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I Knew You Were Trouble Deconstructed

Skip to: Audio/Video At a Glance Song Overview Structural Analysis Momentum/Tension/Intensity (MTI) Lyrics & Harmonic Progression The Music The Vocal Melody Primary Instrumentation, Tone & Mix Compositional Assessment Hit Factor Assessment Conclusion Why it’s a Hit Songwriter/Producer Take Aways

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At a Glance Back to Top

Artist: Taylor Swift Song/Album: I Knew You Were Trouble / Red Songwriters: Max Martin (Martin Sandberg), Shellback (Johan Karl Schuster) and Taylor Swift Producers: Max Martin, Shellback Genre: Pop Sub Genre: Straight-Up Pop, Rock, Dubstep and a hint of Country Length: 3:37 Structure: A-B-A-B-C-B Tempo: 154 BPM First Chorus: 0:40 (18% into the song) Intro Length: 0:03 Outro Length: N/A Electric vs. Acoustic: Primarily Electric Primary Instrumentation: Combination (Synth + Guitar) Lyrical Theme: Love/Relationships Title Occurences: I Knew You Were Trouble: 8. Trouble (alone): 24 Lyrical P.O.V: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Song Overview Back to Top

Further expounding on her new mainstream Pop direction, I Knew You Were Trouble saw Swift once again teaming up with Pop hitmakers extraordinaire Max Martin and Shellback to craft a

1 / 70 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com song that was primed for mainstream success.

Keeping in line with the fusion trend of the day, the writers fused straight-up Pop, Rock and Dubstep (yes, Dubstep), that both capitalized on what’s currently hot as well as taking Swift in a direction that she’s never been before.

The result – it hit #1 on the Pop Songs chart and to date has landed in the top 5 in 10 countries throughout the world. Love or hate Swift’s new direction, one thing is for sure – the caliber of craft is as strong as ever.

Structural Analysis Back to Top

At-a-Glance

Timeline (Shows when each section hits within the timeline of the song)

Section Length (Length of each individual section within the song)

I=Intro, V=Verse, Chr=Chorus, Turn=Turnaround, Brg=Bridge, IB=Instrumental Break

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I Knew You Were Trouble contains 15 individual sections within its framework, with the longest landing at 0:25 (Chorus-A), and the rest landing at 0:12 or 0:13 (with the exception being the Intro, which lands at just 0:03).

Notice that the full Verse and Chorus sections are split into shorter segments (stanzas) as follows:

Verse Each full Verse section consists of 2 individual stanzas (Verse-A and Verse-B), which when totaled together amount to 0:25, which is the same time allocation as Chorus-A.

Chorus Notice that the first two “full” Chorus sections within the song also are split into 2 segments – Chorus A and Chorus B. Additionally, Chorus-A is further split into 2 individual segments as well.

Chorus-A: As was the case with the full Verse sections of the song, Chorus-A is also split into two segments, with the first landing at 0:13 and the second landing at 0:12, for a combined total of 0:25. Both segments possess virtually the same Dubstep nature during the second and third occurrences within the song, but differ (via the nature of the backing music) the first time around. More on that later. Overall, think of Chorus A as a “double” back to back Chorus.

Chorus-B: Notice that Chorus-B contains the same backing music characteristics as the Dubstep portion of Chorus-A (during the second and third occurrences within the song), but possesses a different vocal melody (i.e. “Oh, Oh, trouble, trouble, trouble”). Additionally, it’s only half the length of the full Chorus-A section. See the Music & Instrumentation section of the report for further details.

Chorus-A/B: The final chorus of the song is a half-Chorus, comprised of the Dubstep backing music of the preceding Chorus-B section and a combination of the melody and lyrics from Chorus-A and B. Technically it’s a hybrid “combination” chorus, but it basically serves as an Outro as well (more on that later).

Let’s now see how I Knew You Were Trouble’s section length compared to the 21 songs that

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I Knew You Were Trouble / Top 10 Hit Pop Song Averages

Intro: 0:03 / 0:11

Full Verse: 0:25 / 0:21

Pre-Chorus: 0:12 / 0:16

Full Chorus: 0:38 / 0:31

Bridge: 0:13 / 0:21

As you can see, with the exception of the Intro and the Bridge, the length of individual sections within I Knew You Were Trouble are pretty close to top 10 hit Pop song averages.

Total Section Analysis (Total time consumed by each section and its percentage of the total song)

I Knew You Were Trouble is comprised of 5 full sections within its framework (i.e. all Choruses, Verses, Pre-Choruses plus the Intro and Bridge), accounting for 59% of the song’s total composition all the way down to just 1%.

As you would expect, the majority of time within the song was allocated to the Chorus (i.e. the “payoff”), with all of the occurrences accounting for an immense 59% of the total song. This

4 / 70 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com was followed far behind by the Verse sections, which accounted for just 23%.

As a side note (just to give you a sense of how large that percentage of Chorus time is), with the exception of Flo Rida’s Whistle, I Knew You Were Trouble allocated more time to the Chorus than any other #1 hit from 2012. Whistle allocated 63% (but keep in mind that it also kicked off with the Chorus as opposed to the Verse. I Knew You Were Trouble didn’t).

