I once told a guy I was leaving that he was the worst thing that ever happened to me but he was just confused. I doubt the subject of that lyric had any more of an impact than my ex did 🙄
I think this was her mother's motivation in "accusing her of losing her mind." She wasn't really questioning her daughter's sanity, she knew this relationship was wrong, she saw all the red flags, and yet was powerless to do anything about it because Taylor was legally an adult. Taylor's mom is her best friend and biggest confidant and still attends every one of her shows (along with her dad). We love Mama Swift!
I love how in Dear John the guitar sounds just like how John Mayer plays! I’ve said before, if you’re age starts with a three, leave the nineteen year olds alone.
ปีที่แล้ว +98
100%. I find it hard to believe there's no manipulation in place when the age difference is that great. Obviously it's not a blanket thing, but in general, it's probably true
"shining like fireworks over your sad empty town" because he's the Mayor 😂 honestly I've always loved his music, his guitars are iconic, which is makes the fact she uses his sounds for dear John. These are both in my top 10 Taylor songs, they're so powerful and sad and meaningful because most girls have been there, and now we're grown women, it still haunts us, it leaves a permanent mark and trauma, which is why I don't blame her for writing him another song 12 years later when she hit his age. It's mind-blowing.
Unfun fact: John went on a whole lot of interviews trying to downplay everything and "erase them" as Taylor said it in her song. He also said that Dear John was "cheap" songwriting, but then wrote "paper dolls" about Taylor and the song is literal garbage
ปีที่แล้ว +165
Nothing about these 2 songs are cheap 🤯 such a douche he sounds like.
Ok cmon paper doll is smart asf not mentioning anything that could be directly linked to her if not for ridiculous speculation, like she literally smashes his name in the title.
@lucaskopke6886 You clearly don't know much about what your talking about so let me educate you a little here: ○ "You're like 22 girls in 1" -> Taylor released the song 22 just before that ○ "Fold a scarf moroccan red" -> taylor just released the album red, with the song "all too well" that got massive amounts of praise and the very first Verse is about a scarf ○ "none of them know what they're running from" -> "run as fast as you can" ... ○ "if none of those angel wings can fly, I'll paint you another sky" -> "you paint me a blue sky, then go back and turn it to rain" ... need I say more That's not over analyzing, he literally takes lines from her song and answers to them. Even if you want to call it "over analyzing", it doesn't make paper doll even remotely smart. It sounds horrible, the "music Video" ,or whatever that was where this poor lady makes a fool of herself for 3 minutes, is bad.
A line that really hits me is "if clarity's in death then why won't this die?" because I think it's talking about the fact that even if you have analysed a situation and feel like you have fully intellectually understood what happened to you, the feelings don't always go away.
Interestingly, John Mayer has a song titled “Clarity” (released 2003) where the theme of the song is about someone who has been weighed down by worrying about something or things, but has now woken up this morning calm and unburdened and free. The closing chorus of the song has another shared reference… this time to Dear John: “And I will wait to find If this will last forever (yeah) And I will wait to find That it wont, and it won't and it won't And I will pay no mind Worried 'bout no RAINY WEATHER (yeah) And I will waste no time Remaining in our lives together”
the thing that just makes me feel so physically sick about the situation is that taylor’s lucky number famously is 13, and their age gap is 13 years so she probably saw it as some great sign when they got together. it just breaks my heart
she was not the only one who suffered in his manipulative hands, jessica simpson and katy perry are unfortunately on the list as well. i HATE the guy he’s everything a woman doesnt need in her life!
ปีที่แล้ว +101
Sounds like a man who should spend some time behind bars and rethink his behaviour 🤬
@ Yeah, the stuff Jessica Simpson wrote about him in her book is disturbing. Not only manipulative but very stalkerish, like getting in close with her family to use them to get what he wanted from her. Horrible, horrible man.
I’m so glad you understood these songs so well- so many men write them off so quickly to be “over dramatic”. I loved that you acknowledged that there are a lot of people whom this song speaks to deeply. I’m one of them and cannot NOT bawl my eyes out every time I hear them, anyone who says these songs aren’t masterpieces are insane.
Taylor was 19, and John Mayer was 32 or 33. One of the best parts of the song, I think, is at the end when she finally says, "You should've known." Since throughout the song, she kept blaming herself.
11 หลายเดือนก่อน +27
Saw an ad on a Billboard into town for a concert he's doing here. Me and my wife both booed it loudly
A little additional context for WCS: Taylor wrote this song with Aaron Dessner after the 2021 Grammys (where they won AOTY for Folklore). John Mayer also performed at the event, and she had to sit there in the audience and watch him. They probably hadn't been in the same room in over a decade. That experience likely brought a lot of these old wounds to the surface, acting as the inspiration for this song.
I did not know that! It makes a lot of sense to me now. I developed PTSD-symptoms when I came face to face with an abuser I hadn't seen in years, and it was very strange and kind of hard to come to terms with how that encounter hobbled me for months when the abuse at the time did not have the same effect.
I’m still REALLY pissed off at the organisers of that event for having John perform when Taylor was likely to win AOTY - when they KNEW what he’d done to her. But, then, maybe if they hadn’t, we wouldn’t have the masterpiece that is Would’ve. I hate to think, though, that this event could have brought back all the feelings to a point where all the growth her & Joe had worked through suddenly flipped & caused their breakup.
They were in a relationship when she was 19 and he was 32, so when the relationship ended and she saw how he had manipulated her and how wrong it was that he was willing to be in a relationship with someone that young. She wrote the song Dear John, as the lyrics called him up (a 19 year old was the one that called him out and not his older exes), his ego got hurt and made a lawsuit against her 😂 and wrote her a song called Paper Doll. Now that she is 32, wrote the second song and it's the track 19 of the album (´cause she's a mastermind lol), reflecting it wasn't that she shouldn't know, the problem was that him as an adult accept being with someone that younger and manipulated her having so much advantage, grooming her and knowing that he was her idol. Love both songs, the first always give me chills, but the second makes me almost cry thinking that this situation is so common and they always blame it in the young girl, not the grown man. Love your reactions, hope you're enjoying this journey! You are in it for a surprise! Greetings from México!
The “my mother accused me of losing my mind” part is sad, but so much more upsetting and heartbreaking and (regrettably) relatable (as a daughter) when it’s followed up with “but I swore I was fine”.
also dear john has the melody and instrumental very similar to john’s style of music! she is smarter than you think. she took his biggest hit “gravity” for inspiration and irony, if you listen to his song you can kinda hear it
Would've Could've Should've is the first time I ever heard anyone articulate how I felt about one of my relationships. I was so ashamed of that time in my life before I heard that song, not anymore.
As a SA victim I cried with your reaction to the last song. You are the first man I see saying the right things about the lyrics. Thank you ❤
7 หลายเดือนก่อน +3
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I'm sorry to hear! Hoping you're finding/have found a way to deal with your trauma and are able to be the strong person you are! And I don't think there are any right things to say in a situation like that. There are less good things, but not sure someone without first hand experience of it could or should try to understand how that will affect a person. All we can do is be there and support those who have. Thanks for watching the video! ❤️
These two songs just hit so hard. Dear John, when she was fresh out of that relationship when she was still raw from that trauma and then WCS, when she was the same age that he was at the time and her looking back and having lived through that trauma and seeing how wrong and twisted that whole 25:08 situation was. Even in WCS she talks about how the media and critics portrayed her as the corrupter “If I was some paint did it splatter on some promising grown man” when she was still essentially a child and the grown ass man was the groomer.
