"Treacherous" | |
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Song by Taylor Swift | |
from the album Red | |
Released | October 22, 2012 |
Studio |
|
Length | 4:02 |
Label | Big Machine |
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) | Dan Wilson |
"Treacherous (Taylor's Version)" | |
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Song by Taylor Swift | |
from the album Red (Taylor's Version) | |
Released | November 12, 2021 |
Studio |
|
Length | 4:02 |
Label | Republic |
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) | Dan Wilson |
Lyric video | |
"Treacherous (Taylor's Version)" on YouTube |
"Treacherous" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her fourth studio album, Red (2012). Swift wrote the track with its producer Dan Wilson. Blending styles of country and pop, "Treacherous" is a slow-burning ballad that builds up into a finale. Its lyrics are about a narrator's attempt to protect a fragile and dangerous relationship. A demo of the song was included in the tracklist of Red's deluxe edition.
"Treacherous" peaked at number two on the United States's Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and number 65 on the Canadian Hot 100. The track has been performed on three of Swift's concert tours, including the Red Tour (2013–2014), where it was included on the regular set list. Critics who picked the song an album highlight praised Swift's songwriting and the production. Retrospectively, they have regarded it as one of Swift's better songs.
A re-recorded version, titled "Treacherous (Taylor's Version)", was released as part of Swift's second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version) (2021). It peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Global 200 and entered on national charts in Australia, Canada, Singapore, and the US.
The American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her third studio album, Speak Now , in October 2010. [1] She wrote the album and co-produced it with her long-time collaborator Nathan Chapman; Speak Now expands the country pop production of its 2008 predecessor Fearless . [2] [3] On the album's follow-up, titled Red , Swift wanted to experiment with other musical styles. [4]
To this end, Swift approached producers outside of her career base in Nashville, Tennessee. [2] In an interview with USA Today , Swift said that she chose the producers because she liked their style and wanted to learn from them. [4] One of them was Dan Wilson, whom Swift was inspired by his work with the Minneapolis-based rock band Semisonic. [5] Their sessions resulted in two songs for Red, which were "Come Back... Be Here" and "Treacherous". [6]
"Treacherous" has a duration of four minutes and two seconds. [6] In an interview with Taste of Country , Swift stated that the track was inspired by a conflicted feeling of being at risk every time you fall in love. [7] It was written alongside a number of other songs due to bursts of productivity; Swift and Wilson wrote the song in ten minutes in his studio, with Swift "full of excitement" according to Wilson. [2] [8] He was impressed with Swift for the clarity in her songwriting and noted that she had "a very high level of positivity", which he deemed rare. [9] The song was recorded at Ballroom West in Los Angeles, Instrument Landing in Minneapolis, and Marlay Studio in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. It was mixed at Larrabee Studios in Universal City, California, and was mastered at MasterMix in Nashville. [6]
"Treacherous" was released as the third track on Red on October 22, 2012, by Big Machine Records. A demo of the song was also released as a deluxe-edition bonus track. [10] "Treacherous" debuted on both the United States' Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs, with peaks of number two and number 26 respectively. [11] [12] The song reached number 65 on the Canadian Hot 100. [13] Before the album's release, on August 13, Swift performed an acoustic rendition for a YouTube Webchat session held in Nashville. [14] [15] To promote Red, Swift embarked on the Red Tour (2013–2014), in which "Treacherous" was included on the set list. [16] She performed the track as a "surprise song" on select dates of the Reputation Stadium Tour (Philadelphia, July 2018) [17] and the Eras Tour (Tampa, April 2023; Paris, May 2024). [18]
