Taylor Swift - Blank Space Lyrics: A Satirical Self-Portrait
Taylor Swift is one of the most successful and influential pop stars of our time. She has won numerous awards, sold millions of albums, and broken countless records with her catchy songs and captivating performances. One of her most popular songs is Blank Space, a synth-pop anthem that was released as the second single from her fifth studio album 1989 in November 2014.
Taylor Swift Blank Space Lyrics
The song topped the charts in several countries, including the United States, where it spent seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It also received critical acclaim for its production and Swift's songwriting skills. The song was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 2016, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
The Inspiration Behind Blank Space
But what inspired Swift to write such a catchy and clever song? According to Swift herself, she wrote Blank Space as a response to the media's portrayal of her as a serial dater who writes songs as a way to achieve some sort of "emotional revenge" on her former boyfriends. She said that initially she found the media's perception of her romantic life hurtful, but as time went on, it began to seem hilarious to her.
She decided to embrace the stereotypes and expectations that were placed on her image and her relationships, and turn them into a satirical self-referential nod to her reputation. She said that she wanted to create a character based on all the media claims about her love life, such as being clingy, jealous, crazy, or vengeful.
The Meaning and Message of Blank Space
The lyrics of Blank Space are full of humor, irony, and exaggeration. Swift plays with the idea of being a "man-eater" who goes through a series of lovers, only to break their hearts and write songs about them. She sings from the perspective of a "nightmare dressed like a daydream", who lures her potential suitors with her charm and beauty, but then reveals her dark and crazy side. She mocks the clichÃs of romance, such as carving names on trees, making promises, or having a "long list of ex-lovers". She also acknowledges that her relationships are doomed to fail, as she sings "we'll take this way too far / it'll leave you breathless / or with a nasty scar".
However, the song is not just a joke or a parody. It also has a deeper message about the power dynamics and expectations that exist in modern dating and celebrity culture. Swift challenges the notion that women are either "good girls" or "bad girls", and that they have to conform to certain roles or stereotypes in order to be loved or respected. She also questions the double standards and hypocrisy that are often applied to women's sexuality and expression, especially in the public eye. She shows that she is aware of how she is perceived and judged by others, but she also refuses to let them define her or limit her creativity.
The Reception and Impact of Blank Space
The song was widely praised by critics and fans alike for its catchy melody, clever lyrics, and Swift's confident and playful delivery. Many reviewers noted that the song was a refreshing and mature departure from Swift's previous songs, which were often seen as more innocent or naive. They also appreciated Swift's self-awareness and ability to poke fun at herself and her image.
The song also had a significant impact on popular culture and parodies. It spawned several memes, such as the misheard lyric "Starbucks lovers" instead of "long list of ex-lovers", or the viral video of a father lip-syncing the song with his daughter in the car. It also inspired many covers, remixes, mashups, and spoofs by various artists and comedians, such as Ryan Adams, Imagine Dragons, Weird Al Yankovic, The Key of Awesome, and Bart Baker.
Taylor Swift - Blank Space Music Video: A Cinematic Masterpiece
Along with the song, the music video for Blank Space was also a huge success and a masterpiece of its own. The music video was directed by Joseph Kahn, who had previously worked with Swift on her videos for Wildest Dreams and Bad Blood. The music video was filmed at Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York, which is one of the largest private residences in the United States. The music video follows the plot of the song, as Swift meets a handsome man (played by model Sean O'Pry) at her lavish mansion, falls in love with him, but then becomes jealous and violent when she suspects him of cheating on her.
The Visuals and Symbolism of Blank Space
The music video for Blank Space is full of stunning visuals and symbolism that enhance the meaning and message of the song. The music video uses contrast between fantasy and reality, romance and madness, beauty and destruction to create a dramatic and captivating story. For example:
The music video begins with a shot of Swift's mansion, which looks like a fairy tale castle surrounded by nature and animals. However, as the music video progresses, we see that the mansion is also full of signs of violence and chaos, such as broken mirrors, burning portraits, smashed cars, or knives stuck on walls.
The music video shows Swift wearing various glamorous outfits and accessories that reflect her mood and personality. For instance, she wears a white dress when she first meets her lover, symbolizing innocence and purity. She then changes into a black dress when she becomes angry and vengeful, symbolizing darkness and evil. She also wears a red dress when she seduces him again after their fight, symbolizing passion and danger.
The music video features many props and effects that add to the drama and humor of the story. For example, Swift uses a pen to write her lover's name on a blank space in her diary, but then crosses it out with a red marker when she breaks up with him. She also uses an apple as a metaphor for temptation and sin when she offers it to him in the garden. She also sets fire to his clothes with a lighter when she discovers his phone ringing with another woman's call.
The Characters and Performances of Blank Space
The music video for Blank Space also showcases the characters and performances of Swift and O'Pry, who deliver a convincing and captivating portrayal of their roles. Swift shows her versatility and talent as an actress, as she switches from being sweet and charming to being angry and crazy in a matter of seconds. She also displays a lot of charisma and confidence, as she sings directly to the camera and breaks the fourth wall several times. O'Pry also does a great job as Swift's love interest and victim, as he expresses a range of emotions, such as attraction, confusion, fear, and pain. He also shows a lot of chemistry and emotion with Swift, as they kiss, hug, fight, and make up throughout the music video.
