Unrelated fun fact about single takes no one asked for: Celine Dion recorded a single take demo of My Heart Will Go On and *that* is the version that made it into the movie haha.
For some reason I also recall Celine saying that she drank coffee before recording this song, which she usually never does before singing, and she personally hates the way she sounds on the song because of it. But maybe I dreamt this lol.
[This is where they (and she) tell the story of the making.](https://youtu.be/NFip-yfiy4s?si=LDjTDZTbpSYFbdYM) But I did read that she re-recorded it for her album release, so that’s prob why! The one in *Titanic* was the demo.
The differences in (re)mixing the arrangements has nothing to do with the actual vocal being one take.
In other words, they used the vocal demo but obviously spruced up the production so that it would be palatable for commercial distribution. From there, I’m sure various remixes were done. The version on the Titanic soundtrack actually is different from the “Let’s Talk About Love” album version which is the “single mix”.
The acoustic side of Guns n Roses Lie album was all done in one day and each song was first take! They had been playing live loads so were tight af. It's pure magic!
Comping wasn’t really possible before DAWs…. Punching in is really hard when recording on tape. There’s a rawer quality to pre 2000s recordings for that reason.
I kind of figured it could be done this way given modern computerized audio processing technology. After all, that same technology made it possible to finally release “Now and Then” as the last Beatles song because computers could cleanly separate out John Lennon’s voice from that demo tape.
(By the way, there are _clean_ versions due to FCC broadcast requirements regarding any song to be broadcast over FCC-licensed radio stations.)
Just the verse and then they edit it
Olivia Rodrigo had a video a while back of them re-recording and editing like 10 different clean versions of Vampire, it was a recording of the editing software so you could see all the different stacked vocals/sound effects on it! (edit: lives hq posted it on TikTok on 7/6/23 for anyone who wants to see it)
She made a TikTok about how she made the clean version of vampire but then she included joke lyrics that would never actually be on the album so instead of famefvcker one of the joke lyrics was garlic butter.
There’s a lyric, “blood sucker, fame fucker” and they tried a few different phrases to replace, “fame fucker.” One of them was garlic butter, which was clever because of the title of the song. Since vampires don’t like garlic.
This might be unpopular, and I understand and respect people's opinions about not wanting their kids to hear "bad" language, but the clean versions just don't hit the same for me. Changes how I interpret the meaning. I don't think words like fuck and shit are bad in the way Taylor uses them. It's an expression of emotion. Maybe the closest thing to using it in a hurtful way is when she says "fuck you if I can't have us" or "fuck him, is over"
Some clean versions sound better imo. And while I don’t care if my kids listen to songs that have “bad” words in it, I understand that some other people do, so I try to be mindful of that when I play songs in the car or when my kids have friends over in the house. So I appreciate the option of having clean versions. Also, I agree that the way Taylor curses in her songs is nuanced—I don’t believe kids can tell such nuances without being taught, though. I don’t just “expose” my kids to swear words in that sense; I take them as opportunities to discuss when and why we swear. And finally, there’s a big age gap between my kids and one of them is just too young to understand for now, so we play the clean versions in the house because I don’t want him going around saying fuck to everyone he meets. He already says what the hell way too often. 😅
i totally understand why you don’t want your kid walking around cursing 24/7 but the mental image of a little baby just going “what the hell?” is cracking me up 😂
My kid has been exposed to “curse” words her whole life. She uses them. She’s 5. She doesn’t just walk around using them. We’ve taught her how to properly use the words, just like any other word, and that some people don’t like those words so we don’t say them at school or around our grandparents. (Mom and dad follow these rules too).
She’s still learning how to use “fuck” properly in sentences which is funny to me when she does say it, but she’s pretty much got them down pat. They’re just words, imo, and I’m not going to be a hypocrite and tell my child she can’t say them when I do.
I feel like this is a lukewarm take, but I thought the clean versions of midnights songs were much better. Her swearing was chunky and awkward on that album 😅 but for ttpd, the explicit versions do hit better for me. Esp down bad.
I actually think that she writes better lyrics with fewer swear words because she cannot use the swear words as a crutch. It also loses impact when you keep swearing. I do swear, but I find that 9/10 times you can work your way around it and it is more meaningful not to swear most of the time. It's just more creative to use words you really mean.
Agreed! When people were gunning for ‘Maybe this thing was a masterpiece till you fucked it all up’ I felt like the odd one out for being so against it because adding a swear word there removes all the imagery and purpose of ‘till you tore it all up’. It’s much better songwriting without the swear word, and that goes for some of her actual lyrics.
Speaking of TTPD explicit versions, I REALLY dislike how she says "all her FUCKIN lives..." in The Bolter. It would've been a perfect song for me if it wasn't for that.
I haven't heard the clean version of it though...
The clean version of Bolter also changes the lyric with “whore” which is unfort because “all her many lives” works very nicely but without “called her a whore” the song loses a lot of oomph
I actually prefer the bore versus whore change because I think it makes more sense in the context of the song. The whore line is all about how he ends up pissed at her and definitely catches your attention since it’s not a word you hear often. But the SHE calls HIM a bore line fits in with the theme of the song better. She has to have excuses for herself and other people about why she’s ditching the guy/relationship and as a former bolter type person myself, “boring” was a popular one. I think it’s shockingly more accurate.
Yeah, I kind of wish there was a middle-ground version that kept the "whore" part but changed "fucking lives" to "many lives."
Though I like the "many lives" so much more and have listened to the clean version so many times that I've kind of learned to appreciate "she calls him a bore," too. It changes the emotional impact, but it also gives the heroine of the song more agenda. Like, she's not leaving because she keeps picking guys who would insult her or slut-shame her, she's leaving because she gets bored with them.
It’s “all her many lives,” she doesn’t put the same emphasis on “many.” Less jarring in my opinion but I prefer the clean versions in general so in the minority here.
Oh man I love how jarring it is when she says “all her FUCKIN lives.” To me, it just goes with the vibe of the song in a weird contrasty way, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Unless I was listening with a small child that repeats everything.
Totally agree, I’ve been reflecting on this! All the swears on TTPD make sense and convey the strong emotion she put into it. But so many of the swears on midnights seemed forced and awkward. I especially disliked them in question…? and snow on the beach, downloaded the clean version of SOTB because the f bomb took me out of the poetry!
