Taylor Swift's newly released song "Ronan" is a requiem for three year old cancer victim, Ronan Thompson. As reported by Randy Cordova of azcentral.com: "A 3-year-old Valley boy who died of cancer in 2011 has inspired the writing of "Ronan," a Taylor Swift song that will debut on Friday, Sept. 7, during a telethon to raise funds to battle the disease. Swift wrote the song after reading a blog written by the boy's mother, Maya Thompson. According to the Associated Press, Thompson is credited as a co-writer.The song has never been performed in public, the AP says. After the telethon, it will be available on iTunes, with proceeds going to cancer-related charities."
As these things go, it certainly isn't Conor Oberst's "Breezy". the lyric is too plainspeak (maybe because it is based on the blog) and the melody is incomplete. It is maudlin without being catchy. Even if you are writing about the worst experience imaginable, you need to use all your abilities to stop your listener from simply turning away. The "you were my best four years" hook isn't strong enough, though her vocal is fragile and pretty.
But that doesn't matter the way it might be if Taylor was singing about breaking up with Stephen or something. She is a big enough star in 2012 where her touch alone makes the loss, so private and so, yes, easy to empathize with, because also easy to ignore, something we can all share in.
Indeed, it is an act of shared humanity that is more important than the drab song it comes in.
Ronan – Grade: B