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‘Matches’ Replaces ‘Mattress’ in ‘Better Than Revenge’
With the eagerly-anticipated Taylor Swift’s version of ‘Speak Now’ Album launching today – 7th July 2024, Swifties across the globe are over the moon! Admirers of the American vocalist are flooding social media with so much love and fervor ahead of the release of the re-recording of the 2010 album ‘Speak Now’.
However, the fans were very brisk to notice a modification in one of the lines in Taylor’s song ‘Better Than Revenge’ which infamously came to be identified as the most controversial song of Taylor’s career. The 2010 version of the song contained lyrics that allegedly suggested an inkling towards ‘slut-shaming’
The 2024 version of “Better Than Revenge” has dropped out the contentious lyrics and replaced them with softer, feminist, and empowering words. Replacing the initial lyrics of “She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress,” which was met with a lot of debate, the latest version of the song now sings “He was a moth to the flame, she was holding the matches.” instead.
Although ‘mattress‘ was a more apt rhyme to the word actress in the prior line, ‘matches‘ is a more morally and socially better-fitted word.
Swift Regrets Jabbing Camilla
Despite the songwriter not giving any hint at all about this looming altercation there were already speculations in the internet by fans and followers predicting a refinement in the lyric.
Talking about the refashioned song, Swift reveals that the 13-year-old song was penned down when she was just 18 and full of ‘raw emotions’ and teenage dramas. It was the age when she believed that someone could snatch away her boyfriend.
As the blonde chanteuse grew, evolved, and learned, she realized that nobody can take anyone from you if they’re not willing to depart. This maturation of the 33-year-old singer’s perspective is translated on the paper as well when she decided to edit the lyrics of her song.
Also, there has been gossip that the song was scribbled by the Grammy Winner after Camilla Belle got into a relationship with Joe Jonas immediately after they broke up. In an interview, the ‘Anti-Hero’ singer admitted that she repents making that prod to Camilla.
The change in the lyric reinforces the fact that things are now affable between them and that Taylor has moved on and doesn’t agree with the older lyrics.
“This change will never exist for me” Upset Fan comments
While the supplanted lyrics are more aptly inclined with Taylor’s feminist nature and are more respectful towards women, the revision has received both love and hate from the fans.
Hundreds of comments were posted debating on the necessity of the change in the lyrics and amid those, some stand out because of their vehement emotions.
One of them expressed keen disappointment that the newer version feels like a ‘loss of something more candid’. Defying the political accuracy of the lyrics, the die-hard fan, who has been crooning the song for the last 13 years, now feels that change in the text also affects the emotional connection with the song and insists on singing the original lyrics only.
“This moth to a flame line will never exist for me,” says a comment. Many others regard this decision as erroneous as it polishes a crucial phase in Taylor’s journey and that this substitution is a betrayal of her true self.
Essayist Larisha Paul from the Rolling Stones remarked that Taylor should preserve the original lyrics and not compromise on the untouched value of the song This disheartenment was joined by many and they tweeted how they miss the savage version of Taylor and find this new one to be a ‘people pleaser’.
‘Swifties’ Commend Taylor on the Altercation
However, on the other side, this upgradation of the lyrics was welcomed with lots of warmth and support as fans acclaimed the singer’s progress and courage.
Umpteen happy fans were seen commending Swift for revamping her misogynistic phase and erasing her slut-shaming lyrics.
Also, it was noted that despite the riven reactions from the fans, both versions of the song are available and they can listen to the earliest one or the latest one as per their fondness.
Taylor Swift is seizing all spotlights as her ‘Eras Tour’ is proving to be a stupendous success and receiving tremendous love and elation from all her fans!