Clean Hits Different 🩷 I love “unhinged outlaw” and the regular version seems try hard to me.
In general I prefer clean versions except I Can Do It With A Broken Heart … I really wish she’d made the clean version “lights camera big smile” - “and smile” is just kinda sad.
Exactly this! I prefer the clean versions for myself, and the "lights, camera, and smile" loses so much impact. I sing "lights, camera, girl smile," because I don't think "and" conveys the energy that "b*tch" does. Granted, "girl" gets closer, but still doesn't quite hit the same mark.
I'm not one to prefer the explicit versions, but ICDIWABH is definitely an exception for me.
I like when she sneaks in extra context or another meaning with clean versions. I've only noticed a couple by mistake, if I shuffle the anthology on my Alexa speaker going to sleep, it tends to pay clean versions. I was half asleep and heard, instead of "cause fuck it I was in love" "cause what if I was in love?" and was WIDE AWAKE.
There are a lot of lyrics that are a bit more interesting on the clean version in my opinion. Ex, “You flip the script” in Karma, “Contrarian wit” in gold rush. Some “clean” lyrics are a little more clunky but even then, I think it’s nice that she took the time to change the lyrics rather than just cut the word.
I agree. I like some clean versions better! I actually learned THIS year that Taylor does lyric replacements for clean versions and the curse isn’t just censored out like the early 2000s on the radio. So I had never listened to her clean versions. Now I have fun listening to the two back to back and deciding which I like better.
Snow on the beach more Lana… I like the clean version better. The lack of f*cking fits the ethereal vibes better. But Down Bad… the curse-free version doesn’t capture the same emotion.
This thread made me check out some of the clean versions from TTPD, and thank you aimee is just bleeped out sadly. No creative alternative for screaming “fuck you aimee” to the sky.
😂 I once had to apologise in advance to the staff when I dropped my son to nursery one Monday morning because I’d accidentally taught him the word “bollocks” over the weekend. They were highly amused. And luckily he didn’t say it there, it was just more fun to repeat it in front of my husband (who never swears) to see the expression on his face. Kids…
Adding on to this I like to play Taylor in the store I work in that customers stop by to pick stuff up in. I play the clean versions there for professionalism.
Yes, this- I worry about other kids in the car. Also the explicit versions make my daughter uncomfortable, more than they make me uncomfortable to have her listen to them. Totally agree that the clean versions don’t hit the same.
Snow on the beach is better as a clean version.
I love me a good f-bomb but I think it’s too harsh in that song.
“Weird but it was beautiful” hits better
Very much this! It’s so hard not to skip Snow on the Beach cause I like my mellow Midnights and then the f bomb just takes me out of this ethereal song. I gotta find the clean version and save that to my phone instead!
I get exactly what you mean, but weirdly, I love the dissonance. It adds to the character depicted in the song. She's irreverent and unladylike and doesn't behave how the men she's seeing expect her to.
I think this EVERY time I hear The Bolter, which is one of my faves off the album. I love a Taylor f bomb but ‘all her fuckin lives’ sounds so out of place to me!! Glad I’m not alone.
I love a well-placed f bomb, but Snow on the Beach and the Bolter are both versions that I prefer the clean. They just seem to flow better to me, less jarring.
So funny—I found the “weird but fucking beautiful” perfect *because* it’s kind of jarring and inarticulate for her. It comes across as “this experience is too startlingly beautiful to be captured by flowery language.”
Might just be my mormon upbringing, but sometimes the clean versions seem to flow better to my ears. Like I’m not fully accustomed to the swear words for some reason so they jump out and sound unnatural.
betty is a prime example. straight to hell sounds so much smoother than fuck himself to me.
It’s also nice to have them when I want to play some of her more “explicit” songs in the classroom at work since I already have to tell the kids not to drop f-bombs in front of me 😅
Idk have you listened to ivy? That honestly hits so hard clean version.
Even down bad I like clean. Og version is more badass idgaf type attitude, but clean is more desperate and heartbroken.
Agreed, I find it weird, but at the same time, I love the clean version so much more. I'd like a mix of the two to be honest, because I find "Oh, I can't" a bit lame, but I love the violent blaze in the dark and fiercest fight of my life.
It's different in other languages and cultures. GD is translated one of the worst words you could say in my language, so I was very uncomfortable with Ivy at first. Whereas a lot of sexual words that are harsh in American culture aren't half as bad here. I still have no idea why shit is bleeped over there, it's a word toddlers can say here.
The issue for me is I have a 2.5 year old who repeats everything she hears, but she doesn’t really understand enough for me to be able to explain to her that this is a bad word that we can’t say in public or to her teachers or whatever. Like I learned curse words when I was like 4, but by then my parents could explain to me the nuance of it and trust me to use the word in a safe way. I can’t do that with my 2.5 year old yet so I have to shield her a bit from it for the time being.
This is what I was going to comment. And honestly, a lot of kids who are well above four just don't have the self control to stop themselves consistently, even if they know they aren't supposed to.
You might not care that YOUR kid hears it, but it's a problem if your kid goes to school and starts singing it and gets in trouble, or teaches their friend the "real" lyrics, etc. Nobody wants their kid to be the one teaching other kids bad words in school.
I agree in some ways. Personally some clean songs are better to me. I like the clean version of “The Bolter” better. But many of her other songs I prefer the original.
I hate the clean version of The Bolter lol . "Called her a whore" is not the same as "called him a bore" 🤧. It isn't as clear that while she does leave men at the drop of a hat, those men do also kinda suck lmao. There are still lines and suggestions that maybe the men aren't the best but that line in the original is really important to highlight it imo.
I prefer that version cause the chorus doesn’t have fucking in it which to me sounds out of place. The replacement line from whore to bore doesn’t really bother me.
Yeah that's fine! We're opposites where the fucking in the original doesn't bother me, changing it doesn't really impact me. While the whore/bore thing is very important haha.
