Stars: 5/5
Taylor Swift is back and telling new versions of the same stories and we could not be more excited.
Swift has been promising re-releases of old songs since the legal battle surrounding the rights to her music came to end in November 2020. All of her music, videos and album art are unavailable due to her not signing an NDA regarding the owner of her former record label, Scooter Braun.
The first new recording of an old song has finally been released. “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” was fittingly dropped on Valentine’s Day. 
It has been 13 years since 18-year-old Swift released the original “Love Story” from the album “Fearless.” The song became her best-selling record at the time and went platinum eight times. It was a certified hit with an enchanting video that you couldn’t help but enjoy. 
Taylor’s 2021 version still hits the same, to no one’s surprise. 
Both versions follow the same timetable down to the beat drops. The three-minute and 55-second songs’ only real difference is the maturity in Taylor’s voice. The slight country accent is no longer a feature of Swift’s music. Her voice is not as light as it once was, but it does not affect the sound of this classic at all. It is slightly different, but not worse. 
The near-identical nature of the two songs leads me to believe that Swift’s mission is not to give us new versions of the same music. She is reclaiming the songs for herself after losing the original versions.
You instantly recognize the song when the looping banjo comes in. This simple melody is repeated throughout the entire song which makes it easier to identify and memorize. The number of cover versions on YouTube is direct proof of this.
“And I said, Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone, I’ll be waiting, all there’s left to do is run, you’ll be the prince and I’ll be the princess, it’s a love story, baby just say yes.” I am betting you sang the lyrics in their entirety. I left you no choice. Swift’s reference to the Shakespeare character that everyone has learned about in a high school literature class adds to the relatability of this song. 
Three repeating cycles of a crescendo followed by a decrescendo give the song a roller coaster nature, which is similar to the way love can operate. Matching the first and last line of the song is just another reason to adore this late 2000’s masterpiece.
“Love Story” was deserving of five stars when it first came out and classics tend to age nicely. “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” gets the same five-star treatment.