Hey Stephen Explained

Hey Stephen
Artist:Taylor Swift
Album:Fearless
Genre:
Label:Big Machine
Producer:
Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)
Artist:Taylor Swift
Album:Fearless (Taylor's Version)
Studio: (Nashville)
Label:Republic
Producer:

"Hey Stephen" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her second studio album, Fearless (2008). It is a country pop and teen pop song about an unrequited love, inspired by a real-life infatuation. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Hey Stephen" features drums inspired by girl-group records, an upright bass that propels its groove, and a subdued Hammond B-3 organ. In reviews of Fearless, critics who picked "Hey Stephen" as an album highlight praised its catchy melody and earnest lyrics about adolescent feelings. The song peaked at number 94 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Swift included "Hey Stephen" in the set list of her first headlining tour, the Fearless Tour (2009–2010). Following the 2019 dispute regarding the ownership of Swift's back catalog, she re-recorded the song as "Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)" for her re-recorded album Fearless (Taylor's Version) (2021). "Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)" charted in Australia and Canada. In retrospective rankings, some reviewers remained positive but others regarded the track as generic.

Background and writing

Taylor Swift wrote songs for her second studio album, Fearless, while touring as an opening act for other country musicians to promote her self-titled debut studio album during 2007–2008, when she was 17–18 years old.[1] [2] Continuing the romantic themes of her first album, Swift wrote songs about love and personal experiences from the perspective of a teenage girl to ensure her fans could relate to Fearless. To this extent, Swift said that nearly every album track had a "face" that she associated with it.[3] The end product is a collection of songs about the challenges of love with prominent high-school and fairy-tale lyrical imagery. Swift and the producer Nathan Chapman recorded over 50 songs for Fearless, and "Hey Stephen" was one of the 13 tracks that made the final cut.[4] They produced the track, and Justin Niebank mixed it at Blackbird Studios in Nashville. In the album liner notes, the secret message for the song is "Love and Theft", referencing the eponymous group that opened shows for her in 2008.

When asked by Rolling Stones Austin Scaggs if Stephen was a real person, Swift replied, "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."[5] The song's inspiration was Love and Theft's member Stephen Barker Liles, with whom she had had a friendly relationship.[6] After Fearless was released, Swift texted him about the song.[7] She recalled it was "fun" to put a personal confession on the album, which she was "going to have to deal with",[8] and it was "interesting" to know what Liles had to say about it.[6] Liles spoke to The Boot (2009): "I was very relieved when it turned out to be a nice song, and it's actually one of the nicest things anybody's ever done for me."[9] He wrote "Try to Make It Anyway" as an answer song to Swift when they were touring together and released it for download and streaming in 2011.[10]

Releases

"Hey Stephen" was released as an album cut on Fearless, on November 11, 2008, by Big Machine Records. It entered and peaked at number 94 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart dated November 29, 2008. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the song gold, denoting 500,000 units based on sales and streaming. Swift performed the track live at her Australian concert debut at the Tivoli in Brisbane on March 5, 2009.[11] "Hey Stephen" was part of the mid-show acoustic session on Swift's first headlining tour, the Fearless Tour (2009–2010).[12] Midway through the performance, Swift would go down the aisle to greet and hug her fans.[13] [14] She performed "Hey Stephen" as a "surprise song" outside the regular setlist on the September 18, 2018, St. Louis show of the Reputation Stadium Tour,[15] and the May 14, 2023, Philadelphia show and the May 11, 2024, Paris show of the Eras Tour.[16]

After signing a new contract with Republic Records, Swift began re-recording her first six studio albums in November 2020.[17] The decision followed a public 2019 dispute between Swift and the talent manager Scooter Braun, who acquired Big Machine Records, including the masters of Swift's albums which the label had released.[18] [19] By re-recording the albums, Swift had full ownership of the new masters, which enabled her to control the licensing of her songs for commercial use and therefore substituted the Big Machine–owned masters.[20] Swift and Christopher Rowe produced the re-recorded track, which was recorded by David Payne at Black Bird and Prime Recording Studios in Nashville. Rowe recorded Swift's lead vocals at her home studio in London, and Serban Ghenea mixed the track at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia.[21]