Such a powerful line. The ridiculousness of societal standards where, no matter the age: man are the promise figure(generally speaking). Like you said, the blame was put on her as if she had stained his promising career, regardless if her career was strongly and steadily going up. 🤦🏻♀️
Imagine playing your most famous song “gravity” and being reminded every time of one of the biggest hits and one of the most acclaimed songs specifically written to burn you
@@Rocio.Suarez if you notice, the style of the song is very purposefully made to sound like gravity so every time he plays it as his concerts he’s gonna be reminded of this song
As someone who’s gone through an abusive relationship (15 - 18) he was (18 - 21) these songs really stab through my heart. Especially the girlhood line, I ALWAYS cry
This is a sledgehammer of a song. All too well is, in many ways, more savage because of it’s subtlety. In both cases she spatchcocked the subject of the song. She killed them, cut them in half, flattened them and then threw them on the flames. Both songs are examples of a lyrical songwriting genius right at the peak of her power. And then came back and wrote “would have could have should have” Ryan Tedder calls her a song writing savant and he is not wrong.
Thank you for giving Would've Could've Should've the respect it deserves. That song has played a massive part in my healing journey, in teaching me that I can mourn the part of me he took AND be absolutely full of rage that I have to do it at all. Lots of love man, enjoy the concert when it comes around
Yeah this one gives me the chills and makes me sob every time. With the lyrics of this and Dear John I'm afraid to know what kind of mental abuse he subjected her to, and the power imbalance.. not only was she a fucking teenager (I think the "if I was a child did it matter/ if you got to wash your hands" line points out how he was obviously a predator but she was not legally underage), but she idolized him long before they met. I am two years younger than her, and I recognize the kind of delayed trauma that occurs when I look back at some of the relationships I had in my teens and early 20s. I didn't really see the abuse for what it was when it happened, and mostly wish my older and more experienced brain could let it be. The tomb won't close. Also: "fight with you in my sleep" gives me strong PTSD-vibes.
This bridge makes me cry every time. That “give me back my girlhood it was mine first” just hits so hard. Having passed trauma from an abusive ex at a youngish age (I wasn’t 19 but 23) it just hits so hard. I think these songs are so powerful because it wasn’t just that a 32year old grown ass man messed with a 19yr old girl it’s also what dick he was afterwards and accepting near zero accountability for his actions in the whole thing and down playing it. I think that’s why would’ve could’ve should’ve hits so hard.
I know this came out a month ago, but i was just watching it for like the tenth time while reading the comments & i don't think anyone mentioned that in a 2022 interview, Aaron Dessner was being interviewed & he was working with both Taylor & Ed Sheeran at the time (Taylor really encouraged Ed to do the collab as it was so impactful on her during folklore) & they asked if he could comment on any of the songs & this is pretty close to his quote "There's one i did with Taylor called Would've Could've Should've that may be my favorite song I've written to this point. I won't say what she wrote the lyrics about cuz that's her story to tell but we had a session in LA RIGHT AFTER THE FOLKLORE GRAMMYS (EARLY 2021) & it just seemed to write itself. It's very emotional & i love the arrangement. I think people will really react to that song" Aaron was very careful with his wording here but two things simultaneously would have been happening at this point in Taylor's life-1) She was rerecording Speak Now, which would have been bringing up a lot of JM emotions, then on top of that, John Mayer was a guest guitarist in one of the Grammys performances on the stage very close to Taylor's table. I don't think it's ANY coincidence that they were in the studio the next day because she probably had GET THAT SHIT OUT a la All To Well EXORCISE THE DEMONS style of writing in her head & the main vocals were recorded that same day! It's fair to say some shit cane up for Taylor & when they were done you just know she looked at Aaron after screaming those lines-"This can't go on the standard edition-it'll be the only thing anyone talks about!" I mean the childish high pitched vocals of "it was mine first!" How many times did she have to do it before there weren't tears! (Oh, & PS-he was just a really bad influence on Tay, manipulative, condescending & encouraging drinking, partying, pushing drugs at her-the innocence lost from seeing am idol like that is what lost her her girlhood so she wasn't this wide eyed optimist anymore. She's been clear on what the All Too Well scarf represents & losing ones innocence & ones virginity are very different things for girls that age! Anyway, i just thought you might enjoy a little more behind the song lore! Loved this again!
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Thank you so much for this! Love learning more about these things. Also can't believe it's been a month already! Really need to edit the one I recorded 5 days ago...
“I don’t know what to say, I just feel like fuck you man” I COULDNT AGREE MORE. When I first heard this song it genuinely broke my heart, because I know how she felt and feels now
An interesting fact about the second song. She mentions Would've and Could've a bunch and not so much Should've. People believe its because all of the Should've is in Dear John.
Ahhhh I'm so happy you took my suggestion! Thank you for really paying attention to the lyrics, they mean so much to me. Taylor Swift has this way of being able to succinctly say what so many women feel about things in their life, and Would've Could've Should've is a song I didn't know I needed until I heard it. Being able to intellectually process what happened to you and know that your abuser was in the wrong, but still feeling a little culpable for your own pain because you loved him and you wanted him in your life. She way she takes "I should've known" from Dear John and turns it into "now that I know, I wish you'd left me wondering" is so incredible. She SHOULDN'T have had to know, but she was curious what being with this older famous man would be like and now her regret isn't that she should have known, just that he answered her questions and the reality of it was devastating. "If I was some paint did it splatter on a promising grown man? And if I was a child did it matter, if you got to wash your hands?" Really sums up so much. He feels that she ruined his reputation by writing Dear John about him, and people took his side without actually listening to the lyrics - just including his name in the title was bad enough for people to feel sorry for this grown man and not for the teenager who was groomed by him. But in the end he came out unscathed because he could wash his hands of the situation and relationship and trivialize the whole thing, but she was just a child and can't get rid of the scars he left behind. He got to move on, and she can try but she never fully will.
I am loving this series.!!! Dear John always made us rage for her, and Would've Could've Should've is just gut-wrenching. releasing it at 32, and making it track 19 is just the level of petty mastermind we love for her. Have you given All Too Well a listen yet? I recommend the live performance of it from Saturday Night Live if you are up for 10 minutes of lyrical prose.
Wow. You didn’t even really need to say anything, just watching your face was enough. My favorite lyric is “Now that I know, I wish you’d left me wondering”. Maybe you have to be a woman for it to really resonate, but that made a lot of (sad) sense to me.
It actually made me tear up when you said that you are doing this for your wife because upcoming concert is important to her. It’s so precious I want to cry ❤😢
We will still be here whenever you’re able to return. This video and your authentically respectful, humble, empathetic reaction are a gift to my mental health. It’s clear from the comments I’m not alone in that. You’re the only reactor I’ve seen acknowledge the profound importance of this song existing for the people who need it. Thank you for putting out goodness & hope for us. I hope whatever you need finds you. We’ll be cheering you on from afar. 🌬️⛵️
In the live she is literally a story telling. She doesn’t need a book to tell us the story, we can read her face and voice is enough to understand what she is telling us💜
So glad you liked it! I am sure others have said already, but she was the same age making Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve as the famous guy was when they were dating, so you can definitely hear the perspective that brings. And yes, just a gut punch to hear the emotion still so present even after all this time.
So many women go through this type of manipulation. So many. Make sure your daughters never know shame from your words or actions. That won’t protect them from harm. But it will make you someone they can trust when they need to ask for your help the most! ☮️💜
Kudos to Scott Swift for the restraint not to have killed the SOB. His career did suffer. At least that is something. She’s not the only one pulled this crap on. Jessica Simpson was older but he still played her.
Jennifer Anniston, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jessica Simpson too. All of them were pretty messed up by him, especially Jessica Simpson. She’s given interviews about what the long-term effects of that relationship were. Listen to his interview with Howard Stern about Jessica Simpson to hear just how utterly self-absorbed he was, how little he cared about the damage he had done.