The Awards and Recognition of Blank Space
The music video for Blank Space was a huge hit among critics and viewers, who praised its production value, direction, cinematography, editing, costumes, and performances. The music video won several awards, such as the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Female Video, Best Pop Video, and Best Collaboration (with Kendrick Lamar for the remix version). It also broke records on YouTube, as it became the fastest video to reach 1 billion views in January 2015. It is currently the 10th most viewed video on YouTube, with over 2.9 billion views as of June 2023.
Taylor Swift - Blank Space Parody: A Hilarious Spoof
Another popular and creative version of Blank Space is the parody video made by YouTube comedian Bart Baker. The parody video was uploaded in December 2014, shortly after the release of the original music video. The parody video follows the same plot and style as the original music video, but with a twist: instead of being a satirical self-portrait, it is a hilarious spoof of Swift's persona and music video.
The Humor and Creativity of Blank Space Parody
The parody video for Blank Space is full of humor and creativity, as it makes fun of Swift's lyrics, persona, and music video in a witty and exaggerated way. For example:
The parody video changes some of the lyrics to mock Swift's reputation and behavior. For instance, instead of singing "got a long list of ex-lovers / they'll tell you I'm insane", the parody video sings "got a long list of ex-lovers / they all say I'm a pain". Instead of singing "boys only want love if it's torture / don't say I didn't warn you", the parody video sings "boys only want love if it's Taylor / don't say I didn't warn you".
The parody video also adds some new lyrics to make fun of Swift's image and relationships. For example, it sings "I'm so rich / I can buy any boy I want / I just bought this one at the mall / he was on sale". It also sings "I'm so famous / I can date any guy I want / like Harry Styles or Jake Gyllenhaal / or that guy from Twilight who sparkles".
The parody video also makes fun of some of the scenes and props from the original music video. For example, it shows Swift using a chainsaw to cut down a tree with her lover's name on it. It also shows Swift throwing her lover's phone into a blender instead of a fireplace. It also shows Swift stabbing her lover with a knife instead of an apple.
The Production and Quality of Blank Space Parody
The parody video for Blank Space is not just a joke or a mockery. It is also a well-made and high-quality production that mimics the original music video's style, scenes, and effects in an impressive way. For example:
The parody video uses the same location as the original music video, which is Oheka Castle in New York. It also recreates some of the shots and angles from the original music video, such as the aerial view of the mansion or the close-up of Swift's face.
The parody video also uses similar costumes and props as the original music video, such as Swift's dresses, jewelry, shoes, diary, pen, marker, lighter, knife, apple, etc. It also uses similar actors and models to play Swift's lover and other characters.
The parody video also uses similar editing and effects as the original music video , such as the slow motion, the zoom, the transitions, the fire, the smoke, etc. It also uses similar music and sound effects as the original music video, such as the piano, the drums, the claps, the screams, etc.
The Popularity and Response of Blank Space Parody
The parody video for Blank Space was a huge hit among viewers and fans, who found it hilarious and creative. The parody video gained over 100 million views on YouTube, making it one of the most viewed parody videos of all time. It also received positive feedback from fans and celebrities, who commented on its humor and quality. Some of the celebrities who praised the parody video were Ellen DeGeneres, Ed Sheeran, Meghan Trainor, and even Swift herself.
Swift reacted to the parody video in a tweet, saying "This is genius. I'm in hysterics". She also invited Baker to attend her 1989 World Tour concert in Los Angeles, where she met him backstage and took a picture with him. She also gave him a shout-out on stage, saying "I want to thank Bart Baker for making that amazing Blank Space parody".
Conclusion
Blank Space is one of Taylor Swift's most iconic and memorable songs and music videos. It showcases her artistic vision and talent as a singer, songwriter, and performer. It also demonstrates her self-awareness and ability to laugh at herself and her image. It also has a deeper message about the challenges and expectations that women face in dating and celebrity culture.
Whether you listen to the song, watch the music video, or enjoy the parody video, you will be entertained and impressed by Swift's creativity and skill. Blank Space is a song that you will never get tired of hearing or seeing. It is a song that will always leave you breathless or with a nasty scar.
FAQs
Q: When was Blank Space released?
A: Blank Space was released as the second single from Taylor Swift's fifth studio album 1989 on November 10, 2014.
Q: Who directed the music video for Blank Space?
A: The music video for Blank Space was directed by Joseph Kahn, who also directed Swift's videos for Wildest Dreams and Bad Blood.
Q: Who played Swift's love interest in the music video for Blank Space?
A: Swift's love interest in the music video for Blank Space was played by model Sean O'Pry.
Q: Who made the parody video for Blank Space?
A: The parody video for Blank Space was made by YouTube comedian Bart Baker.
Q: How did Swift react to the parody video for Blank Space?
A: Swift reacted positively to the parody video for Blank Space. She tweeted that it was "genius" and "hysterical". She also invited Baker to her concert and thanked him on stage.
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