The re-recording of "Hey Stephen", subtitled "Taylor's Version", was released as part of Fearless re-recording, Fearless (Taylor's Version).[22] Swift released a snippet of "Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)" on her Twitter account on April 8, 2021,[23] one day before Republic Records released Fearless (Taylor's Version).[24] "Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)" charted in Australia (86) and Canada (68). It peaked at number 105 on the Billboard Global 200. In the United States, "Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)" peaked at number one on Bubbling Under Hot 100 and number 28 on Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Music and lyrics

"Hey Stephen" is a country pop and teen pop song.[25] [26] It features a production that critics described as "smooth" and "playful". Instruments on the song include a gut string guitar,[27] an upright bass that propels its groove,[28] and a subdued Hammond B-3.[29] The track incorporates a drum beat that Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone found reminiscent of the Ronettes' "Be My Baby" (1963),[30] and Maria Sherman of NPR Music said it evoked classic Motown girl-group records.[31] Swift uses ad-libs[32] and chuckles before the final refrain.[33] The track both starts and ends with Swift humming. In the original 2008 song, the finger snaps are credited to Martina McBride's children and their friends, who visited Swift one day when she was at the recording studio of McBride's husband, John. The re-recorded "Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)" features the same arrangement, which led to The New York Times' Joe Coscarelli commenting it sounded "more remastered than rerecorded".[34] Michael A. Lee, a professor in commercial music, identified some minor changes: Swift's voice is richer and less breathy, and the cymbals in the break are louder.[35]

The lyrics are about an unrequited love for a seemingly out-of-reach boy.[36] [37] The title character is a boy in whom "all the girls" are interested, and although they toss stones at his window to get his attention, Swift's character tells Stephen that she is the only one "waiting there even when it's cold". "Hey Stephen" incorporates some lyrical motifs that recur in many of Swift's other songs, such as rain ("Can't help it if I wanna kiss you in the rain so") and waiting for somebody by the window. At one point, Swift sings, "Hey Stephen, why are people always leaving/ I think you and I should stay the same". Biographer Liv Spencer attributed this lyric to the impact of Swift's touring that "sometimes means too many goodbyes". In the bridge, Swift's character mentions the reason why Stephen should date her: "All those other girls, well they're beautiful, but would they write a song for you?" Ken Tucker found this lyric to showcase Swift's "confident sense of humor",[38] and the musicologist James E. Perone commented that it aligned Swift with the 1970s singer-songwriter tradition of mentioning their songwriting profession in their own works. In a 2021 article for Gigwise, Kelsey Barnes said "Hey Stephen" was an example of Swift's songwriting tropes: the track reflected her desire to be "seen, understood, and loved by others", a recurring theme on many of her later songs. For Barnes, it offered a glimpse into Swift's personal life before it became sensationalized in the press.

Critical reception

In album reviews of Fearless, many critics picked "Hey Stephen" as a highlight. They positively remarked how "Hey Stephen" portrays universal teenage feelings towards love and infatuation—Craig S. Semon of the Telegram & Gazette said, "Swift's loose and playful confession is enough to make anybody blush."[39] Others praised Swift's songwriting for creating what they deemed a catchy melody. Larry Rodgers in The Arizona Republic wrote the track was "hummable pop"[40] and Chris Richards in The Washington Post praised its "irresistible smile" that could "permanently [lodge] itself in your hippocampus".[25] Jody Rosen in a review for Rolling Stone selected the song as an example of Swift's songwriting that highlighted her "peculiar charm" on Fearless: "Her music mixes an almost impersonal professionalism—it's so rigorously crafted it sounds like it has been scientifically engineered in a hit factory—with confessions that are squirmingly intimate and true."[41] In Slant Magazine, Jonathan Keefe picked "Hey Stephen" as one of the album's most charming cuts and praised the emotional sentiments that resonated with Swift's main audience of teenagers, but he felt it lacked the sophistication that others credited her with.

