Break-up songs are often wrought with anger and profanities. This one has those things. But it also tries to take the bitter edge off with that old country stand-by: late-night beer drinking.

Whether or not Post Malone and Morgan Wallen are close in real life or not, I have no idea. But they’re buddies in their song “I Had Some Help,” as they both look back on failed relationships.

They’re willing to take some blame for their failures, but definitely not all of it.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Friendship and a willingness to admit some mistakes are two of the most positive elements found in Malone’s May release.

While it is clear both Malone’s and Wallen’s characters are embittered by their romantic partners leaving them, the goal of the song is not to blame the other but rather share the burden of blame. Both sing in the chorus, “It ain’t like I can make this kind of mess all by myself.”

Malone knows his ex is talking badly about him (“You’re tellin’ all your friends that I’m crazy”), but he expects her to own her faults, too (“Like I’m the only one”). Wallen sings, “I ain’t an angel, you ain’t heaven-sent.”

While neither of these guys are saints themselves, acknowledging a shared burden of fault rings close to the biblical principle of taking the log out of your own eye before removing the speck from your friend’s. Malone touches on this truth in the first verse as well, singing, “Why’d you throw them stones if you had a wild hair of your own or two?”

The video shows the two helping each other process their emotions, Wallen even helps Malone off the ground after he gets thrown out of the bar.

CONTENT CONCERNS

And speaking of that bar, alcohol solves problems here … at least if you believe the song. It’s a time-honored country cliché, and one that Malone’s willing to embrace in this song.

The video shows both Malone and Wallen drinking heavily. Malone smokes, too. In Malone’s case, we can assume his choices have something to do with the frustrating phone call he received at the beginning of the video.

The drinking continues. And three young women driving by seem glad to see the two artists intoxicated and without any romantic partners.

Indeed, they confess that they’ve “been deep in every weekend if you couldn’t tell.”

The chorus also suggests that these guys’ alcohol habits were fueled in part by their romantic partners’ enablement: “Don’t act like you ain’t help me pull that bottle off the shelf.”  

While Malone and Wallen could’ve leaned into the song’s theme of admitting your own faults, their solution in the bridge is the exact opposite. The burden of blame is shared, but in an ever-embittered way, as Malone sings, “Baby, you blame me and baby, I blame you.”

Ultimately the two have no intention of forgiving any time soon, Wallen singing, “Can’t wash our hands of this.”

As for the profanities I mentioned, we hear one s-word and three uses of “h—” (in a repeated line in the chorus).

TRACK SUMMARY

Malone and Wallen debuted this much-anticipated track at the Stagecoach Festival on April 28^th. And it didn’t take long to reach No. 1, three weeks and counting in that top slot as of this writing.

It will be interesting to watch as Malone moves from an occasional country cover to his forthcoming full country album, rumored to be releasing later this year. “I Had Some Help” gives us a sense of what to expect.

Malone’s first single in this genre fits easily alongside the drinking anthems of modern country pop. There’s some honesty here, but the themes of dwelling in unforgiveness, profanity and the urge to solve problems with alcohol should give listeners pause.

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You heard me right.

The Grammy-Award winning queen of multiple singles and albums, Beyoncé herself, is dipping her toes into the country music genre–something that has shocked many and surprised others.

Her latest venture consists, so far, of two songs, including “Texas Hold ‘Em.” It’s the lead single from her forthcoming album titled Act II.

This simple, catchy track is sure to get stuck in your head. It finds Beyoncé channeling her Texas roots, profanely singing about dancing, alcohol and life in the country.

POSITIVE CONTENT

This song rolls out like short chapters of a short story.

Beyoncé begins by asking listeners to cast aside their cares and hang out with her in a small country town (“So lay your cards down/So park your Lexus and throw your keys up/Stick around…).

It switches then between going to a “dive bar” and dancing (“It’s a real-life boogie and a real-life hoedown”), watching out for tornadoes (There’s a tornado in this city/hit the basement…”) and making it through those hot summers (“There’s a heatwave coming at us/Too hot to think straight/Too cold to panic”).

CONTENT CONCERNS

Still, everyone who lives in this small town enjoys casting their cares aside by drinking (“Rugged whiskey, ‘cause we survivin’/Off red cup kisses, sweet redemption, passin’ time”).

