Taylor Swift - "Mine"
By: Bobby Peacock
Taylor Swift is certainly a unique figure in country music. Her track record of prestigious awards and unbroken streak of consecutive Top 10 country hits (not to mention repeat visits to the upper tier of the Hot 100) are sometimes at odds with critical reception. Sure, she's generally a great writer; sure, she gives her mostly teenaged fanbase exactly what they want; but she never has been that great of a vocalist, and the chart run of nearly everything after "Our Song" has shown a super-fast burnout. (For instance: "Should've Said No" fell all the way to #29 on the country charts, and "Love Story" disappeared after only 12 weeks.)
Starting off with some stiff "ah ah ah"s and a backbeat sounding much like "Fearless," "Mine" is a continuation of the sound that Swift established with her first two albums. Yet again, it's a story about falling in love, no doubt culled from the seemingly endless stream of relationships she's had. But just when you think she's starting to repeat herself, "Mine" works its way into your head with its catchy, hooky melody. Of course, it doesn't hurt that there are a few more examples of her way with words, such as "you made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter." Not surprisingly, the hook of "you are the best thing that's ever been mine" gets inverted at the end: at first, she's saying it about him, but at the end, he has to leave for some unexplained reason and says the title hook back to her.
"Mine" isn't a perfect song, and it's really not terribly different from many of her other songs. While I would have liked to see her try something a little more out of the ordinary (like, say, maybe something she didn't write), and while the aforementioned burnout does suggest that at least a slight change-up may be in order, she's as least proven consistently strong at doing it her way. For better or for worse, she has her own musical niche, and "Mine" fits perfectly within it.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO PURCHASE iTunes MP3.
READER'S COMMENTS
Lindsay NEXT TAYLOR SWIFT says:
Posted: Sunday, November 7, 2010
HAHAHAHA i hope everyone knows they are gonna learn to love me bcuz im the next taylor swift soooo yeah i lovveee all my fans and to ppl who dont like me now when im famous dont try tto suck up then cuzz it aint gonna work....... *cough cough* Taylor Truslow *cough cough* thanks for reading this.... byeeeeee
rose says:
Posted: Wednesday, August 25, 2010
hahaha Marc i hardly doubt a majority of millionaires deprive their children of money. i agree with amy. this song sounds really fake. if she's having such a tough time with bills maybe she should put out good music to make money. cuz i will definitely not be spending ANY money on this piece of garbage song.
Marc says:
Posted: Sunday, August 22, 2010
Amy,
Not every child of 'millionaires' gets help from their parents. Lots of parents make sure their kids can make out on their own. I think it's rather comical that people assume people with money don't have the same worries and troubles as people without it do. Remember, money troubles are universal, despite one's income.
amy says:
Posted: Sunday, August 22, 2010
"What does being the child of a 'millionaire' have anything to do with her worrying about debts and bills?"-marc oh i dont know EVERYTHING?!?! haha. and it's really obvious too, if it was so relatable the song would be good. and it's not.
Sam says:
Posted: Sunday, August 8, 2010
Everybody ha to say bad things about Taylor becuase they think it's cool. But you know with all the records she sells some those are going to exact people who say these things dosnt that make them hipacrits. I heard her new single mine yestarday and I loved it. It reminded me of her first album which is the better of the two in my opinion and if sparks fly is on this album it's going to be another great album from somone who always prove the critics wrong. Go Taylor!
Kiss in Rain says:
Posted: Saturday, August 7, 2010
Just heard Mine on Los Angeles' top pop radio station, KIIS 102.7mHz. They are playing it at least once per hour. Problem is that I have to sit through Eminem, Beyonce, and Lady GaGa before I hear Taylor. It is wonderful that Taylor is played on Pop stations so that there is some good music to hear. Go Taylor!