Now, let’s now see how the sectional breakdown of I Knew You Were Trouble compared to the 21 songs that landed in the Billboard Pop Songs Chart top 10 during Q4-2012:

Intro

I Knew You Were Trouble: Comprises 1% of the total song.

Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 5% of the total song.

Comparison: I Knew You Were Trouble allocated 4% less time to the Intro compared to the Q4-2012 average (we’ll look at the nature of the Intro and why so little time was devoted to it later within the report).

Verse

I Knew You Were Trouble: Comprises 23% of the total song.

Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 21% of the total song.

Comparison: I Knew You Were Trouble allocated 2% more time to the Verse compared to the Q4-2012 average. As you can see, it’s pretty much right on par.

Pre-Chorus

I Knew You Were Trouble: Comprises 11% of the total song.

Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 15% of the total song.

Comparison: I Knew You Were Trouble allocated 4% less time to the Pre-Chorus than the Q4-2012 average.

Chorus

I Knew You Were Trouble: Comprises 59% of the total song.

Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 45% of the total song.

Comparison: I Knew You Were Trouble allocated 14% more time to the Chorus than the Q4-2012 average. (This was due both to the longer nature of the full Chorus section, which

5 / 70 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com consists of Chorus-A and B as mentioned earlier, plus the additional half-Chorus 4-A/B which concludes the song).

Bridge

I Knew You Were Trouble: Comprises 6% of the total song.

Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 10% of the total song.

Comparison: I Knew You Were Trouble allocated 4% less time to the Bridge than the Q4-2012 average.

Summary As you can see, I Knew You Were Trouble devoted less time to the Intro, Pre-Chorus and Bridge sections of the song, more time to the Verse and significantly more time to the Chorus than top 10 hit Pop Song averages.

When you listen to the song, it’s easy to understand why. Both the Verse and Chorus sections are exceptionally infectious and memorable in nature (not to say that the other sections aren’t), but you would have to agree that these sections take the cake (more on this later within the report).

Music, Instrumentation & MTI (Momentum/Tension/Intensity) Back to Top

(Evaluation of the intensity of each section within the song timeline on a scale of 1 – 10, 10 being the most intense)

When we talk about a song’s MTI level, we’re referring to how fluctuations in momentum, tension and intensity levels are utilized in each section of the song.

As you can see in the graph above, I Knew You Were Trouble provides the listener with a good

6 / 70 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com amount of MTI level fluctuation throughout the song, making for a very engaging listening experience.

Initially, the MTI level increases from the Intro through the end of the first Pre-Chorus. Now, instead of “slamming in” with a “big” Chorus as a lot of Pop and Rock songs do, Trouble goes in the opposite direction, bringing the MTI level back down during the “breakdown” nature of Chorus-1A.

The MTI level then proceeds to grow throughout Chorus-1A until being pulled back down a bit during the solo vocal transition that occurs prior to the onset of the Dubstep Chorus-1B section that follows. By pulling the backing music from the mix at this point, it enables Chorus-1B to slam in much harder than if the music was still in the mix (i.e. semi-quiet followed by LOUD).

The MTI level is kept at a max throughout the duration of Chorus-1B, until being brought back down as we enter into the second Verse.

The second Verse through the second Pre-Chorus once again embarks on an MTI level climb. Notice the drum fill and “big hit” that occurs at the tail end of Pre-Chorus-2, which takes the intensity level to a brief peak (this didn’t happen during the first Pre-Chorus), before entering into a brief 0:01 semi-lull that brings the MTI level back down, enabling the Dubstep Chorus that follows to hit with increased impact.

Notice that the entire second Chorus (Chorus A and B) is all Dubstep, and the MTI level is kept up there throughout (though it does peak slightly in Chorus-B, helping to take the section to a climax.

Directly following the intense Chorus, the MTI level then takes a steep dive as we enter into the “breakdown” natured Bridge. The MTI level then starts to increase once again as we approach the end of the section, primarily brought about by the nature of Swift’s vocals and the quick drum fill that occurs at the tail end.

Notice that after that drum fill there’s a quick 0:01 “suspension” before the Dubstep Chorus slams back in, once again providing it with increased impact when it hits. The MTI level then remains pretty much at a peak throughout the duration of the song, up until the final solo “trouble, trouble, trouble” vocal that brings the song to a conclusion.

MTI LEVEL: Section By Section

Intro into Verse 1A: MTI Increase

Verse 1A into Verse 1B: MTI Increase

Verse 1B into Pre-Chorus 1: MTI Increase

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Pre-Chorus 1 into Chorus 1A: MTI Decrease

Chorus 1A – beginning through end: MTI Increase

Chorus 1A into the Transition: MTI Decrease

Transition into Chorus 1B: MTI Increase

Chorus 1B into Verse 2A: MTI Decrease

Verse 2A – beginning through end: MTI Increase

Verse 2A into Pre-Chorus 2: MTI Increase

Pre-Chorus 2 into the Transition: MTI Decrease

Transition into Chorus 2A: MTI Increase

Chorus 2A into Chorus 2B: MTI Increase

Chorus 2B into the Bridge: MTI Decrease

Bridge – beginning through end: MTI Increase

Bridge into Chorus 3A: MTI Increase

Chorus 3A into Chorus 3B: MTI Increase

Chorus 3B into Chorus 4 A/B: MTI Constant

Waveform

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Looking at the waveform graphic above, you can easily see how sonic levels and the use of compression vary throughout the song.