They also do so by dancing the night away (“Then spin me in the middle boy, I can’t read your mind”) when the pressures of living out West feel too heavy (“All of the problems just feel dramatic/And now we’re runnin’ to the first spot that we find, yeah”).

There are three repeated profanities that stick out and they are an inescapable part of the song.

The first two find Beyoncé enticing someone to come dance by saying, (“And I’ll be d–ned if I can’t slow dance with you…/Don’t be a b–ch, come take it to the floor now”). And the third is about how destructive tornadoes can be (“that s— ain’t pretty”).

There’s currently only an online visualizer on YouTube for this song (the music video may be coming), and it’s quite graphic. Beyonce walks into view, sporting a leather thong (all of which we only see from the front), black panty hose, and nothing on top except a leather vest that barely covers her nipples. This of course is paired with her sensually running her finger up her stomach and chest until it forms a gun that she “shoots.”

TRACK SUMMARY

I did not think Beyoncé would ever be breaking into the Country music genre. Yet, here we are.

Her first rodeo is sonically impressive. In reviewing this song, I’ve obviously listened to it multiple times and it’s now stuck in my head. Perhaps forever.

But that presents its own issue for listeners, especially young ones. Had Beyoncé omitted the three strong profanities that are repeated multiple times, we wouldn’t have too much of an issue. We’d really just be singing about country folks living their country lives (like every other country song on the radio).  But she didn’t.

So I’m here to let you know that there’s no way to avoid those words or the emphasis we hear on drinking liquor and dancing the night away. And if you hop on YouTube, or even bring up her song in Apple Music or Spotify, you’ll also see a risque visualizer that leaves little to the imagination.

The post Texas Hold ‘Em appeared first on Plugged In.

His name is Jason DeFord, but his fans know him by his stage name, Jelly Roll. 

A nickname adopted from his mother, Jelly Roll was born in Nashville in 1984 and began making music back in 2005. But his road to fame has been anything but easy. 

In his early 20s, Jelly Roll served some time in prison for drug dealing. While his music touches on this part of his past, it also delves into his former substance-abuse problems, drug-related losses and the desire for positive change amidst life’s difficulties. 

Jelly Roll doesn’t shy away from any of these topics, nor is he afraid to let fans learn a bit about his personal life: He often gushes over his teenage daughter and young son. He also praises his wife, Alyssa DeFord, known as Bunnie XO, for her commitment to him and his children. 

And his music seems to resonate with people. Jelly Roll’s spotify channel boasts over 10 million monthly listeners, he has more than 2 million followers on Instagram and over 3 million subscribers on YouTube.

I think it’s because his songs can be heartfelt, occasionally gut-wrenching and brutally honest, just like “Need A Favor.” 

This track finds Jelly Roll asking God for help, but admitting that he only comes to God when he’s desperate. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

This song is strangely beautiful. Yes, there are a few profanities in the mix, but the heart of this song is one that, I’m sure, resonates with a lot of people. Especially those who find themselves in desperate situations. 

Jelly Roll realizes that he needs “a favor” from God when the girl (or woman) he loves is in trouble. 

But he’s stuck. He doesn’t know what to pray (“and I don’t know what to say by the time I fold my hands”) and he feels ashamed because, although he understands God is the only one who can help him, he’s only now calling out to God because he’s in trouble (“Hard cover King James only been savin’ dust on the nightstand/I only talk to God when I need a favor”). 

Still, he tells God that he will “pay” for all he’s done, just as long as this person he loves is saved (“Hangin’ in there, just barely/Throwin’ up prayers, like Hail Mary’s/If You’re still there, Lord, spare me”). 

In addition, the video for this song is heart wrenching. It shows a dad coming to visit his cancer-ridden daughter in the hospital as he cries out to God on her behalf. 

CONTENT CONCERNS

Jelly Roll curses as he wonders aloud, “who the h— am I/To expect a Savior/If I only talk to God when I need a favor?”

He also admits that instead of attending church on Sundays, he’s most often inebriated (“I know ‘Amazing Grace’, but I ain’t been livin’ them words/Swear I spend most Sundays, drunk off my a–, than I have in church”). 

TRACK SUMMARY 

I’m in no way praising this song as a whole. And clearly, the song has theological issues and profanity to navigate. 