I’m so glad you decided to do these! Yeah… the lyrics really speak for themselves I feel. When this was released she was absolutely dragged by him* and the media for “defamation”. Which is so unbelievable to think back on considering how far we’ve come in viewing these large age gap relationships between a young woman and older adult man (he was 13 years older I’m sure someone’s already commented that). If anyone reading the comments is interested, John did a playboy interview around the time they were involved and it is… quite telling and really horrible to imagine Taylor as one of his playthings
YESSS I WAS WAITING FOR THIS ONE!!!! thank you thats exactly how you should’ve done! glad you enjoyed, doesnt it show she was always far from ordinary, even on her start, back in 2010 when speak now was released? of course she gets better and better but is remarkable to me how can a 19 year old write something this deep! and the live perfomance is indeed better than the album, she’s so teatrical! i’m living for your journeyhahahha and i keep with the hope that adult men listening to taylor and getting deep with the lyrics could make a lot of them better man!
I think it's up to opinion, which is better, I'm a sucker for the album version D: They are both so great though :) (and the fireworks do add sooo much)
Did you know Taylor was interested in musical theater before she started writing songs and learning the guitar? I think this is one of her more theatrical performances ever.
I can't listen to SWC without balling my eyes out. 7 yrs later I still struggle to let go and close the wounds. The regret is crippling. I'll regret him every single day of the rest of my life. I hope my tomb closes one day.
Important to note as well, when they dated he was 32 and she was 19- She then released would've could've should've when she was 32 and made it track 19 on the album.
It speaks to me on levels that you can’t even fathom after thinking about how many women or people it speaks to to begin with. Every single word, except change 19 to 15, and every single word speaks to me. It’s, quite seriously, like she wrote my story in this song. And, that’s not all, since she’s speaking to John Mayer, and this is a follow up to dear John, my guys name is John too🤯 No lie 🤷🏻♀️ Taylor is an absolute beautiful GENIOUS 🥹💜🥹
also i was the one who said the “should’ve” on the midnights song was in dear john! the should was already there, she didnt need to say it again! shes a geniouuuss
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Yes! Sorry, I forgot to screenshot it and add it in. Ended up having to sync the audio manually again, cause I'm an idiot who forgot to check my audio before recording, so forgot! 🤦
He groomed her too. He wanted her to sing on a song on his album and that’s how he got his foot in the door spending all that time with her, then they performed at Jingle Balls together that year. He’s a piece of work.
The fact that she released this song when she was the age John Mayer was during their relationship… Something about that is really devastating to me? Because I had a similar relationship when I was 22 and the dude was 32. And there’s a world of difference between 19 and 22, but when I turned 32 and thought back on how he treated me… Yeah, it really feels like this. This feeling of ‘How could you NOT know better?’ John Mayer wrote a song in response to “Dear John” and it somehow makes him seem even worse. Every line screams gaslighting (in the sense of trying to make someone feel crazy/stop trusting their perceptions). At least to me. Speak Now is such a great album. I’m pretty sure that’s the one she wrote entirely solo, no cowriters. …huh, according to youtube, I got here 23 seconds after you posted this…
I made the mistake of going to the Genius page for the Paper Doll lyrics. The annotations are reaching. It sadly shows just how casually misogynistic people can be.
ปีที่แล้ว +5
Hahaha I messed up the recording again and had to manually sync the music with the video. So, I ended up heading to bed at 1.30 am in the end, but that did include 30 minutes of Baldur's Gate 3, cause that game is my everything at the moment and I'm loving it 😅 So, considering I'm now awake and lost my spot in the bed to my kids, at 6am, I'm working on that sleep still 🤣 But wow! The more I learn about John, the more of a dick he sounds like. 😡
This song broke me. Thinking back to her at 19 with a 32 y/o and if she did in fact”give him her innocence” a girl/woman never forgets that and being with someone who should have known better smh my heart breaks for baby Taylor. John makes my stomach turn smh. Love your honest reactions 🫶🏻
When there is a big age difference in a relationship, the older person is usually manipulative and sometimes narcissistic. When men or women consistently date younger, they aren't looking for an equal partner, but someone they can control. They can also more easily pressure the younger person to do things they don't want to do or that goes against their character. The sad thing is they can usually find another young one to replace when their current interest gets wise.
I still get chills every time I listen to dear John, especially after seeing the tour live. “I’m shining like fireworks OVER your SAD empty town” just hits different in this version 😅
Update: the chills actually happen as soon as she says Don’t. Look. Now. And I absolutely adored seeing your face light up when the fireworks happened ❤
This song to me gives a prime description of a narcissist to me. She talks about walking on eggshells, and a person with a huge ego who is always talking about their achievement and not caring about yours. They manipulate, and intentionally preying/grooming someone who's a lot younger than him and less experienced and taking advantage of that. You never know each day what you are going to get from this person -- what mood they will be in. They sabotage your happiness intentionally to hurt you and things are fine until they're not. The good times with this person won't last. Often these people disguise themselves so it's hard to recognize them especially in the beginning when they are love bombing. Once they have you into a relationship then comes the abuse. It's important to know the red flags. She also talks about self-doubt and thinking that it's your fault instead of theirs. They pray on empathic people. Then she talks about the smear campaign they go on against their Ex's by always playing the victim especially to their new target. They have the most tragic effect on a person whom they are abusing causing "tired lifeless eyes". In other words creating trauma. Taylor's a strong women and you can hear throughout her discography how much experience she has with these terrible people.
The fact she looks SO young singing Dear John, and the song was written and recorded a year-ish before the tour speaks volumes. She was too damn young for his bullshit .
My fiancé suggested marjorie the album version he said it was the first one he heard me listening to that made him go oh wow the production on this is really cool. (It has a recording of her grandmother in it and is about loss it made me bawl at Eras Taylor cried during it. It’s really lovely). He said fellow Swifty widower to another lol he wanted to make that rec.
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Hahaha tell him thanks! I'll check it out as soon as I can!
I was 17 and he was 30... this song very much effects me when I hear it.
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*hugs* Hope you're managing ok! And don't hesitate seeing a therapist if you need it. I dragged my feet for a long time before I saw one when I needed it the most. Probably still could use one from time to time and I'm back to dragging my feet. Mental health is important!
@BjornBrorsson ty for caring about my mental health. I'm 43 now, so I've had alot of time and therapy over the years to get thru the damage. I'm very happy to know you're taking care of urself as well
@ truthfully, it’s what I have always told our (older) children; whether it be your partner, your teacher, a police officer, your friend, no matter the colour of their skin, their financial situation, the language they speak. We are all human, check your own conscience. Don’t be a d*ck.
Dear John has that similar JM (rip) guitar from Gravity... would've, could've, should've hurts because I know too many women whos girlhoods were stolen. Mine included. Thank you for exploring! Taylor is SO good at reflection and can teach you about perspective and how that changes everything. Great video thanks for sharing!
I really wish there was a video of her performing Would’ve, Couldve, Shouodve because the contest in her age & maturity is so vastly obvious. To her credit, she did ask her fans not to go harass someone over something that happened a million years ago.
Your wife and I say the same thing about this young poet! She just keeps shakin’ off the critics who doubt her.
