Taylor Swift’s 10 Most Underrated Songs

By Krystal Adcock

September 17, 2018

In honor of going to see the Reputation Stadium Tour this weekend in New Orleans with my sister and daughter, I have dubbed this week “Taylor Swift Week” because it is considered a holiday in my family. This will be the fourth time I have seen Taylor perform live, and I still get more excited than a girl spinning in a brand new dress on New Year’s Eve to see her in concert.

Taylor has been performing throw-backs from her previous albums on this tour, and I have been reading article after article trying to figure out which ones she will perform at her New Orleans show. It would be impossible for me to narrow down a top 10 list of my all-time favorite songs of hers (although “All Too Well” is a definite front-runner); I tried once, and it made my head hurt worse than my college trigonometry class. Of course, every song is a hit in my opinion. I used to get up early on Sundays just to record “Tim McGraw” on the weekend countdown on the radio until I bought her first album. The only song of hers that I can’t listen to on a regular basis is “Ronan” because it may actually be the saddest song I have ever heard.

I am secretly hoping that TS will highlight at least one of the 10 Most Underrated Songs  (pre-reputation) in my opinion.

1. “All Too Well” –Red: It’s not a secret that “All Too Well” is a definite fan-favorite. This is song proves that Taylor is one of the best lyricists of all time. Every time I hear this song, I can feel the raw and honest emotion she pours into the song like it’s the first time I have ever heard it. It is brilliantly written! I really wish would have appeared on the radio, but I will settle for getting to hear it live in person.

“Time won’t fly, it’s like I’m paralyzed by it. I’d like to be my old self again, but i’m still trying to find it.”

2. “Forever & Always” (Piano Version) –Fearless: The original version of this song puts me in my feelings every time I listen to it, but the piano version makes my heart hurt even worse. “Forever & Always” is the epitome of what it is like to be dumped by your first love. It’s confusing, painful, and unforgettable.

“Cause I was there when you said forever & always.”

3. “Last Kiss” –Speak Now: “Last Kiss” exposes the real emotion immediately after a terrible breakup, especially one you never saw coming. These lyrics are haunting. At 4:26, you can hear Taylor’s voice tremble. The pain in her voice is heartbreaking and real. It gets me every time. You can’t make up that emotion.

“And I hope the sun shines, and it’s a beautiful day; and something reminds you, you wish you had stayed. You can plan for a change in the weather and time, but I never planned on you changing your mind.”

4. “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)” –Taylor Swift: This song is special to me because it chronicles a lifetime of being in love. It’s so sweet and so good!

“Take me back to the time when we walked down the aisle. Our whole town came and our mamas cried. You said, “I do,” and I did too.”

5. “Never Grow Up” –Speak Now: “Never Grow Up” is a song that sits somewhere between a lullaby and an anthem for me. I couldn’t wait to grow up and be an adult. It’s great being able to eat popcorn, cereal, or ice cream (or all three) for dinner if I want to, but adulthood is not all that it’s cracked up to be. Pay attention to this one, kids. I wish I could have stayed little just a while longer. My nieces love Taylor, and this is the latest song that I am teaching them.

“To you everything’s funny. You got nothing to regret. I’d give all I have, honey, If you could stay like that.”

6. “State of Grace” –Red: Many people were surprised when Taylor switched over to pop on her 1989 album, but I wasn’t. I have recognized elements of the pop genre on all of her albums, but “State of Grace” solidified it for me. This is the first song on Red, and it foreshadows what goodness is yet to come in Taylor’s career. The lyrics of this song are perfect, and I have a rock concert in my car every time it comes on! I didn’t get to see the Red tour live, so this is a song I would love to experience in person.

“And I never saw you coming, and I’ll never be the same.”

7. “The Best Day” –Fearless: “The Best Day” is such an incredible tribute to Taylor’s mother. This song is one of my all-time favorites, because it reminds me so much of  my late grandmother who raised me and my sisters. She worked daily to try to give us a normal childhood and be a mother to us. She passed away last October, and this song kept popping in my head as I was writing a speech for her funeral. It was only right for me to include these special lyrics. This song is everything!

“I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home.”

8. “This Love” –1989: I just love 1989. After this album came out, I was really concerned that I would never like another album of hers more than this one. “This Love” is not a song that I hear much about (critically or otherwise), but it is one of my favorites. I’d love to hear it live again.

“This love left a permanent mark. This love is glowing in the dark, oh.”

9. “Untouchable” –Fearless: The lyrics and melodies in this song are, in fact,  untouchable. It is beautifully written and one of my favorite tracks.

“Untouchable burning brighter than the sun.”

10. “You Are In Love” –1989: “You Are In Love” is a bonus track on the deluxe version of 1989. I wish this song would have been out in 2010, because it would have been my wedding song, for sure. It perfectly describes how true love is supposed to be. It’s perfect.

“You can hear it in the silence, silence. You can feel it on the way home, way home. You can see it with the lights out, lights out. You are in love, true love. You are in love.”

Taylor Swift catches a lot of crap for simply being who she is and writing songs that reflect her own experiences. It must take so much courage for her to lay her personal emotions out there for the world to see, and I admire her for that. The way she carries herself and cares about people inspires me to do the same.

Regardless of what the set-list is going to be Saturday night, I have been looking forward to this show for a very long time! I saved up for months to be able to purchase VIP tickets. Even though I will be sitting by myself in Pit C, I’m ready for it!