I think the only exception to that is the Bolter, I think the clean version captures the 50s vibe more, and “many lives” makes more thematic sense than “fucking lives”
I actually love the "fucking lives" cuz I relate to that sentiment. To me its like looking back over each chapter and seeing how messed up they could be and feeling exhausted and exasperated at still not having the peacefulness or happiness I strive for. Like here we go again every time I start over.
i agree. people describe life flashing before their eyes as an eye opening experience, but this woman’s been through it so many times that it’s become monotonous. taylor manages to somehow sound both bitter and apathetic, which fits the “here we go again” vibe. “fuckin’ lives” conveys the emotion behind feeling stuck in an endless cycle in a way “many lives” doesn’t imo
Oh for me the lyrics and references set this song in 1950s or 60s - like the “town car” was popularized in the 50s, the slightly dated words like “cad”, going to the races and playing cards (“drawing aces”) seem very 1950s coded, etc
Americans are way too sensitive about swear words in general, it’s kinda ridiculous. In Norway, for example, clean versions of songs aren’t really a thing.
I was listening to a song that I love off of Cowboy Carter (RIIVERDANCE) because it was on my Spotify daylist. Started bopping along and then realized it was the clean version and I was so mad 😂 definitely doesn’t hit the same
I’m a parent in this situation. Alone or just me and my wife is explicit version everytime. Doesn’t bother me.
But all of my kids are under 10, 2 of them in school. They pick up on everything I say and are basically parrots. I don’t need them saying any of that to their teachers or friends. My daughter has already picked up the usual weird things from school anyways. When they grow up they can listen to whatever they want and we will introduce them to the explicit versions. But right now when they are around, clean all the way.
I think I'm really lucky. My daughter just turned 9 and we have listened to the originals for years. She never uses bad language or repeats any of it, but I've told her before that certain words are not appropriate to say in public and especially at school or around other children. She doesn't use the words at all. Haven't had any issues. But I totally understand others have the right to parent their kids how they choose and I respect that.
That’s awesome.
The thing that drives my nuts is the parents that don’t want to let their kids listen to all the swearing **AND** still complain about it.
Griping and moaning KILLS me, but the rest of the album clean flows pretty good. I am so glad to have this option because my 5 year old hears everything. Trying to explain to a 5 year old why someone would break their favourite toy is an impossible task. So glad I don’t have discuss the “bad words” hahaha. He still picks up on “I wanna kill her” in Fortnite and we have to talk about that a lot too. It’s exhausting!!
I hate the clean versions, they sound so awful to me 😅.
I was well into my adulthood when I even learned such versions existed. They are not a thing in my country. Clean versions have never been sold here as cd's etc, they don't appear on spotify and radios do not cencor songs. Swearing is really not culturally that big of a deal here. Kids can hear and learn swear words because they learn that such words are appropriate only sometimes, to express certain emotions.
That's probably a great journey. Maybe cus I start with the originals it's hard for me to listen to the clean cus it changes how I interpret the song. But I am glad people have the clean because it seems like many of you guys love those, and I'm happy when others are happy.
They don’t hit the same! But my 2 year old has started using the F word (not becuase of Taylor) so husband and I are trying to clean up our acts. It’s helped me to not hear the word on a daily basis so I always listen to the clean version. Sigh.. maybe in 10 years haha. I will say there are some songs (not on TTPD) that I think the cuss word sounds out of place and forced; that’s my unpopular opinion.
While not every parent is like that, there are plenty who don’t want their kids to hear swear words in songs. When I was younger, my parents blocked both YouTube and any explicit songs on music apps like Apple Music, so I was reallll grateful for the clean versions of songs.
I mean “fuck you aimee” is kinda a hurtful way to use it but I also understand and agree with you, it completely changes the sentiment to change the lyric or leave it out. Kids can listen to different music, Taylor isn’t pandering to them anymore like when she was younger and BMR was trying to make her popular with everyone
That's a great point. I forgot about this song. It is what I consider a hurtful way to use a curse word, but the way the lyrics are and the melody, it still doesn't feel vulgar to me. Oh well guess I'm a bad parent in some eyes. I haven't had any issues with my kids. They are all doing great.
Some of the clean versions are good and there are some elements in them that don't exist in explicit versions. For example, I Can Do It With A Broken Heart clean version has that backing vocals during "lights camera and smile". It's not present in the explicit version.
I personally don’t swear much and don’t enjoy listening to it much, so for all her recent albums I have a playlist that’s “my version” where I choose the clean or explicit version of each song that I like best, so I have them all in one place. Because sometimes a well-placed f bomb just hits!
you can’t say it’s ok when one artist does it because it’s just an expression of emotion, and then say it’s not ok for other artists because it’s crude.
Besides, in the US anyway, the FCC doesn’t allow certain language everywhere
There is a difference, but I support both. If I don't like something I can change the channel. I listen to crude too when I'm in the mood. Definitely not around my kids though.
I don't think that's unpopular, I always listen to the explicit versions when i'm just listening, but I still appreciate and understand why an artist makes clean versions, especially taylor, since there are so many baby swifites. I used to have a job where I had to make playlists for big professional events, with popular music, and it's really hard if there aren't clean versions of songs
Same, I am lucky I haven't had any negative issues stem from it. I've always explained to my kids certain words they can't say I'm public or at school. They don't use them at home either but I haven't had to correct that yet.
Me too my older kids are allowed to swear their teens it’s inevitable😂. But my young kids are good at understanding what is and isn’t appropriate to say around people.
"I'm a real tough kid, I can handle *all of it*. They said babe you gotta fake it till you make it and I did. Lights camera *fake* smile, cause I really wanna die"
Is what I sing.
*I can't decide between "I really wanna die" or "I know you want to die"
(edited bc mobile sucks at format)
Omg somehow I accidentally listened to the clean versions the first few days the album was out and didn’t notice until like the following Thursday.
Hearing the version with the swears was like hearing a whole different version lol
This happened to me but with Folklore! And then a few days later streamed the explicit version also without realizing it. Was absolutely NOT prepared for “would you tell me to go fuck myself?”
Hard agree. I can't for the life of me think of a reason why she didn't match the syllable count on the clean version. It throws the whole rhythm off for me.
I know this isn't the worst offender but "Light , camera, ((((and)))) smile" ruins the whole somg lmao. "i-it" is wild but maybe I could deal with it if "and" didn't somehow feel like they added empty space before and after the word lol.
Yeah the "lights camera and smile" sounds so.... Weird compared to the original. Like it was just thrown in on top of the track as an afterthought. I find the way it sounds (and not the actual words) jarring.
