Table Of ContentLove Story
Amy GAiL HAnSen
Copyright © 2009 by Triumph Books
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2
Table of ConTenTs
Love Story
IntroductIon
chapter one: A Songwriter is Born
From her childhood in Pennsylvania to a lucky break in
Nashville, Taylor never strayed from her love of words
and music.
chapter two: A “Swift” Rise to Fame
Taylor released her first hit single, went platinum, and
embarked on a headlining tour—all in a few years time!
chapter three: Secrets of Success
What’s the secret behind Taylor’s success? Honesty,
integrity and a deep appreciation for her fans.
chapter Four: Boy Story
From her first boyfriend, Drew, to a public break up with
Joe Jonas, Taylor has learned a lot about love.
chapter FIve: Friends Forever
In good times and bad, Taylor relies on a strong network
of best friends
chapter SIx: The Real Taylor Swift
Deep down, Taylor’s just an average girl. Here’s the inside
scoop on Taylor’s home life, favorite foods, and hobbies.
chapter Seven: A ‘Taylored’ Look
From sundresses to red carpet gowns, Taylor embraces a
unique fashion sense.
chapter eIght: All Grown Up
From her first voting experience to a headlining tour,
Taylor has matured in the public eye. What’s next for this
superstar?
BIBlIography
Love Story 3
IntroductIon
n
ot long ago, Taylor Swift was was her childhood. It was then, at a explains how Taylor won over her
an unknown country singer very young age, that Taylor’s per- fans’ hearts with honest songwriting.
trying to make it big in the sonal “love story” began; she fell in She stood out from her competition
music industry. love with words and music. Because by not only singing, but playing the
“The first time I heard my song she had loving, supporting parents, guitar and writing her own songs
on the radio, I was driving down the Taylor embraced these interests and about things that matter to her fans,
road and somebody called in and honed her musical abilities through like teen angst, romantic love, and
requested it, and I almost drove off live theatre and karaoke. Her child- heartbreak. She also embraces her
the road – literally,” Taylor recalled. hood was not perfect, however, fans whole-heartedly. They love her
“My record label president still has because Taylor felt like an outcast in because she makes them feel impor-
the message of me screaming at the junior high school. Feeling left out, tant. She even keeps in contact with
top of my lungs, screeching; you can Taylor turned to music for support them through MySpace and makes
barely hear what I’m saying because I and soon discovered that her person- herself accessible at events, concerts,
was crying – it was amazing.” al experiences were good material for and autograph singings. Because she
Today, fans do more than simply honest songwriting. Chapter One, “A lives her personal life with integrity,
request Taylor’s songs. They buy Songwriter is Born,” details Taylor’s she’s also captured the hearts of her
her albums, attend her concerts, and childhood in Pennsylvania, her love fans’ parents, who believe she’s a
vote for her for award shows. They’ve of music, the heartbreaking days of positive role model for young women.
fallen in love with this blonde-haired, middle school, and finally a move to Perhaps Scott Borchetta summarized
blue-eyed cutie. There’s no doubt Nashville, Tennessee, that changed Taylor’s appeal best when he called
about it; Taylor Swift is a music the course of her life. her “the full package; somebody who
phenomenon. She was just 16 when Chapter Two, “A ‘Swift’ Rise to writes her own songs, and is so good
she released her first hit single, “Tim Fame,” is the remarkable tale of how at it, so smart; who sings, plays the
McGraw,” and less than three years Taylor became an overnight mu- guitar, looks as good as she looks,
later, she embarked on a sold-out sic sensation after the debut of her works that hard, is that engaging and
headlining tour. With two mega self-titled album. She soon crossed so savvy,” he said. “It’s an extraordi-
platinum albums, endless chart- over into the pop music genre and nary combination.”
topping songs like “Love Story,” and became the first country singer to Taylor also attracts attention
dozens of music awards, Taylor rose win an MTV Video Music Award. Her because she writes the names of her
to superstar status before she turned self-titled album and second album, ex-boyfriends and ex-crushes into her
20 years old. Whether she’s eating at Fearless, have both sold millions song lyrics. These boys have provid-
Cracker Barrel or accompanying her upon millions of copies, and she was ed a lot of material for the songwriter,
brother, Austin, on a tour of the Notre named bestselling artist of 2008. and Chapter Four, “Boy Story,” details
Dame University campus, Taylor Her quick rise to fame even took the Taylor’s crushes and relationships
can’t go out in public without causing president of her record label, Scott with ordinary boys as well as famous
a media frenzy. She’s literally every- Borchetta of Big Machine Records, ones, like Joe Jonas. But Taylor does
where, from Dancing with the Stars to by surprise. “What I didn’t know was not spend all of her time thinking
Saturday Night Live, from the cover how beautifully this flower would about boys. Her friends play an im-
of Glamour to the video game Band bloom,” he said, according to Country portant role in her life, and Chapter
Hero™. It seems Taylor Swift proved Standard Time. “People don’t just like Five, “Friends Forever,” describes her
an age-old theory about success: Taylor Swift, they love Taylor Swift. I friendships with other famous female
With hard work, dedication, talent, am so happy for her. And, she makes stars, like Selena Gomez and Miley
and a little bit of luck, dreams really all of this so much fun.” Cyrus, as well as her good friend from
do come true. So how did Taylor go from unknown high school, Abigail Anderson. It also
Perhaps the most character-build- artist to mega platinum superstar? illustrates the unique friendship she
ing, influential time in Taylor’s life Chapter Three, “Secrets of Success,” shares with her mother, Andrea Swift.
