Before Taylor Swift was a global pop superstar, she was a country music hitmaker. Swift was just 16 years old when her eponymous debut album came out. Even more impressive, Swift wrote all of the songs on her first record, an important skill for Swift.
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In 2014, Swift switched to pop music with her iconic 1989 album. In the 11 years since then, Swift has broken world records with her career, having hit after hit that dominate the charts all over the world. But even as she continues her reign as a pop star, her skills she developed as a country songwriter remain unmatched.
We found four Taylor Swift songs that prove she is still a country songwriter at heart.
“Betty”
Country music loves a song about a person, which Swift expertly does in “Betty”. Written by Swift and William Bowery, the song is on Swift’s 2020 Folklore record.
“Betty, I won’t make assumptions / About why you switched your homeroom,” Swift sings. “But I think it’s ’cause of me / Betty, one time, I was riding on my skateboard / When I passed your house / It’s like I couldn’t breathe.”
Fittingly, Swift performed “Betty” at the 2020 ACM Awards, to an empty room due to the pandemic.
“Message In A Bottle”
Not much would need to change for “Message In A Bottle” to become a country song. Written by Max Martin and Shellback, and released in 2021, Swift’s country roots are evident in the sweet song.
“Message In A Bottle” says in part, “‘Cause you could be the one that I love / I could be the one that you dream of / Message in a bottle is all I can do / Standing here, hoping it gets to you / You could be the one that I keep, and I / Could be the reason you can’t sleep at night / Message in a bottle is all I can do / Standing here, hopin’ it gets to you.”
“Getaway Car”
“Getaway Car” is on Swift’s 2017 Reputation album. A true story song, reminiscent of her country era, Swift expertly toes the line between the two genres in the hit single.
The song says, “You were driving the getaway car / We were flying, but we’d never get far / Don’t pretend it’s such a mystery / Think about the place where you first met me / Riding in a getaway car.”
Swift wrote “Getaway Car” with Jack Antonoff, who also co-produced Reputation with Swift.
“Coney Island”
Country songwriters love songs about a specific place, which apparently Swift also does. “Coney Island“, written by Swift, Bowery, and brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner, came out in 2021, featuring the band The National.
“Coney Island” says, “And I’m sitting on a bench in Coney Island / Wondering, where did my baby go / The fast times, the bright lights, the merry go / Sorry for not making you my centerfold.”
Interestingly, Bowery is a pseudonym for Joe Alwyn, whom Swift was dating when she wrote the song.
“Joe and I really love sad songs. We’ve always bonded over music,” Swift says (via People). “We write the saddest songs. We just really love sad songs.”
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
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