Holy Ground (song) explained

Holy Ground
Artist:Taylor Swift
Album:Red
Genre:
Studio:Enormous (Los Angeles, California)
Length:3:23
Label:Big Machine
Producer:Jeff Bhasker
Holy Ground (Taylor's Version)
Artist:Taylor Swift
Album:Red (Taylor's Version)
Genre:
Studio:Zumirez (Malibu, California)
Length:3:22
Label:Republic
Producer:Jeff Bhasker

"Holy Ground" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fourth studio album, Red (2012). Produced by Jeff Bhasker, "Holy Ground" is an upbeat song combining country rock and heartland rock with insistent drums. In the lyrics, the narrator reminisces about a good moment in a failed relationship; she describes where she and the ex-lover once stood as "holy ground".

Music critics praised the lyrical maturity for its showcase of a more complicated understanding of failed relationships and departed from the bitter sentiments on Swift's previous songs. Some picked it as an album highlight and one of Swift's best songs in her discography. "Holy Ground" peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and number 89 on the Canadian Hot 100.

A re-recorded version, "Holy Ground (Taylor's Version)", was released as part of Swift's re-recorded album Red (Taylor's Version) on November 12, 2021. The song peaked at number 77 on the Billboard Global 200 and entered on singles charts in Canada and the United States.

Production

Swift released her third studio album, Speak Now, in October 2010.[1] She wrote the album by herself and co-produced it with Nathan Chapman.[2] [3] Speak Now was similar to Swift's previous album, Fearless (2008), in its country pop production style.[4] [5]

On her fourth studio album, Red (2012), Swift wanted to experiment with other musical styles.[6] To this end, she approached different producers beyond her career base in Nashville, Tennessee.[2] One such producer was Jeff Bhasker, whose drum work on the songs by pop-rock band Fun inspired Swift; she finished writing "Holy Ground" before meeting with Bhasker in his studio. There, Swift played the whole song on acoustic guitar, which left Bhasker impressed: "I was just blown away at how stone cold she was[...] Her style of songwriting is very, very honest. She's just a really old soul."[7]

Release and chart performance

"Holy Ground" is track number 11 on Red, which was released on October 22, 2012, by Big Machine Records. After Red was released, in the U.S., "Holy Ground" peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and number 37 on the Hot Country Songs in November 2012. In Canada, it peaked at number 89.

Following a dispute with Big Machine over the rights to the master recordings of Swift's first six studio albums, Swift re-recorded the whole Red album and released it as Red (Taylor's Version) under Republic Records imprint on November 12, 2021; the re-recording of "Holy Ground" is titled "Holy Ground (Taylor's Version)".[8] Bhasker returned on the re-recording as producer. "Holy Ground (Taylor's Version)" debuted and peaked at number 76 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[9] number 62 on the Canadian Hot 100, and number 77 on the Billboard Global 200.

Music and lyrics

Swift wrote "Holy Ground" inspired by a past relationship with an ex-lover. Reflecting on the incident, Swift thought, "You know what? That was good... having that in my life." She said that the relationship that inspired the song had ended years ago, which she appreciated rather than feeling bitter about its unpleasant ending. The upbeat track features a recurring guitar riff and constant fast-paced drum beats that, according to Brad Nelson from The Atlantic, are "insistent enough to act as punctuation for the lyrics".[10]

Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone noted influences of 1980s music by Billy Idol on the guitar.[10] Musicologist James E. Perone characterized "Holy Ground" as country rock, with a "take on the country-pop tradition that had not really been found before in Swift's previous recordings". Meanwhile, Jonathan Keefe from Slant Magazine said that it is a heartland rock track.[11] Other critics said the track features elements of pop rock and country on the drum beats, which Brittany Spanos from Rolling Stone described as "jaunty but gentle".[12] [13] The 2021 re-recording, "Holy Ground (Taylor's Version)", features an identical production, but Swift's vocals do not feature the twang as in the 2012 version.[14]

In the lyrics, the narrator tells a past relationship that ran on "New York time".[15] She reminisces about the early days of a blossoming romance, "Took off faster than a green light, go."[15] There is a fleeting but exhilarating moment which makes the narrator feels that the ground on which the couple used to stand was "holy ground".[16] According to Perone, the lyrics showcased a new side to Swift's songwriting; whereas her previous songs are mostly bitter confessions accusing ex-lovers of wrongdoings, the narrator in "Holy Ground" tells her ex-lover, "Tonight I'm gonna dance... but I don't wanna dance, if I'm not dancing with you," with a bittersweet and melancholic atmosphere in the wake of a breakup. Nelson agreed that Swift's take on failed relationships became "charmingly complicated".[15]

