16 Years Ago, Taylor Swift Violated Her Album’s Golden Rule for a Single Song

16 Years Ago, Taylor Swift Violated Her Album’s Golden Rule for a Single Song

Taylor Swift has consistently redefined the boundaries of the music industry, carving a path that emphasizes her unique storytelling abilities. Sixteen years ago, she made a remarkable choice that set her apart from countless aspiring country artists in Nashville. Her passion for songwriting emerged as a distinguishing feature, leading to her recognition as a prolific creator. Notably, Swift has penned all the songs across her albums, maintaining a singular voice in her music. Although she expanded her collaborative efforts with co-writers over time, each of her albums—except for *Reputation*—features at least one song solely written by her.

At the 2016 BMI Pop Awards, Taylor Swift was honored as the Songwriter of the Year, additionally receiving the prestigious Taylor Swift Award, making her just the second artist to have a BMI award named after her, following the legendary Michael Jackson. Fast-forward to 2024, and Swift claimed the Songwriter of the Year title once more, just two years after being celebrated as the Songwriter-Artist of the Decade at the Nashville Songwriter Awards. Despite her prolific songwriting, Swift is also known for her affinity for covering other artists’ tunes; notably, she broke her own songwriting rule in 2009 with a cover on her album.

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Only One Song on Her Albums Is Not Written by Swift

The Song: “Untouchable, ”A Cover of Luna Halo

Following the release of her sophomore album *Fearless* in 2008, Swift embarked on a highly successful headlining tour, quickly establishing herself as a major star. Upon *Fearless* achieving platinum status, she celebrated with the *Fearless Platinum Edition*, which debuted in 2009. This edition included several songs that were cut from the original release, such as “Jump Then Fall”and a piano version of “Forever & Always.”Notably, it also featured a cover of “Untouchable, ”originally by Luna Halo. Swift reimagined the rock track into a mellow country-pop rendition that flawlessly aligned with the *Fearless* aesthetic.

Moreover, Swift tweaked a few lyrics to better match her style, altering the second chorus from original lines like “In the middle of the night, I wake up from this dream / I wanna feel you in the dark lying next to me”to “In the middle of the night, we can form this dream / I wanna feel you by my side, standing next to me.”Despite not penning the song herself, Swift was awarded a songwriting credit, a testament to her innovative adaptation of the original track.

How Did “Untouchable”Make Its Way to *Fearless*?

Swift’s Familiarity with the Song

Taylor Swift at The Eras Tour
Taylor Swift performance
Taylor Swift performing
Taylor Swift on stage

In 2008, during promotional activities for *Fearless*, Taylor Swift appeared on a program called Live From The Clear Channel Stripped, where she delivered simplified arrangements of her hits including “Fearless”and “Love Story, ”alongside the debut of her “Untouchable”cover. According to Nathan Barlowe, a member of Luna Halo, Swift encountered the band’s music through her former record label president, who introduced her to their album and encouraged her to take on a cover.

Being a fan of Luna Halo, Swift chose “Untouchable”for her cover. This decision led to a studio version for the *Fearless Platinum Edition*, and years later, it reappeared as a vault track on *Fearless (Taylor’s Version)*.While Taylor Swift is primarily celebrated for her original compositions, her take on “Untouchable”showcases her remarkable ability to reinterpret and breathe new life into existing songs.

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