Every Song On Taylor Swift’s ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’, Ranked
Nostalgia is so powerful. That’s never been clearer to me than right now as I try and pit the re-release of some of Taylor’s best songs next to a batch of new blood.
The decade of distance between the original songs and the re-release has made these old faithful tracks resonate in a brand new way. At times, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) was like Photoshop’s AI generative tool — beautifully expanding a landscape beyond what I thought was possible. At others, it was like the Blu-Ray re-release of Disney’s animated Cinderella movie — colourful, but lacking the detail that made the original shine.
Now that we have the long-awaited Taylor’s Version, let’s revisit our ranking of Speak Now, with the inclusion of the vault releases and noting how Taylor’s Version has changed things. The Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) album is entirely self-written, so just as it was excluded from the re-release, the only co-written track ‘If This Were A Movie’ won’t be appearing on this list. So let’s have a look at the 22 releases from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and try to put them in order.
#22. ‘When Emma Falls In Love (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)’
This vault release feels like it may have been written a little closer to the Fearless era, especially when you notice the subtle banjo peeking through the cracks. Written for all the delicately wonderful overthinkers in life, ‘When Emma Falls In Love’ comes across to me as a celebration of friendship. The lyrics are a little jumbly in places, so I can see why it didn’t make the cut in 2010, but it’s still a joy to hear more Speak Now-era writing.
#21. ‘Superman (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)’
Look, I was pretty harsh on ‘Superman’ before, and I’m prepared to eat my words. While she can’t change the thematic inconsistencies in the track’s tone, ‘Superman TV’ is definitely a glow-up. It has the energy, it has the charisma, it’s a shame it doesn’t make more lyrical sense.
#20. ‘Better Than Revenge (Taylor’s Version)’
So that misogynist lyric has been given the boot. “She’s better known for the things/that she does on the mattress” is now “He was a moth to the flame/she was holding the matches”. The vibrancy of ‘Better Than Revenge’ is totally explosive, and feels a little braver than the original release. The poeticism of the updated lyrics isn’t exactly in alignment with the rest of the track’s lyrical tone, but it feels like that’s a necessary sacrifice in the pursuit of political correctness.
#19. ‘Castles Crumbling (feat. Hayley Williams) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)’
This is not how I envisioned a Hayley Williams feature on a Taylor Swift song. However, this eerie, dramatic ballad sees the two talented vocalists working together to make something truly enchanting. I don’t know how this song sounded as an unfinished demo with some scribbled lyrics in 2010, but if it was finished and released back then, I’m sure it would’ve found the perfect home on a Twilight soundtrack.
#18. ‘The Story Of Us (Taylor’s Version)’
Seasoned Taylor fans will instantly hear that something is very different about ‘The Story Of Us’. The intro’s goofy EDM kicks have been replaced by a round pop-punk thud, and the drum mix is definitely a welcomed and necessary update. The guitars have me… perplexed. They don’t have quite the same anthemic feel we loved from the original. You win some, you lose some.
#17. ‘Ours (Taylor’s Version)’
‘Ours’ has flown a little under the radar in the re-release. Pretty well adhering to the original version, the track has the same syrupy sweet sentiment, and its shiny new mix is a gorgeous update to a well-loved track.
#16. ‘Timeless (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)’
The closing track to Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is ‘Timeless’, and it’s an apt name for a track that feels like a hidden gem in Taylor’s discography. Maybe there were just too many romantic tracks on the stolen version of Speak Now, or maybe it was just a little too long for the higher-ups, but it’s a real shame ‘Timeless’ wasn’t included on the track list back in 2010. There are moments where the song sounds a little too similar to ‘Back To December’ (which I think is the stronger of the two tracks), but regardless of the similarities, aren’t we lucky to get this song to our ear holes?
#15. ‘Mean (Taylor’s Version)’
This was once a real foot-stomper in 2010, but now ‘Mean’ doesn’t have quite the level of attitude and energy I’m used to. Despite the music industry head-butting the superstar has endured over the last decade, the palpable defiance in Taylor’s voice is non-existent on ‘Mean TV’. I miss twangy Taylor!
#14. ‘Last Kiss (Taylor’s Version)’
It could be the omission of the shaky breath, or maybe the less-than-subtle production mixing, but ‘Last Kiss’ doesn’t have the same tenderness it deserves. RIP shaky breath.
#13. ‘Sparks Fly (Taylor’s Version)’
The desperate fantasy of ‘Sparks Fly’ is definitely still there, but there’s a clear de-country-fication happening in Taylor’s accent here. While it isn’t a deal breaker in enjoying the track, it doesn’t feel like the exact same song anymore.