After a dispute with Big Machine over the sale of the masters of Swift's first six studio albums, she re-recorded Red as Red (Taylor's Version) . Released by Republic Records as Swift's second re-recorded album on November 12, 2021, the re-recorded version of "Treacherous" is titled "Treacherous (Taylor's Version)". [19] [20] It has the same length as the original and Wilson returned as the producer. The song was recorded at Ballroom West, Instrument Landing, and Sterloid Sounds. Swift's vocals were recorded at Kitty Committee Studio in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The track was mixed at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and was mastered at Sterling Sound in Edgewater, New Jersey. [21] Upon the album's release, "Treacherous (Taylor's Version)" entered on national charts in Singapore (30), [22] Australia (38), [23] and Canada (41). [13] In the US, the song reached number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 15 on Hot Country Songs. [24] [11] On other charts, it peaked at number 67 on the United Kingdom's Audio Streaming Chart and number 42 on the Billboard Global 200. [25] [26]
"Treacherous" is a slow-burning ballad that blends country and pop styles. [27] [28] It starts with mandolin, slow guitar strums, and percussion. [29] [30] As the acoustic and electric guitar intertwine, background vocals harmonize at each iteration of the refrain. [31] Towards the end, the song builds up into a finale that Mary Kate Carr from The A.V. Club described as "complementary crescendo that could sweep anyone away". [29] [32] For Pitchfork, Ivy Nelson wrote that whereas the beginning is "relatively motionless, frozen in time by all the tension in Swift's voice", as the track progresses, "the guitars and drums melt into dark, wet echoes like pelting raindrops". [33] Sam Lansky from Idolator likened the production to that of U2's song "With or Without You" (1987), specifically due to the "aching guitars". [34] On the re-recorded track, it is musically identical to the original recording like the rest of Red (Taylor's Version), but with a more mature voice from Swift. [35] [36]
The lyrics are about a narrator's attempt to protect a fragile and dangerous relationship that has broken. On the song's meaning, Swift said, "[...] I tend to feel like when you're looking back on the things that have hurt you in life, I look back on them and think if it made you feel something, it was worth it." [37] Some critics noted the lyrics, "I’ll do anything you say / If you say it with your hands", as the first time Swift explicitly incorporated sexuality in her lyrics. [35] [37] [38] Chris Willman from The Hollywood Reporter compared the song's lyrical narrative to that of Sheryl Crow's "My Favorite Mistake" (1998) and opined that the track's sensuality is also due to Swift's "nearly whispered vocals" that "neatly put across the tentativeness of her sensuality in falling for a bad boy". [39]
In reviews of Red, a number of critics picked "Treacherous" as an album highlight. Willman said that it contains some of the most poetic lyrics on the album, [39] and Lansky considered the musical direction of the song an example of Swift's "diversions into sonic experimentation that wouldn't fare as well on the radio, and they feel even more exciting". [34] American Songwriter 's Jewly Hight selected it as one of the tracks that showcase Swift's talents at capturing emotions in tangible detail. [40] Nelson labeled the song a "masterclass in dynamics from arrangement to lyric", and highlighted how the production complements the lyrical sentiments. [33] Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine was impressed by Swift's songwriting for "expressing genuine insights into complex relationship dynamics". [41] Mesfin Fekadu from the Associated Press considered the song "a good one" from an album that he deemed mediocre. [42] In a less positive review, Billboard said that the instrumental build-up "steers away from the hushed, confessional beauty" of the initial verses. [29]
In retrospective reviews, critics have considered "Treacherous" one of Swift's better songs. Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone said that she "braves the ski slopes of love, with a seething acoustic guitar that finally detonates halfway though". [43] The Musicologist James E. Perone deemed its musical approach an evidence of "increased maturity in Swift's work as a songwriter and performer". [44] Billboard's Hannah Dailey said the song has "some of her most gorgeous poetry" and thought it was "overlooked by the general masses". [45] Sputnikmusic was amazed by Swift for her reflections of love and life on Red, and cited "Treacherous" as an example because of how she "vividly captured forbidden lust and temptation". [46] Time ranked the song as the album's second-best track—Samantha Cooney considered the song "criminally underrated", and Annabel Gutterman said it was a "gorgeous song" and a "beautiful ballad about risking your heart when you know things might end badly". [28] Alex Hopper from American Songwriter deemed "Treacherous" a highpoint from Red, [47] and Michael Savio of PopMatters selected it as one of Swift's "finest, most pensive" songs, among other album tracks. [48] In a review of "Treacherous (Taylor's Version)", Mary Kate Carr said that the song introduced a "haunting, newly mature singer-songwriter vibe" to Swift's artistry. [32]
"Treacherous" [6]
"Treacherous (Taylor's Version)" [21]