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Great minds think alike! Speaking of shaking it off, maybe it's time for that one soon.... I've obviously heard it a lot of times over the years (it's been everywhere since it came out after all), but I've never LISTENED to it.... 😅
for your next reaction you should listen to ‘Ronan’ from RED(taylor’s version) album. It’s one of the saddest songs i’ve heard but the story is so beautiful and touching. She wrote it in memory of a 4 year old boy who died of cancer
Taylor has grown and evolved in all her skill sets over the course of her career, so her more recent stuff if generally better than her earlier work. Considering how good she was in the beginning and how awesome she is now...they may need to expand superlatives to find an adjective to describe her in another decade or two. The woman doesn't rest on her laurels and coast on past success. She works hard and earns everything she gets. It makes it harder for me to criticize her older stuff like Dear John when i recall that she was only 20 for that performance. It's awesome for 20. It's way better now, though. I would hate to have my early attempts at anything judged harshly for not being as good as my latest attempts. After all, most of us try to improve over time. That's how it's supposed to work. We don't expect little league baseball players to beat MLB players. But somehow, some people actually expect artists to perform perfectly out of the gate at something no one has ever done before. The rules of baseball have been the same for a long time, but we allow that athletes can improve even then. These songs didn't exist until she created them, so only she really knows when she's perfected the performance. I love that she lets these pieces evolve with her, so they're never "perfect." I think it's why she sometimes even switches genres for the songs. There are different live versions of several songs now, including some early country and pop songs done in harder rock or hip hop styles with more intense sound and sometimes more sophisticated arrangements (including a wider vocal range). I think you will love that. It's the advantage of her starting out very simple, with good writing and a strong melody line that can be played on one instrument, like a piano or guitar. That way, she can dress it up or strip it down to give a different nuance or effect and not really lose anything.
You should check out Marjorie at some point. It’s a powerful song with an amazing video and beautiful lyrics. It’s a tribute to someone who was very special in her life. :)
After what he did to Jessica Simpson and hearing his disrespectful remarks about women, I stopped listening to his music. Then finding about this when it happened, I knew I made a sound decision. At 32, he knew exactly what he was doing, and it sickens me. 😢
Just found your channel - I'm loving these videos and am so happy you did these 2 songs together! I recommend the song State Of Grace (Taylor's Version) - it's from the same album as We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, but leans much more soft rock. That album (Red) is all about the ups and downs of a breakup, and was the bridge between her country and pop sound, so it's very sonically diverse. You might also like Eyes Open (Taylor's Version) that she did for the Hunger Games soundtrack. If you want a much older one, Should've Said No from her first album is rockier, too. She did a mashup of that and Bad Blood on her Reputation Stadium Tour that's worth a watch. Another recommendation - and it's a huge fan favorite with exceptional instrumentals and lyrics - Enchanted (Taylor's Version). This one is from the same album as both Dear John and Haunted. She did a live mashup of Enchanted and Wildest Dreams that fans love, too. This is about meeting someone for the first time and being totally enchanted by them, hoping that you'll see them again. Finally, one from folklore: peace. I personally recommend the studio version over the Long Pond sessions as I think the fuller instrumentals really add to it, but they're both great. That one is about her fears that the media/her crazy life will destroy a sacred relationship, and asking if her partner thinks being with her is worth all the trouble.
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Thank you so much! So many great recommendations! 😍
He treated her like a thing to use and throw away. I think he has somewhat reconciled as best they can. He appeared at her bff’s stadium show as a fill in. Ed Sheeran & Taylor must’ve had a convo about it.
Just the fact that John was opening for Ed is the biggest burn. Back when they dated, John was a hugely famous guy and Taylor was the new girl on the country music scene. She admired his music and idolized him. Fast forward to her Red Tour, and she gave Ed, a UK singer/songwriter who was yet unknown in the US, his big break by having him open for her on tour. Now she is on the biggest tour in history, Ed is doing his own massively successful tour, and John...well, he's opening for Ed. Karma sure tracked him down.
@@madwoman_at.thelakes That’s some meta stuff! The guy who burned her ends up opening for the guy who opened for her! KARMA: Ask me what I earned from all those tears ($$$) Ask me why so many fade, but I’m still here (dear John… do tell)
Taylor had a bad habit of falling this hard in love when the relationships only lasted 3-4 months. I’m so happy she seems to be in a good and healthy relationship!
The fact that John hasn’t been cancelled for emotionally abusing so many famous women in Hollywood but since he’s so “talented” and apparently good looking people refuse to believe all his victims lol. Jessica Simpson wrote about him in her memoir about how he destroyed her mind with his emotional abuse.
ปีที่แล้ว +4
My wife showed me a small clip of his music. Didn't seem that talented to me. Cancel his ass either way, I say!
I was just thinking that I would have loved to see a documentary where his victims get to tell their stories and he is once and for all destroyed. A part of me thinks that we already would have had that documentary if he hadn't been white, but maybe thats just my political depression talking.
Imagine someone writing the lyric, “ I regret you all the time” about you and really meaning it.
I always think of the Lewis Capaldi son “forget me” and how he says that forgetting him is the worst and I was like bet. 😂
I once told a guy I was leaving that he was the worst thing that ever happened to me but he was just confused. I doubt the subject of that lyric had any more of an impact than my ex did 🙄
Yes I can imagine it
@@emcee5922 You saying ur ex is worse then a man that was 32 who dated 19 year old Taylor, groomed her and manipulated her?
imagine your daughter singing “give me back my girlhood it was mine first” that is STRONG and sad af.
As someone with a 5yr old daughter (and 7yr old son), it's unfathomable. If someone did that to them, I wouldn't know what to do
I have a 13 yo son and I picture him being so wrecked by someone in only 6 more years. Kinda puts violence in my heart. 😭😂
I think this was her mother's motivation in "accusing her of losing her mind." She wasn't really questioning her daughter's sanity, she knew this relationship was wrong, she saw all the red flags, and yet was powerless to do anything about it because Taylor was legally an adult. Taylor's mom is her best friend and biggest confidant and still attends every one of her shows (along with her dad). We love Mama Swift!
@@madwoman_at.thelakes Uhhhh my heart.
@@madwoman_at.thelakes yes! i love her too! i keep wondering how hard that mustve been on her family
From "I should've known" to realizing actually the blames on him with "You should've known."
The man knows NOT to pause during her bridges! (Quick learner!)
I try my best! 😅 solos in general is the same rule. Don't pause in the middle of them. And if you do, go back and start over from before they begin! 😅
@this is a man who clearly respects the music…no matter what genre! Otherwise you would not think of these details! Respect!
@@lorihenrytaylor4438 🥰🥰🥰
A man of culture 😁
I love how in Dear John the guitar sounds just like how John Mayer plays! I’ve said before, if you’re age starts with a three, leave the nineteen year olds alone.
100%. I find it hard to believe there's no manipulation in place when the age difference is that great. Obviously it's not a blanket thing, but in general, it's probably true
The guitar is almost like a concentrated John Mayer-like sound. VERY deliberate!
Yes! You've said it all!
"shining like fireworks over your sad empty town" because he's the Mayor 😂 honestly I've always loved his music, his guitars are iconic, which is makes the fact she uses his sounds for dear John. These are both in my top 10 Taylor songs, they're so powerful and sad and meaningful because most girls have been there, and now we're grown women, it still haunts us, it leaves a permanent mark and trauma, which is why I don't blame her for writing him another song 12 years later when she hit his age. It's mind-blowing.
Unfun fact: John went on a whole lot of interviews trying to downplay everything and "erase them" as Taylor said it in her song. He also said that Dear John was "cheap" songwriting, but then wrote "paper dolls" about Taylor and the song is literal garbage
Nothing about these 2 songs are cheap 🤯 such a douche he sounds like.
Let’s talk about the “why you no love me” pathetic lyric. He had so much nerve to insult her own game?!
Ok cmon paper doll is smart asf not mentioning anything that could be directly linked to her if not for ridiculous speculation, like she literally smashes his name in the title.
@@lucaskopke6886 In what World is paper doll smart?
@lucaskopke6886 You clearly don't know much about what your talking about so let me educate you a little here:
○ "You're like 22 girls in 1" -> Taylor released the song 22 just before that
○ "Fold a scarf moroccan red" -> taylor just released the album red, with the song "all too well" that got massive amounts of praise and the very first Verse is about a scarf
○ "none of them know what they're running from" -> "run as fast as you can" ...