Randy Lewis from the Los Angeles Times, citing the lyric, "For the first time I had something to lose," said the song explores vulnerability and more nuanced relationship issues for Swift as an adult, transcending the adolescent perspective on her past albums.[17] In PopMatters, Arnold Pan picked "Holy Ground" as an example of Swift's songwriting for crafting specific lyrical details setting her apart from generic lyrics found in other pop artists' music, citing the line "Spinning like a girl in a brand new dress, we had this big wide city all to ourselves" as an example.[18]

Critical reception

In reviews of Red, "Holy Ground" received critical acclaim, and many music critics picked it as an album highlight.[19] According to Perone, "Holy Ground" is a Red track that deserves the attention of casual listeners who are not fans of Swift. He praised the lyrical maturity and found the upbeat production, though at odds with the sentimental lyrics, "somehow works" because of the pop hook. Chris Willman of The Hollywood Reporter cited "Holy Ground" as one of the album's finest tracks, and remarked that the "driving drum and rhythm guitar... grab your attention from [the] first verse to [the] last".[20] In Idolators review of Red, Sam Lansky called it the "most startling" track; he highlighted the strong lyricism and dynamic production.[21] Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine selected "Holy Ground" as one of Red tracks that experiment beyond Swift's country-pop comfort zone, where "the production is creative and contemporary in ways that are in service to Swift's songwriting".[11]

The Spectrum commended the "anthemic", rock-influenced production: "Plenty of bands try it, but it takes a 20-something former country-pop star [Swift] to pull it off."[22] The New Zealand Herald Scott Kara picked it as one of the strongest Red tracks: "These songs prove she's a strong enough songwriter to play it straight, while still being ambitious."[23] Paste picked "Holy Ground" as one of the standouts on the album and described it as "hurried, yet precise, and rocking the hell out".[24] Reviewing Red (Taylor's Version), Olivia Horn from Pitchfork selected the song as one of Swift's "great masterpieces" in her career.[25] Spanos included "Holy Ground" among the 10 best album cuts from Swift's discography,[13] and Sheffield in 2021 placed it among the 20 best songs out of Swift's 237-song catalog: "Nobody does zero-to-60 emotional peel outs like our girl."[10] Today journalist Francesca Gariano ranked "Holy Ground" second on a list of the top 10 songs by Swift of the 2010s decade, behind "All Too Well", another Red track.[19]

On a less positive side, Mesfin Fekadu from the Associated Press deemed the song average,[26] and Bernard Perusse from the Edmonton Journal considered it an album filler.[27]

Live performances

Swift included "Holy Ground" in the set list to the concerts on the Red Tour (2013–2014), where she sang the song in front of a New York cityscape background.[28] [29] The song was part of the set list for Swift's concert at the 2016 Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, Texas on October 22.[30] On the Seattle show of her Reputation Stadium Tour on May 22, 2018, Swift performed a stripped-down version of "Holy Ground" as a "surprise song".[31]

In September 2019, during promotion of her seventh studio album Lover, she performed a slowed, stripped-down piano version of "Holy Ground" on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge held in New York City.[32] Swift said the version was meant to "flip the coin of the song and show another side of it"; Rebecca Alter from Vulture remarked that the Live Lounge rendition contained a "soulful, wise... maturity".[33] She performed it again as a "surprise song" for three dates of her Eras Tour: the first at the May 27, 2023 show in East Rutherford, the second at the February 7, 2024 show in Tokyo and, most recently, in a mash-up with "Sweeter Than Fiction" in Amsterdam on July 6, 2024.[34] [35]

Personnel

"Holy Ground"[36]

"Holy Ground (Taylor's Version)"[37]

Charts

"Holy Ground (Taylor's Version)"

Chart (2021)!scope="col"
Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)62
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)24

