Although these songs were written over 10 years ago, the vault tracks from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) have a timeless touch to them that impacts listeners and fans alike in an incredible way. Many of these tracks pinpoint specific times and anecdotes from Taylor Swift’s life when she wrote them. She also featured artists like Fall Out Boy and Hayley Williams of Paramore on 2 tracks and explained that she chose them because they were her main source of inspiration and who she listened to at the time. The vault tracks of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) feel like a time capsule, bringing us throughout Swift’s life and songwriting process. We did a deep dive on them just for you guys and hope you’ll journey through the vault tracks with us below!
1. "Electric Touch" (feat. Fall Out Boy) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)
"Electric Touch" has a mix of guitar and drums that kick off the first of the vault tracks with a bang! The tempo is pretty quick, with imaginative lyrics and a vision that the listener can clearly picture in their head. "Electric Touch" also features Fall Out Boy on the track, whose vocals provide a raspy and rock like feel in addition to the song. Fall Out Boy’s performance mixed with Swift’s voice is a one-of-a-kind combination and makes this track angsty but still in the realm of a love song that fans will be sure to love for a long time!
2. "When Emma Falls in Love" (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)
“When Emma Falls In Love” is a beautiful track that starts off with slow piano notes and eventually builds up to medium tempo fusion of electric guitar and quicker-paced piano. The lyrics hint to what happens when a woman named Emma falls in love and how love has changed her and the world around her. Fans went wild when the title of this vault track was revealed, theorizing that this song is actually about Emma Stone. Stone and Swift have been linked as friends for over the course of many years, and fans believe that Taylor originally wrote this song when Emma got into her relationship with Andrew Garfield. Whatever the case is, this vault track is one that brings tears to our eyes over how sweet it is!
3. "I Can See You" (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)
“I Can See You” starts off with a funky beat that delves the listener into a picture painted by Swift herself. The bass and electric guitar carry the song as Swift sings about keeping her eye on a certain someone. Her voice is sultry and smooth, giving the illusion she’s flirting with and reveling in whoever she’s singing about. Swift’s voice and lyrics keep the song on a path of fun and seductiveness. Produced by Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff, this song has us wishing someone would write something like this about us!
4. "Castles Crumbling" (feat. Hayley Williams) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)
“Castles Crumbling” is a hauntingly beautiful song that utilizes metaphorical lyrics and a heavenly mix of instruments that quite literally transport the listener into the time period Swift and Williams are singing about. This song gives off a Medieval vibe, having us picture large castles, long flowy dresses, and quaint little towns. The track features the legendary Hayley Williams of Paramore on it, whose voice compliments Swift’s in the most perfect way. Their harmonies and melodies are soft and warm, creating a balance between the two singers that is unparalleled. This will definitely be one we have on repeat for a long time!
5. "Foolish One" (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)
“Foolish One” immediately starts off with some nice acoustic guitar and powerful lyrics that bring the reader into the story Swift is telling with her music. The song revolves around unrequited love and constantly wishing one day that the person the song is about would confess their love in a magical and grand sort of way. The voice in Swift’s head reminds her that she is not the exception to the rules of unrequited love, and that she is foolish for thinking so. This track is universal for anyone who has ever been on the bad end of an unrequited love situation-ship and hits us right in the feels!
6. "Timeless" (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)
“Timeless” not only ends the vault tracks but also the entirety of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Swift sings about a kind of love that never seems to fade and the idea of finding the same person in different lives. She pictures her and her muse of the song throughout different points of history and always being in love. Swift also pulled inspiration from different images of her grandparents in the lyric video, hinting the song was written about their love and relationship. This song ends the vault tracks perfectly and wraps the entire album in a metaphorical bow, making the songs Swift wrote at this point in her life an important stamp on history -- and for us -- timeless!
We hope you love these vault tracks as much as we did, and that the entirety of this new album was as perfect to you as it was to us. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is now available on all music streaming platforms. Happy listening!