Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” viscerally documented a frenzied relationship’s intimacy, heartbreak, nostalgia. Since its release on 2012’s Red, the scathing song has taken on a life of its own. It is often (and rightly) regarded as the epitome of Swift’s songcraft; no wonder fans have waited with bated breath for the track’s longer installment. Co-writers Swift and Liz Rose have previously discussed the difficulty of cutting the song down to roughly five minutes for the original album. Almost a decade later, Red (Taylor’s Version) finally delivers the full 10-minute version—and it’s the emotional nucleus of the re-recorded album.
The beauty of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”—yes, that’s the whole name—is twofold. It first renders an appreciation of how efficiently the track was edited down earlier. “All Too Well” blends the wrenching lyrics and acoustics to hit the right soul-stirring notes—so much so, it’s difficult to imagine additional verses fitting in between all of it. How much pitch-perfect agony can someone bear Quite a bit, it turns out.
It’s initially jarring to hear the singer shift from melodious “You taught me bout your past / Thinkin’ your future was me” to an upbeat tempo with the new round of lyrics: “And you were tossing me the car keys / ‘Fuck the patriarchy’ keychain on the ground.” The ascending beats might initially feel like they belong in a wholly different song, but are actually seamlessly incorporated.
Swift’s graphic, poetic songwriting builds as the music crescendos, with essential euphonic transitions between verses (as compared to the original). Swift breaks down her epic holy grail to birth an even grander, deeply specific story of a romance gone wrong. Look no further than the unsparing lines: “The idea you had of me, who was she / A never-needy ever lovely jewel whose shine reflects on you.”
From the introductory verse, Swift mines a short-lived romantic connection to create vivid imagery. The details are specific—autumn leaves, dancing around the kitchen in the refrigerator light, age causing the split between the couple—but the picture she paints is universally resonant. As ever, Swift is masterful at turning a seemingly trivial detail, like forgetting a scarf, into the song’s driving force. (Is the aforementioned keychain the new scarf, now)
The singer maintains her long-standing tradition of Easter eggs and references to her catalogue. The track’s calamitous, sing-out-loud bridge is expanded: “They say all’s well that ends well / But I’m in a new hell.” It’s reminiscent—though contrasting—of her 2019 album Lover’s title track wherein she happily belts: “All’s well that ends well to end up with you.”
Red is touted as the ultimate breakup album. Swift has confessed it reflects her messy early 20s, admitting “All Too Well” was tough to write and perform back then. Red (Taylor’s Version)’s song celebrates her yearning, but not her mourning. Although she does manage to sneak in a few savage burns for the former lover, including “And I was never good at telling jokes / But the punchline goes / I’ll get older but your lovers stay my age.” “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” is doubly impactful with the power of hindsight.
Red (Taylor’s Version) has the same advantages as Fearless (Taylor’s Version). The singer carries her old songs with confidence, nuance, and a measured calm. The 10-minute version isn’t the only new song on the re-recorded album, of course: It features nine “from the vault” tracks that were meant to be on Red in 2012. They’re an eclectic mix of genres, much like the original album, which featured a combination of country, dance pop, indie rock, and more. The fresh numbers lend themselves well to Red (Taylor’s Version), especially sentimental standouts “State Of Grace (Taylor’s Version),” “Treacherous (Taylor’s Version),” or “I Almost Do (Taylor’s Version).” But “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” is undoubtedly the emotional centerpiece, unwieldy title and all.