From "The Hunger Games" as written about by our Alyson yesterday, Taylor Swift attempts to spread her wings by clipping them a little.
Joined by Nashville duo the Civil Wars, Swift attempts to tell the story of the midway point in the young adults book soon to be movie "The Hunger Games". The couple are together in the forest late at night in the midst of a game where only one of the participants will survive. The song is daring by Taylor's standards, nothing like anything she's done before, a haunting folk song that drifts in the night air, and seems to want to sooth and protect but still has an edgy fear about it. It is not an end song, it doesn't reach a resolution.
Taylor gives a bravado vocal performance, with Joy Williams back up harmonies seeming to touch Taylors' voice and fade into the background where they come together.
This is, of course, written to order by Taylor. The marking of professional songwriter is when hey are no longer ripping pages out of their diary but rather giving given an assignment.
Taylor does a credible, heartfelt job, here. The lyric is completely functional though the melody a bit perfunctory.
Grade: B+