4
IntroductIon
things that have had the most ef-
fect on my life,” she said. “But I hope
that people who knew me then and
know me now would think I haven’t
changed much. I still drive the same
car, still live in the same house, still
live in the same neighborhood, still
have the same best friend. I don’t
think I’ve changed as a person.”
Being a country and pop music
star, Taylor is often in the spotlight,
and she makes sure she always looks
her best. Chapter Seven, “A ‘Taylor’ed
Look,” describes Taylor’s eclectic
fashion sense. From red carpet gowns
to sundresses and cowboys boots,
Taylor embraces all sides of her
personality through her clothes. She
even likes to play “dress up” from
time to time, especially when she’s
pranking another country singer.
Taylor turned 20 years old on
December 13, 2009, and therefore, is
no longer a teenager. What does the
future hold for this full-fledged adult?
Chapter Eight “All Grown Up” tells
how Taylor has already taken on the
responsibilities of adulthood. She vot-
ed in the 2008 presidential election,
designed her own headlining tour,
and bought herself a condominium.
The chapter also hints at what the
future holds for Taylor Swift. A third
album? A world tour? Marriage and
kids? One thing is certain; Taylor
Swift loves her fans, her career, and
the life she created by never letting
Taylor’s fans love her not only she admires, like Shania Twain and go of her dreams. No matter what
because she’s beautiful and talented, Rihanna. Chapter Six, “The Real Tay- happens, Taylor will continue to live
but also because she’s very down lor Swift,” proves that stars like Taylor her musical life with enthusiasm.
to earth. At heart, Taylor Swift is an Swift, no matter how famous or how “I’m just so consumed by it,” Taylor
everyday girl who likes to pet her perfect they seem, are real people said of her career. “I’m just so fasci-
cat, Indi, eat at Cracker Barrel and deep down. Despite her fame, Taylor nated by every aspect of this. Wheth-
spend the holidays with her family. said she’s still the same person. “My er it’s radio or videos or concerts, I
Even though she’s famous, Taylor has schedule has changed, and my age never want to stop getting excited. I
gotten star-struck meeting people has changed. And those are the two hope I never do.”
Love Story 5
6
A Songwriter
is Born
Love Story 7
Chapter One: A Songwriter is Born
t
aylor Swift’s story—a tale Swift welcomed their first child, in a business world.”
about talent, determination, Taylor Alison, into the world. The Swifts had been successful in
and integrity—begins in south- When choosing a name for their business and wanted the same oppor-
eastern Pennsylvania in the small blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby, the tunity for their daughter. Scott was
town of Wyomissing, about 64 miles Swifts picked something androgy- a stockbroker, and Andrea enjoyed
from Philadelphia. Overall, the nous, a name that applies to both a career in finance. Taylor’s parents
weather was mild on December 13, men and women. “My mom thought valued the corporate world, but they
1989. The temperature averaged 32 it was cool that if you got a business also wanted to provide a peaceful
degrees, with some fog, snow, and ice. card that said ‘Taylor,’ you wouldn’t home life for their children. That’s
However, this ordinary Wednesday in know if it was a guy or a girl,” Taylor why they chose to raise Taylor and her
December marked an extraordinary explained to Rolling Stone. “She younger brother, Austin, on an 11-acre
event. It is the day Scott and Andrea wanted me to be a business person Christmas tree farm in Wyomissing,
Behind the lyrics:
“The Best Day”
Taylor Swift is known for writing her through the ordeal. “You hold me
songs about real life experiences, and tight and grab the keys,” she states
1. Fearless “The Best Day” from her 2008 Fear- in the song. “And we drive and drive
2. Fifteen less album is no exception. She wrote until we found a town far enough
it about her childhood as a tribute to away; and we talk and window shop
3. Love Story
her mother, Andrea Swift. The music till I forget their names.”
4. Hey Stephen
video includes original photographs “The Best Day” is about the simple
5. White House and videos of Taylor Swift as a child yet meaningful days we spend with
with white blonde hair and adorable our family. In the song, Taylor men-
6. You Belong With Me
pigtails. tions her father’s strength. She also
7. Breathe
“It was really cool to go back to acknowledges her brother, Austin. He
8. Tell Me Why that place and reflect,” Taylor said. is about two years younger and had
9. You’re Not Sorry “I wrote some of the lyrics in the to grow up in the middle of his big
song, sort of in a child-like kind of sister’s success. “God smiles on my
10. The Way I Loved You
language, which was really fun for little brother,” Taylor says in the song.
11. Forever & Always
me as a writer to stretch that way.” “Inside and out he’s better than I am.”
12. The Best Day The song describes Taylor’s fondest “The Best Day” also expresses
memories, like a cold afternoon at a Taylor’s gratitude for her mother in
13. Change
pumpkin patch and the day her moth- a less obvious way. Encrypted in the
er set up a paint set in the kitchen. It CD jacket lyrics is a secret message:
also depicts a bad day, when Taylor God Bless Andrea Swift.
came home crying about the mean (See Chapter Three sidebar: How
girls at school. Her mother helped to Decode Taylor’s Lyrics)
8
“My mom thought it was cool that if you
got a business card that said ‘Taylor,’ you
wouldn’t know if it was a guy or a girl…
She wanted me to be a business person in a
business world.”
Love Story 9
