My love affair with Taylor Swift (I'm not sure why I always have to use her full name, it just seems odd to call her Taylor or Swift) started this summer. I've always indulged in a little "Our Song" or "Love Story" on occasion by watching YouTube videos, but this summer I created a Taylor Swift Radio Station on Pandora. And it was wonderful. I realized that Taylor Swift has a lot more talent than people give her credit for. She's a great lyricist. She's witty, sentimental, emotional, and most importantly, she's a brilliant story teller. She may not be the greatest singer or guitar player, but it's pop music. It's not supposed to save the world. And in a day and age of pop stars-gone awry, Taylor Swift remains cool and level-headed. While Miley Cyrus misbehaves, Taylor Swift sings about feeling alone in her new apartment, putting her nightlight on, and wishing she'd never grown up. I have to admit, I resonate more with Taylor Swift.
To me, Taylor Swift is a modern day Jane Austen, which might seem like I'm overselling her writing skills. But Taylor Swift captures the modern day romance much as Austen captured the courtships and relationships of early 1800s England. I'm not saying that 200 years from now, people will be sitting in book clubs reading and analyzing her lyrics, but she does have a way of appealing to the female psyche much like Austen. Her songs are deeply personal and I always appreciate that she can be so honest with millions of listeners.
-Jayne W. Orenstein
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