References

Cited sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Album Review: Taylor Swift's Speak Now. The Hollywood Reporter. Chris. Willman. October 19, 2010. October 20, 2020. August 18, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210818201357/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/taylor-swift-speak-album-31396/. live.
  2. 500 Greatest Albums: Taylor Swift Looks Back on Her 'Only True Breakup Album' Red. Jonathan. Bernstein. Rolling Stone. limited. November 18, 2020. December 25, 2020. December 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201204182537/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/500-greatest-albums-taylor-swift-red-1059586/. live.
  3. Web site: Taylor Swift Speak Now. Sound on Sound. Paul. Tingen. February 2011. September 9, 2021. September 10, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210910113359/https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/taylor-swift-speak-now?amp. live.
  4. Web site: Speak Now – Taylor Swift. AllMusic. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Stephen Thomas. Erlewine. March 2, 2019. November 5, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171105185251/https://www.allmusic.com/album/speak-now-mw0002025410. live.
  5. Web site: Maybe It Wasn't Time for Taylor Swift to Speak Now. The Morning Call. John J.. Moser. October 30, 2010. October 29, 2021. September 29, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190929071627/https://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/10/disc-review-maybe-it-wasnt-time-for-taylor-swift-to-speak-now.html. live.
  6. Web site: Taylor Swift sees Red all over. Brian. Mansfield. Brian Mansfield. October 17, 2012. USA Today. https://web.archive.org/web/20121221175440/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2012/10/17/taylor-swift-red-interview/1637307/. December 21, 2012.
  7. News: Musical dream worth sacrifices: Taylor Swift; Performance Life at the top brings a lot of scrutiny but being able to perform is the reward. Moody. Nekesa Mumbi. Telegraph-Journal. 23 Oct 2012. D1. .
  8. Web site: Red (Taylor's Version): Release Date, Tracklist, Why Taylor Swift Is Rerecording Her Albums. CNET. Abrar. Al-Heeti. November 11, 2021. November 13, 2021. November 20, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211120224012/https://www.cnet.com/news/red-taylors-version-release-date-tracklist-why-taylor-swift-is-rerecording-her-albums/. live.
  9. Xander . Zellner . November 22, 2021 . Taylor Swift Charts 26 Songs From Red (Taylor's Version) on Billboard Hot 100 . . September 5, 2022 . November 24, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211124035344/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-26-songs-hot-100-red-taylors-version-1235001484/ . live .
  10. Sheffield . Rob . Rob Sheffield . July 8, 2023 . 'Holy Ground' (2012) . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20220905133403/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/taylor-swift-songs-ranked-rob-sheffield-201800/holy-ground-2012-205510/ . September 5, 2022 . July 8, 2023.
  11. Web site: Keefe . Jonathan . Taylor Swift: Red . . October 22, 2012 . December 27, 2012 . October 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131012014408/http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/taylor-swift-red/2900 . live.
  12. If Folklore Turned You On to Taylor Swift, These Are the Deep Cuts You'll Like. Iasimone. Ashley. August 29, 2020. Billboard. September 10, 2022. September 10, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220910034854/https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/songs-like-taylor-swift-folklore-9438687/. live.
  13. Taylor Swift: 10 Great Deep Cuts You Can Stream Now. June 9, 2017. Spanos. Brittany. Rolling Stone. limited. September 10, 2022. September 21, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220921232203/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-10-great-deep-cuts-you-can-stream-now-114840/. live.
  14. Web site: Album Review: Red (Taylor's Version) Is An Epic Time Machine. The A.V. Club. Saloni. Gajjar. November 15, 2021. November 16, 2021. November 16, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211116212915/https://www.avclub.com/taylor-swift-s-red-taylors-version-is-a-sweeping-pro-1848067892. live.
  15. Web site: If You Listen Closely, Taylor Swift Is Kind of Like Leonard Cohen. The Atlantic. limited. Brad. Nelson. November 1, 2012. August 31, 2022. February 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210225063319/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/11/if-you-listen-closely-taylor-swift-is-kind-of-like-leonard-cohen/264275/. live.
  16. Taylor Swift, Red: Track-By-Track Review. Billboard. October 19, 2012. July 4, 2013. January 29, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130129071359/http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1066798/taylor-swift-red-track-by-track-review. live.