But it’s the kind of song that feels spiritually and emotionally desperate. That recognizes that only in our weakness can we, through God, be made strong. That understands that we were made for a Savior, even when we don’t realize it. 

It’s the sort of thing that I assume many think when they feel far from God. They come to a point of desperation and realize that they need Him, all while wrestling with the shame of treating God like a genie. A magical, make-it-all better deity. 

I know I’ve been there, and so I appreciate an artist that can be open with their thoughts and inner struggles. 

This song has its issues, and it’s not for little ears, but I think it’s something that adults can appreciate, even if they choose not to stream it.

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Country artist Luke Combs recently put his touch on “Fast Car,” a song I often heard while I was working at a local coffee shop in high school.

Back then, I knew this song was originally released in 1988 by singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman. But I didn’t really listen to the lyrics. At least not enough to know how sad it was. 

It’s a story about a young girl that dreams to escape her life with a love interest. But those dreams fall apart as time goes on, and she finds herself trapped in the same sort of life she yearned to escape from. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

Combs sings, word-for-word, Chapman’s version of the song, from the point of view of Chapman’s female protagonist. It’s clear that the young woman in this song wants a better life for herself, and she wants to live this life with the man she loves; a man with a “fast car.” She says, “You got a fast car/And I want a ticket to anywhere…Any place is better/Starting from zero, got nothing to lose/Maybe we’ll make something/Me, myself, I got nothing to prove.”

The fast car though isn’t going to be her only key to freedom, so she leans on hard work (“I’ve been working at the convenience store/Managed to save just a little bit of money”) and a plan (“Won’t have to drive too far/Just across the border and into the city/You and I can both get jobs/Finally, see what it means to be living”).

We also learn that this young woman is compassionate and responsible so when her mother leaves her unemployed, alcoholic father (“See, my old man’s got a problem/He live with the bottle, that’s the way it is…mama went off and left him”), she makes the decision to stay in her dead-end hometown, quit school and care for him (“I said, “Somebody’s got to take care of him”/So, I quit school and that’s what I did”). 

CONTENT CONCERNS

She’s trapped, years later, as a hard-working mom, married to the man with a fast car who used to hold promise and adventure, but is now dead weight (“You got a fast car/I got a job that pays all our bills/You stay out drinking late at the bar/See more of your friends than you do of your kids”). 

She also talks about how she and her beau would drive so fast it “felt like I was drunk.” 

TRACK SUMMARY

The song’s resolution isn’t really a resolution. Although the tune may lead you to think it is. 

It finds a hardworking mom telling the father of her children that he needs to make a life decision (“You got a fast car/Is it fast enough, so you can fly away?/You still gotta make a decision/Leave tonight, or live and die this way”). 

And, preferably, in her view, the decision will take him far away from her (“I’d always hoped for better/Thought maybe together you and me would find it/I got no plans, I ain’t going nowhere/Take your fast car and keep on driving”). 

This is a hard song on a lot of levels. It speaks to that youthful desire to live a full, vibrant life and then to the reality that often, life does not go the way we desire or plan. 

But I think it ends on a positive note. It asks, what will you do when life doesn’t pan out the way you thought it would? Because the answer to that question matters more than you know. 

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Murph is a Tennessee-born, Alabama-raised multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter who channels parts of her fast-lane past and personal experiences into her music. 

She started out on YouTube, where she currently has over 500,000 subscribers, and then moved to posting her music and videos to Tik Tok where she’s collected more than 200 million views. She also boasts more than 1 million followers on Instagram.

Her musical style is a mixture of trap, rap, country and hip-hop–much like Jelly Roll. (His name isn’t really Jelly Roll, of course. It’s Jason DeFord, but his fans know him by the former.) 

Jelly Roll is a Nashville native who, like Murph, uses his music as a platform to talk about his bouts of drug addiction as well as his time spent in prison during his younger years. 

And he has quite the platform. He’s already taken home Country Music Awards for his song, “Son of a Sinner” and has close to 2 million followers on Instagram. 

“Wild Ones,” finds Jessie Murph and Jelly Roll praising the fast life that they love. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

The only redeeming note here, if you could call it that, is that Jelly Roll makes it clear that he will protect his wife if anyone ever tries to harm her. 