Lows and Peak

Sonic levels are at their lowest point during the Intro and the first stanza of Verse-1. They’re also quite low in “breakdown” Chorus-A, the first stanza of the Verse-2, and during the first half of the Bridge.

Sonic levels are at their peak within the Dubstep Chorus sections of the song (which account for all Choruses except for Chorus-1A).

Level Growth

Notice how “like” sections within the song possess a higher overall level the second time around, helping to take the intensity factor to the next level as the song progresses (albeit in a subtle, non-jarring manner). Looking at the waveform graphic above, you can see that the first and second stanzas of the second Verse are a bit louder than they were the first time around, as are both Pre-Chorus occurrences (i.e. the amount of black in the graphic slightly increases).

Additionally, you can also see in the second Chorus how Chorus-B (i.e. the second half of the full Chorus section) is slightly louder and more compressed than the preceding Chorus-A, helping to take the section to a climax. Notice, however, that the entire third Chorus through Chorus-4A/B has the levels pushed to the max, which makes sense considering that it’s the final climax of the song.

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Jibing With MTI

Notice how the changes in overall level throughout the song jibe with the sectional fluctuations in MTI level (which are primarily brought about via changes in instrumentation within the mix and the nature of the vocal delivery). Working together, they push forward and pull back at just the right moments, doing a fantastic job of enhancing the overall “sonic journey” for the listener.

MUSIC / INSTRUMENTATION / VOCALS – SECTION BY SECTION Note: Pan is represented on a scale from 9:00 to 3:00 (i.e. left to right, with 12:00 being right up the middle). Keep in mind that in most cases an instrument will bleed throughout the entire mix, but the pan depicted here represents its primary placement in the mix (i.e. where the level is most pronounced).

Overview For those of you who haven’t heard Swift’s new album, Red, and still primarily identify her as a Pop/Country artist, this song will be a rude awaking for you. There is very little, if any Country present in I Knew You Were Trouble. Instead, for the most part (except for the Bridge) it’s a fusion of guitar driven straight-up Pop and Synth dominated Dubstep, encased with a hint of Rock that gives the song an edge.

Guitar Driven Pop vs. Synth Driven Dubstep

Guitar driven Pop sections

Intro

Verse-1

Pre-Chorus-1

Chorus-1A

Verse-2

Pre-Chorus-2

Synth driven Dubstep sections

Chorus-1B

Chorus-2A

Chorus-2B

Chorus-3A

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Chorus-3B

Chorus-4 A/B

“Departure” section

Bridge (sparse backwards Piano + additional instrumentation)

Primary Instrumentation Breakdown By Section

Guitar Driven Pop Sections

Electric Guitar (Intro, Verse-1, Chorus-1A, Verse-2, Pre-Chorus-2)

Electric Bass (Verse-1, Pre-Chorus-1, Chorus-1A, Verse-2, Pre-Chorus-2)

Kick Drum (Verse-1, Pre-Chorus-1, Chorus-1A, Verse-2, Pre-Chorus-2)

Acoustic Guitar (Pre-Chorus-1, Chorus-1A, Verse-2, Pre-Chorus-2)

Synth Swell Effect (Pre-Chorus-1, Chorus-1A, Pre-Chorus-2)

“Atmospheric” Synth Pattern (Verse-2, Pre-Chorus-2)

Snare Drum (Pre-Chorus-2 at the tail-end)

Synth Driven Dubstep Sections

Kick & Snare (Chorus-1B, Chorus-2A, Chorus-2B, Chorus-3A, Chorus-3B)

“Dubstep” Synth (Chorus-1B, Chorus-2A, Chorus-2B, Chorus-3A, Chorus-3B)

Electric Guitar (Chorus-1B, Chorus-2A, Chorus-2B, Chorus-3A, Chorus-3B)

“Bright” Synth Pad (Chorus-2A, Chorus-2B, Chorus-3A, Chorus-3B)

Rhythmic Repetition

Not only is there ample vocal melody and sectional repetition throughout the song, but there’s also a lot of rhythmic repetition that defines certain instrumentation and their associated progressions throughout the song as well:

Quarter Note – Eighth Rest – Quarter Note– Quarter Note

This timing is utilized in the progressions of the following instrumentation within the following sections of the song:

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Kick Drum: Intro, both Verse sections, both Pre-Chorus sections.

Electric Guitar: Intro, both Verse sections, both Pre-Chorus sections.

Acoustic Guitar: Pre-Chorus 1 and 2.

