Hi all!

Today I am ranking the vault tracks from Speak Now, Taylor’s Version. I have also done this for Red, Fearless and 1989. If you wish to check out my honorary Swiftie menu, click here.

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A Brief Note on Speak Now 

I truly fathomed the brilliance of Speak Now in 2022. Taylor originally wanted to name it Enchanted, after her iconic, fan-favourite song. However, her former manager (boo!), suggested the title would sound too fairy-tale and reminiscent of Fearless. Speak Now held more weight, maturity and boldness. It was her confessional album. Each number was a message to a person/s that had impacted her life in some way. It was her way of ‘speaking’ now and ‘speaking’ up. At this point in her career, we saw Taylor take on more of an edge. She hit us with tracks like Mean, Better Than Revenge and Dear John. With so much to say and nothing to lose, fans can attest some of the most vulnerable and heart-breaking lyrics can be found in her third era. The vault tracks fill in the gaps, providing further perspective of what was going on for her during that time.

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Speak Now TV might be her best re-recording yet. Taylor has blessed us big time with these truly remarkable bonus songs. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

1.) When Emma Falls In Love 

My favourite vault track is When Emma Falls In Love. I loved it on first listen, which has continued over time. The production transports me back to old country Taylor. It is dedicated to her dear friend and actress, Emma Stone. In this song, Swift expresses how she wishes she could be like her gal pal, when it comes to romantic relationships. She is so authentic and vulnerable in her honesty. The line: “like if Cleopatra grew up in a small town” might be the best thing I’ve ever heard. I also adore the lyric: “she’s so New York, when she’s in L.A.” It’s nice to have a friendship song from Taylor. We don’t get many of them and this one is perfect.

2.) I Can See You 

In second place, we have I Can See You. It’s a bonafide BOP! I don’t think any of us were expecting it to be so sexy. I can understand why it didn’t make the original album tracklist. Her former manager would have been trying to preserve her “good girl” image. The music video is also truly iconic. Taylor Lautner, Joey King and Presley Cash make fantastic guest appearances, working as a team to break out her version from the vault. I love that she involved some key players from that era. If I had to guess who it was intended for, I would say Taylor Lautner. She reflects on the initial attraction stage, picturing what it would be like to be with him. I love exercising to this song. It’s a new workout favourite.

3.) Foolish One 

In third place, we have Foolish One – a beautiful song. In this track, Taylor is the “foolish one”, addressing her past self with some tough love. I’m certain she is singing about John Mayer and his inability to make her feel important, when they were together. It has such vulnerability. The lyrics: “the day is gonna come for your confessions of love, when all is said and done, he just wasn’t the one” are particularly hard-hitting. In the light of her recent breakup with Joe Alwyn, I hope she gets exactly that someday.

Update: She did! She’s marrying Travis Kelce! 

4.) Electric Touch (feat. Fall Out Boy)  

In fourth place, we have Electric Touch, featuring Fall Out Boy. I was so excited for this one because I’m a huge fan of the punk band. I actually saw them in concert when I was 18. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to hear the blend of Taylor and Patrick’s vocals. It did not disappoint! This song has a soft rock vibe, meshing perfectly with the Speak Now era. Some have speculated it’s the first Jake Gyllenhaal song because Taylor says: “got a history of stories ending sadly”, which links to The Story of Us. If she’s referencing the end of her relationship with John Mayer, Jake was the next love interest after that. She dated both of them in the year 2010. It’s so much fun!

5.) Timeless 

In fifth place, we have Timeless. I absolutely love this album closer. It’s a quintessential Taylor Swift song. It has storytelling elements, antique stores (which Taylor loved going to in her spare time), a superior bridge and beautiful lyrics. This track is a homage to her grandparent’s marriage. If you haven’t seen the lyric video on YouTube yet, go watch it. It is absolutely worth checking out for the photographs. Fans are claiming Timeless as the new wedding song and honestly, I get it.

6.) Castles Crumbling (feat. Hayley Williams)

In last place, we have Castles Crumbling, featuring Hayley Williams. I’ve struggled to connect with this track. It’s not bad, just not a favourite of mine. For some reason, I expected it to go harder than it did. I was also hoping for stronger vocals from Hayley. She’s such a powerful singer. This song is about Taylor’s experience coming off the Fearless Tour, to suddenly falling from grace in the eyes of the public. It’s quite sad. I feel like lyrically, it belongs more on Reputation, especially with the “my castle crumbled overnight” reference in Call It What You Want. At this stage, it is a skip. Sorry!

Thank you so much for reading! How would you rank the vault tracks? 

Peace & Love xoxo