CONTENT CONCERNS

Murph talks about the kind of man she’s into, one that carries a gun (“got a .45 on him”), loves being reckless (“and he pushing ‘bout 102”, referring to the speed his car’s going), smokes (“always smoking something”), drinks (I got a thing for/hard liquor on ice”) and consistently displays an “I don’t care” sort of attitude (“middle finger to the sky”). 

This “dangerous” lifestyle entices Murph as she prefers “the wild ones.”

Jelly Roll feels the same. His preference is for “things that are really crazy,” like his wife, Bunny, who he says is like his “Harley Quinn.” He chalks up this behavior to being “raised in darkness.” Still, he says he has “no shame” about his decisions or lifestyle and is in love “with the heartless.” 

The video for this track focuses on Jelly Roll and Jessie dancing and moving around. The entire video is purposefully blurry and flashes to scenes of the two drinking, getting out of a cop car, performing on stage and flipping off the camera.  

TRACK SUMMARY

Murph and Jelly Roll aren’t the first to romanticize a wild, reckless lifestyle, and they won’t be the last. 

Still, there’s something about a young woman and older man singing this song together that doesn’t sit well with me, mostly because this young woman doesn’t seem to have many positive role models, at least not in those with whom she makes music. 

And the same can be said of Jelly Roll, a man who still glorifies the behaviors that are often used to describe the life of a reckless teenager. 

Unfortunately, there’s no truth in this song, or this lifestyle, as both artists want to glorify their choices, regardless of the consequences that inevitably follow. 

The post Wild Ones appeared first on Plugged In.

This sweet song finds Hayes spending a whole lot of money on an experience that his daughter may or may not even remember. But he does so for the memories and the chance to make his little girl feel special. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

Hayes details the expense of taking his daughter to a Taylor Swift concert (“Two Taylor Swift concert ticket stubs/Cost me more than my mortgage does/And that was before/T-shirts, Cokes and popcorn”). He knows that financial experts may not be in favor of his decision (“Dave Ramsey wouldn’t like it”), but he believes the experience with his daughter was priceless (“But it was priceless/Watchin’ her watch her hero, singin’ every single word to every song”). 

Even if she fell asleep midway through (“She yawned/And, climbed up in my arms, she was gone”), he wouldn’t change his decision for the world, and he hopes that their shared moment will be a forever memory for her (“When she turns 22 and I turn 56/I hope she thinks of me, when she hears Taylor Swift”). 

Still, his ultimate desire is that his daughter would know that she is utterly loved by those who are most important (“I just hope that she grows up and always knows that me, her mom and Jesus/Love her even more than she loves Taylor Swift”). 

CONTENT CONCERNS

None.

TRACK SUMMARY

There are a lot of raunchy, terrible songs out there charting on Billboard and other music outlets. This isn’t one of them. And for that, we can all be thankful. 

This is a sweet, semi-relatable song written by a dad who spent way too much on a birthday gift for his daughter. A dad who pushed aside buyers’ remorse in favor of creating what he hopes will be a lasting memory with his child. 

Sure, you might not agree with his choice to take his daughter to a Taylor Swift concert. As Plugged In has chronicled, not all of her songs are super-clean these days. But the heart of this song is about spending intentional time with your children in hopes that your effort will make a lasting impact.

The post Taylor Swift appeared first on Plugged In.

Individually, Bryan and Musgraves have each released more than their fare of tear-jerking songs. But now, this dynamic duo have joined forces and recently released a song, a mix of alternative country and folk, and it’s called “I Remember Everything.” 

This somber track sings like a scene from a movie as Bryan and Musgraves tell the story of a former dysfunctional and codependent couple who can’t seem to wash their memories, or expectations, away, no matter how much they drink. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

This song starts with Bryan wondering if an ex-girlfriend remembers all of the passionate, impactful memories that he can’t seem to forget (Do you remember that beat-down basement couch?/I’d sing you my love songs and you’d tell me about”). 

These are the kind of memories that burn in his mind and remind him of deep, vulnerable moments (“The sand from your hair is blowin’ in my eyes/Blame it on the beach, grown men don’t cry”). These memories can’t be erased, no matter how much he may want them to be (“I wish I didn’t, but I do/Remember every moment on the nights with you”). 

