I don't know if Better Man would have had the stratospheric success had she kept the song for herself. Little Big Town's version is HUGE, from the instrumentation to the vocals. That felt very correct at the time. When Better Man TV came out and it was substantially stripped down, it was a gift I didn't know I needed and is equally brilliant. Both versions are different enough for both to exist simultaneously.
@@matthewfontenot5157girl,,,,,i was today years old when i realized she gave better man to LBT,,,,,,,,i knew it sounded familiar i just didn’t know from where 😭
@@matthewfontenot5157 I legit didn't know TS had anything to do with the song, and thought it was a cover of Little Big Town's song until I read your comment! Wild!
I heard a take about maroon recently that changed how i felt about red. How in red she describes love as something real, passionate, and deep. And the color red is the manifestation of that love and the crash that love ends with. In maroon she's trying so hard to equate all she sees to that red (scarlet blood rushing into her cheeks, burgundy stain) but she's lost because she cant. Because all she can feel is the darker, slower burn that is maroon. Red is a fast-paced love story , maroon is the end of the fairy tale.
Wake up, snakes! Swiftologist has updated! Happy holidays, everyone! Red came out at a time when I was dealing with a lot of anxiety in my life. It’s a very chaotic album, to be sure. Let's effing go!
Thank you for this video! I really like transition from Red to All Too Well. From this burning red to heartbreaking memories. What this red love did to her. I think that “All too well” reveals how destructive red love turned out to be in the end. For me these are tracks connected to each other. Like sisters. All too well is like a continuation, revelation and consequences of red love. So in my universe Red is track 4 and All too well is track 5.
I understand how people think the tracklist is too messy because that's also how I felt when it came out. Luckily, some smart Swifties explained to me that the tracklist is actually put together very deliberately: each pair of songs is supposed to go together representing opposites. For example, State of Grace is about the beginning of a relationship and Red is about the end. All Too Well is about experiencing heartbreak turning 21, while 22 is about dancing and forgetting all about the heartbreak when she turned 22. If you think about each song this way (except maybe The Lucky One and Starlight) and find its "opposite," then the ordering makes a lot more sense. Once I understood this, Red became one of my favorites of hers too. It's so ambitious and well-crafted. Still, I always love seeing other people's rearranged tracklists, so I was excited to see this posted! I totally understand the cuts he made.
@@mnickrowe Come Back Be Here and Girl At Home (yassified version) are both in the environment about having someone who's far-flung somewhere else, but CBBH has a longing tone and misses their proximity and closeness while GAH tells about avoiding becoming a mistress in a relationship.
@@aaliyahfoster2705 Girl At Home TV sounds like you accidentally tripped the alarm, or you walked in on a party palazza with disco and you’re like “what’s going on? Am I in the right place?”
@@aaliyahfoster2705 that makes sense! Thank you for sharing. What would the other songs be opposites of? And if you don’t remember where can I find this ? Has anyone written about this in depth?
@@mnickrowe It's something I noticed myself when listening to the re-records (I didn't realize it on the first go a decade ago either), but Treacherous and IKYWT is a good example. Cautious danger vs. going into the danger. The Last Time and Holy Ground. The negatives in a fruitless relationship and finding something good that came out of it.
starlight and the lucky one are so quintessentially red to me, it's hard to imagine the album without them. but i love your reshuffle and your reasoning for ordering it in that way. it made so much narrative sense that felt very satisfying considering how all over the place the album order is
Oh king. I prepped for this. I rewatched your Red videos yesterday. I did my homework. I was so excited for this. Red helped me through my first major break up and ATW was my favorite song (still is and I’m really happy she is getting the love she ALWAYS deserved!), followed very closely by Holy Ground. I’m so mad she ruined the TV and similarly to you, I have no problem listening to the OG song that means everything to me ❤️
New video! What a joy! Thank you ❤️Can you please do a track by track and deep dive about my favourite album Red? About concept, aesthetic, recording process and tracks analysis. You are so great! ❤️
For some reason, Red ❤ has always felt like a winter holiday album, so bittersweet… Christmas lights flashing ✨and you are watching the year slipping through your fingers and reflect on the past…
I heard a theory a couple months before Red (TV) that every 2 songs told a story. Like with Stay Stay Stay and The Last Time being her wanting him to stay and then she realized she asked him to stay one too many times. Holy Ground and Sad Beautiful Tragic being her reminiscing about the good then the bad. So that's why I feel like the track list has always felt very natural to me.