So, as you can see the primary instrumentation within all of the guitar driven Pop sections of the song utilize this rhythm, defining the vibe of 45% of the entire song. The result is that it gets totally engrained in your head.

Intro (0:01 – 0:03)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Electric Guitars (Bright with slight overdrive) 9:00-10:00 (Primary), 3:00 (Secondary)

*Electric Guitar Rhythm: Quarter – Eighth Rest – Quarter – Eighth Rest – Quarter – Quarter. Additionally, notice the muted picking in the back of the mix that adds subtle propulsion and fills out the overall sound. This occurs in the Intro, Verse and Pre-Chorus sections of the song as well.

Like so many other mainstream songs (and non-mainstream, for that matter), the Intro section of I Knew You Were Trouble consists of just an element of the backing music that defines the section that follows within the song (in this case, solo Electric Guitar).

Even though there’s nothing overtly special about it (i.e. you don’t listen to it and say – “what an AMAZING Intro!!!”) it’s still effective for the following reasons:

It acts as a unique “identifier” for the song. The second you hear that Guitar come on the radio, you know exactly what song it is.

It instantly establishes the guitar driven Pop vibe of the song (that is, until the Dubstep hits).

It provides for a seamless transition into the Verse that follows, considering that the same progression and guitar initially continue coupled with the addition of the kick drum into the mix.

At just 0:03, it’s long enough to achieve all of the above while short enough to instantly engage the listener without overstaying it’s welcome (i.e. if it was any longer, it would no doubt start to bore people and cause them to tune out). Bottom line – it hooks you in, and before you know it, the Verse has already taken over.

So – it just goes to show that you don’t necessarily need an “over the top,” “extravagant” Intro that goes on and on to hook the listener into your song. Why waste the time? If the rest of the song is so good – hook ‘em in fast and get on with it!

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Transition Point – Intro into Verse 1: Seamless – turns on a dime.

Verse-1 (0:03 – 0:28)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Drums (Kick – up front in the mix) 11:00 – 12:00

Guitars (Electric – Bright with slight overdrive – mid/up in the mix) 9:00-10:00 (Primary), 3:00 (Secondary)

Guitar (Fast pace muted strumming – low level in the mix ) 2:00 – 3:00 (Primary)

Bass (Electric – enters during the second stanza – mid-level in the mix) 11:00 – 12:00

Lead Vocal (Taylor Swift – slight reverb and delay, pretty much “natural” in nature – up- front in the mix) 12:00

During the first stanza of the section, we continue on with the Electric Guitars that defined the preceding Intro plus two additions to the mix – Swift’s vocal and the Kick drum, which gets the momentum moving along.

Notice that the rhythm of the Kick and the Electric Guitar are for the most part working in tandem with one another (except at the very tail end of the stanza), keeping in line with the same pattern that defined the Intro section of the song.

Transition Point - Stanza 1 into Stanza 2: Upward Electric Bass slide.

Once we enter into the second stanza, the Electric Bass is added to the mix which provides the section with a more “driving” vibe, resulting in an increased MTI level.

Transition Point – Verse 1 into Pre-Chorus 1: Seamless – turns on a dime.

Pre-Chorus-1 (0:28 – 0:40)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Drums (Kick – up front in the mix) 11:00 – 12:00

Guitars (Electric – Bright with slight overdrive – mid level in the mix) 9:00-10:00 / 12:00 – 1:00

Guitar (Acoustic – Bright – working in a percussive manner in tandem with the kick – up- front in the mix) 10:00 – 11:00

Guitar (Fast pace muted strumming – low level in the mix ) 2:00 – 3:00 (Primary)

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Bass (Electric – enters during the second stanza – mid-level in the mix) 11:00 – 12:00

Effect (“Airy” Synth swell coupled with a cymbal swell entering the mix toward the tail end of the section to facilitate the transition into the Chorus – increases in level as it progresses, peaking at the onset of the Chorus) Pans from around 3:00 to 12:00

Lead Vocal (Taylor Swift – slight reverb and delay, pretty much “natural” in nature – up- front in the mix) 12:00

Harmony Vocal (Taylor Swift – right under the lead) 12:00

With the exception of the vocal melody (which we’ll discuss in the Vocal Melody section of the report), the general nature of the backing music that defined the preceding Verse section remains pretty much intact.

The primary difference is that now there’s an up-front bright Acoustic Guitar in the mix that works in tandem with the rhythmic pattern that’s defining the Kick and Electric Guitar, providing increased “color” to the section. Notice that its percussive nature works to increase the overall MTI level as well.

As we get to the tail end of the section, something occurs that you’ll find in just about every Pop song that’s currently (and even not so currently) topping the charts – the transitional Swell effect. In this case it’s an “airy” Synth/Cymbal swell combo. What this does is subtly take the MTI level of the section to a peak while providing a transition into the section that follows.

Transition Point – Pre-Chorus 1 into Chorus 1-A: The swells that start toward the tail-end of the Pre-Chorus peak at the transition point between the 2 sections, dissipating a couple of seconds into the Chorus.