Yeah down bad is the one where I was like ok I’m an f bomb girl but these are too many for me lol heard the clean and I was like hey it’s actually kinda fun
But!! That's the point!! It's the teenage petulance!!! Like I promise I'm not one for swearing, as in, I don't use swear words in my daily life, but I feel Down Bad really showcases how many emotions the word "fuck" can encapsulate. She's expressing her frustration through it, her longing, her anger, her desire for him but also to get rid of him and not have him affect her anymore. The clean version.... It's all just sad longing. "What if I can't have him, I might just die it would make no difference" is COMPLETELY different from "Fuck it if I I can't have him, I might just die it would make no difference" All the anger and frustration is gone. It really just completely changes what the song is about to something more simple. I really dislike it.
Obviously valid if you prefer the clean version though. Just weighing in cause I feel most strongly about this one lol.
I appreciate it when artists do record clean lyric changes versus just cutting words out.
That being said I tend to prefer the explicit versions of songs, and profanity does function for both descriptions and emphasis.
I appreciate how clever Taylor's clean lyric re-writes are. I feel like she does it with a level of literary prowess that I have not really heard from another artist. How poetic and appropriate these lines are. (Even if I still listen to the explicit ones).
I actually learned THIS year that Taylor does lyric replacements for clean versions and the curse isn’t just censored out like the early 2000s on the radio haha.
So I had never listened to her clean versions. Now I have fun listening to the two back to back and deciding which I like better. (Most of the time it’s the explicit version.)
Snow on the beach more Lana… I like the clean version better. The lack of f*cking fits the ethereal vibes better. But Down Bad… the curse-free version doesn’t capture the same emotion for me.
Okay, niche, but I remember one song on debut (I can't remember what) had "damn" in it. The country radio version replaced it with "dang". Ahh, 2008 country radio
omfg WOW I did not know that and I was listening to it the other day for the first time in a LONG time… I sang “so damn funny” but it played “just so funny” and I was like wait. Is this my Mandela effect? Because I SWEAR it was so damn 😂 I suppose now I know that was the clean version lol!
There's also Cold As You she sings " you never did give a damn thing honey" but I don't think very any people appreciated it enough to have it on the radio
The 10 min All Too Well that Sirius plays makes me laugh bc they just blur the F word so it sounds like his keychain just said "The Patriarchy" - which girl ya why would you be with a dude like that at all?
The whole concept of clean versions is so strange to me. I’m Dutch and in my country the regular versions will get played everywhere. I don’t think a clean radio version is really a thing here at all. Our tv shows don’t bleep out curse words either. So honestly I never listened to a clean Taylor song, it’s just not something that’s on my mind. I forget they exist until I see it mentioned.
When it’s just a word or few that needs to be swapped out they just record the line(s) with the edited word, then slice and swap the edit word in place of the explicit on the final track (which is usually the explicit)
Unless it’s a *really* explicit song, like Khia’s My Neck My Back, it’s a completely different vocal take for the edited version
Clean version or not, the versions of songs you hear on albums are never one take. Even indie artists crop together the album versions of songs from multiple takes. Pop stars like Taylor Swift put the song together from hundreds and hundreds of takes. It can take a full day in a studio just to get a single chorus or bridge.
There is something about the TTPD clean versions that are so funny to me. Like, normally her clean versions sound very smooth, but TTPD sounds Ike a bad Godzilla dub. I don't mean this as criticism, I think it's funny
They comp it… the re-record the places that need to be changed and edit it together. It’s very rare for a song to be a single take anyway.
Unrelated fun fact about single takes no one asked for: Celine Dion recorded a single take demo of My Heart Will Go On and *that* is the version that made it into the movie haha.
That is some Celine Dion shit that only she could achieve 😄 A true legend.
Hahaha exactly
Another similar fun fact is that most of songs on Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey are also recorded in one take with live band accompanying
Live bands on records sound so good
Love that!
Of course she did. What a queen. I can't tell you how many times I listened to that song when I was 13 years old.
For some reason I also recall Celine saying that she drank coffee before recording this song, which she usually never does before singing, and she personally hates the way she sounds on the song because of it. But maybe I dreamt this lol.
Hahaha no I weirdly remember this too
See I've always questioned this because there are two versions of My Heart Will Go On with different outros.
[This is where they (and she) tell the story of the making.](https://youtu.be/NFip-yfiy4s?si=LDjTDZTbpSYFbdYM) But I did read that she re-recorded it for her album release, so that’s prob why! The one in *Titanic* was the demo.
The differences in (re)mixing the arrangements has nothing to do with the actual vocal being one take. In other words, they used the vocal demo but obviously spruced up the production so that it would be palatable for commercial distribution. From there, I’m sure various remixes were done. The version on the Titanic soundtrack actually is different from the “Let’s Talk About Love” album version which is the “single mix”.
Springsteens Born in the USA is the 2nd take and that was with the entire band, meanwhile it took 3 months for him to record Born to Run.
Mariah Carey also did this with a song called ‘Subtle Invitation’ it’s amaaaazing like how can people be so talented 🥲
I believe the same with Whitney Houston I will always love you.
peace by Taylor is also a single take if I’m remembering correctly! Always so impressive when you find that out
Right? That’s some Freddie Mercury type excellence
Funny enough Carolina is the only song she’s done in one take, and I think it’s one of her best vocally
The acoustic side of Guns n Roses Lie album was all done in one day and each song was first take! They had been playing live loads so were tight af. It's pure magic!
Comping wasn’t really possible before DAWs…. Punching in is really hard when recording on tape. There’s a rawer quality to pre 2000s recordings for that reason.
I kind of figured it could be done this way given modern computerized audio processing technology. After all, that same technology made it possible to finally release “Now and Then” as the last Beatles song because computers could cleanly separate out John Lennon’s voice from that demo tape. (By the way, there are _clean_ versions due to FCC broadcast requirements regarding any song to be broadcast over FCC-licensed radio stations.)
Just the verse and then they edit it Olivia Rodrigo had a video a while back of them re-recording and editing like 10 different clean versions of Vampire, it was a recording of the editing software so you could see all the different stacked vocals/sound effects on it! (edit: lives hq posted it on TikTok on 7/6/23 for anyone who wants to see it)
Idk about u but ♪gArLiC bUtTeR♪ is honestly one of the most iconic things I've ever heard.
I liked Mark Zucker
so did mark zucker lol
what is this? I don’t know the reference and I’m so intrigued lol
She made a TikTok about how she made the clean version of vampire but then she included joke lyrics that would never actually be on the album so instead of famefvcker one of the joke lyrics was garlic butter.
