“In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” ~Mr. Darcy
I love Taylor Swift against my will. Love. For a while I pretended I was buying her music for my kids, but when I’m blasting her CDs on shuffle as I drive alone in my car, singing along with every word of even her most obscure songs, I know I need to stop denying what we have together.
When her new album Red dropped this week, I was proud of myself for waiting until the day after release to pick it up because I wasn’t going to be near a Target on release day and didn’t want to go out of my way. I thought that showed great restraint. Why didn’t I just pre-order on Amazon? Good question.
Because the Target version of the CD has several bonus tracks and what’s better than a CD full of emotional songs about teenage break-ups? A LONGER CD full of emotional songs about teenage break-ups. Indeed it is.
I love Taylor Swift because her songs are about raw emotion and angst and drama, whether real or imagined. Essentially, I love her for the same reasons I love writing young adult fiction. The highs are so high. (You flew me to places I’ve never been) The lows are so low. (Now I’m lying on the cold, hard ground.) I could always use a little more passion in my life.
And her songs are danceable. And they’re fun. And when I listen to them, I feel like she stole material from my junior high journal in all its melodramatic glory. It’s the kind of music that makes you stop at your girlfriend’s house on the way home from Target with a swagger wagon full of kids so you can blast your favorite new song and dance together in the front seat, while your exhausted toddler sleeps like a log in the back seat.
Listening to Red last night brought me back to the days of 6th grade Paula Abdul obsession. Forever Your Girl!!1!!!111! How many artists have CDs I’m content to listen to all the way through? Over and over?
I just wish her perfume didn’t smell so freaking good, because I draw the line at trying to smell like a 22-year-old pop/country starlet. Yes, I smelled the perfume. Don’t judge me.
I can’t wait…I can’t get to Target soon enough. Having two kids sick is killing me and forcing my Taylor Swift obsession to be put on hold. Here’s my rationalization: She’s a fabulous storyteller. And, as we learned last week, who doesn’t love a great storyteller? Rock on…I’ll be doing the same right here in my swagger wagon!
Did you get it yet? Did you? We’ve been lovin’ it all day.
I hope your kids feel better soon!
Love it! Don’t tell anyone, but I sometimes listen to the Bieber when I’m alone in the car 🙂
I sensed the Bieber was strong with you, Nancy. It’s nice we have these young people in our lives to make this all more legal.
I have been afraid to get a whole CD of her for just such reasons. But since I have liked every song of hers I ever heard, I’m pretty sure I’d be right there. There is nothing to be ashamed of.
You have given me the courage to admit that there is some Selena Gomez on my i-tunes, although Taylor Swift is in a whole other league (a higher one).
Selena Gomez, eh? Nice. I’ll check her out if you buy some Taylor. What’s your number one Selena Gomez song?
Don’t make me put on the hat!
Dang, now you have me wanting to drive for an hour just to get to the closest Target!
Deal. My favorite Selena Gomez song is Who Says. I think it has a good message, and I like singing along with it. What are your three favorite Taylor Swift songs?