Chart (2012) | Peak position |
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Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [13] | 65 |
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [11] | 26 |
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles ( Billboard ) [12] | 2 |
Chart (2021) | Peak position |
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Australia (ARIA) [23] | 38 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [13] | 41 |
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [26] | 42 |
Singapore (RIAS) [22] | 30 |
UK Audio Streaming (OCC) [25] | 67 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [24] | 54 |
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [11] | 15 |
Speak Now is the third studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on October 25, 2010, by Big Machine Records. Swift wrote the album entirely herself within two years while touring to promote her second studio album, Fearless (2008), to reflect on her transition from adolescence to adulthood.
"Sparks Fly" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album Speak Now (2010). Swift had written the song before she released her self-titled debut album in 2006, but she only included it on her third album after receiving fan requests to release the song. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Sparks Fly" is an uptempo pop rock track combining elements of arena rock and country with a production incorporating dynamic electric guitars and subtle fiddles. The lyrics are about a temptation to resist a dangerous love affair.
"Long Live" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Long Live" is a heartland rock song featuring girl group harmonies and chiming rock guitars. The lyrics are about Swift's gratitude for her fans and bandmates, using high-school and royalty imagery to describe the accomplishments in the narrator's life.
Red is the fourth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on October 22, 2012, by Big Machine Records. The title is the color to which Swift associated the tumultuous emotions she was experiencing from lost love while conceiving the album.
"Begin Again" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fourth studio album, Red (2012). It was released as the second single from Red on October 1, 2012, by Big Machine Records. Produced by Swift, Dann Huff, and Nathan Chapman, "Begin Again" is a gentle country and soft rock ballad with acoustic guitar, steel guitar, and percussion. Its lyrics are about falling in love again after a failed, toxic previous relationship.
"Red" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the title track of her fourth studio album (2012). The song was produced by Dann Huff, Nathan Chapman, and Swift. Big Machine Records released the song onto the iTunes Store on October 2, 2012, as Red's second promotional single, and to U.S. country radio on June 24, 2013, as an official single. Musically, "Red" combines country, roots rock, pop rock, soft rock over acoustic banjo, guitars, and electronic vocal manipulation. Lyrically about a tumultuous relationship, the refrain likens the conflicting emotions to a spectrum of colors, including the color red which symbolizes the ensuing intense feelings.
"State of Grace" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her fourth studio album, Red. To promote the album before its release, Big Machine Records released the song for download on October 16, 2012. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "State of Grace" is an arena rock song that uses chiming, feedback-drenched guitars and pounding drums. An acoustic version features as a deluxe-edition bonus track. The lyrics are about the tumultuous feelings evoked by the first signs of love.
"22" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her fourth studio album, Red (2012). It was released as the album's fourth single on March 12, 2013, by Big Machine Records. Written and produced by Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback, "22" combines pop styles such as dance-pop and bubblegum with disco and 1990s rock. The track begins with an acoustic guitar riff and progresses into an upbeat refrain which incorporates pulsing synthesizers and syncopated bass drums. The lyrics celebrate being 22 years old while acknowledging the heartache that the narrator experienced in the past.
"All Too Well" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. The song was developed by Swift on the Speak Now World Tour in 2011, and she co-wrote the final version with Liz Rose. The song was first produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman for her fourth studio album, Red (2012). After a 2019 dispute regarding the ownership of Swift's masters, she re-recorded the song as "Taylor's Version" and released an unabridged "10 Minute Version" as part of the re-recorded album Red in November 2021.
