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Country-music darling Taylor Swift has a problem. "I can't stop writing songs," she says. "I can't stop. I can't turn it off." Almost 19, Swift claims that she's written more than 500 songs, and that a fifth of them were considered for Fearless, the follow-up to her triple-platinum 2006 debut. On her new disc, Swift continues to turn her diary entries into great pop songs: Most of Fearless' tracks, including "Love Story" and "Forever and Always," are about boys, while on "Fifteen" she reminisces about the oh-so-distant past when she was a high school freshman. The precocious Pennsylvania native has had an impressive month: She sang the national anthem at the World Series and jammed with her idols, Def Leppard, for a CMT special. Just finishing a tour with Rascal Flatts, Swift is plotting her own headlining tour for next year, after school finishes. "I've already drawn up the stage plans," she says.
Who are your country-music idols?
I got LeAnn Rimes' first album when I was six, and I just loved how
she had a career at such a young age. But my love for country was
cemented by three great female acts: Shania Twain brings an
independence and a crossover appeal. Faith Hill has this beauty and
grace and old-school glamour. And the Dixie Chicks have this "we
don't care what you think" quirkiness.
Do you ever write songs that aren't about
boys?
I like writing songs about boys and relationships. And when someone
breaks up with me, I like to write about it, because I feel like I
have the last word. That's the fun part.
When you use names — like on "Hey Stephen" —
are those real people?
I have no issue with naming names. My personal goal is for my songs
to be so detailed that the guy the song is written about knows it's
about him.
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What do you consider a country classic?
Loretta Lynn's "Fist City." She says, "I'm not a-sayin' my baby is
a saint, 'cause he ain't." Isn't that a cool line? "And that he
won't cat around with a kitty." That's so amazing!
What type of music do you wish you knew more
about?
Hair metal. I've always been so focused on Def Leppard that I never
explored other metal bands. That's what my band talks about, and I
can't keep up.
What is your favorite memory from performing with Def
Leppard?
These guys have sold more than 60 million records, so I thought
that they would be divas and snobby. When I walked in, I very
timidly and politely asked Joe Elliott if I could sing one of the
lines in "Hysteria," and he goes, "Honey, I've been singin' that
song for 25 years — you sing whatever you want."
What songs are you currently obsessed
with?
There's a song called "After Tonight" by a Canadian artist, Justin
Nozuka. It's got a rootsy sound to it. It's like Jack Johnson, and
I'm a huge Jack Johnson fan. My ringtone is his song "Taylor"
— though I ignore the fact that the song is probably about a
prostitute or a stripper. I'm also into Katy Perry, but I'm really
obsessed with Sinéad O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U." When
Prince wrote that song, 5,000 songwriters put their pens down and
went, "All right, I tried."
In concert, you've covered Eminem's "Lose Yourself." Do
you see a correlation between country and hip-hop?
They're two of the most honest genres, because we just like to sing
about our lifestyle, our daily activities. Pride is something that
both hip-hop and country share.
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How many times have you sung the national
anthem?
Hundreds. When I was 11, it occurred to me that this was the best
way to get in front of a large group of people. I'd sing it
wherever I could — 76ers games, the U.S. Open, garden-club
meetings, I didn't care. I actually used to sing it for the Reading
Phillies, and a few of the members of the Phillies now, like Pat
Burrell, were on that minor-league team.
What's the hardest bit to sing?
The beginning. It's a really surreal moment when 40,000 people in a
baseball stadium are utterly silent. By the time I get to "and the
rockets' red glare," it's smooth sailing.
Your fans call themselves the "Taylor Nation" —
what are the really hardcore fans like?
I get a lot of criers, but I love criers because I like emotional
people. Sometimes people show me tattooed arms or midriffs with my
signature, which is interesting. And, I love huggers, but sometimes
I get gropers. When it goes beyond 10 seconds — that's
excessive.
What's the craziest thing you've seen in a
crowd?
There's always the frat boy who has my name painted on his chest,
which is awesome. One of my favorite moments of the night is when
I'm in the middle of my acoustic set and I'm in a really poignant
moment and I hear a group of guys with Southern accents going,
"Marry me!"
How do you respond?
Dolly Parton had the best response to that, and I'm going to start
using it. Some guy screamed from the crowd, "I love you, Dolly!"
and she goes, "I thought I told you to stay in the truck!"
[From Issue 1066 — November 27, 2008]
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