Joy lies in the fight, in the attempt, in the suffering involved, not in the victory itself

(Ghandi)

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Why I Love Taylor Swift

This is such a cynical world sometimes, and it's unfashionable (in certain circles) to love anything that is popular and simple and beautiful. I have a few guilty pleasures like that...things I love that are kept secret, in case they damage my ultra-cool (*cough*) image. Chick lit novels, for instance, are something I love even though I studied English Literature at University and also have place on my shelves for Jane Austen, Margaret Atwood, Mark Twain, et al. I don't see the point in being a book snob, when reading is such a great pleasure and there are so many different styles of writing, why limit myself to those novels "critically" acclaimed or reviewed in literary magazines?? Honestly, I still have a collection of teen romance novels I accumulated in high school (and later) -- I don't read them all the time, but I like to know they're there in case I need escapism or to relive the past. I also have such a strong connection to the 80s, and to the teenage experience, and struggle every day to realise that I can never go back there. Sometimes I look at 19 year old girls on the street or on the bus and they're SO cocky and sure of themselves, and I want to say "Man, don't ever think you have it all worked out...life is sure to throw you a major curve ball one of these days and you better pray you have the moves to catch it and fling it back or the damn thing will knock you out".

I used to date a musician who refused to listen to anything that would be played on commercial radio, consequently he amassed a huge pile of alternative, independent artists that mostly sounded like garbage cans being collected at 4am (IMHO). While I spent a lot of time trying to impress him and pretended to agree that "pop = bad", secretly I hung on to all the music I truly loved, which had mostly been played on the radio at one stage or another. As much as my BPD-style of connection, in which I become the person I love, taking on their interests as my own, has dictated some of my cultural pursuits, there are some things that are true to me -- daggy and pathetic though they may be.

Which brings me to Taylor Swift and the title of this post. A lot of music journalists and internet pundits make fun of Taylor, questioning her validity, pondering her contribution to modern music, making fun of her for being publicly dumped by a Jonas Brother. None of that matters to me, because I love her songs, I love watching her interviews - she strikes me as a geunine girl, who is 18 and is trying to make sense of love and life...hey she reminds me of me hahahahaha!! I have been resisting buying her new CD "Fearless", due to "peer pressure" from the "cool kids". But most days I would be on youtube, playing her songs in secret and watching her vblogs.

So, here and now, I'm outing myself as a devoted Taylor Swift fan, and I'm going to share part of one of her songs "White Horse". If you want to comment, maybe share with us one of YOUR "dirty little secret" pleasures?? I know you've all got 'em.

I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairytale
I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet
lead her up the stairwell
this ain't Hollywood, this is a small town
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down
now it's too late for you and your white horse to come around

7 comments:

The Addict said...

I love that song and I don't like country music at all. I think she stands out in the crowd for being so genuine. Kinda like Shania Twain was so different and stood out. My sister was crazy about Shania. I liked some of her songs but, again, I don't like country music.

I guess one of my "dirty little secrets" is I have never really grown up musically. I still will pay $300 to see AC/DC. I still love Aerosmith and just heard Bad Company is putting out a new album. The lead singer for Bad Company, known as "the voice" had been singing for Queen. I still love ZZ Top. I still listen to Led Zepplen and know all the words to Stairway to Heaven. I was a child of the 70's when Feetwood Mac first came out and that is still the music I listen to. They call it "Classic Rock" but it was the best music that's ever been in my opinion (of course, I'm a little biased) lol.

ooxx
belinda

Wandering Coyote said...

I've heard of Taylor but haven't heard her music. I like those lyrics you shared, though; they seem really grown up and wise.

Anonymous said...

I so applaud this post. I love simple and beautiful. Snobbery is a tad boring in my opinion. It's a little like the high school follow the leader thing.

JC said...

Ahhh! A post I can relate to 100%! Actually it's funny, as soon as I heard her the first time, I went straight to the store and bought her CD. It's a great CD! It reminds me of my youth, and she is so down to earth and addresses what real kids go through in tough times. She is so REAL. My favourite song on her Fearless CD is "Love Song". You have to hear it. It's a million times better than White Horse. I thought White Horse was the be-all-end-all, but Love Song is the beautiful and clever precursor that she actually wrote in her bedroom! I couldn't believe she wrote such an intelligent song at her young age. Wow.

In terms of other secrets...
I still love the backstreet boys :)

Borderline Lil said...

Yay, I am SO HAPPY I'm not alone in my secret loves and vices! The whole CD is great, I love it, and Love Story is the one that is currently on the charts here and no matter how many times I hear it, or see the film clip, I never get sick of it. Somehow Taylor captures that balance between idealism and practicality, she writes about how much we all want to be loved and to find someone wonderful, but how the fantasy can let you down. Smart, smart girl.

Belinda, I cracked up over your comment - the first concert I ever saw was ACDC, I was about 14 so it would have been the mid 80s. After Bon Scott died, sadly, but they were still freakin AWESOME. **Rock On!!**

Bleeding Heart said...

This is too funny! I have never heard of this song on the radio, but a friend of mine has it on her cell phone when you call her..I know these words by heart..she has yet to change the song...I am so burnt out from listening to these lyrics on her phone LOL!!!...

I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairytale
I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet
lead her up the stairwell
this ain't Hollywood, this is a small town
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down
now it's too late for you and your white horse to come around

Anonymous said...

Yay! I'm not the only one!
All my friends love 'indie' and hate any 'mainstream' music that comes out.
I, personally, just listen to music that I like.
Which is anything from Death Cab for Cutie to Taylor Swift.
I LOVE TAYLOR SWIFT!!!!!!!