Chorus-1-A (0:40 – 1:05)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

First Half Of Section

Guitar (Acoustic – lush, multi-tracked with moderate reverb – mid/up in the mix) Primary around 12:00 – 2:00 but spans the entire mix.

Guitar (Electric – low-level in the mix) Spans the entire mix, primary around 9:00

Lead Vocal (Taylor Swift – slight reverb, delay is a bit more pronounced panning l/r, still pretty much “natural” in nature during the first half of the section– up-front in the mix) 12:00

Second Half Of Section (Add)

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“Harmony” Vocal (Taylor Swift – pretty much identical to the lead, causing a phase type of effect– up-front in the mix) Spans the entire mix

Drums (Kick – enters during the second half of the section – low/mid level in the mix) 12:00

Guitar (Electric – low to mid-level in the mix) Spans the entire mix.

Bass (Electric – low to mid-level in the mix) 12:00

Effect (Synth – bright effect enters the mix half way through the section half of the pre- chorus, increasing in level toward the onset of the Chorus-1-B) 11:00 – 12:00

Effect (Cymbal swell – enters right before the onset of Chorus 1-B – low/mid-level in the mix) 12:00

First half of the section:

The first thing that you’ll notice as soon as we hit the first Chorus is that it’s not an “explosive” Chorus, like Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger,” for example. Conversely, the first Chorus of the song is a “breakdown,” meaning that it consists of limited instrumentation and possesses a lower MTI level than the preceding section.

In this case, at the onset we still have some residual “synth/cymbal” swell that dissipates early on, coupled with solo Guitar and Swift’s vocal. Additionally, notice the delay effect on Swift’s vocal that adds color to the otherwise sparse soundscape.

Regarding the Guitar, notice that its nature has completely changed from the preceding sections of the song. It’s now 100% Acoustic and differs both on a progression and rhythmic level (i.e. whole-note strums as opposed to quarter-notes). This is basically as “Country” as it gets within the song (and it’s not much…at all).

As a side note, if you really listen and pay attention you’ll know that you’re not in store for an explosive Chorus for one reason – the nature of Swift’s vocal at the end of the Pre-Chorus on the lyrics “the blame is on me.” She sounds downtrodden, and it wouldn’t have worked or made sense to follow that up with an explosive over-the-top chorus (keep this in the back of your mind until we get to the second Chorus of the song, where just the opposite is happens).

Second half of the section:

Now, notice that once we enter into the second half that the MTI level starts to increase. This is brought about via the Kick drum reentering the mix coupled with the low/mid level Electric Guitar and Bass. The intensity then really starts to grow toward the tail end, where we have that Synth effect entering the mix, increasing in level along with the kick coupled with another Swell that brings the overall intensity of the section to a peak.

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Directly following the peak, the backing music is abruptly pulled from the mix and we’re left with a solo Swift vocal on the lyrics “lying on the cold hard ground.” This achieves the following:

It concludes the section on a “dramatic” level.

It provides emphasis on those particular lyrics.

It enables Chorus-1B to slam in even harder as mentioned in the MTI section of the report.

Transition Point – Chorus-1A Into Chorus-1B: Chorus-1B immediately slams in on the last lyric of the preceding Chorus-1A section (“ground.”)

Chorus-1-B (0:56 – 1:23)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Drums (Kick and Snare – highly compressed – mid/up in the mix) 12:00

Cymbal (Crash – low level in the mix – occurs at the onset and mid-way through the section) 12:00

Synth (Thick, Fuzz, Wobble “Dubstep” Bass Synths – up-front in the mix) Primarily panned l/r but span the entire mix

Guitar (Electric – low-level in the mix) Spans the entire mix, primary around 9:00

Effect (Cymbal swell at the tail end of the section – low level in the mix) 12:00

Lead Vocal “Oh” (Taylor Swift – multi-tracked w/harmony – reverb and delay – up front in the mix) Primary around 10:00 / 2:00 but bleeds throughout the mix

Lead Vocal “Trouble” (Taylor Swift – distorted in nature – up-front in the mix) 11:00 – 12:00

Here in Chorus-1B the entire song shifts from Guitar driven Pop over to Synth dominated Dubstep.

Notice that that the thick, fuzzed “wobble” Synth bass (which is indicative of Dubstep), is way up in the mix, and that the nature of the drums has completely changed from what was defining the preceding sections of the song, both in sound and pattern (also notice that an up-front snare has been added to the mix).

What the Dub does is provide great contrast to the Guitar driven Pop sections of the song with its simmering intensity. It also jibes perfectly with the nature of Swift’s “Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble” vocal.

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Additionally, notice how the transition from Guitar Pop to Synth Dubstep never felt “awkward.” This was because both sections essentially follow the same chord progression.

And finally, notice the unique characteristic of Swift’s “trouble, trouble, trouble” vocal. It’s the only time within the song that an overdrive effect is applied, which provides increased color and “brashness” to the section, perfectly reflecting the nature of the lyrics.

Transition Point – Chorus-1B into Verse-2: Quick cymbal swell occurs at the tail end of the Chorus, then turns on a dime.