○ "if none of those angel wings can fly, I'll paint you another sky" -> "you paint me a blue sky, then go back and turn it to rain" ... need I say more
That's not over analyzing, he literally takes lines from her song and answers to them. Even if you want to call it "over analyzing", it doesn't make paper doll even remotely smart. It sounds horrible, the "music Video" ,or whatever that was where this poor lady makes a fool of herself for 3 minutes, is bad.
“I feel like someone should be behind bars for this” 😂 you have become a TRUE Swiftie my friend
Even with him having 13 years on her, she eclipsed his talent, fame, and status thousands of times over. “YoUr BodY iS a woNderLaNd” COULD NEVER
A line that really hits me is "if clarity's in death then why won't this die?" because I think it's talking about the fact that even if you have analysed a situation and feel like you have fully intellectually understood what happened to you, the feelings don't always go away.
Interestingly, John Mayer has a song titled “Clarity” (released 2003) where the theme of the song is about someone who has been weighed down by worrying about something or things, but has now woken up this morning calm and unburdened and free. The closing chorus of the song has another shared reference… this time to Dear John:
“And I will wait to find
If this will last forever (yeah)
And I will wait to find
That it wont, and it won't and it won't
And I will pay no mind
Worried 'bout no RAINY WEATHER (yeah)
And I will waste no time
Remaining in our lives together”
the thing that just makes me feel so physically sick about the situation is that taylor’s lucky number famously is 13, and their age gap is 13 years so she probably saw it as some great sign when they got together. it just breaks my heart
she was not the only one who suffered in his manipulative hands, jessica simpson and katy perry are unfortunately on the list as well. i HATE the guy he’s everything a woman doesnt need in her life!
Sounds like a man who should spend some time behind bars and rethink his behaviour 🤬
@ Yeah, the stuff Jessica Simpson wrote about him in her book is disturbing. Not only manipulative but very stalkerish, like getting in close with her family to use them to get what he wanted from her. Horrible, horrible man.
And Jennifer Love Hewitt I believe
@ John Mayer is on record (Rolling Stone & Playboy) for completely debasing women in some in-depth articles. His whole approach is horrible.
Jennifer Anniston too. He’s awful.
I’m so glad you understood these songs so well- so many men write them off so quickly to be “over dramatic”. I loved that you acknowledged that there are a lot of people whom this song speaks to deeply. I’m one of them and cannot NOT bawl my eyes out every time I hear them, anyone who says these songs aren’t masterpieces are insane.
Taylor was 19, and John Mayer was 32 or 33. One of the best parts of the song, I think, is at the end when she finally says, "You should've known." Since throughout the song, she kept blaming herself.
Saw an ad on a Billboard into town for a concert he's doing here. Me and my wife both booed it loudly
@🤘🤘🤘
❤
A little additional context for WCS: Taylor wrote this song with Aaron Dessner after the 2021 Grammys (where they won AOTY for Folklore). John Mayer also performed at the event, and she had to sit there in the audience and watch him. They probably hadn't been in the same room in over a decade. That experience likely brought a lot of these old wounds to the surface, acting as the inspiration for this song.
I did not know that! It makes a lot of sense to me now. I developed PTSD-symptoms when I came face to face with an abuser I hadn't seen in years, and it was very strange and kind of hard to come to terms with how that encounter hobbled me for months when the abuse at the time did not have the same effect.
I’m still REALLY pissed off at the organisers of that event for having John perform when Taylor was likely to win AOTY - when they KNEW what he’d done to her. But, then, maybe if they hadn’t, we wouldn’t have the masterpiece that is Would’ve. I hate to think, though, that this event could have brought back all the feelings to a point where all the growth her & Joe had worked through suddenly flipped & caused their breakup.
This is for predators! Stay away from young girls. Thanks for your reaction! Really love it!
Yeah! All predators can f... off. Great message, that I fully support!
They were in a relationship when she was 19 and he was 32, so when the relationship ended and she saw how he had manipulated her and how wrong it was that he was willing to be in a relationship with someone that young. She wrote the song Dear John, as the lyrics called him up (a 19 year old was the one that called him out and not his older exes), his ego got hurt and made a lawsuit against her 😂 and wrote her a song called Paper Doll. Now that she is 32, wrote the second song and it's the track 19 of the album (´cause she's a mastermind lol), reflecting it wasn't that she shouldn't know, the problem was that him as an adult accept being with someone that younger and manipulated her having so much advantage, grooming her and knowing that he was her idol. Love both songs, the first always give me chills, but the second makes me almost cry thinking that this situation is so common and they always blame it in the young girl, not the grown man. Love your reactions, hope you're enjoying this journey! You are in it for a surprise! Greetings from México!
the lawsuit thing is bogus, he never did that. i hate that rumor because it's factually untrue.
The “my mother accused me of losing my mind” part is sad, but so much more upsetting and heartbreaking and (regrettably) relatable (as a daughter) when it’s followed up with “but I swore I was fine”.
also dear john has the melody and instrumental very similar to john’s style of music! she is smarter than you think. she took his biggest hit “gravity” for inspiration and irony, if you listen to his song you can kinda hear it
THIS. She told us this year, she’s a mastermind.
Would've Could've Should've is the first time I ever heard anyone articulate how I felt about one of my relationships. I was so ashamed of that time in my life before I heard that song, not anymore.
As a SA victim I cried with your reaction to the last song. You are the first man I see saying the right things about the lyrics. Thank you ❤
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I'm sorry to hear! Hoping you're finding/have found a way to deal with your trauma and are able to be the strong person you are!
And I don't think there are any right things to say in a situation like that. There are less good things, but not sure someone without first hand experience of it could or should try to understand how that will affect a person. All we can do is be there and support those who have.
Thanks for watching the video! ❤️
These two songs just hit so hard. Dear John, when she was fresh out of that relationship when she was still raw from that trauma and then WCS, when she was the same age that he was at the time and her looking back and having lived through that trauma and seeing how wrong and twisted that whole 25:08 situation was. Even in WCS she talks about how the media and critics portrayed her as the corrupter “If I was some paint did it splatter on some promising grown man” when she was still essentially a child and the grown ass man was the groomer.
Such a powerful line. The ridiculousness of societal standards where, no matter the age: man are the promise figure(generally speaking). Like you said, the blame was put on her as if she had stained his promising career, regardless if her career was strongly and steadily going up. 🤦🏻♀️
Imagine playing your most famous song “gravity” and being reminded every time of one of the biggest hits and one of the most acclaimed songs specifically written to burn you
Wait that really happened to him?
@@Rocio.Suarez if you notice, the style of the song is very purposefully made to sound like gravity so every time he plays it as his concerts he’s gonna be reminded of this song
That’s pretty gangsta - go, girl!
As someone who’s gone through an abusive relationship (15 - 18) he was (18 - 21) these songs really stab through my heart. Especially the girlhood line, I ALWAYS cry
❤️❤️❤️
As a long-time Swiftie, those fireworks bring tears to my eyes every time. Doesn't matter how many times I see it.
This is a sledgehammer of a song. All too well is, in many ways, more savage because of it’s subtlety. In both cases she spatchcocked the subject of the song. She killed them, cut them in half, flattened them and then threw them on the flames. Both songs are examples of a lyrical songwriting genius right at the peak of her power.
And then came back and wrote “would have could have should have”
Ryan Tedder calls her a song writing savant and he is not wrong.
Thank you for giving Would've Could've Should've the respect it deserves. That song has played a massive part in my healing journey, in teaching me that I can mourn the part of me he took AND be absolutely full of rage that I have to do it at all. Lots of love man, enjoy the concert when it comes around
If you haven't yet, I'd recommend comparing the original All Too Well with the updated ten-minute version. Absolute perfection. Enjoy the journey!