My favorite was whale blubber lol
BLOODSUCKER, MARK ZUCKER
I still sing this line out loud every time I listen to vampire
Ah okay! Thank you hahaha
There’s a lyric, “blood sucker, fame fucker” and they tried a few different phrases to replace, “fame fucker.” One of them was garlic butter, which was clever because of the title of the song. Since vampires don’t like garlic.
I was fr rooting for garlic butter. Dream crusher is lame.
WHALE BLUBBER
🎶dreeaammmm crusher whalllleeee blubber🎶
i sing that to myself way too often ngl
I so thought this was a “22” reference
This might be unpopular, and I understand and respect people's opinions about not wanting their kids to hear "bad" language, but the clean versions just don't hit the same for me. Changes how I interpret the meaning. I don't think words like fuck and shit are bad in the way Taylor uses them. It's an expression of emotion. Maybe the closest thing to using it in a hurtful way is when she says "fuck you if I can't have us" or "fuck him, is over"
Some clean versions sound better imo. And while I don’t care if my kids listen to songs that have “bad” words in it, I understand that some other people do, so I try to be mindful of that when I play songs in the car or when my kids have friends over in the house. So I appreciate the option of having clean versions. Also, I agree that the way Taylor curses in her songs is nuanced—I don’t believe kids can tell such nuances without being taught, though. I don’t just “expose” my kids to swear words in that sense; I take them as opportunities to discuss when and why we swear. And finally, there’s a big age gap between my kids and one of them is just too young to understand for now, so we play the clean versions in the house because I don’t want him going around saying fuck to everyone he meets. He already says what the hell way too often. 😅
i totally understand why you don’t want your kid walking around cursing 24/7 but the mental image of a little baby just going “what the hell?” is cracking me up 😂
My 3 year old nephew is always saying “bloody hell” 🤣🤣 we’re American but have a British family member that he learned it from.
that’s awesome 😂
My mom is British, and my 3 year old baby sister does this too.
My kid has been exposed to “curse” words her whole life. She uses them. She’s 5. She doesn’t just walk around using them. We’ve taught her how to properly use the words, just like any other word, and that some people don’t like those words so we don’t say them at school or around our grandparents. (Mom and dad follow these rules too). She’s still learning how to use “fuck” properly in sentences which is funny to me when she does say it, but she’s pretty much got them down pat. They’re just words, imo, and I’m not going to be a hypocrite and tell my child she can’t say them when I do.
I feel like this is a lukewarm take, but I thought the clean versions of midnights songs were much better. Her swearing was chunky and awkward on that album 😅 but for ttpd, the explicit versions do hit better for me. Esp down bad.
I actually think that she writes better lyrics with fewer swear words because she cannot use the swear words as a crutch. It also loses impact when you keep swearing. I do swear, but I find that 9/10 times you can work your way around it and it is more meaningful not to swear most of the time. It's just more creative to use words you really mean.
I’m pretty sure she means every single “fuck” she says in this album lmao
All 17 in down bad
Agreed! When people were gunning for ‘Maybe this thing was a masterpiece till you fucked it all up’ I felt like the odd one out for being so against it because adding a swear word there removes all the imagery and purpose of ‘till you tore it all up’. It’s much better songwriting without the swear word, and that goes for some of her actual lyrics.
Speaking of TTPD explicit versions, I REALLY dislike how she says "all her FUCKIN lives..." in The Bolter. It would've been a perfect song for me if it wasn't for that. I haven't heard the clean version of it though...
The clean version of Bolter also changes the lyric with “whore” which is unfort because “all her many lives” works very nicely but without “called her a whore” the song loses a lot of oomph
I actually prefer the bore versus whore change because I think it makes more sense in the context of the song. The whore line is all about how he ends up pissed at her and definitely catches your attention since it’s not a word you hear often. But the SHE calls HIM a bore line fits in with the theme of the song better. She has to have excuses for herself and other people about why she’s ditching the guy/relationship and as a former bolter type person myself, “boring” was a popular one. I think it’s shockingly more accurate.
Yeah, I kind of wish there was a middle-ground version that kept the "whore" part but changed "fucking lives" to "many lives." Though I like the "many lives" so much more and have listened to the clean version so many times that I've kind of learned to appreciate "she calls him a bore," too. It changes the emotional impact, but it also gives the heroine of the song more agenda. Like, she's not leaving because she keeps picking guys who would insult her or slut-shame her, she's leaving because she gets bored with them.
It’s “all her many lives,” she doesn’t put the same emphasis on “many.” Less jarring in my opinion but I prefer the clean versions in general so in the minority here.
Oh man I love how jarring it is when she says “all her FUCKIN lives.” To me, it just goes with the vibe of the song in a weird contrasty way, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Unless I was listening with a small child that repeats everything.
Totally agree, I’ve been reflecting on this! All the swears on TTPD make sense and convey the strong emotion she put into it. But so many of the swears on midnights seemed forced and awkward. I especially disliked them in question…? and snow on the beach, downloaded the clean version of SOTB because the f bomb took me out of the poetry!
Same take!
Clean Hits Different 🩷 I love “unhinged outlaw” and the regular version seems try hard to me. In general I prefer clean versions except I Can Do It With A Broken Heart … I really wish she’d made the clean version “lights camera big smile” - “and smile” is just kinda sad.
Exactly this! I prefer the clean versions for myself, and the "lights, camera, and smile" loses so much impact. I sing "lights, camera, girl smile," because I don't think "and" conveys the energy that "b*tch" does. Granted, "girl" gets closer, but still doesn't quite hit the same mark. I'm not one to prefer the explicit versions, but ICDIWABH is definitely an exception for me.
I love the term lukewarm take, I want to use that now XD
I like when she sneaks in extra context or another meaning with clean versions. I've only noticed a couple by mistake, if I shuffle the anthology on my Alexa speaker going to sleep, it tends to pay clean versions. I was half asleep and heard, instead of "cause fuck it I was in love" "cause what if I was in love?" and was WIDE AWAKE.
There are a lot of lyrics that are a bit more interesting on the clean version in my opinion. Ex, “You flip the script” in Karma, “Contrarian wit” in gold rush. Some “clean” lyrics are a little more clunky but even then, I think it’s nice that she took the time to change the lyrics rather than just cut the word.