Verse-2 (1:18 – 1:43)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Drums (Kick – up front in the mix) 11:00 – 12:00

Guitars (Electric – Bright with slight overdrive – mid/up in the mix) 9:00-10:00 (Primary), 3:00 (Secondary)

Synth (Light/atmospheric runs – good amount of reverb – enters during the second stanza of the section – mid-level in the mix) 2:00 – 3:00

Bass (Electric – enters during the second stanza – mid-level in the mix) 11:00 – 12:00

Acoustic Guitar (Low level – spans the entire mix – adds subtle percussive propulsion to the section) 9:00 – 3:00

Lead Vocal (Taylor Swift – slight reverb and delay – up-front in the mix) 12:00

Harmony Vocal (Taylor Swift – includes both an “actual” harmony as well as facilitating the phased type of effect as in previous sections) Primary around 12:00

Directly following the intense, simmering Dubstep Chorus, we’re instantly thrust back into the Guitar driven Pop of Verse-2 (notice that there wasn’t any “turnaround” – it turned on a dime). It’s an abrupt change, and the difference in sound and overall vibe is like night and day, but it works perfectly.

Verse-2 is similar in nature to Verse-1 except:

Notice that the first 0:02 of the section is a “breakdown,” consisting just of Electric Guitar (same as that which defined Verse-1) and Swift’s vocals. This is then followed by a brief Kick Drum “roll,” which initiates the Kick pattern that defined the first Verse and will continue on through the balance of the section.

Notice the “atmospheric” synth pattern that occurs in the second stanza, panned right in the mix. This not only provides substantial differentiation between Verse 1 and 2 but

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it also does a fantastic job of adding increased color to the section and engagement value for the listener.

Notice that there’s also a vocal harmony present in the section that wasn’t there the first time around.

Transition Point – Verse-2 into Pre-Chorus-2: Seamless (drums and guitar are pulled at the onset of Verse 2).

Pre-Chorus-2 (1:43 – 1:55)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Drums (Kick – up front in the mix) 11:00 – 12:00

Drums (Snare –becomes prominent at the tail end of the section leading into the chorus – mid level in the mix until the final hit which is up-front) 12:00

Guitars (Electric – Bright with slight overdrive – mid level in the mix) 9:00-10:00 / 12:00 – 1:00

Guitar (Acoustic – Bright – working in a percussive manner in tandem with the kick – up- front in the mix) 10:00 – 11:00

Guitar (Fast pace muted strumming – low level in the mix ) 2:00 – 3:00

Synth (Light/atmospheric runs continuing from the preceding verse – good amount of reverb – enters during the second stanza of the section – mid-level in the mix) 2:00 – 3:00

Bass (Electric – enters during the second stanza – mid-level in the mix) 11:00 – 12:00

Effect (“Airy” Synth swell coupled with a cymbal swell entering the mix toward the tail end of the section to facilitate the transition into the Chorus – increases in level as it progresses, peaking at the onset of the Chorus) Pans from around 3:00 – 12:00

Lead Vocal (Taylor Swift – up-front in the mix) 12:00

Harmony Vocal/Lead (Taylor Swift – right under the lead) 12:00

Background Vocal/”Ahhh” (Multi-tracked , moderate reverb – mid/up in the mix) 10:00

Pre-Chorus-2 is similar in nature to Pre-Chorus-1 except:

The up-front vocal harmony that’s prevalent in the mix.

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The “atmospheric” Synth pattern from the preceding Verse remains in effect.

At the tail-end of the section, notice there’s a Swell that’s similar to the one that took place during Pre-Chorus-1, but this time around there’s also a Snare fill that takes the intensity of the section to a climax, peaking with the last huge hit of the fill.

Working in tandem with the fill, notice the difference in Swift’s vocal delivery at the end of the section compared to how it was the first time around (i.e. the “downtrodden” nature of “the blame is on me,” which was followed by the breakdown Chorus). This time, her vocal is more animated and intense via the lyrics “the joke is on me,” followed by an even more intense “yeah!” In this case, with all of the intensity, it wouldn’t have made sense or worked to go back into a “breakdown” Chorus. Instead, the full Dubstep Chorus immediately slams in.

Transition Point – Pre-Chorus-2 into Chorus-2: Directly following the build in the preceding Pre-Chorus, there’s a brief 0:01 “suspension” that occurs before the full Dubstep Chorus slams in, providing it with increased impact when it hits, as mentioned earlier.

Chorus-2-A (1:55 – 2:20)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Drums (Kick and Snare – highly compressed – mid/up in the mix) 12:00

Cymbal (Crash – low level in the mix – occurs at the onset and mid-way through the section) 12:00

Synth (Thick, Fuzz, Wobble “Dubstep” Bass Synths – up-front in the mix) Primarily panned l/r but span the entire mix

Synth (Bright Synth Pad – enters during the second stanza - low level in the mix) 10:00

Guitar (Electric – low-level in the mix) Spans the entire mix, primary around 9:00

Effect (Cymbal swell at the tail end of the section – low level in the mix) 12:00

Lead Vocal (Taylor Swift with harmony – up front in the mix) Lead around 12:00, harmony is at 12:00 as well and also pans l/r

Additional Harmony/ Background Vocals (Taylor Swift – occurs sporadically throughout the section, ranging from mid to upper-level in the mix). Panning varies.

