23 October 2012 - Taylor Swift - We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

OK, I've written about Taylor Swift here at Wicked Guilty Pleasures before, so there's no need to rehash my fandom (you can click on that happy little link to see that post). No, today I have a different tale to tell.

Taylor's fourth cd Red was released yesterday. That big box store with the red bulls-eye logo had a deluxe version with extra songs and I was like, so there.

Of course, like a sit-com character buying condoms or porn, I had to be discreet, even if I was shopping at a box-store and not a record store where every musical purchase is scrutinized. Regardless, it still looks weird for a dude in his late-30s to be buying a cd most people presume is for teenage girls (they'd be mostly wrong if they just listened...but that's another post in and of itself). No one is ever going to buy the "yeah, it's for a friend" excuse, so I needed a "cover." So there I was, shopping for other items to make it look like I didn't just go to the store to get the new Taylor Swift cd (as I said, in sit-com character mode). I started in the men's clothing section. Nothing. Not good, as I really didn't need any groceries, household decorations or small appliances. I was going to have to hit the CD section with no "cover." Great...

So I sauntered over to the new release section. There was a clearly marked Taylor Swift Red Oct. 22 sign. The cd wasn't there. Walked to the country section. Nope. Walked to the pop/rock section. Nada. This damn store always screws up their new release orders so I wasn't surprised. I was mildly annoyed though and for more than having to wait to get the new record. Now I was going to have to ask some questions. So much for being discreet.

Naturally, the first person in a red vest that I see is a 20-something metal looking dude. Fantastic. Here's a brief transcript of the conversation.

Me (pointing at the aforementioned Taylor Swift sign): "Excuse me, did you not get this in today?"
Metal Dude In Red Vest (smirking): "yeah, follow me."
Me (muttering): "it's uhhh, for a friend." (why did I not say for my daughter? That would have been totally plausible)
MDIRV walks me to the huge display not even remotely near the cd section. Makes total sense to me.
MDIRV (smugly): "Here you go, we also have Taylor Swift shirts, books, school supplies and make-up if you're interested."
Me: "uhh, thanks, the cd is all I was looking for." Jerk.

After that exchange, paying for it was no problem (after of course finding the little old lady cashier). The moral of the story -- next time, pre-order it online.

As for the cd itself, I'll hold off on my review as I've only listened to it once, but I pretty much like it. I will warn that it's not a country record or even a pop-country record (kind of a bummer). It's mostly pop and rock. There's really only one song that I hated on first listen. There's a couple more that I need to give a couple more spins before I make up my mind. Time will tell if it makes any top-10 lists (including my own), but it's certainly a very good record.

Wow, that may be my longest post ever, and I still haven't even talked about the video. Here's the truly awesomely fun video for the first single, the extremely catchy We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. Cool fact about this video: It was shot in just one take.

(edit: 26 December 2021)

Tony does not usually edit Scott's posts.  However, I am adding Taylor's Version to all our Taylor Swift posts.  

ALL. OF. THEM.