CONTENT CONCERNS

Bryan’s solution to forgetting, it seems, is consuming large amounts of alcohol (“Rot gut whiskey’s gonna ease my mind/…Strange words come out of/A grown man’s mouth when his mind is broke”). 

And perhaps he wants to forget because his ex-lover (played by Musgraves), who is also fond of alcohol (“You only smile like that when you’re drinkin’) doesn’t hold her memories of him in high regard (“you’re drinkin’ everything to ease your mind/But when the h— are you gonna ease mine?/…No, you’ll never be the man that you always swore”). 

There are two uses of the word “h—” here. The cover for this song features Zach Bryan smoking a cigarette. 

TRACK SUMMARY 

This song deals with two elements: a dysfunctional, broken couple and personal trauma that was never properly dealt with. 

Sure, it’s about plenty of other things, and the story that Bryan and Musgraves tell is powerful. The heart of this song is both sad and somber. It shows a man who drinks away his memories and a woman who explains why. 

If I were to pick a line to express the depth of emotion in this occasionally profane song, it would be ““it burns like h—” when two souls meet.”

This feels like the proper cautionary tale for those in relationships: be mindful of whom you choose and how you deal with memory, nostalgia and loss.

The post I Remember Everything appeared first on Plugged In.

Now imagine that you wake up a few days later and that song is topping multiple charts, you have a handful of offers from record companies worth millions of dollars and you’re one of the most talked about men in the country. 

That’s what has happened to Christopher Anthony Lunsford, known more commonly by his stage name, Oliver Anthony.

On Aug. 1, Anthony posted his song “Rich Men North of Richmond” to the internet. Since then, it’s been a record-breaking, viral sensation. The song is currently sitting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and No. 1 on YouTube’s charts with over 33 million views, making Anthony the first-ever artist to debut at the top of the charts with zero prior chart history. 

That is wild. 

But it may not be so crazy when you listen to the lyrics and the message that Anthony delivers. His song is hitting home for millions of people–not just Americans–as he talks about corrupt politicians and the social and economic problems that their lack of care, and skewed morality, has caused. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

Anthony hits on many frustrations and problems shared by a vast swath of people. He talks about working endless hours for minimal pay (I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day”) and then being taxed to the max, with not much left over to show for your hard work. 

He says that the politically elite, these “rich men north of Richmond,” want to control the American people. But he believes the common people are smarter than they’re given credit for (“Wanna know what you think, wanna know what you do/And they don’t think you know, but I know that you do”). He also calls out the evils of sex trafficking.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Anthony uses profanity in a few lines to drive home his point, calling average wages “bulls— pay.” He says it’s a “d–n shame what the world’s got to” and recognizes that many people struggle with depression and even choose to “drown” their “troubles away” when they feel their financial situation is hopeless as their dollar is “s—” and endlessly taxed. 

Anthony calls attention to what he sees are huge problems in society–but, of course, that means he talks about those negative problems. Anthony believes that politicians don’t care. And because they choose greed and corruption over the good of the people, Americans suffer high suicide rates (“young men are puttin’ themselves six feet in the ground”) and abuse the welfare system (“Well, God, if you’re 5-foot-3 and you’re 300 pounds. Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds”). 

TRACK SUMMARY 

A few weeks back, the day after this song dropped, my husband pulled it up on YouTube and asked me to listen to the lyrics. He said that he resonates deeply with a lot of what Anthony says. And, evidently, it’s not just him. 

Like I said above, Anthony is the first artist to ever debut on the charts at the No. 1 spot with no prior musical history. That’s gotta mean something. I think it means that many hard-working people in America, and around the world, are sick of the state of their countries and the political climates that contribute to those ills. 

If you don’t believe me, just hop on Anthony’s YouTube channel and read the comments below his video. People are raving about this track.

But even if you agree with Anthony’s sentiments, that doesn’t mean that the song is squeaky clean. Oliver uses a fair bit of profanity to make his point, and he hits on subjects that are both weighty and mature. Yet, given the nature of the track, the heaviness of the song makes sense. 

Oliver asserts that he’s not trying to promote one political side or the other. Instead, he simply wishes to acknowledge that he feels his own lyrics deeply and that he’s written a song for the people, a song that is “not anything special, but the people who have supported it are incredible and deserve to be heard.”

