Track-by-Track Analysis of Taylor Swift's Debut Album 'Taylor Swift'

It’s 2017 and Taylor Swift’s first album came out 11 years ago. It honestly feels like yesterday. Taylor Swift was just 16 years old when she released her first album, and it is made up of her most recent high school stories. Very relatable. The boyfriend that moves away, the heartbreak as your best guy friend talks about a girl he likes, and feeling out of place in a cruel world. We enter the world of a young Taylor Swift.

Tim McGraw

First released song on the album is an absolute jaw-dropper, peaking at number 6 on the Hot Country Songs Billboard. A song named after ANOTHER country singer? A bit confused, but maybe Taylor Swift was being strategic and genius. I think so. Grabbing the attention of her listeners by mentioning a famous counterpart, I’m in Taylor.  So the boy in the song. “Just a boy,” no, no, it’s never, “just a boy.” Relating Tim McGraw to a much bigger thing is what really makes this song unique. Taylor Swift gives Tim McGraw credit for her favorite song that she and her boyfriend danced to. The opener of the song gives the country vibe with the guitar, it just makes you want to get up and dance with some boy you really like.

Picture to Burn

We all know the kinds of guys that break up with a girl and have a new one the next week. This high-beat song is full of complaints and savageness. The uplifting tempo is accomplished through the banjo and drums, and when the chorus sets in, Taylor’s loud vocals and electric guitar give the song more character than I had anticipated. I wonder how many pictures Taylor has burned throughout her career!

Teardrop on My Guitar

DREW. I can’t believe he couldn’t tell Taylor was crushing hard. Little did he know, she would become a country star after releasing this song about him. We’ve all imagined ourselves with one of our best friends, right? Oh, the heartbreak when reality kicks in. As this is one of her first pop-country crossovers, a lot of people weren’t sure what to think. I thought that it was amazing and that Taylor was doing what she thought was best for the lyrical composition.

A Place in This World

High school is just a time for everyone to find a place for themselves, so this song fits perfectly in Taylor’s life and in every other high schooler’s life. Taylor is so blunt and I love it; "I don't know what I want, so don't ask me." I am impressed with Taylor’s ability to not mention a boy’s name, although she does continually refer to being alone. Taylor, it is okay to not have a boyfriend. 

Cold as You

I feel like this song really came from Taylor’s heart. When it starts out, I could envision it as a Carrie Underwood song, the soft piano and banjo lets off the country impression. Then once Taylor Swift starts singing, it’s time to figure out which boy she is referring to this time. Apparently, her feeling towards this boy are not the best and she tells us she has never been anywhere “cold as you.” This is not one of the songs that I can just remember off the top of my head, like many of her other songs. I guess I like to be warm and this song makes me cold.

The Outside

Taylor started writing this song at the age of twelve, you can imagine how she felt as her love for country music shied away from all the other sport-playing kids. She sings, “I tried to take the road less traveled by.” Referencing Robert Frost’s poem while giving a metaphor for her logic is admirable. Struggling with how to be liked by everyone, when she feels that she would never be accepted anyway. Middle school and high school are times where friends come and go and everyone can relate to this song during some point in their childhood.

Tied Together with a Smile

This song was written the day that Taylor Swift found out one of her friends was bulimic, and she was shocked. I easily could have thought this song was about every girl in high school feeling that they are not beautiful, but after learning this one fact I had to listen to this song several more times. The soft voice that Taylor uses throughout the song adds a bit of comfort and love that almost brought tears to my eyes. The verse, “Tied together with a smile, but you’re coming undone,” is the perfect way to say that someone may seem perfectly fine on the outside, but may be fighting something on the inside.

Stay Beautiful

This song is about Cory. I find it a bit interesting that she tells him to stay beautiful instead of something like stay handsome but I guess it just went along with the rhythm. This actually isn’t a breakup song where Taylor confesses her hatred towards the guy, but it gives a positive outlook on her future days and even the possibility of Cory being led back to her front door. “Cory finds another way to be the highlight of my day,” gives her fond memories of Cory as they part and go their separate ways.

Should’ve Said No

This is by far one of my favorite songs on her debut album. So upbeat and fun, as Taylor tells her cheating boyfriend that he “should’ve said no” to that girl that took her place. “Was it worth it?” was one of my favorite lines in the song as Taylor is just curious as to why he would make such a decision. A song dominated by electric guitar and drums brings us deeper into the pop-country world.

Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)

Mary’s Song is about Taylor Swift’s neighbors and their long-lasting marriage. I don’t remember listening to this song on the radio, but after listening to it, I really enjoy the story setting. This song starts out as the two kids are 7 and 9 all the way until they are old and married staring up at the stars. I love how the song doesn’t stay in one place for long, progressing the story quickly and effectively. This was not Taylor’s personal experience with a guy, but it was so detailed, it seemed as though it was.

Our Song

Here we go with another story-telling song, just a hint that there will be many more to come. This banjo based song was last on the album because of its lyrics, “play it again.” At every point during this song, there is a new scene developing in my mind. My absolute favorite one is, “I almost didn’t notice all the roses and the note that said…” going on to say the lyrics of the song. A song within a song, interesting but well-played. Let’s just take a minute to realize that this is not a break-up song! Absolutely beautiful.

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This is just a small glimpse into Taylor Swift's life as a young artist. Each track is its own story and together they create a magical storybook. Taylor's more recent albums 'Red' and '1989' are on the absolute other end of the spectrum, full of pop-y songs with more maturity in the lyrics. This is just the beginning.

CS