He completely changed the meaning of Style, and the whole thing felt ironic Ryan Adams changed the lyrics to Taylor Swift's 1989 songs and it annoyed people
I can see why people would feel the album feels ironic. I felt the same way, personally, but I also don't have any interest in Ryan Adams' music or the style he approaches with these covers. With that said, him changing the pronouns is hardly anything new, specific to him, or all that noteworthy. I can see why he'd change the lyrics to suit a male singer, and I don't think there'd be anything wrong if he kept them. There is a such thing as a male singer coming from a female point of view, but it's a fairly different interpretation of the song in all other fronts, so why can't he change the pronouns to suit what he prefers? If someone changed a heterosexual song to pronouns that might reflect a homosexual romance (ie: changing no lyrics from "Style"), would (s)he be praised for it? Because to me, it's the same thing, but maybe I don't judge people on their sexuality as harshly as some Internet folks.
Must have missed that back when that came out. I don't really see any issue with him changing the pronouns though.
I mean, I always heard that project as him rewriting the Taylor Swift album to channel his emotions about his then-recent divorce. Of course he changed the pronouns.
I just don't like the idea that you have to change the pronouns, which mostly only applies to men covering female artists.
Yeah there's just something inherently skeevy about a straight white guy taking a womans piece of art and "reimagining" it. Idk Adams 1989 rubs me the wrong way
It's a cover album. He's allowed to change/reimagine the songs. And was mentioned above, he did it during the fallout of his marriage.
Out of curiosity, where do you draw that line? Is it okay for men to cover songs written by women ever? Is it okay for men to write songs to be recorded/performed by women (or vice versa)? Is it okay for men to write songs from female perspectives? I've never seen cover songs referred to as "skeevy" before, so I'm interested in getting more of your perspective. Personally, I would have a bigger problem with the 1989 cover album if Ryan didn't have such an obvious reverence for the original (and respect for Taylor herself) or if Taylor felt weird or put off by it. The response to it (some people joking about how Ryan "made Taylor's songs good") was what I took issue with at the time.
i was stoked about his 1989 album until i actually heard it. then about halfway through i realized that it wasn't really that good.
Covering songs is one thing, a man taking a woman's entire album and twisting it to fit his needs is inherently problematic. Even if Swift approved it or w/e, it's still weird.
I think this is absurd, and extremely reactive. Adams' interpretation of this album isn't a mocking one, and his version isn't attempting to erase Swift's. The idea that a straight white guy can't cover the songs from a straight white woman seems incredible narrow minded, especially considering the artists involved in particular. This isn't exactly Macklemore covering "Strange Fruit".
He's not singing in the car though. He's covering it and presenting his own interpretation of it. Two very different scenarios.
Calling my post absurd and my point narrow minded was pretty rude, no? I'm not saying white dudes can't cover a woman's work or w/e. But taking her entire album, twisting it to fit his image, then having a bunch of dudes call it "deep" and "a masterpiece" compared to the original rubs me the wrong way. What's wrong with me having that opinion?
Absolutely nothing wrong with you having that opinion, I just strongly disagree with it entirely. I've got absolutely no issue with you holding it though. I think your opinion on this matter is absurd to me, I don't have anything personal against you.
His decision to cover the album and people using it to discredit Swift are entirely different issues though. I can't imagine there's anyone here who doesn't find the latter part icky as hell, Ryan Adams himself included.