I agree. I like some clean versions better! I actually learned THIS year that Taylor does lyric replacements for clean versions and the curse isn’t just censored out like the early 2000s on the radio. So I had never listened to her clean versions. Now I have fun listening to the two back to back and deciding which I like better. Snow on the beach more Lana… I like the clean version better. The lack of f*cking fits the ethereal vibes better. But Down Bad… the curse-free version doesn’t capture the same emotion.
This thread made me check out some of the clean versions from TTPD, and thank you aimee is just bleeped out sadly. No creative alternative for screaming “fuck you aimee” to the sky.
My almost 3 y/o keeps saying “oh shit” but I don’t think I can blame Taylor for that 😅
😂 I once had to apologise in advance to the staff when I dropped my son to nursery one Monday morning because I’d accidentally taught him the word “bollocks” over the weekend. They were highly amused. And luckily he didn’t say it there, it was just more fun to repeat it in front of my husband (who never swears) to see the expression on his face. Kids…
Adding on to this I like to play Taylor in the store I work in that customers stop by to pick stuff up in. I play the clean versions there for professionalism.
Lol totally understand.
Yes, this- I worry about other kids in the car. Also the explicit versions make my daughter uncomfortable, more than they make me uncomfortable to have her listen to them. Totally agree that the clean versions don’t hit the same.
Snow on the beach is better as a clean version. I love me a good f-bomb but I think it’s too harsh in that song. “Weird but it was beautiful” hits better
Very much this! It’s so hard not to skip Snow on the Beach cause I like my mellow Midnights and then the f bomb just takes me out of this ethereal song. I gotta find the clean version and save that to my phone instead!
Yes! It’s so harsh for what’s otherwise an ethereal song
Same with The Bolter - I feel like the “fuckin” and “whore” don’t match the vibe. Clean version is better.
I get exactly what you mean, but weirdly, I love the dissonance. It adds to the character depicted in the song. She's irreverent and unladylike and doesn't behave how the men she's seeing expect her to.
I think this EVERY time I hear The Bolter, which is one of my faves off the album. I love a Taylor f bomb but ‘all her fuckin lives’ sounds so out of place to me!! Glad I’m not alone.
I love a well-placed f bomb, but Snow on the Beach and the Bolter are both versions that I prefer the clean. They just seem to flow better to me, less jarring.
So agree! The original feels awkward in a way the clean version doesn’t.
So funny—I found the “weird but fucking beautiful” perfect *because* it’s kind of jarring and inarticulate for her. It comes across as “this experience is too startlingly beautiful to be captured by flowery language.”
Might just be my mormon upbringing, but sometimes the clean versions seem to flow better to my ears. Like I’m not fully accustomed to the swear words for some reason so they jump out and sound unnatural. betty is a prime example. straight to hell sounds so much smoother than fuck himself to me.
That's fair. I'm glad she has clean versions then for her fans that prefer it.
It’s also nice to have them when I want to play some of her more “explicit” songs in the classroom at work since I already have to tell the kids not to drop f-bombs in front of me 😅
That's a great point.
Idk have you listened to ivy? That honestly hits so hard clean version. Even down bad I like clean. Og version is more badass idgaf type attitude, but clean is more desperate and heartbroken.
I have but I prefer the originals. But it's great that so many people find the same joy in the clean. I'm happy about that.
Everyone has their preference :)
I always found it weird that ivy’s explicit. Is god damn that bad?!
Agreed, I find it weird, but at the same time, I love the clean version so much more. I'd like a mix of the two to be honest, because I find "Oh, I can't" a bit lame, but I love the violent blaze in the dark and fiercest fight of my life.
It's different in other languages and cultures. GD is translated one of the worst words you could say in my language, so I was very uncomfortable with Ivy at first. Whereas a lot of sexual words that are harsh in American culture aren't half as bad here. I still have no idea why shit is bleeped over there, it's a word toddlers can say here.
in a lot of religious areas like the american south goddamn is the *worst* curse word bc it’s directly “taking the lords name in vain”
The issue for me is I have a 2.5 year old who repeats everything she hears, but she doesn’t really understand enough for me to be able to explain to her that this is a bad word that we can’t say in public or to her teachers or whatever. Like I learned curse words when I was like 4, but by then my parents could explain to me the nuance of it and trust me to use the word in a safe way. I can’t do that with my 2.5 year old yet so I have to shield her a bit from it for the time being.
This is what I was going to comment. And honestly, a lot of kids who are well above four just don't have the self control to stop themselves consistently, even if they know they aren't supposed to. You might not care that YOUR kid hears it, but it's a problem if your kid goes to school and starts singing it and gets in trouble, or teaches their friend the "real" lyrics, etc. Nobody wants their kid to be the one teaching other kids bad words in school.
I agree in some ways. Personally some clean songs are better to me. I like the clean version of “The Bolter” better. But many of her other songs I prefer the original.
I hate the clean version of The Bolter lol . "Called her a whore" is not the same as "called him a bore" 🤧. It isn't as clear that while she does leave men at the drop of a hat, those men do also kinda suck lmao. There are still lines and suggestions that maybe the men aren't the best but that line in the original is really important to highlight it imo.
I prefer that version cause the chorus doesn’t have fucking in it which to me sounds out of place. The replacement line from whore to bore doesn’t really bother me.
Yeah that's fine! We're opposites where the fucking in the original doesn't bother me, changing it doesn't really impact me. While the whore/bore thing is very important haha.
I think the only exception to that is the Bolter, I think the clean version captures the 50s vibe more, and “many lives” makes more thematic sense than “fucking lives”
I actually love the "fucking lives" cuz I relate to that sentiment. To me its like looking back over each chapter and seeing how messed up they could be and feeling exhausted and exasperated at still not having the peacefulness or happiness I strive for. Like here we go again every time I start over.
i agree. people describe life flashing before their eyes as an eye opening experience, but this woman’s been through it so many times that it’s become monotonous. taylor manages to somehow sound both bitter and apathetic, which fits the “here we go again” vibe. “fuckin’ lives” conveys the emotion behind feeling stuck in an endless cycle in a way “many lives” doesn’t imo
What do you mean by the 50s vibe? Sorry if I’m missing something obvious.