As a Red stan until the day I die, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I’ve been watching your content since probably September and it’s really opened my eyes to how difficult it is to have a different opinion than the rest of the fandom, and that it’s okay to have a different opinion. Thank you for saving from “the dark side” for lack of better phrasing lol. Favorite Swiftuber for sure! ♥️
red is also my favorite TS album of all time! great minds think alike. treacherous is my favorite TS song as the production has me seeing god herself. the line where you said trecherous is optimistic while i knew you were trouble is fatalistic is so so good!
nice ranking and reshuffle, zack! although i think (personally) you couldve slotted in The Very First Night after 22 (right before Holy Ground) to kind of imply that even though the listener is out and about with their friends, deep inside they are kind of still pining over their ex. the damage has been done but there were still things left unspoken even though the party keeps going. but overall, great playlist!
I’ve always loved Begin Again. I remember her performing it on an awards show with a Parisian cafe aesthetic and can never separate the two in my mind.
Thank you for the video! It's always a pleasure to listen to your thoughts. Everything Has Changed should go. The Very First Night should stay. Everything Has Changed adds nothing to the story. It just cute little song. The Very First Night is way better and contains great storytelling and very vivid memories about past relationships. Memories about past heartbreaking relationships is one of the main themes of the Red Album. Of course, it is just my opinion 😊
I think The Very First Night is important for the Red album. It is important for storytelling of the Red album. Because despite all the parties, new life, 22, begin again, new dates and fun, Taylor still remembers her ex.
I knew you were a real one. Holy Ground and Red are also my #1s, and I have the same sentiments towards the re-recordings. Also can’t not mention your honest, fair, and amusing analyses. Great reshuffle!
When you say soon I didn’t know it’s this soon lol. I agree with ur tracklist and thank god state of grace is stayed as an opening track. It’s such a brilliant song to sum up the album like what’s written in the back of the book (idk a word for that in English sorry) it’s one of her greatest opener imo. I would have put come back be here between babe and I almost do tho. And if this album doesn’t have begin again I think Red can be a good closer too
I Stan for Red and I nearly fainted when I saw this vid existed ❤️ your reshuffle was exhilarating just to hear the explaination. I cannot wait to listen to the playlist 😍
this made me love you & your work even more. i’ve always said red is my favorite taylor album & it seems to be a very unpopular opinion among most swifties.
I‘m so excited (and also kinda nervous) for this video! Red is my all time favorite Taylor album - I still remember listening to all these songs for the first time when I was 11. These songs have stayed with me through all these years and I still love them all so much! (And I also loved the journey of understanding them more and more the older I got. The excitement I felt when I turned 22 earlier this year, just because I could finally *really* vibe to the song 😂) Very excited what you come up with for the re-shuffled tracklist! You’re right, the Red tracklist IS messy af, though I feel that it actually kinda fits the overall theme of the record - the confusion and excitement of being in your early 20s, going through crushing heartbreaks whilst also making lasting memories with your friends - really well. But then, I kind of always get emotional whiplash when listening to Red in order, going from ATW to 22 to IAD to WANGBT is a WILD ride 😂
Nobody's brave enough to say it, but I'm gonna speak now and never hold my peace: _Girl @ home is the first song she wrote about Scooper Brown_ 💃🏻😘 There. The beginning of Tay-voodoo was right there in front of our eyes, and the story only keeps getting better, cuz she gave the Gitl at Home an envelope and now she keeps the house, keeps the kids and keeps the pride 🥷🏻
I was scared to watch this because I didn’t want the book ends to be changed. I should know to trust the swiftologist. Truly spot on reshuffle I loved it
You're the only other person I've seen say that Holy Ground is their favorite Taylor song and I feel SOOO validated so 🤝 thank you because it's just got such a perfect vibe that grabs me every time and it's so slept on
As a Red fan (my favorite album and re-recording), I agree with you 100% with both the rankings and the tracklist you made ❤ It's actually so nice to finally find a fellow swiftie that has the same opinions as me in so many things, idk if it's bc we are both fans for a very long time and we are close in age (I'm from 1997), it's so refreshing to me! ❤ And I'm living for the The Last Time appreciation, I love this song in so many ways and it's possibly my all time favourite from Taylor ❤ It makes me so sad it's so underrated in the fandom 😔 Will try to listen to the reshuffling later, but got truly excited with the tracklist you made 🥺 Happy Holidays Zack! ❤
And about Safe & Sound, I might be biased bc it was one of the surprise songs of the Eras Tour show I went to (btw 1st time seeing Taylor live, after waiting 14 to see her in my country 🥺💖) but I definitely think it's more of a Red era to me... I would say I would love to see it on Red tracklist instead of Run (I really don't like it and pretend it doesn't exist lmao) ❤
I think for me Red is also one of my top TS albums that is very "I will jam to almost the whole album all the time". Fearless/speak now/debut has it's gems, but the bulk of the albums I have to be in a certain mood to listen to them, but Red is .... TIMELESS.
