Taylor Swift: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Uploaded by Jake on November 12, 2023 at 10:41 am

Taylor Swift: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Watch Taylor Swift play "The Man", "Lover", "Death by a Thousand Cuts" and "All Too Well" at the Tiny Desk.

More from NPR Music:
Tiny Desk Concerts: https://www.npr.org/tinydesk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nprmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nprmusic

Oct. 15, 2019 | Lyndsey McKenna -- As Taylor Swift settled in for her Tiny Desk, she looked out at the 300-plus NPR employees and guests. "Wow! This is a lot of people in a tiny office!" she said. "I love it!" Then, after introducing herself, she explained her objective: "I just decided to take this as an opportunity to show you guys how the songs sounded when I first wrote them."

It should come as no surprise that someone who commands stadium stages could hold court in NPR Music's corner of our Washington, D.C., office — specifically, behind Bob Boilen's desk — but Swift was truly at home in stripped-down, solo-session mode. ("It's just me. There's no dancers, unfortunately," she quipped.)

Opening with an acoustic rendition of "The Man," from her 2019 album, Lover, Swift delivered a critique of gender double standards with a sense of humor (and a perfectly deployed hair toss), Leonardo DiCaprio name check and all. Turning to the piano with a smile for Lover's title track, she explained the guitar-string scars of the song's bridge. Picking up the guitar again for "Death by a Thousand Cuts," Swift confronted a question that she says has haunted her career: What will you ever do if you get happy? Across the song's run-on thoughts and relentless searching, Swift offered an answer: She'll continue to excel at crafting superb story-songs.

Though most Tiny Desk concerts stop at three songs, we couldn't turn down the chance to hear "All Too Well" from Swift's 2012 album, Red. Routinely cited by critics and fans alike as a favorite, the beloved track has become the stuff of Swiftie legends, striking in its specificity (that scarf!) and relatable in a way that anyone who has loved and lost can understand.

That sense of connection is at the heart of it all. Some 800 Tiny Desk concerts since we published our very first back in April 2008, the aim remains the same: In the midst of meetings and conference calls, Tiny Desk concerts offer respite from the workday and opportunities to see artists reimagine their work in a strange setting. It's always special, but on some days, it feels downright magical. Watching Taylor Swift perform — and then interact with co-workers and guests who have grown up with her — was simply enchanting.

SET LIST
"The Man"
"Lover"
"Death by a Thousand Cuts"
"All Too Well"

MUSICIAN
Taylor Swift: vocals, guitar, piano

CREDITS
Producers: Bob Boilen, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineers: Josh Rogosin, Natasha Branch; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Kara Frame, Maia Stern; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Production Assistants: Jack Corbett, Mito Habe-Evans; Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Bob Boilen/NPR

Watch Taylor Swift play “The Man”, “Lover”, “Death by a Thousand Cuts” and “All Too Well” at the Tiny Desk.

More from NPR Music:
Tiny Desk Concerts: https://www.npr.org/tinydesk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nprmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nprmusic

Oct. 15, 2019 | Lyndsey McKenna — As Taylor Swift settled in for her Tiny Desk, she looked out at the 300-plus NPR employees and guests. “Wow! This is a lot of people in a tiny office!” she said. “I love it!” Then, after introducing herself, she explained her objective: “I just decided to take this as an opportunity to show you guys how the songs sounded when I first wrote them.”

It should come as no surprise that someone who commands stadium stages could hold court in NPR Music’s corner of our Washington, D.C., office — specifically, behind Bob Boilen’s desk — but Swift was truly at home in stripped-down, solo-session mode. (“It’s just me. There’s no dancers, unfortunately,” she quipped.)

Opening with an acoustic rendition of “The Man,” from her 2019 album, Lover, Swift delivered a critique of gender double standards with a sense of humor (and a perfectly deployed hair toss), Leonardo DiCaprio name check and all. Turning to the piano with a smile for Lover’s title track, she explained the guitar-string scars of the song’s bridge. Picking up the guitar again for “Death by a Thousand Cuts,” Swift confronted a question that she says has haunted her career: What will you ever do if you get happy? Across the song’s run-on thoughts and relentless searching, Swift offered an answer: She’ll continue to excel at crafting superb story-songs.

Though most Tiny Desk concerts stop at three songs, we couldn’t turn down the chance to hear “All Too Well” from Swift’s 2012 album, Red. Routinely cited by critics and fans alike as a favorite, the beloved track has become the stuff of Swiftie legends, striking in its specificity (that scarf!) and relatable in a way that anyone who has loved and lost can understand.

That sense of connection is at the heart of it all. Some 800 Tiny Desk concerts since we published our very first back in April 2008, the aim remains the same: In the midst of meetings and conference calls, Tiny Desk concerts offer respite from the workday and opportunities to see artists reimagine their work in a strange setting. It’s always special, but on some days, it feels downright magical. Watching Taylor Swift perform — and then interact with co-workers and guests who have grown up with her — was simply enchanting.

SET LIST
“The Man”
“Lover”
“Death by a Thousand Cuts”
“All Too Well”

MUSICIAN
Taylor Swift: vocals, guitar, piano

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Comments

NPR Music says:

Hey Tiny Desk Fans,
Check out NPR’s Black Stories, Black Truths – a collection of podcasts hosted by journalists who speak truth to power. Our voices are as varied, nuanced, and dynamic as the Black experience. And stories should never be about us without us. Listen now: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510372/black-stories-black-truths

Artifact37 says:

Beautiful gorgeous pretty attractive stunning sweet lady ❤❤❤😍😍😍😍👋, love you ms. Taylor

Eclectictomboy says:

Second song is cute. I could hear it in a Broadway musical. However, both are not live sounds.
She is a talented lyricist for sure.

Chris Piggins says:

Sadly in my opinion, very pedestrian. I don't believe her when she sings and that is what music about- affecting the listener. This just my opinion.

Nancy Simons says:

Lover always reminds me of Clara and Danny♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

KAXAR says:

Why are the swifties so protective of her🙂

Peter Petite says:

It was this TDC that got me to see the Eras Tour movie. My respect and admiration for Ms. Swift continues to grow — even without dancers.

Rafael David says:

Me salió la propaganda política en contra Milei mientras miraba que onda Taylor Swift, lo voy a votar igual. Taylor not the big of a deal, muy bonita, es talentosa porque toca sus instrumentos de como sonaría el pop si no lo prefabricaran artificialmente, pero no termino de entender como puede facturar tanto, a las adolescentes y chicos putos seguro le encanta.

Big Heart Film says:

LOVE! Love The Man, thankful we have Taylor Swift as a voice in this world.

Johann Stubben says:

You fix the dough. I keep the fridge Clean. We talked about this 1001 Times. Let Go, Taylor.

Johann Stubben says:

Anzeige ist raus. Lass das ganze über deinen Vater laufen. NY 4 ever!

Andrés Esper says:

She is really very good!

amanda rooney says:

Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran. Mystery …

rocksarioCP says:

fuera el facismo de argentina aguante Taylor

Sarah Di Battista says:

This is really cool, I love this! And by watching these stripped down acoustic versions of her songs and listening to what she’s saying about songwriting, it has given me a little inspiration to help me get out of that dreaded writer’s block. I haven’t been able to write anything since I released my first EP almost a year ago and I have felt so lost and useless. Thank you Taylor and NPR/Tiny Desk concerts. 😊