The first thing that you’ll notice at the onset of Chorus-2A is that the Acoustic Guitar “breakdown” that defined the section the first time around is gone. Instead, we’re immediately hit with the Dubstep backing music that defined Chorus-1B (“Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble”), with the only similarity to Chorus-1A being the nature of the vocal melody.

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Also notice how well and seamlessly the vocal melody from Chorus-1A fits into the Dubstep mold. You might not have expected it considering the breakdown nature of the Chorus the first time around, but if you think about it, it’s the same chord progression – so it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. It’s just differentiated instrumentation and a changed-up beat supporting the same vocal melody.

Additionally, notice the “accentuation’s” that are present in the mix that differentiate it from the Dubstep nature of the preceding Chorus-1B section, specifically the vocal harmony, what sounds to be like someone hitting an Anvil with hammer (i.e. a metallic sound) that occurs on the lyrics “you” and “me,” and the bright Synth Pad that’s low level in the mix.

Transition Point – Chorus-2A Into Chorus-2B: Seamless – turns on a dime.

Chorus-2-B (2:20 – 2:33)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Same as Chorus 1-B except for the addition of the bright Synth pad (carryover from Chorus-2-A, but a bit more prominent in the mix with a wider pan) and additional vocals.

Transition Point – Chorus-2B into the Bridge: Turns on a dime.

Bridge (2:33 – 2:46)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Lead Vocal (Taylor Swift – slight reverb initially, delay enters toward the end of the section – up-front in the mix) 12:00

Piano (Backwards effect – low to mid/up in the mix)

Effect (Guitar string scrapes – mid- level in the mix) Initially panned l/r in the mix and move toward the middle

Directly following the “double Dubstep intensity” of Choruses-2A and 2B, the listener is given a “breather” with the breakdown nature of the Bridge.

First, notice the nature of Swift’s vocal delivery. It’s somber, which perfectly reflects the lyrics (i.e. “and the saddest fear…”).=

Next, notice the nature of the backing instrumentation, primarily led by the “backwards” Piano. It provides a complete departure from every other section of the song (remember – the bridge is all about throwing a new “twist” into the song, both musically and lyrically). It also jibes perfectly with and accentuates the nature of Swift’s vocal delivery and the lyrics.

Finally, things start to become more “animated” as we approach the end of the section. This is

20 / 70 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com the case with Swift’s vocal delivery (which reflects the “…or her, or anyone, or anything” lyrics), the Piano (shifting to quarter-notes to get things moving along and increase the MTI level), and ultimately the quick drum build at the tail end coupled with Swift’s “Yeah-eh!” vocal that takes the section to a climax leading into the Chorus that follows.

Transition Point – Bridge into Chorus-3A: Brief “suspension” following the drum build at the end of the Bridge with Swift’s “Yeah-eh!” carrying over into the Chorus that follows.

Chorus-3-A (2:46 – 3:11)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Same as Chorus 2-A except for additional background vocals and Synth being added to the mix.

Transition Point – Chorus 1 into the Turnaround: Turns on a dime.

Chorus-3-B (3:11 – 3:24)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Same as Chorus 2-B except for an additional synth being added to the mix.

Transition Point – Chorus-3B into Chorus-4A/B: Turns on a dime.

Chorus-4 A/B (3:10 – 3:37)

Here the backing music remains pretty much the same as it was during the preceding Dubstep Chorus sections. The primary difference resides in the vocals – the fact that it’s a combination of the lyrical content/melody that defined Chorus-A (“I knew you were trouble when you walked in”) and Chorus-B (“Trouble, trouble, trouble”).

Notice that this combination basically functions as an Outro, but we’re still going to refer to it as a hybrid “Combination Chorus” because it encompasses qualities from both Chorus sections.

End

To end the song, the backing music is pulled out from under the final “trouble” vocal in the section, and then immediately comes to a full stop. This provides the song with its “false ending” (i.e. it’s so abrupt that it leaves the listener wanting more – it’s a psychological tool).

Song Title / Lyrics / Harmonic Progression Back to Top

Song Title: When gauging the effectiveness of a song’s title, there are a number of factors that you need to consider:

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1. Is it unique & clever? 2. Does it stand out? 3. Is it memorable? 4. Does it pique your interest enough to take a listen to the song? 5. How does it work within the lyrical framework of the song?

Is it unique & clever? Does it stand out? I think you would have to agree that the answer is no. “I Knew You Were Trouble” is fairly “generic” in nature, as opposed to other recent top-charting titles such as “Locked Out Of Heaven” and “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)”. That being said, it does stand out more than titles such as “Good Time” and “Let Me Love You.”

Is it memorable? Even though it’s generic in nature, it does have a ring to it, which makes it somewhat easy to remember. On the other hand, it does consist of 5 words. If the song were simply titled “Trouble,” it would have greatly enhanced the memorability factor.

