Taylor wrote a piece for Rolling Stone magazine about the songs that shaped her life! In it, she names different songs by artists such as Faith Hill, Ed Sheeran and Kendrick Lamar which she feels have been important for her. Make sure to read more in the article below!
1. “You’re So Vain,” Carly Simon, 1972
It was the shot heard ’round the world that left everyone debating and wondering, “Which famous ex-lover did she write it about?” I’ve felt the ripples of that blaring public curiosity affect my own lyrics. I was a poetry-obsessed preteen the first time I heard that incredibly gen-ius kiss-off, “You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you.” After hearing that, it was like a key had just unlocked this forbidden area of storytelling for me. You can say exactly what you feel, even if it’s bitter and brazen! Almost 10 years later, I sat in my dressing room in Boston. Carly Simon had just performed “You’re So Vain” with me in front of 65,000 fans. She leaned over and whispered to me who the song was written about — me, the one person who hadn’t asked her.