Working towards it! Trying to cover a little bit more ground first, but in a week or two maybe 😉
I’ve only heard this song since I started listening (post Kelce). Seeing her do it live brings home just how young she was.
Yeah this one gives me the chills and makes me sob every time. With the lyrics of this and Dear John I'm afraid to know what kind of mental abuse he subjected her to, and the power imbalance.. not only was she a fucking teenager (I think the "if I was a child did it matter/ if you got to wash your hands" line points out how he was obviously a predator but she was not legally underage), but she idolized him long before they met.
I am two years younger than her, and I recognize the kind of delayed trauma that occurs when I look back at some of the relationships I had in my teens and early 20s. I didn't really see the abuse for what it was when it happened, and mostly wish my older and more experienced brain could let it be. The tomb won't close.
Also: "fight with you in my sleep" gives me strong PTSD-vibes.
Yeah, POWERFUL lyrics! 🤯❤️
Same. So much same. ❤
This bridge makes me cry every time. That “give me back my girlhood it was mine first” just hits so hard. Having passed trauma from an abusive ex at a youngish age (I wasn’t 19 but 23) it just hits so hard. I think these songs are so powerful because it wasn’t just that a 32year old grown ass man messed with a 19yr old girl it’s also what dick he was afterwards and accepting near zero accountability for his actions in the whole thing and down playing it. I think that’s why would’ve could’ve should’ve hits so hard.
I know this came out a month ago, but i was just watching it for like the tenth time while reading the comments & i don't think anyone mentioned that in a 2022 interview, Aaron Dessner was being interviewed & he was working with both Taylor & Ed Sheeran at the time (Taylor really encouraged Ed to do the collab as it was so impactful on her during folklore) & they asked if he could comment on any of the songs & this is pretty close to his quote "There's one i did with Taylor called Would've Could've Should've that may be my favorite song I've written to this point. I won't say what she wrote the lyrics about cuz that's her story to tell but we had a session in LA RIGHT AFTER THE FOLKLORE GRAMMYS (EARLY 2021) & it just seemed to write itself. It's very emotional & i love the arrangement. I think people will really react to that song" Aaron was very careful with his wording here but two things simultaneously would have been happening at this point in Taylor's life-1) She was rerecording Speak Now, which would have been bringing up a lot of JM emotions, then on top of that, John Mayer was a guest guitarist in one of the Grammys performances on the stage very close to Taylor's table. I don't think it's ANY coincidence that they were in the studio the next day because she probably had GET THAT SHIT OUT a la All To Well EXORCISE THE DEMONS style of writing in her head & the main vocals were recorded that same day! It's fair to say some shit cane up for Taylor & when they were done you just know she looked at Aaron after screaming those lines-"This can't go on the standard edition-it'll be the only thing anyone talks about!" I mean the childish high pitched vocals of "it was mine first!" How many times did she have to do it before there weren't tears! (Oh, & PS-he was just a really bad influence on Tay, manipulative, condescending & encouraging drinking, partying, pushing drugs at her-the innocence lost from seeing am idol like that is what lost her her girlhood so she wasn't this wide eyed optimist anymore. She's been clear on what the All Too Well scarf represents & losing ones innocence & ones virginity are very different things for girls that age! Anyway, i just thought you might enjoy a little more behind the song lore! Loved this again!
Thank you so much for this! Love learning more about these things.
Also can't believe it's been a month already! Really need to edit the one I recorded 5 days ago...
@ We would love that, but do it when you can! Don't burn yourself out friend!
“I don’t know what to say, I just feel like fuck you man” I COULDNT AGREE MORE. When I first heard this song it genuinely broke my heart, because I know how she felt and feels now
I was lucky enough to see this song at the Eras tour, night 2, Minneapolis. It was magical.
SAME
Oh you are LUCKY
Can confirm it was amazing and probably one of the most shocking experiences.
Dear John or SWC??
@@ZiaZia121Dear John
Bro was in IN FLAMES live got my whole respect and sub
Watching the live performance always makes Dear John hit harder. She was SO young and you can see the pain in the performance.
An interesting fact about the second song. She mentions Would've and Could've a bunch and not so much Should've. People believe its because all of the Should've is in Dear John.
Ahhhh I'm so happy you took my suggestion! Thank you for really paying attention to the lyrics, they mean so much to me. Taylor Swift has this way of being able to succinctly say what so many women feel about things in their life, and Would've Could've Should've is a song I didn't know I needed until I heard it. Being able to intellectually process what happened to you and know that your abuser was in the wrong, but still feeling a little culpable for your own pain because you loved him and you wanted him in your life. She way she takes "I should've known" from Dear John and turns it into "now that I know, I wish you'd left me wondering" is so incredible. She SHOULDN'T have had to know, but she was curious what being with this older famous man would be like and now her regret isn't that she should have known, just that he answered her questions and the reality of it was devastating.
"If I was some paint did it splatter on a promising grown man?
And if I was a child did it matter, if you got to wash your hands?"
Really sums up so much. He feels that she ruined his reputation by writing Dear John about him, and people took his side without actually listening to the lyrics - just including his name in the title was bad enough for people to feel sorry for this grown man and not for the teenager who was groomed by him. But in the end he came out unscathed because he could wash his hands of the situation and relationship and trivialize the whole thing, but she was just a child and can't get rid of the scars he left behind. He got to move on, and she can try but she never fully will.
I am loving this series.!!!
Dear John always made us rage for her, and Would've Could've Should've is just gut-wrenching. releasing it at 32, and making it track 19 is just the level of petty mastermind we love for her.
Have you given All Too Well a listen yet? I recommend the live performance of it from Saturday Night Live if you are up for 10 minutes of lyrical prose.
Wow. You didn’t even really need to say anything, just watching your face was enough. My favorite lyric is “Now that I know, I wish you’d left me wondering”. Maybe you have to be a woman for it to really resonate, but that made a lot of (sad) sense to me.
❤️
It actually made me tear up when you said that you are doing this for your wife because upcoming concert is important to her. It’s so precious I want to cry ❤😢
@@rayfshnaiderdashaaa850 Aww thanks
Get better soon ❤️
We will be here for you when it’s time ☺️✨
We will still be here whenever you’re able to return. This video and your authentically respectful, humble, empathetic reaction are a gift to my mental health. It’s clear from the comments I’m not alone in that. You’re the only reactor I’ve seen acknowledge the profound importance of this song existing for the people who need it. Thank you for putting out goodness & hope for us. I hope whatever you need finds you. We’ll be cheering you on from afar. 🌬️⛵️
@@habarnard ♥️♥️♥️♥️
The best part of Dear John is her use of the guitar riffs that sound eerily similar to his Gravity riff.
CSA survivor here. Thanks for your reaction. It’s healing for me.
@@charisleighmusic ❤️❤️❤️❤️
In the live she is literally a story telling. She doesn’t need a book to tell us the story, we can read her face and voice is enough to understand what she is telling us💜
Taylor had an idea to create a netflix series about her songs and folklore exactly
So glad you liked it! I am sure others have said already, but she was the same age making Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve as the famous guy was when they were dating, so you can definitely hear the perspective that brings. And yes, just a gut punch to hear the emotion still so present even after all this time.
Women don't forget these things. ❤
Metalheads unite for Tay Tay !!! Greetings from The Netherlands from an Nightwish/Sabato/Arch Enemy fan.
Those are some awesome bands! Did you see that Sabaton is going back to the studio next year?!
I love you for acknowledging those of us who relate to these lyrics firsthand. Thank you for your humanity.
