"I Can See You"[a] is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, from her third re-recorded album, Speak Now (Taylor's Version) (2023). It is one of the album's "From the Vault" tracks that was intended for but excluded from her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff, "I Can See You" is a midtempoindie rock and soft rock song with elements of funk. Distorted guitars, meandering bass, and synthesizers constitute its midtempo production. The lyrics are sexually suggestive and contain flirtatious innuendos, describing Swift's attraction to a person she comes across often.
Music critics gave the song generally positive reviews, deeming its sound catchy and engaging and the lyrics sensual. Several reviews picked it as a highlight from the album and among Swift's "From the Vault" tracks. Commercially, "I Can See You" peaked at number four on the Billboard Global 200; it charted in the top 10 and received certifications in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
The American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her third studio album, Speak Now, on October 25, 2010, under Big Machine Records.[2] She released three more studio albums under Big Machine, as per her recording contract, which expired in November 2018. Swift subsequently withdrew from Big Machine and signed a new deal with Republic Records, which secured her the rights to own the masters of any new music she would release.[3] In 2019, the American music executive Scooter Braun acquired Big Machine;[4] the ownership of the masters to Swift's first six studio albums, including Speak Now, transferred to him.[5] In August 2019, Swift denounced Braun's purchase and announced that she would re-record her first six studio albums so as to own their masters herself.[6] She began the re-recording process in November 2020.[7]
On May 5, 2023, at the first Nashville date of her sixth concert tour, the Eras Tour, Swift announced Speak Now (Taylor's Version) and its release date of July 7.[8] She subsequently said in social media posts, "I love this album because it tells a tale of growing up, flailing, flying and crashing ... and living to speak about it".[9] Swift emphasized the hardships she faced in her life during the time she wrote the record, among them "brutal honesty, unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness".[10] On June 5, 2023, Swift announced the track-list of the album, which consists of 22 songs. Among them are six "From the Vault" songs that were written for the 2010 album but did not make the final track-list, including "I Can See You".[11]Speak Now (Taylor's Version) was released by Republic on July 7, 2023.[12] On August 3, Swift performed the track as a "surprise song" at an Eras Tour show in Los Angeles. She sang it again as part of a mashup with her song "Mine" (2010) at an Eras Tour show in Liverpool.[13] On August 2, 2024, she performed the track for a third time in Warsaw. It was mashed up this time with "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)" (2024).
"I Can See You" has a duration of four minutes and thirty-three seconds.[14] Featuring a midtempo production, it contains distorted guitars with a surf rock guitar riff, which critics described as "choppy" and "edgy".[15][16][17] Meandering bass and synthesizers also accompany the track.[18][19] The lyrics and style have been called sultry, flirtatious, and sexually suggestive.[17][20] Swift uses innuendos while describing a "cataclysmic" crush, receiving comparisons to Swift's song "Dress" from her album Reputation (2017).[21][22]
Several critics commented on the sound of "I Can See You". Mike DeWald from Riff Magazine characterized the song as indie rock, while The Independent's Annabel Nugent thought it evokes an "indie-rock mood" that differs from its immediate predecessors.[15][21] Jason Lipshutz of Billboard and Chris Willman of Variety said the track has elements of funk.[23][24] Danica Bryant from Universal Music New Zealand dubbed it a soft rock number, reminiscent of the music by Arctic Monkeys and Fleetwood Mac.[25] For Pitchfork, Vrinda Jagota wrote that it sounded more like the "inky, lilting" trap-pop sound of Reputation rather than the overall sound of Speak Now (Taylor's Version).[26]
Critical reception
In reviews of Speak Now (Taylor's Version), a number of critics picked "I Can See You" as the album's best "From the Vault" track.[16][21] Nugent and DeWald commended the "danceable" production, and the latter considered the song "a fun change of pace" to the album.[21][15] Lipshutz lauded the lyrics and composition and said that the song "would have been an excellent addition" to the 2010 album.[16] Kate Solomon of the i dubbed it as a "classic".[27]Spin writer Bobby Olivier opined that the theme of lust adds a new aspect to Swift's songwriting.[28]Sputnikmusic's staff Sowing said the song has the "most addicting" guitar line and rhythm of any Swift song since "Style" (2015).[29] In a less positive review, The Guardian's Laura Snapes noted the "intriguingly sexual" lyrics, but criticized the production as "actively bad Maroon 5-core".[20]
"I Can See You" was placed within the top five in rankings of Swift's "From the Vault" tracks by Lipshutz,[30] Jake Viswanath of Bustle,[31]Nylon,[32]Time,[33] and Josh Kurp of Uproxx.[34]Variety's Chris Willman listed the song at seventh on a ranking of her bonus tracks, praising Antonoff's production and dubbing it one of the "slinky bops" of 2023 and of Swift's discography.[35] Viswanath opined that the track "wouldn't have sounded this way in 2010" if it was not for Antonoff's "hypnotic guitar riff" complementing the "suggestive pick-up lines".[31] In Nylon, Lauren McCarthy deemed the song the catchiest of the "From the Vault" tracks as well as the sexiest, believing that Swift was so engaged with her lust that "she somehow forgot she was recording a song".[32]Time's Moises Mendez II said that the production brought forth a mysterious atmosphere and thought Swift "perfectly captured" the emotions of a "forbidden love".[33] For Kurp, the song was the one from the album that sounded the most like the band Fall Out Boy and felt that Swift's voice featured an "determined, reserved quality" that was uncommon on the original album.[34]
Commercial performance
"I Can See You" peaked within the top ten in Ireland (4),[36] New Zealand (4),[37] Singapore (7),[38] Canada (8),[39] and Japan (8).[40] On the Billboard Global 200, the song entered at its peak of number four with 52.9 million streams and 6,000 sales worldwide. "I Can See You" and "Back to December (Taylor's Version)" simultaneously marked Swift's 16th and 17th top-ten entries on the Global 200.[41][42]
The video received positive comments from journalists. Alexa Camp of Slant Magazine said, the "action-packed" music video saw Swift "take control" of her artistry.[55] Lauren Huff of Entertainment Weekly praised the action theme of the "jam-packed" video.[56]The A.V. Club's William Hughes called it a "barely-a-metaphor" video with outfits and memorabilia from Swift's Speak Now era.[57] To honor Swift's record-setting six sold-out shows of the Eras Tour at SoFi Stadium, the Recording Academy hosted a special pop-up exhibit, titled I Can See You (Taylor's Version), at the Grammy Museum, Los Angeles, from August 2 to September 18, 2023. The exhibit is an immersive experience into the "I Can See You" music video, displaying 11 costumes—all of which were worn by Swift during the Speak Now era—and two music instruments from the video.[58]
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Speak Now (Taylor's Version).[59]
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