on the original version of the album, and Taylor’s Version makes it that much better. One of my favorite parts of this track is the clap coming out of the right channel. It’s very low in the mix, but it makes my ear-candy-driven listening heart very happy.
Bad Blood
Are you starting to see a different pattern? Me too. Taylor and her production team nailed it. The relatively simple composition is what made the original version of this song great, and Taylor’s Version is excellent. Everything is where it was before. Both vocally and sonically, this sound matured in the best ways possible.
Whether you hear this song at a club, on the radio, or in your home stereo, you’re bound to be dancing and singing by the time the song is over. Absolutely fantastic.
Wildest Dreams
Admittedly, I’ve been playing Taylor’s Version of this track for almost two years and haven’t actually heard the original in about as much time. My biggest takeaway after listening to Taylor’s Version for the first time is that the kick drum that plays throughout the track hits much harder. It still does two years later.
Wildest Dreams was our glimpse into what 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was gonna be and it doesn’t disappoint. This track is very spacious with almost all of the instrumentation being panned to the left and right channels with her main vocal sitting front and center. I love the electric guitar that plays through the second and final choruses coming out of the left channel. It fills out the soundscape while still maintaining that soft, luscious sound.
The spatial audio mix on Apple Music further amplifies this feeling with an even wider soundstage. But the stereo mix does the job for Spotify or YouTube Music users.
How You Get The Girl
This track is almost perfect. The secondary (backing?) drums that come through after the first verse are very distracting. So much so, that it was all I could focus on throughout the first chorus of this song, even after multiple listens. Thankfully, it gets better as the song goes on and that drum track gets turned down quite significantly by the end of the song.
How You Get The Girl ranks pretty low on the list for me. It’s a good upbeat song. Which for an album as excellent as 1989,means it’s still a great track.
This Love
Similar to Wildest Dreams, it’s been quite a long time since I’ve heard the original version of this track thanks to it being a single since last year. This Love is a nice midway break from the upbeat pop nature of this album. Dare I say, How You Get The Girl walked so This Love could run.
I’ve always loved the chorus of this song. It’s simple, and builds throughout the track. It gets Taylor’s point across. I love the harmonies in the final chorus. She doubled her vocals here and panned them to the left and right channels, giving her ad-libs some space to breathe down the center. Chef’s kiss.
I Know Places
I Know Places is yet another track that is different but better in every way. In my opinion, Taylor’s Version levels up when compared to the original song.
The I's at the beginning of the track (that also fall lower in the mix throughout the rest of the track) have a phone-esk filter to them, giving them a bit of distortion. It gives the song a slightly spookier tonality. Her main vocals sit front and center. They sound a bit louder and higher in the mix. (Side note: I love that “And we run” was modified on this track to mirror how the fans sing this line at her live concerts. She also sings it with more aggression.) The piano is also higher in the mix, which I appreciate as I felt it was a bit buried in the original track, especially during the verses.
Overall, I Know Places has a better balance compared to its original counterpart. And while I wouldn’t call it more spacious (even with the Dolby Atmos mix), I’d say that it’s not as cramped as the original version of the track. I Know Places (Taylor’s Version) gets my seal of approval.
Clean
Clean comes in with stronger vocals and a more balanced tonal mix. I don’t have much much else to say. The song’s relatively simple composition combined with Taylor’s updated vocals makes her version an easy win.
Clean is one of those songs where you shut your eyes and just enjoy Taylor’s master songwriting. I loved the original version of this song, and Taylor's Version does not disappoint.
Wonderland
If Clean was a track where you closed your eyes to enjoy the production and songwriting, Wonderland is the opposite of that. This track fits in perfectly near the end of the album, lifting the mood and energy after several sadder, slower, and darker songs.
In terms of its production, Wonderland graduated and was improved in every way. The driving bass is much cleaner, and the hi-hats toward the end of the song are higher in the mix. The synths get loud when they need to, but are not overbearing or under-stimulating. I feel like the original version of this track got a little messy, especially in the verses. Taylor's Version cleans that up.
One of my favorite ear candies on this track is the shaker that comes in midway through the first chorus in the right channel. It gets axed in the first half of the second verse, replaced by a different shaker in the second half of the second verse. Only to come back in the second and final choruses. Taylor's Version is definitely better here.
You Are In Love
What a beautifully written song. Close your eyes and you’ll immediately feel like you’re laying on clouds. You Are In Love is one of my favorite Taylor Swift ballads. Much like Out Of The Woods, I Know Places, I Wish You Would, and Wildest Dreams, this track relies heavily on its warmer production. It throws out everything above a certain frequency for most of the track.
The only high-frequency sound that could be heard throughout the track are the snaps that come in during the bridge. Even then, it doesn’t stick around. This song is about the idea of falling in love and what that means. The smoother, warmer instrumentation definitely backs that up. One could say I am in love with Taylor’s Version.
New Romantics
On one hand, it’s a shame such a good song is the last track on the album. On the other hand, what a great way to end such an iconic album. Get out of your chair, get up, and dance. If by the end of the album you forgot this was Taylor’s first foray into pop music, New Romantics is a great reminder.
My only real complaint here is that the driving bass isn’t as dynamic as its original counterpart. In the original song, it feels like the bass line grows in intensity as the song goes on. While in Taylor’s Version, it’s much more relaxed and bouncy. Almost as if it doesn’t want to peak its head out and take over any other instruments.
Another thing I noticed is that in the choruses of this song, there’s a “bonk,” (not sure what instrument it is or what to even call it) every eighth note. It’s relatively low in the mix, so I’m not sure if it was intentional. But I listened back to the original version of this song numerous times and did not hear this sound at all. I’m not sure if it’s a production mistake or something Taylor and her team wanted to add for a bit of ear candy. But despite that, Taylor's Version of this track holds up.
Conclusion
So did 1989 (Taylor’s Version) live up to the hype? Yes, I think so. While some tracks sound different from their original counterparts, I think 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is a pretty good rerecord. Those wanting a one-to-one recreation will hate some tracks but love others on this album. Though, I’d argue that none of Taylor’s Versions in the past were one-to-one recreations. Remember the lyric change in Better Than Revenge?
(WARNING: Clowning ahead.) Now having streamed Taylor's Version non-stop for the last week, I finally understand why the changes that were made. The original album’s artwork was a polaroid of Taylor. With the more “retro” look, I think the sound of the album followed. The treble was relaxed and not as sharp, and the bass, while not thumping, was much more forward in the mix. With Taylor’s Version, that goes away. The album art is more vibrant, therefore the sound evolved and sounds a bit more balanced and detailed. Though, some may say that it sounds a bit dull and boring.
Jokes aside, I think 1989 (Taylor's Version) holds up really well. Shake It Off and Style will take some time to get used to, but I don't think they're inherently bad rerecords. Just different.
For me, I’ll be streaming Taylor’s Version of 1989 from here on out. Now, onto the vault tracks.
Note: This break down was written after listening to Taylor Swift - 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on Apple Music (with AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) and Spatial Audio/Dolby Atmos enabled), Tidal (Hi-Fi Plus, playing at 24-bit 48kHz), Spotify (Very High with Loudness disabled), and on Qobuz via Roon (streaming at 24-bit 48kHz).