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Morgan Wallen’s song, “One Thing at a Time” (from his 2023 album by the same name) checks both of these boxes. At a cursory listen, it’d be easy to allow the song’s “good vibes” to shut off my critical thinking.

But when I consider the song’s problematic themes, I realize the content isn’t as “feel-good” as the melody.

POSITIVE CONTENT

It’s important to find positive methods of coping with a breakup …

CONTENT CONCERNS

… Unfortunately, Morgan Wallen offers no such solutions in “One Thing at a Time.” In the song, the speaker responds to a recent breakup. Evidently, his former partner had suggested he kick his substance abuse problems. Unfortunately, the speaker can’t follow through with this helpful advice. He states that he can either quit the substances or get over his ex, but not both. “I’m only quitting one thing at a time,” declares the speaker.

Obviously, there are discussions of substances in the song, and Wallen continually sings about cigarettes and alcohol. In a particularly disturbing moment, Wallen sings, “If you ain’t gonna kiss me/then I’ll take some whisky, some Grizzly/Nicotine, amphetamines too/You want me to stop some of that/or you want me to stop loving you?”

While the lyrics are a bit tongue-in-cheek (and meant to be cathartic), his message is ultimately hopeless and unhelpful.

TRACK SUMMARY

Songs like “One Thing at a Time” are tricky when it comes to content. The lack of sexual themes and profanity allows them to slip into playlists for high school dances and grocery stores. But the problem (at least in the case of “One Thing at a Time”) comes from the song’s worldview.

Wallen clearly communicates that breakups are difficult (and that’s true). But his claim that substances are the only way to cope with the problem offers a hopeless solution. And undiscerning minds might internalize and apply his assertions.

The post One Thing at a Time appeared first on Plugged In.

Taylor Swift is here to tell you her story, her way. 

Back in 2010, Swift released her album Speak Now through Big Machine Records. Since then, her relationship with the record label took a real dive. After she parted ways with Big Machine, she vowed to re-release all of the albums she originally recorded under her Big Machine contract, but this time under her own label. 

And so she has, little by little, with each one being tagged with the label Taylor’s Version. 

Which brings us to Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), the third album Swift has re-recorded. Here, you will find the same 14 songs that were released back in 2010. But Swifties will also find six new and previously unreleased tracks from that era. 

And I’m here to let you know what’s going on in those new, added tracks from the Taylor Swift vault. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

Swift wants to cast aside cynicism and believe in love again in “Electric Touch.” Similarly sweet thoughts can be heard in “Timeless.” 

“When Emma Falls in Love” is a heartfelt song about a captivating young woman who finds love and stays in love (something that Swift realizes she hasn’t learned how to do yet). 

Swift realizes that she’s not the same person she used to be, and life doesn’t look like it once did in “Castles Crumbling.” 

In the previously released track, “Better Than Revenge” Swift changes the lyric, “She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress,” to, “He was a moth to the flame, she was holding the matches.”

Swift learns to pick the one she loves better in “Foolish One.” 

CONTENT CONCERNS

There’s a bit of innuendo in “Electric Touch” as Swift sings, “And I want you now, wanna need you forever … /I’ve grown accustomed to sleeping alone.” Similarly suggestive lines show up in “I Can See You,” as Swift imagines (a bit more graphically) having sex with a guy (“I can see you up against the wall with me/… You won’t believe half the things I said inside my head/Wait ‘til you see half the things that haven’t happened yet”). 

A man leads Swift on in “Foolish One.” 

ALBUM SUMMARY

For the most part, the original Speak Now is one of Swift’s sweetest albums in many ways. It felt like her last album before things started to turn to revenge and heartbreak and emotional warfare. Sure, there are still songs that deal with all of those topics, but they’re not so tainted and jaded as much of what she’s sung about since then. 

Some of her new songs here are just as sweet and include big names like Fall Out Boy and Haley Williams. These songs deal with a complex inner dialogue, contemplation and the desire for true love. 

What’s not so sweet on Taylor’s Version of Speak Now are some songs that add that dollop of sexual innuendo and find swift daydreaming about sexual encounters with young men. 

So, while there’s still cause for some caution here, overall the six new vault releases are more positive than negative. And they recall Swift in her earlier, more innocent days. 

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