"Everything Has Changed" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring the English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran from Swift's fourth studio album, Red (2012). It was released as the sixth single from the album on July 14, 2013, by Big Machine Records. A music video for the song was released earlier on June 6, 2013. Produced by Butch Walker, "Everything Has Changed" is a guitar-led folk-pop ballad. Its lyrics are about wanting to know a new lover better. The song received mixed reviews from critics, who either complimented or criticized the production.
"The Last Time" is a song by Taylor Swift featuring Gary Lightbody, taken from Swift's fourth studio album, Red (2012). Swift wrote the track with Lightbody and Jacknife Lee; the latter two are members of the rock band Snow Patrol. A power ballad, the song sees Swift's and Lightbody's characters expressing their perspectives on a failed relationship, torn between heartbreak and forgiveness. The production combines alternative rock and folk over dramatic string instruments and an orchestral background in the refrain. "The Last Time" was released in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2013, as a single from Red.
"Forever & Always" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her second studio album, Fearless (2008). Swift was inspired to write the song by her short-lived relationship with Joe Jonas in 2008. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Forever & Always" is a country pop and pop rock song with lyrics about a troubled relationship with an ex-boyfriend. Music critics found the song catchy but generic, and they commented that it set the precedent to Swift's songwriting about her highly publicized personal life on subsequent albums.
"Holy Ground" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fourth studio album, Red (2012). Produced by Jeff Bhasker, "Holy Ground" is an upbeat song combining country rock and heartland rock with insistent drums. In the lyrics, the narrator reminisces about a good moment in a failed relationship; she describes where she and the ex-lover once stood as "holy ground".
"This Love" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fifth studio album, 1989 (2014). Swift produced the song with Nathan Chapman. An atmospheric ballad, "This Love" combines soft rock and synth-pop. Its lyrics use oceanic imagery to describe the revival of a faded romance.
"Enchanted" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, the song is a power ballad combining pop, rock, and country. The production incorporates gentle acoustic guitars and crescendos after each refrain, leading to dynamic electric guitars, a steady drum beat, and a vocal harmony-layered coda. In the lyrics, a narrator is infatuated with someone after meeting them for the first time, and she worries about whether the initial feeling will be reciprocated.
Fearless (Taylor's Version) is the first re-recorded album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on April 9, 2021, by Republic Records. A re-recording of Swift's second studio album, Fearless (2008), it is part of her re-recording projects following the 2019 dispute over the master recordings of her back catalog.
Red (Taylor's Version) is the second re-recorded album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on November 12, 2021, by Republic Records. It is part of Swift's re-recording projects following the 2019 dispute over the ownership of her back catalog.
"Nothing New" is a song by the American singer-songwriters Taylor Swift featuring Phoebe Bridgers. Swift wrote the song in March 2012 and produced it with Aaron Dessner for her second re-recorded studio album, Red , which was released in 2021 through Republic Records. The track is a guitar-led folk and alternative rock tune about anxieties over romance and growing up.
"I Bet You Think About Me" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring harmony vocals from the American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton. Swift wrote it with Lori McKenna in June 2011 and intended to include it on her fourth studio album, Red (2012). Although it did not make the cut, it was produced by Swift and Aaron Dessner for Red's re-recorded version, Red (2021). Republic Records and MCA Nashville released the song to US country radio on November 15, 2021.
"Message in a Bottle" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was her first writing collaboration with Max Martin and Shellback. The song was intended for but excluded from her fourth studio album, Red (2012). Shellback and Elvira Anderfjärd produced the track for Swift's re-recorded album, Red (2021). "Message in a Bottle" is a 1980s-influenced dance-pop and electropop song with lyrics about the anxiety from falling in love.
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