In retrospective reviews of the song, Sheffield and Nate Jones from Vulture complimented its catchy melody. Jones wrote: "Swift is in the zone as a writer, performer, and producer on this winning deep cut." Jon Bream of the Star Tribune described "Hey Stephen" as "perfect high school pop" and picked it as a highlight on Fearless.[42] Reviewing the re-recorded "Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)", Exclaim!'s Heather Taylor-Singh said it retained the original's earnest emotion[43] and The Line of Best Fits Ross Horton wrote it remained "superb" as it was before.[44] Some others were not as complimentary. Hazel Cills of Pitchfork said the track's "extreme specificity", which felt like "a copy of Swift’s yearbook we're somehow privy to", was too much for an already personal album.[45] Mary Siroky in Consequence called "Hey Stephen" a catchy song but wrote its "repetitive melody" and "cliched" lyrical motifs make it the album's least compelling.[46] For Perone, although the lyrics are conventional and generic, "Swift's performance and her melodic writing make the song enjoyable and engaging anyway".

Personnel

"Hey Stephen" (2008)[47]

"Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)" (2021)[21]

Charts

"Hey Stephen"

Chart performance for "Hey Stephen"! Chart (2008)! Peak
position

"Hey Stephen (Taylor's Version)"

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kawashima . Dale . February 16, 2007 . Special Interview (2007): Taylor Swift Discusses Her Debut Album, Early Hits, and How She Got Started . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160324060932/http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/taylorswift123.htm . March 24, 2016 . December 17, 2010 . Songwriter Universe.
  2. Tucker . Ken . Ken Tucker . March 26, 2008 . The Billboard Q&A: Taylor Swift . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20130705032846/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1046063/the-billboard-qa-taylor-swift . July 5, 2013 . June 21, 2011.
  3. Web site: Graff . Gary . March 26, 2010 . Living Fearless Taylor Swift Talks About Her Whirlwind Rise to the Top . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120716215636/http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/03/26/entertainment/doc4baba3395e3ef490410773.txt?viewmode=default . July 16, 2012 . July 1, 2011 . The Oakland Press.
  4. Web site: Aswad . Jem . April 14, 2021 . Taylor Swift Reveals to Stephen Colbert Who 'Hey Stephen' Is Really About . December 6, 2021 . . March 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230317045253/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/taylor-swift-hey-stephen-colbert-1234951185/ . live .
  5. Scaggs . Austin . November 27, 2008 . Q&A: Taylor Swift . 38. 1066 . . .
  6. News: Oliveira . Michael . November 10, 2008 . Country Singer Taylor Swift, 18, Becoming a Tabloid Target, Top Star with New CD . . .
  7. News: Hirschberg . Lynn . November 23, 2009 . Little Miss Sunshine . . limited . March 17, 2023 . March 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230317175237/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/t-magazine/womens-fashion/06well-swift.html . live .
  8. Web site: Barnes . Kelsey . April 15, 2021 . The Story of Us: 'Hey Stephen' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230317045308/https://gigwise.com/features/3398114/the-story-of-us-hey-stephen . March 17, 2023 . December 6, 2021 . Gigwise.
  9. Web site: Gilcrease . Grayson . May 5, 2011 . Taylor Swift's 'Hey Stephen' Inspiration Returns the Favor . April 10, 2023 . . April 10, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230410112030/https://theboot.com/stephen-barker-liles-taylor-swift-song/ . live .
  10. Web site: Conaway . Alanna . April 28, 2011 . Love and Theft's Stephen Barker Liles Pens Song About Taylor Swift . December 6, 2021 . . April 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230426214357/https://tasteofcountry.com/love-and-theft-stephen-barker-liles-taylor-swift-try-to-make-it-anyway/ . live .
  11. News: Sennett . Sean . March 9, 2009 . Swift Mania Has Arrived . 30 . . .
  12. Web site: Vena . Jocelyn . August 28, 2009 . Taylor Swift Brings Fearless Tour to Madison Square Garden . November 22, 2021 . . November 22, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211122140458/https://www.mtv.com/news/1619780/taylor-swift-brings-fearless-tour-to-madison-square-garden/ . dead .
  13. Trust . Molly . June 8, 2010 . Taylor Swift / June 5, 2010 / Foxboro, Mass. . dead . . https://web.archive.org/web/20141002032401/http://www.billboard.com/articles/photos/live/957869/taylor-swift-june-5-2010-foxboro-mass . October 2, 2014 . October 2, 2014.