#12. ‘Dear John (Taylor’s Version)’
The scathing nature of ‘Dear John’ couldn’t be erased if you tried, but the new version does lack the same emotive rawness that a then-20-year-old Taylor packed into the original.
#11. ‘Foolish One (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)’
Something about ‘Foolish One’ feels like a mirror or sister track to ‘Enchanted’. Completely unreliable sources (the depths of Reddit forums) have told me that it was actually written about Owl City’s Adam Young, so it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that these tracks share a bit of a dual history. This new addition to the album has a bittersweet Gilmore Girls essence to it that works as a gentle slap in the face for all the delulu girlies still waiting for a text back (me, I’m talking about me).
#10. ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’
Taylor’s vocal maturity is so clear in ‘Speak Now’, and that surprisingly doesn’t take away from the whimsical nature of the song’s content. She sounds sooo good here, and it won’t be a struggle to switch to this new version.
#9. ‘Haunted (Taylor’s Version)’
The theatrical approach with ‘Haunted’ was turned up to 11 in the new version. The orchestral lines and electric guitar grit simulate some of that live version glory we mentioned in our previous ranking. Taylor knows how to listen to what the fans want.
#8. ‘Electric Touch (feat. Fall Out Boy) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)’
This collaboration is one I truly did not realise I needed, but it definitely fits in with the light pop-punk vibe of some of the other tracks on Speak Now. Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump’s vocals blend beautifully with Taylor’s, and I can only lament that there wasn’t an epic FOB/TS double line-up in 2010.
#7. ‘Mine (Taylor’s Version)’
‘Mine’ is much the same as its original release. Still a banger, but not quite second-place worthy next to some of the Taylor’s Version counterparts.
#6. ‘Never Grow Up (Taylor’s Version)’
A song that felt a little slept on was the sweet lullaby of ‘Never Grown Up’, which has received a well-deserved refresh through Taylor’s matured vocals. Many listeners have grown up significantly since its original release, so it’s no surprise that some lines now hit harder than ever — “I just realised everything I have is someday gonna be gone”.
#5. ‘Innocent (Taylor’s Version)’
‘Innocent’ has received a fantastic graduation on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). The emotive release has always pulled on heart strings, but there is something so sincere about the maturity in Taylor’s voice that elevates this track beyond what could have been achieved in 2010.
#4. ‘Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)’
‘Enchanted’ had a hard task on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Being the most listened to track of the album, any deviations from the sacred text would be picked up on immediately. With that in mind, ‘Enchanted TV’ did a beautiful job. It doesn’t sound exactly the same, but do we really want it to? While it may not have the same youthful glimmer that the original perfected, it’s still a fantastic refresh.
#3. ‘I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)’
I’m sorry, I’m calling it: there is NO WAY this is the version Taylor wrote in 2010, because there is absolutely no chance ‘I Can See You’ wouldn’t have made it onto Speak Now if this is how it existed 10 years ago. This vault release is FANTASTIC, and screams ‘Tumblr 2014 Arctic Monkeys Strokes indie-girl sexy’, which I guess wasn’t exactly the ‘Swift tone’ a decade ago. Regardless, ‘I Can See You’ is a total stand out, and I’m so glad it was kept safe and sound for us to enjoy 13 years later.
#2. ‘Back To December (Taylor’s Version)’
Taylor’s version of ‘Back To December’ has totally knocked it out of the park. While I’m devastated that there isn’t a (Taylor’s Acoustic Version), ‘Back To December’ has had an incredible glow-up on the album. There is such a gorgeous clarity to the instrumentation. The drums totally pop through, and the vocal performance is really beautiful.
#1. ‘Long Live (Taylor’s Version)’
Something about 2023 Taylor’s delivery of ‘Long Live’ is so perfect that I wonder if this entire re-release project was just to give ‘Long Live’ the performance it always deserved. The anthemic emotion in ‘Long Live’ has always been recognised as an earnest love letter to fans, and ‘Long Live TV’ is the perfect nod to those who have been on the Taylor Swift train from Day 1.
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is out now. Taylor Swift’s set to play stadium shows in Sydney and Melbourne in February 2024 — we hope you were able to get tickets!
Ella Sterland is a musician and writer. Her musical projects are Dreaming Soda and Bares, and you can find her celebrating female and non-binary musicians on her platform ‘Record the Resonance’.
Image: Getty