OMG! I love, love, love EVERYTHING you publish! As a "new" Swiftie (only really started following her during the pandemic when Miss Americana, Folklore and the Disney+ show came out) I am LOVING your insight and critical opinions of her work, fashion, relationships, etc. My sister likes to tell me you talk too fast, but I love the extensive thought and research that goes into every video, and as you are always mentioning, you are the last critical, true-to-yourself (and true to Taylor) opinion we can get from someone. Anyway, your videos are what I look forward to EVERY DAY and think you are KILLING IT! Keep it up! Plan on listening to Evolution of a Snake in 2024 as my workout soundtrack.
While the tack listing is usually not so great, I believe in this album it was done right to convey the craziness one can experience after heartbreak. One second we are balling our eyes out, the next we are trying to get over it by trying to go out with friends, next we are holding on to hope but end up coming back to the sadness not long after. It feels confusing and chaotic probably because that’s how she was feeling while making this record.
I am completely down for the track listing you just posted. All my favorites, the progression makes sense. I am also a RED Stan for life, so I'm very pleased.
I love your content so much ! when I first heard this album as a first time Swiftie, I did have the complaint of the track list being all over the place and somewhat unlistenable but once I understood the lore, the track list kinda made sense generally as it would feel like any breakup. the emotional emphasis and messy track list play into that “chaotic” feeling of what it feels like to be in love then come crashing down the second it’s over. regardless tho I agree with your rearrangement ! It paints the picture so much better
Forcing yourself to listen to a song you don't like the recording of just so a billionaire gets an extra penny is insane behavior. I'm listening to the stolen version if the re-record is bad.
"and i know theres a better man in there and i really try to get him to come out and he just didnt and you're a flop and i cant be with you anymore" this is the thesis statement of RED! 😂❤
Have I been listening to your podcast and watching your channel for over a year now? Yes. Is this the first time I’ve known what your “HBIC” stands for? Also yes.
Love this ranking! Makes a lot more sense! Great video as always! Merry Christmas! Oh and I wanted to say I haven’t heard the prayer in a while and I miss it cause it always brings a chuckle 🤣
Oh noooo Forever Winter is Queen of My Heart. I can understand why it didn’t make it to the cut since it doesn’t go along with the heartbreak relationships/love songs, but i can relate to the song 😭
I quite like your version! you kept pretty much all my favourite songs and cut all my least faves If I had to make a change I'd replace EHC with CBBH and then put EHC as track 17 just before Holy Ground track 18 and then Begin Again track 19 As I feel like everything has changed is about finding love after heartbreak in a similar way to Begin Again, just with more focus on the love part over the heartbreak I really like where you've put it, but when doing a reimagined tracklist myself I always put the last time next to WANEGBT because they're connected imo
Something to love is always respect your own canon and let us know the opinion you once had on Red! I really enjoy how can be put this tumultuous record on a coherent tracklist with the emotionals high and low in one side- which is logical, but one get with the question «what song should go first?» -anyway this is a algorithm (?) commentary 'cause maybe everything have been say ksksk
i love it! i was waiting for it for so long because i needed it, so i created my own and it was longer.. it doesn't tell a perfect story, but its a perfect flow of energy and vibes.. here it is: 1. all 10 well ( I'm always in the mood for it + its a complete story ) 2. treacherous ( perfect after all 10 well and a good intro to the story ) 3. state of grace ( kind of like treacherous but upbeat ) 4. holy ground ( vibe wise, its perfect after state of grace) 5. come back.. be here ( hurt chill upbeat ) 6. the moment i knew ( hurt chill upbeat ) 7. the last time ( hurt chill upbeat ) 8. babe ( hurt chill upbeat ) 9. better man ( hurt chill upbeat ) 10. i almost do ( hurt and sad ) 11. sad beautiful tragic ( hurt and sad ) 12. red ( hurt upbeat ) 13. i knew you were trouble ( hurt upbeat ) 14. i bet you think about me ( "well actually, your loss" energy ) 15. we are never ( fuck you/i don't care" energy) 16. 22 ( I'm just gonna party now ) 17. massage in a bottle ( happy upbeat ) 18. the very first night ( happy upbeat ) 19. starlight ( happy upbeat ) 20. everything has changed ( happy and calm ) 21. run ( happy and calm ) 22. begin again ( happy and calm ) 23. nothing new ( calm reflecting ) its perfect for me