Rick says:
Posted: Thursday, August 5, 2010
I guess this song proves all those reviewers wrong that thought Taylor's artistry would grow and mature as she ages. The characters in her song may be a bit older, but the song structure and style carries over from her previous two albums. Taylor's existing fan base will love it, but I don't see this bringing in many new people to the fold. I'd rather acquire Katy Perry music than this...
Pamela says:
Posted: Thursday, August 5, 2010
Well I'm loving the song.It's been stuck in my head all day!
Tori says:
Posted: Thursday, August 5, 2010
i cant stand taylor swift. she needs to stop pretending to be country. she is clearly "pop". once shes gone, so will all the fake "country fans"
granna says:
Posted: Thursday, August 5, 2010
Matt B......I would say the majority of her peers. Also, when you read her reviews it's always something like...the song is not that great but for her age, and song writing ability. How hard is it to write songs about the same thing?? Oh well, she's hear and there is nothing can be done to get rid of her from country music. Until the next IT comes along. Thank goodness for the mute button and channel changers. Matt, have you ever seen her in concert??
googling says:
Posted: Thursday, August 5, 2010
Some of her naysayers love to talke about her fast rise of the RADIO chart only for the SONG to fall down a little fast. What it all comes done to is that SINGLES are meant to SELL CD"S and SINGLES. Taylor has very consistent single and album sales so the fact that her songs fall kind of fast should really be great for her naysayers. Can you imagine what her sales would be like if she had longer radio run of her singles? I'm thinking her label doesn't push her hard on radio because they don't need to have her at the top for long because one thing's she's been more consistent at then ANYONE in ANY GENRE of music is overall ALBUM and SINGLE SALES. That is the bottom line. Who cares if a song stays in the top 5 for weeks if it's not helping to move ALBUMS and SINGLES? No one really. I'd prefer to be an artist like taylor. Have a hit and then keep sales of my product consistent. The music business would die if people only had had radio hits. If the hits aren't helping move sales then they are worthless to everyone but the artist but it doesn't put money in anyone's pocket if those hits don't move product. Fearless is still in the top 50 on Billboard and there hasn't been a strong hit in a while yet sales are still sustained. That's what you call a powerful artist, selling without pushing.
googling says:
Posted: Thursday, August 5, 2010
Some of her naysayers love to talke about her fast rise of the RADIO chart only for the SONG to fall down a little fast. What it all comes done to is that SINGLES are meant to SELL CD"S and SINGLES. Taylor has very consistent single and album sales so the fact that her songs fall kind of fast should really be great for her naysayers. Can you imagine what her sales would be like if she had longer radio run of her singles? I'm thinking her label doesn't push her hard on radio because they don't need to have her at the top for long because one thing's she's been more consistent at then ANYONE in ANY GENRE of music is overall ALBUM and SINGLE SALES. That is the bottom line. Who cares if a song stays in the top 5 for weeks if it's not helping to move ALBUMS and SINGLES? No one really. I'd prefer to be an artist like taylor. Have a hit and then keep sales of my product consistent. The music business would die if people only had had radio hits. If the hits aren't helping move sales then they are worthless to everyone but the artist but it doesn't put money in anyone's pocket if those hits don't move product. Fearless is still in the top 50 on Billboard and there hasn't been a strong hit in a while yet sales are still sustained. That's what you call a powerful artist, selling without pushing.
Matt B. says:
Posted: Thursday, August 5, 2010
Madison, Most of what's on country radio isn't 'country' the way it was when growing up. Granna, who's afraid to say anything against Taylor? Plenty of people have.
granna says:
Posted: Thursday, August 5, 2010
She is definitely not a country singer. She is a singer only because of technical help. Her cuteness is what got her where she is...not her talents. If another country artist did this repitious stuff, they would get blasted, but people are afraid to say anything against her.
Madison says:
Posted: Wednesday, August 4, 2010
But the question is whether it is country. I like the song, but I think that it belongs on pop radio more than it belongs on country radio.
LEAVE A COMMENT