  14. Web site: Semon . Craig S. . June 7, 2010 . Taylor Swift Proves Worthy as Queen of Country Music . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100608193427/http://www.telegram.com/article/20100607/NEWS/6070358 . June 8, 2010 . June 8, 2010 . Telegram & Gazette.
  15. Iasimone . Ashley . November 20, 2018 . All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on Her Reputation Stadium Tour B-Stage (So Far) . . November 24, 2018 . May 27, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180527060413/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8458025/taylor-swift-reputation-tour-b-stage-songs-list . live .
  16. Web site: Iasimone . Ashley . May 13, 2024 . All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on the Eras Tour (So Far) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240513185338/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs/ . May 13, 2024 . May 14, 2024 . Billboard.
  17. Web site: Melas . Chloe . November 16, 2020 . Taylor Swift Speaks Out about Sale of Her Masters . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201118064935/https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/taylor-swift-speaks-out-about-sale-of-her-masters-1.5191925 . November 18, 2020 . November 19, 2020 . CNN.
  18. News: August 22, 2019 . Taylor Swift Wants to Re-Record Her Old Hits . . live . August 22, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190822202321/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49432817 . August 22, 2019.
  19. Web site: Finnis . Alex . November 17, 2020 . Taylor Swift Masters: The Controversy around Scooter Braun Selling the Rights to Her Old Music Explained . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210212170953/https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/taylor-swift-masters-scooter-braun-selling-rights-music-rerecording-row-explained-762411 . February 12, 2021 . February 13, 2021 . i.
  20. News: Shah . Neil . April 9, 2021 . Taylor Swift Releases New Fearless Album, Reclaiming Her Back Catalog . . live . subscription . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211008111731/https://www.wsj.com/articles/taylor-swift-releases-new-fearless-album-reclaiming-her-back-catalog-11617945524 . October 8, 2021 .
  21. Taylor Swift. Fearless (Taylor's Version). CD liner notes. 2021. Republic Records, an imprint of Universal Music Group. B0033578-02 (catalog no.).
  22. Lipshutz . Jason . February 11, 2021 . Taylor Swift Announces Re-Recorded Fearless Album: Updated 'Love Story' Out Tonight . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210213005253/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9524797/taylor-swift-fearless-rerecorded-love-story-release/ . February 13, 2021 . March 7, 2021 . live .
  23. Ginsberg . Gab . April 8, 2021 . Taylor Swift Recruits Olivia Rodrigo & Conan Gray to Help Tease Re-Recorded Fearless Songs: Hear Multiple New Snippets . . December 6, 2021 . April 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210418044222/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9553262/taylor-swift-olivia-rodrigo-conan-gray-share-clips-fearless/ . live .
  24. How Taylor Swift's Recent Album Releases Tell a Story of the Midnights Rollout. Caulfield. Keith. Billboard. October 22, 2022. March 19, 2023. November 7, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221107142607/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-first-week-album-sales-streams-compare/. live.
  25. News: Richards . Chris . November 11, 2008 . Taylor Swift, Fearless and Full of Charm . C01 . . live . July 14, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121112185553/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/11/10/ST2008111002776.html . November 12, 2012.
  26. Web site: Keefe . Jonathan . November 16, 2008 . Taylor Swift: Fearless . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110315060524/http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/taylor-swift-fearless/1574 . March 15, 2011 . March 8, 2011 . Slant Magazine.
  27. Web site: Bonaguro . Alison . November 10, 2008 . Taylor Swift Shows Her Fearless Side . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090311015440/http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/nov/10/entertainment/chi-taylor-swift-1109nov09 . March 11, 2009 . March 11, 2009 . Chicago Tribune.
  28. Ganz . Caryn . October 2, 2008 . Fall Music Preview: Taylor Swift's Fearless . . February 9, 2022 . limited . February 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220209073750/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/fall-music-preview-taylor-swifts-fearless-242318/ . live .
  29. News: Gardner . Tom . November 11, 2008 . Taylor made: Swift's Writing Continues to Improve on New CD . 27 . . Associated Press.