Such a good lyricist… even tho it’s specific to her relationship,it’s relatable for most people
I've said this before, but that head nod at 14:42 is just so evil, and so awesome!!!
So many women go through this type of manipulation. So many. Make sure your daughters never know shame from your words or actions. That won’t protect them from harm. But it will make you someone they can trust when they need to ask for your help the most! ☮️💜
Kudos to Scott Swift for the restraint not to have killed the SOB. His career did suffer. At least that is something. She’s not the only one pulled this crap on. Jessica Simpson was older but he still played her.
Jennifer Anniston, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jessica Simpson too. All of them were pretty messed up by him, especially Jessica Simpson. She’s given interviews about what the long-term effects of that relationship were. Listen to his interview with Howard Stern about Jessica Simpson to hear just how utterly self-absorbed he was, how little he cared about the damage he had done.
The riffs are something John Mayer always does in his songs and she decided to make him mad cause she is hurt and he deserves it
I’m so glad you decided to do these! Yeah… the lyrics really speak for themselves I feel. When this was released she was absolutely dragged by him* and the media for “defamation”. Which is so unbelievable to think back on considering how far we’ve come in viewing these large age gap relationships between a young woman and older adult man (he was 13 years older I’m sure someone’s already commented that). If anyone reading the comments is interested, John did a playboy interview around the time they were involved and it is… quite telling and really horrible to imagine Taylor as one of his playthings
Generously sprinkled with Mayer-esque guitar licks.
Thank you for just being a good human!
YESSS I WAS WAITING FOR THIS ONE!!!! thank you thats exactly how you should’ve done! glad you enjoyed, doesnt it show she was always far from ordinary, even on her start, back in 2010 when speak now was released? of course she gets better and better but is remarkable to me how can a 19 year old write something this deep! and the live perfomance is indeed better than the album, she’s so teatrical! i’m living for your journeyhahahha and i keep with the hope that adult men listening to taylor and getting deep with the lyrics could make a lot of them better man!
I think it's up to opinion, which is better, I'm a sucker for the album version D:
They are both so great though :) (and the fireworks do add sooo much)
@@davisfinney7526 they were some great fireworks
Did you know Taylor was interested in musical theater before she started writing songs and learning the guitar? I think this is one of her more theatrical performances ever.
I can't listen to SWC without balling my eyes out. 7 yrs later I still struggle to let go and close the wounds. The regret is crippling. I'll regret him every single day of the rest of my life. I hope my tomb closes one day.
Important to note as well, when they dated he was 32 and she was 19- She then released would've could've should've when she was 32 and made it track 19 on the album.
A true master of symbolism ❤️
I respect you for saying what you said at the end. ❤
It had to be said! ❤️
Imagine being someones regret that many years later... you would feel like shit!
It speaks to me on levels that you can’t even fathom after thinking about how many women or people it speaks to to begin with. Every single word, except change 19 to 15, and every single word speaks to me. It’s, quite seriously, like she wrote my story in this song. And, that’s not all, since she’s speaking to John Mayer, and this is a follow up to dear John, my guys name is John too🤯 No lie 🤷🏻♀️ Taylor is an absolute beautiful GENIOUS 🥹💜🥹
I’m a huge metalhead myself, but I also love Taylor Swift, only modern day artist I like
also i was the one who said the “should’ve” on the midnights song was in dear john! the should was already there, she didnt need to say it again! shes a geniouuuss
Yes! Sorry, I forgot to screenshot it and add it in. Ended up having to sync the audio manually again, cause I'm an idiot who forgot to check my audio before recording, so forgot! 🤦
@ noooo problem i was just happy to know you’re invested and paying attention!
Love the channel name btw
Hahaha thanks! My gaming channel was called DadPlaysGames and my first name is the Swedish word for Bear. The rest wrote itself I guess
I will click on every one of your videos just to see the goat sing "Trouble"! LMAO!!!!!
It's such a fun meme 🥰
He groomed her too. He wanted her to sing on a song on his album and that’s how he got his foot in the door spending all that time with her, then they performed at Jingle Balls together that year. He’s a piece of work.
The fact that she released this song when she was the age John Mayer was during their relationship… Something about that is really devastating to me? Because I had a similar relationship when I was 22 and the dude was 32. And there’s a world of difference between 19 and 22, but when I turned 32 and thought back on how he treated me… Yeah, it really feels like this. This feeling of ‘How could you NOT know better?’
John Mayer wrote a song in response to “Dear John” and it somehow makes him seem even worse. Every line screams gaslighting (in the sense of trying to make someone feel crazy/stop trusting their perceptions). At least to me.
Speak Now is such a great album. I’m pretty sure that’s the one she wrote entirely solo, no cowriters.
…huh, according to youtube, I got here 23 seconds after you posted this…
Fantastic reaction, by the way! Hope you got some sleep after. :)
I made the mistake of going to the Genius page for the Paper Doll lyrics. The annotations are reaching. It sadly shows just how casually misogynistic people can be.
Hahaha I messed up the recording again and had to manually sync the music with the video. So, I ended up heading to bed at 1.30 am in the end, but that did include 30 minutes of Baldur's Gate 3, cause that game is my everything at the moment and I'm loving it 😅
So, considering I'm now awake and lost my spot in the bed to my kids, at 6am, I'm working on that sleep still 🤣
But wow! The more I learn about John, the more of a dick he sounds like. 😡
This song broke me. Thinking back to her at 19 with a 32 y/o and if she did in fact”give him her innocence” a girl/woman never forgets that and being with someone who should have known better smh my heart breaks for baby Taylor. John makes my stomach turn smh. Love your honest reactions 🫶🏻
When there is a big age difference in a relationship, the older person is usually manipulative and sometimes narcissistic. When men or women consistently date younger, they aren't looking for an equal partner, but someone they can control. They can also more easily pressure the younger person to do things they don't want to do or that goes against their character. The sad thing is they can usually find another young one to replace when their current interest gets wise.
The stained-glass windows line is also a reference to the old, converted church that John Mayer lived in when they were together as well
I still get chills every time I listen to dear John, especially after seeing the tour live. “I’m shining like fireworks OVER your SAD empty town” just hits different in this version 😅
Update: the chills actually happen as soon as she says Don’t. Look. Now.
And I absolutely adored seeing your face light up when the fireworks happened ❤
@@TheHayjay2013 it's such a great line! 😍
This song to me gives a prime description of a narcissist to me. She talks about walking on eggshells, and a person with a huge ego who is always talking about their achievement and not caring about yours. They manipulate, and intentionally preying/grooming someone who's a lot younger than him and less experienced and taking advantage of that. You never know each day what you are going to get from this person -- what mood they will be in. They sabotage your happiness intentionally to hurt you and things are fine until they're not. The good times with this person won't last.
Often these people disguise themselves so it's hard to recognize them especially in the beginning when they are love bombing. Once they have you into a relationship then comes the abuse. It's important to know the red flags.
She also talks about self-doubt and thinking that it's your fault instead of theirs. They pray on empathic people. Then she talks about the smear campaign they go on against their Ex's by always playing the victim especially to their new target. They have the most tragic effect on a person whom they are abusing causing "tired lifeless eyes". In other words creating trauma.
Taylor's a strong women and you can hear throughout her discography how much experience she has with these terrible people.
Been loving following your journey! Greetings from a fellow swiftie from Brazil, who's waiting for her tour date as well!
Hey, also from Brazil
When are you going?
The fact she looks SO young singing Dear John, and the song was written and recorded a year-ish before the tour speaks volumes. She was too damn young for his bullshit .
My fiancé suggested marjorie the album version he said it was the first one he heard me listening to that made him go oh wow the production on this is really cool. (It has a recording of her grandmother in it and is about loss it made me bawl at Eras Taylor cried during it. It’s really lovely). He said fellow Swifty widower to another lol he wanted to make that rec.