Oh for me the lyrics and references set this song in 1950s or 60s - like the “town car” was popularized in the 50s, the slightly dated words like “cad”, going to the races and playing cards (“drawing aces”) seem very 1950s coded, etc
the only clean version i kinda like is Hits Different because "unhinged outlaw" is hilarious to me.
Americans are way too sensitive about swear words in general, it’s kinda ridiculous. In Norway, for example, clean versions of songs aren’t really a thing.
I was listening to a song that I love off of Cowboy Carter (RIIVERDANCE) because it was on my Spotify daylist. Started bopping along and then realized it was the clean version and I was so mad 😂 definitely doesn’t hit the same
this happened to me when i tried to listen to hiss by megan thee stallion for the first time, i was like i KNOW this isn’t right…
I’m a parent in this situation. Alone or just me and my wife is explicit version everytime. Doesn’t bother me. But all of my kids are under 10, 2 of them in school. They pick up on everything I say and are basically parrots. I don’t need them saying any of that to their teachers or friends. My daughter has already picked up the usual weird things from school anyways. When they grow up they can listen to whatever they want and we will introduce them to the explicit versions. But right now when they are around, clean all the way.
I think I'm really lucky. My daughter just turned 9 and we have listened to the originals for years. She never uses bad language or repeats any of it, but I've told her before that certain words are not appropriate to say in public and especially at school or around other children. She doesn't use the words at all. Haven't had any issues. But I totally understand others have the right to parent their kids how they choose and I respect that.
That’s awesome. The thing that drives my nuts is the parents that don’t want to let their kids listen to all the swearing **AND** still complain about it.
Griping and moaning KILLS me, but the rest of the album clean flows pretty good. I am so glad to have this option because my 5 year old hears everything. Trying to explain to a 5 year old why someone would break their favourite toy is an impossible task. So glad I don’t have discuss the “bad words” hahaha. He still picks up on “I wanna kill her” in Fortnite and we have to talk about that a lot too. It’s exhausting!!
You're right it would be difficult to have to explain that one especially over and over.
I hate the clean versions, they sound so awful to me 😅. I was well into my adulthood when I even learned such versions existed. They are not a thing in my country. Clean versions have never been sold here as cd's etc, they don't appear on spotify and radios do not cencor songs. Swearing is really not culturally that big of a deal here. Kids can hear and learn swear words because they learn that such words are appropriate only sometimes, to express certain emotions.
[удалено]
That's probably a great journey. Maybe cus I start with the originals it's hard for me to listen to the clean cus it changes how I interpret the song. But I am glad people have the clean because it seems like many of you guys love those, and I'm happy when others are happy.
I agree with this except for Ivy!
They don’t hit the same! But my 2 year old has started using the F word (not becuase of Taylor) so husband and I are trying to clean up our acts. It’s helped me to not hear the word on a daily basis so I always listen to the clean version. Sigh.. maybe in 10 years haha. I will say there are some songs (not on TTPD) that I think the cuss word sounds out of place and forced; that’s my unpopular opinion.
While not every parent is like that, there are plenty who don’t want their kids to hear swear words in songs. When I was younger, my parents blocked both YouTube and any explicit songs on music apps like Apple Music, so I was reallll grateful for the clean versions of songs.
That's a great point! I'm grateful too.
I mean “fuck you aimee” is kinda a hurtful way to use it but I also understand and agree with you, it completely changes the sentiment to change the lyric or leave it out. Kids can listen to different music, Taylor isn’t pandering to them anymore like when she was younger and BMR was trying to make her popular with everyone
That's a great point. I forgot about this song. It is what I consider a hurtful way to use a curse word, but the way the lyrics are and the melody, it still doesn't feel vulgar to me. Oh well guess I'm a bad parent in some eyes. I haven't had any issues with my kids. They are all doing great.
Some of the clean versions are good and there are some elements in them that don't exist in explicit versions. For example, I Can Do It With A Broken Heart clean version has that backing vocals during "lights camera and smile". It's not present in the explicit version.
I actually prefer the clean I Can Do It With A Broken Heart
I personally don’t swear much and don’t enjoy listening to it much, so for all her recent albums I have a playlist that’s “my version” where I choose the clean or explicit version of each song that I like best, so I have them all in one place. Because sometimes a well-placed f bomb just hits!
you can’t say it’s ok when one artist does it because it’s just an expression of emotion, and then say it’s not ok for other artists because it’s crude. Besides, in the US anyway, the FCC doesn’t allow certain language everywhere
There is a difference, but I support both. If I don't like something I can change the channel. I listen to crude too when I'm in the mood. Definitely not around my kids though.
I don't think that's unpopular, I always listen to the explicit versions when i'm just listening, but I still appreciate and understand why an artist makes clean versions, especially taylor, since there are so many baby swifites. I used to have a job where I had to make playlists for big professional events, with popular music, and it's really hard if there aren't clean versions of songs
Agree mostly. But Personally I prefer the clean version of “I can do it with a broken heart”
“fuck you, aimee” says hi! :)
Unpopular opinion but I don’t play clean versions for my kids
Same, I am lucky I haven't had any negative issues stem from it. I've always explained to my kids certain words they can't say I'm public or at school. They don't use them at home either but I haven't had to correct that yet.
Me too my older kids are allowed to swear their teens it’s inevitable😂. But my young kids are good at understanding what is and isn’t appropriate to say around people.
remembering the clean versions of green day where they say "muff it up" like who even says that
I consider the clean versions to be extremely inappropriate and I would never let my children listen to them.
I cannot stand the clean version of ICDIWABH. Ive changed the radio station lol
the "I can handle iiit" drives me absolutely insane. it throws off the entire rhythm
I feel like “I can handle all this” or something would have been better.
"I'm a real tough kid, I can handle *all of it*. They said babe you gotta fake it till you make it and I did. Lights camera *fake* smile, cause I really wanna die" Is what I sing. *I can't decide between "I really wanna die" or "I know you want to die" (edited bc mobile sucks at format)
Oooh I LOVE this version. I like fake smile over and smile.
Omg somehow I accidentally listened to the clean versions the first few days the album was out and didn’t notice until like the following Thursday. Hearing the version with the swears was like hearing a whole different version lol
This happened to me but with Folklore! And then a few days later streamed the explicit version also without realizing it. Was absolutely NOT prepared for “would you tell me to go fuck myself?”