  30. Sheffield . Rob . Rob Sheffield . October 26, 2021 . 'Hey Stephen' (2008) . . December 6, 2021 . December 7, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211207052001/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/taylor-swift-songs-ranked-rob-sheffield-201800/hey-stephen-2008-195616/ . live .
  31. Web site: April 12, 2021 . Still Fearless: Re-Recording The Past On Taylor's Version . January 16, 2022 . . April 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418045503/https://www.npr.org/2021/04/12/985842675/still-fearless-re-recording-the-past-on-taylors-version . live .
  32. Web site: Jones . Nate . January 11, 2021 . Taylor Swift Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best . limited . December 6, 2021 . . September 13, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190913234630/https://www.vulture.com/article/all-taylor-swift-songs-ranked-from-worst-to-best.html . live .
  33. Web site: Willman . Chris . April 9, 2021 . Review: Taylor Swift Turns On a Facsimile Machine for Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Its Ingenious Recreations . December 6, 2021 . . July 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210726170137/https://variety.com/2021/music/reviews/taylor-swift-fearless-taylors-version-album-review-vault-1234947622/ . live .
  34. News: April 9, 2021 . Taylor Swift Remade Fearless as Taylor's Version. Let's Discuss. . . live . limited . April 9, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210409224903/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/09/arts/music/taylor-swift-fearless-taylors-version.html . April 9, 2021.
  35. Huff . Lauren . April 13, 2021 . Taylor Swift's New Fearless Album Sounds Different—We Got An Expert to Tell Us Why . . December 6, 2021 . December 7, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211207051047/https://ew.com/music/taylor-swift-new-fearless-album-differences/ . live .
  36. Web site: Perkins . Dennis . April 14, 2021 . Taylor Swift's 'Hey Stephen' Isn't About Stephen Colbert, No Matter What Her Vision Board Says . December 6, 2021 . . March 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230317045301/https://www.avclub.com/taylor-swifts-hey-stephen-isnt-about-stephen-colbert-1846680157 . live .
  37. Greenblatt . Leah . November 5, 2008 . Fearless (2008) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101205035408/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20237814,00.html . December 5, 2010 . March 12, 2010 . Entertainment Weekly.
  38. Tucker. Ken. Ken Tucker. Fearless. Billboard. November 15, 2008. 41. 120. 46. .
  39. News: Semon . Craig S. . November 30, 2008 . Teen Phenom Swift Sings with Fearless Sincerity . . G4 . .
  40. News: Rodgers . Larry . December 7, 2008 . Fearless . E4 . . .
  41. Rosen . Jody . Jody Rosen . November 13, 2008 . Fearless . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20120815082027/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/fearless-20081113 . August 15, 2012 . March 21, 2011 . limited.
  42. Web site: Bream . Jon . June 20, 2023 . Our Music Critic Ranks Taylor Swift's Albums From Worst to Best . subscription . 2023-07-21 . . July 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230721103804/https://www.startribune.com/taylor-swift-jack-antonoff-aaron-dessner-grammy-folklore-1989-red-speak-now-kanye-west-harry-styles/600283837/ . live .
  43. Web site: Taylor-Singh . Heather . April 12, 2021 . Taylor Swift Reclaims Her Past on Fearless (Taylor's Version) . March 31, 2023 . . April 12, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210412145641/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/taylor_swift_fearless_taylors_version_album_review . live .
  44. Web site: Horton . Ross . April 9, 2021 . Taylor Swift Reclaims Her Pivotal Moment by Breathing New Life into Fearless . 2023-03-31 . . April 9, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210409093114/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-fearless-taylors-version-album-review . live .
  45. Web site: Cills . Hazel . August 19, 2019 . Taylor Swift: Fearless . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190819073504/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-fearless/ . August 19, 2019 . August 19, 2019 . Pitchfork.
  46. Web site: Siroky . Mary . November 10, 2021 . Every Taylor Swift Album, Ranked From Worst to Best . January 17, 2022 . . March 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220328011127/https://consequence.net/2021/11/taylor-swift-albums-ranked-list/ . live .
  47. . . 2008 . . CD liner notes.
  48. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19 April 2021. The ARIA Report. 1624. Australian Recording Industry Association. April 19, 2021. 4.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Hey Stephen".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.