  17. News: Taylor Swift's music school; The singer brings in pop heavyweights for Red – and turns it into an opportunity for growth. Lewis. Randy. Los Angeles Times. 21 Oct 2012. E1. .
  18. Web site: Taylor Swift: Red. PopMatters. Arnold. Pan. October 30, 2012. September 1, 2022. September 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220902022148/https://www.popmatters.com/164856-taylor-swift-red-2495802085.html. live.
  19. Web site: Here are our top 10 favorite Taylor Swift songs from this last decade. November 25, 2019. Francesca. Gariano. Today. September 10, 2022. September 10, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220910034327/https://www.today.com/popculture/amas-2019-top-10-taylor-swift-songs-last-decade-t168183. live.
  20. Web site: Willman. Chris. Taylor Swift's 'Red': Track-By-Track. The Hollywood Reporter. 3 December 2012. October 23, 2012. July 30, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170730044614/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/earshot/taylor-swift-red-track-by-382145. live.
  21. Web site: Lansky. Sam. Taylor Swift's Red: Album Review. Idolator (website)Idolator. December 3, 2012. October 22, 2012. April 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170424022949/http://www.idolator.com/7210192/taylor-swift-red-album-review. live.
  22. News: Taylor Swift turns to pop song doctors. The Spectrum. 26 Oct 2012. 18. .
  23. News: Kara. Scott. Taylor-made for her fans. The New Zealand Herald. 1 Nov 2012. C18. .
  24. News: All 158 Taylor Swift Songs, Ranked. Jane. Song. February 11, 2020. Paste. December 9, 2020. April 13, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200413001443/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/taylor-swift/best-taylor-swift-songs/. live.
  25. Web site: Horn. Olivia. Taylor Swift: Red (Taylor's Version). Pitchfork. November 15, 2021. November 15, 2021. November 15, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211115143729/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-red-taylors-version/. live.
  26. News: Fekadu. Mesfin. October 24, 2012. Taylor Swift's Red fades to mediocrity. E10. The Des Moines Register. Associated Press. July 22, 2021. July 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210724154608/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81966343/taylor-swifts-red-fades-to-mediocrity/. live.
  27. News: Perusse. Bernard. Hot gossip, stale pop; Taylor Swift's tabloid tales lack sharp musical edge. Edmonton Journal. 23 Oct 2012. C3. .
  28. Taylor Swift's Red Tour: Her Amps Go Up to 22. Rob. Sheffield. Rob Sheffield. Rolling Stone. March 28, 2013. limited. September 4, 2022. September 5, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220905015338/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swifts-red-tour-her-amps-go-up-to-22-104052/. live.
  29. https://web.archive.org/web/20160507212540/http://www.cmacloseup.com/2013/07/from-dreams-to-dazzle-stage-designer-baz-halpin-brings-taylor-swifts-visions-to-life-onstage/. From Dreams to Dazzle. CMA Close Up. July 2013. Country Music Association. May 7, 2016. May 7, 2006. dead.
  30. Taylor Swift Delivers a Knockout Performance at Formula 1 Concert in Austin. Hall. David Brendan. October 23, 2016. Billboard. September 2, 2022. September 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220902023704/https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/taylor-swift-formula-1-grand-prix-austin-concert-calvin-harris-7550007/. live.
  31. All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on Her Reputation Stadium Tour B-Stage (So Far) . Iasimone . Ashley . . November 20, 2018 . November 24, 2018 . October 8, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191008113110/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8458025/taylor-swift-reputation-tour-b-stage-songs-list . live .
  32. Web site: Taylor Swift Performed a Piano Version of 'Holy Ground' at BBC Radio One's Live Lounge. Delgado. Sara. September 2, 2019. Teen Vogue. September 2, 2022. September 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220902022955/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/taylor-swift-piano-version-holy-ground-bbc-radio-one-live-lounge. live.
  33. Web site: Taylor Swift Performing 'Holy Ground' Has Us Hyped for Her to Rerecord Her Old Stuff. Rebecca. Alter. September 3, 2022. Vulture. limited. September 2, 2022. September 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220902022955/https://www.vulture.com/2019/09/taylor-swift-bbc-live-lounge-2019.html. live.
  34. Iasimone . Ashley . February 7, 2024 . All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on the Eras Tour (So Far) . February 8, 2024 . Billboard.
  35. Web site: Dunworth . Liberty . Watch Taylor Swift give ‘Sweeter Than Fiction’ its live debut. 8 July 2024 . NME.
  36. Red. Taylor Swift. 2012. Big Machine Records / Universal Music Group. Nashville. CD album liner notes. 0602537173051.
  37. Red (Taylor's Version). Taylor Swift. 2021. Republic Records. vinyl liner notes.

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