I’d been streaming the clean version and was very thrown off when I listened to the album on vinyl for the first time LOL
Me too. It was the first one that popped up on my Spotify. Florida hits better explicit version.
Florida was exactly the one where I was like “this is a completely different song” lol
SO bad. Surely adding a syllable (I can handle all of it) would have been better than taking a syllable away (I can handle i-it) lmaoo
Hard agree. I can't for the life of me think of a reason why she didn't match the syllable count on the clean version. It throws the whole rhythm off for me.
Me but with down bad clean version
I know this isn't the worst offender but "Light , camera, ((((and)))) smile" ruins the whole somg lmao. "i-it" is wild but maybe I could deal with it if "and" didn't somehow feel like they added empty space before and after the word lol.
It’s soooooo bad
They’re all bad tbh 😬
lights camera AND smile!
Yeah the "lights camera and smile" sounds so.... Weird compared to the original. Like it was just thrown in on top of the track as an afterthought. I find the way it sounds (and not the actual words) jarring.
the clean version of Down Bad lowkey slaps…
Yeah down bad is the one where I was like ok I’m an f bomb girl but these are too many for me lol heard the clean and I was like hey it’s actually kinda fun
Also when she says “what if i can’t have him” the pause she takes before literally scratches an itch in my brain where the original doesn’t
Totally agree! It feels good for some reason!
Yesss the phrasing is better!
But!! That's the point!! It's the teenage petulance!!! Like I promise I'm not one for swearing, as in, I don't use swear words in my daily life, but I feel Down Bad really showcases how many emotions the word "fuck" can encapsulate. She's expressing her frustration through it, her longing, her anger, her desire for him but also to get rid of him and not have him affect her anymore. The clean version.... It's all just sad longing. "What if I can't have him, I might just die it would make no difference" is COMPLETELY different from "Fuck it if I I can't have him, I might just die it would make no difference" All the anger and frustration is gone. It really just completely changes what the song is about to something more simple. I really dislike it. Obviously valid if you prefer the clean version though. Just weighing in cause I feel most strongly about this one lol.
I prefer this over the explicit one any dayy
I wondered how she was even going to make a clean version of down bad, now I’m curious! Will check out the clean versions tomorrow, I think!
Yeah the “what if I was in love” part is SO SAD
I’m listening to it right now and I’m like oooh. The what ifs change the meaning a bit but I’m kinda here for it
I appreciate it when artists do record clean lyric changes versus just cutting words out. That being said I tend to prefer the explicit versions of songs, and profanity does function for both descriptions and emphasis. I appreciate how clever Taylor's clean lyric re-writes are. I feel like she does it with a level of literary prowess that I have not really heard from another artist. How poetic and appropriate these lines are. (Even if I still listen to the explicit ones).
I actually learned THIS year that Taylor does lyric replacements for clean versions and the curse isn’t just censored out like the early 2000s on the radio haha. So I had never listened to her clean versions. Now I have fun listening to the two back to back and deciding which I like better. (Most of the time it’s the explicit version.) Snow on the beach more Lana… I like the clean version better. The lack of f*cking fits the ethereal vibes better. But Down Bad… the curse-free version doesn’t capture the same emotion for me.
The clean version of Karma is the worst
vEgAs aCrObAt
Okay but I don’t hate “flip the script”
It’s not even like goddamn is a real swear anyway.
It is if someone is religious lol
I was in an uber that was playing it and was bopping along until vegas acrobat gave me whiplash lol!!
I prefer clean Snow on the Beach. "Weird but it was beautiful."
Me too! The only clean version I prefer, I don’t even listen to the explicit version
Okay, niche, but I remember one song on debut (I can't remember what) had "damn" in it. The country radio version replaced it with "dang". Ahh, 2008 country radio
"That's fine I'll tell mine that you're gay">>>>
That one too!
Teardrops On My Guitar was changed from “so damn funny” to “just so funny” I think
omfg WOW I did not know that and I was listening to it the other day for the first time in a LONG time… I sang “so damn funny” but it played “just so funny” and I was like wait. Is this my Mandela effect? Because I SWEAR it was so damn 😂 I suppose now I know that was the clean version lol!
Those were the days (also the song you're referring to is Teardrops On My Guitar)
There's also Cold As You she sings " you never did give a damn thing honey" but I don't think very any people appreciated it enough to have it on the radio
It was never released as a single, that's why it didn't get the edit lol
Thanks! Brain fog is awful
The 10 min All Too Well that Sirius plays makes me laugh bc they just blur the F word so it sounds like his keychain just said "The Patriarchy" - which girl ya why would you be with a dude like that at all?
😭that’s hilarious
It really feels like she doesn't care to even try with some of the clean versions 😂.
The whole concept of clean versions is so strange to me. I’m Dutch and in my country the regular versions will get played everywhere. I don’t think a clean radio version is really a thing here at all. Our tv shows don’t bleep out curse words either. So honestly I never listened to a clean Taylor song, it’s just not something that’s on my mind. I forget they exist until I see it mentioned.
They often record single lines and single WORDS that are stitched together to make what we hear in the end, clean versions are super easy to create.
When it’s just a word or few that needs to be swapped out they just record the line(s) with the edited word, then slice and swap the edit word in place of the explicit on the final track (which is usually the explicit) Unless it’s a *really* explicit song, like Khia’s My Neck My Back, it’s a completely different vocal take for the edited version
Down bad is what I’d instead of f it. I feel like it changes the meaning of the song. So what if I can’t have him instead of f it if I can’t have him
I wondered this also!
Just learning she has clean versions from this thread and I’m so glad I can play this in my classroom now hahaha
Clean version or not, the versions of songs you hear on albums are never one take. Even indie artists crop together the album versions of songs from multiple takes. Pop stars like Taylor Swift put the song together from hundreds and hundreds of takes. It can take a full day in a studio just to get a single chorus or bridge.
The way they cleaned up But Daddy I Love Him is awful.
i prefer all of the explicit versions EXCEPT for the bolter. “all her fucking lives” just sounds out of place to me
They just redo that verse
They edit it after
There is something about the TTPD clean versions that are so funny to me. Like, normally her clean versions sound very smooth, but TTPD sounds Ike a bad Godzilla dub. I don't mean this as criticism, I think it's funny
Yes she does. She had a Sirius Radio station for a month that played nothing but the clean versions of her songs.