Hahaha tell him thanks! I'll check it out as soon as I can!
i loveeee watching your videos i hope you’re enjoying your swiftie journey
A person can’t really “listen” to Taylor Swift without indulging into the lyrics, they’d be missing out of getting her talent.
I was 17 and he was 30... this song very much effects me when I hear it.
*hugs*
Hope you're managing ok! And don't hesitate seeing a therapist if you need it. I dragged my feet for a long time before I saw one when I needed it the most. Probably still could use one from time to time and I'm back to dragging my feet. Mental health is important!
@BjornBrorsson ty for caring about my mental health. I'm 43 now, so I've had alot of time and therapy over the years to get thru the damage. I'm very happy to know you're taking care of urself as well
I’m a metalhead turned Swiftie too.
Don’t be a d*ck is perfect life advice.
Works for everything! 😅
@ truthfully, it’s what I have always told our (older) children; whether it be your partner, your teacher, a police officer, your friend, no matter the colour of their skin, their financial situation, the language they speak. We are all human, check your own conscience. Don’t be a d*ck.
Dear John has that similar JM (rip) guitar from Gravity... would've, could've, should've hurts because I know too many women whos girlhoods were stolen. Mine included. Thank you for exploring! Taylor is SO good at reflection and can teach you about perspective and how that changes everything. Great video thanks for sharing!
I lived this for 24 years and finally left! Narcissism at its best!
❤️❤️❤️
Also I don't know if anyone is pointed it out yet but the melody in dear John is very much reminiscent of the style of music that John is known for.
A great touch. Fuck John!
These are both rough to listen to. Would’ve should’ve could’ve has so many lines that can be applied to trauma in general and just means a lot to me.
I really wish there was a video of her performing Would’ve, Couldve, Shouodve because the contest in her age & maturity is so vastly obvious. To her credit, she did ask her fans not to go harass someone over something that happened a million years ago.
Your wife and I say the same thing about this young poet! She just keeps shakin’ off the critics who doubt her.
Great minds think alike!
Speaking of shaking it off, maybe it's time for that one soon.... I've obviously heard it a lot of times over the years (it's been everywhere since it came out after all), but I've never LISTENED to it.... 😅
@ it’s great fun, and a great message!
14:42 is everything . Sad and savage
If you are looking for another duo, you can do All to Well, and The Moment I Knew off Red.
the fire works and the song just brought me to tears
Absolutely correct, John Mayer deserves prison.
for your next reaction you should listen to ‘Ronan’ from RED(taylor’s version) album. It’s one of the saddest songs i’ve heard but the story is so beautiful and touching. She wrote it in memory of a 4 year old boy who died of cancer
Literally cannot listen to this song without crying so hard I almost throw up
Taylor has grown and evolved in all her skill sets over the course of her career, so her more recent stuff if generally better than her earlier work. Considering how good she was in the beginning and how awesome she is now...they may need to expand superlatives to find an adjective to describe her in another decade or two. The woman doesn't rest on her laurels and coast on past success. She works hard and earns everything she gets. It makes it harder for me to criticize her older stuff like Dear John when i recall that she was only 20 for that performance. It's awesome for 20. It's way better now, though. I would hate to have my early attempts at anything judged harshly for not being as good as my latest attempts. After all, most of us try to improve over time. That's how it's supposed to work. We don't expect little league baseball players to beat MLB players. But somehow, some people actually expect artists to perform perfectly out of the gate at something no one has ever done before. The rules of baseball have been the same for a long time, but we allow that athletes can improve even then. These songs didn't exist until she created them, so only she really knows when she's perfected the performance. I love that she lets these pieces evolve with her, so they're never "perfect." I think it's why she sometimes even switches genres for the songs. There are different live versions of several songs now, including some early country and pop songs done in harder rock or hip hop styles with more intense sound and sometimes more sophisticated arrangements (including a wider vocal range). I think you will love that. It's the advantage of her starting out very simple, with good writing and a strong melody line that can be played on one instrument, like a piano or guitar. That way, she can dress it up or strip it down to give a different nuance or effect and not really lose anything.
You should check out Marjorie at some point. It’s a powerful song with an amazing video and beautiful lyrics. It’s a tribute to someone who was very special in her life. :)
He definitely should! I swear sometimes I can't even think of that song without tearing up
@@nva4687 I knoww! Tugs at the heart strings for sure and so well written!
Im also a metalhead and got converted by Midnights. Seductive.
Easily happens!
"Don't be a dick." Best life advice ever.
Words to live by!
After what he did to Jessica Simpson and hearing his disrespectful remarks about women, I stopped listening to his music. Then finding about this when it happened, I knew I made a sound decision. At 32, he knew exactly what he was doing, and it sickens me. 😢
LOVED YOUR REACTION❤
Just found your channel - I'm loving these videos and am so happy you did these 2 songs together!
I recommend the song State Of Grace (Taylor's Version) - it's from the same album as We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, but leans much more soft rock. That album (Red) is all about the ups and downs of a breakup, and was the bridge between her country and pop sound, so it's very sonically diverse. You might also like Eyes Open (Taylor's Version) that she did for the Hunger Games soundtrack.
If you want a much older one, Should've Said No from her first album is rockier, too. She did a mashup of that and Bad Blood on her Reputation Stadium Tour that's worth a watch.
Another recommendation - and it's a huge fan favorite with exceptional instrumentals and lyrics - Enchanted (Taylor's Version). This one is from the same album as both Dear John and Haunted. She did a live mashup of Enchanted and Wildest Dreams that fans love, too. This is about meeting someone for the first time and being totally enchanted by them, hoping that you'll see them again.
Finally, one from folklore: peace. I personally recommend the studio version over the Long Pond sessions as I think the fuller instrumentals really add to it, but they're both great. That one is about her fears that the media/her crazy life will destroy a sacred relationship, and asking if her partner thinks being with her is worth all the trouble.
Thank you so much! So many great recommendations! 😍
He treated her like a thing to use and throw away. I think he has somewhat reconciled as best they can. He appeared at her bff’s stadium show as a fill in. Ed Sheeran & Taylor must’ve had a convo about it.
That appearance rubbed me the wrong way, I really hope they had a convo. We will probably never know.
Just the fact that John was opening for Ed is the biggest burn. Back when they dated, John was a hugely famous guy and Taylor was the new girl on the country music scene. She admired his music and idolized him. Fast forward to her Red Tour, and she gave Ed, a UK singer/songwriter who was yet unknown in the US, his big break by having him open for her on tour. Now she is on the biggest tour in history, Ed is doing his own massively successful tour, and John...well, he's opening for Ed. Karma sure tracked him down.
@@madwoman_at.thelakes That’s some meta stuff! The guy who burned her ends up opening for the guy who opened for her!
KARMA:
Ask me what I earned from all those tears ($$$)
Ask me why so many fade, but I’m still here (dear John… do tell)
Taylor had a bad habit of falling this hard in love when the relationships only lasted 3-4 months. I’m so happy she seems to be in a good and healthy relationship!
She very much deserves the fairy tale ending 😊
Of course you’ll become a swiftie. It is inevitable.
The fact that John hasn’t been cancelled for emotionally abusing so many famous women in Hollywood but since he’s so “talented” and apparently good looking people refuse to believe all his victims lol. Jessica Simpson wrote about him in her memoir about how he destroyed her mind with his emotional abuse.
My wife showed me a small clip of his music. Didn't seem that talented to me. Cancel his ass either way, I say!
I was just thinking that I would have loved to see a documentary where his victims get to tell their stories and he is once and for all destroyed. A part of me thinks that we already would have had that documentary if he hadn't been white, but maybe thats just my political depression talking.