As Taylor Swift Rerecorded Her ‘Red’ Album, Universal Reworked Contracts – WSJ
Taylor Swift’s recent decision is discussed here, to rerecord her albums and the controversy surrounding one of the altered lyrics in her album “Speak Now.” Swift’s project aims to regain ownership of her music and profit from the re-releases. The focus is on the track “Better Than Revenge,” specifically the line that shames a girl for her sexual activity. Rolling Stone and Vulture predicted that Swift might change the line, and indeed, she replaced it with a more poetic and less offensive line on the new version of the track.
The author, a self-proclaimed women’s-college-alum and sex-positive Swiftie, expresses disappointment with the alteration. They argue that by changing the line, Swift has taken a step backward and negated her own work. They believe that preserving the original controversial lyric would have allowed the “ugly, ungenerous thoughts of a teenager” to remain, showcasing the growth and evolution of Swift’s artistry over time.
The article acknowledges the merits of editing an immature sentiment but suggests that there is value in allowing such thoughts to exist as a testament to the artist’s past self. It criticizes Swift for following public opinion and altering her work to avoid backlash, suggesting that it undermines her goal of reclaiming her music.
In conclusion, despite the controversy surrounding the altered lyric, the author still finds enjoyment in the vindictive nature of the song and invites others to join in its singalong.
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