Does it pique your interest to take a listen? Absolutely, and for one primary reason – it’s a Taylor Swift song. Considering that the vast majority (if not all) of her songs are about her relationships, the first question that will come to mind when you hear the title is WHO was the YOU in “I Knew YOU Were Trouble,” and what did YOU do? Taylor Swift’s relationship themed songs are like ongoing soap operas, and I Knew You Were Trouble was the next installment, piquing your interest to take a listen.

Does it work within the lyrical framework of the song? Yes. The entire story revolves around the premise of I Knew You Were Trouble.

Title Occurrences: The full title, I Knew You Were Trouble, occurs 8 times within the song, and the partial “trouble” occurs 24 times as follows:

I Knew You Were Trouble

It’s the first phrase (less the lyric “’cause”) on the first line of both stanzas within the Chorus-A sections of the song.

It’s the first phrase on the first and third lines within the Chorus-4 A/B section of the song (remember – this is the last chorus of the song that fuses Chorus A and B together).

Trouble

“Trouble, trouble, trouble” follows the lyrics “Oh, oh” on both lines within the Chorus-B sections of the song.

“Trouble, trouble, trouble” also follows “I knew you were trouble when you walked in” on

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the second and fourth lines within the Chorus-4 A/B section of the song.

STORY FLOW / MEANING / TIMELINE I Knew You Were Trouble is a love/relationship themed song (after all, this is Taylor Swift) that deals with the realization after the ending of a relationship there were signs from the beginning that it might not have been a good idea to get involved in the relationship in the first place…but you do anyway. In hindsight, it’s like telling yourself – “I told you so- you should listen to me next time!”

Verse-1

First Stanza

The first stanza establishes the initial meeting of the two people in the relationship (and from here on we’ll call one of them Taylor Swift, since it is about her).

Line 1

The first phrase on the first line brings us back to where it all began (i.e. “Once upon a time”). Notice that the phrase is sarcastic in nature (whether it was intentional or not), because “once upon a time” is usually how fairytale stories begin (which typically have happy endings), and this was ANYTHING BUT a “fairytale” relationship.

Line 2

The second line (I’m intentionally skipping over the second phrase on the first line for now), lets us know that he was interested in her (“I was in your sights”) and he took the action to get her alone (“you got me alone”).

Line 3

The third line, which is repeated three times, has Swift proclaiming “you found me, you found me, you found me.” And the relationship begins…

Now, back to the ultra-important second phrase on the first line of the section: “A few mistakes ago.” First, notice that the rest of the stanza is about two people coming together, and there’s no indication of anything negative.

That one phrase “A few mistakes ago,” however, instantly lets us know that this relationship DID NOT WORK OUT they way she had hoped. Additionally, notice how the phrase keeps in line with the “once upon a time” phrase that preceded it (they’re both “fairytale” in nature, with “a few mistakes ago” playing on “a long time ago.”

Second Stanza

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Let’s first take a look at line 1:

I guess you didn’t care, and I guess I liked that

Here he seems to be playing “the typical guy role,” not showing his feelings and remaining somewhat distant. She, on the other hand, maybe liked the challenge, and didn’t mind his “non-caring” nature so much at first. She probably thought that it was an act and that she could win him over.

Now let’s look at line 2:

And when I fell hard, you took a step back without me

Things are starting to go downhill. They probably spent a decent amount of time together, she wound up “falling hard” for him, but it’s apparent that she never wound up winning him over as she had hoped. Conversely, she “fell hard in love,” and he “took a step back without her,” further retreating from showing any feelings or interest in the RELATIONSHIP (we’re starting to see that he never had “relationship” on his mind. It’s looking like it was all about the sex).

I guess she doesn’t like his non-caring nature as much as she did on line 1!

Summed up:

Guy wants girl, guy gets girl, girl falls for guy, guy loses interest.

Pre-Chorus-1

Here on the first line of the Pre-Chorus Swift is stating the fact that when he’s with her, he’s not really “there” (i.e. distant and not into the relationship, which jibes with the second stanza of verse-1).

And he’s long gone, when he’s next to me.

The next line (and last line of the section) is very important for a couple of reasons.

And I realize the blame is on me

First, it’s a concept that you don’t normally come across in Pop love/relationship themed lyrics. Very rarely do you see the girl (i.e. Taylor Swift) taking ownership and responsibility for the outcome (i.e. hurt) caused by a relationship gone bad. Usually it’s more like “you hurt me, so go to hell – I’m moving on…” (i.e. more P!nk in nature).

Second, it provides the perfect lead in to the Chorus. She has herself to blame BECAUSE “I knew you were trouble when you walked in…”

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Chorus A&B

Chorus-A

Building on the last line of the preceding Pre-Chorus (“and I realize the blame is on me”), we find out on the first line of the chorus WHY the blame is on her. It’s because SHE KNEW he was trouble from the get-go (i.e. “I knew you were trouble when you walked in”), but she chose to get involved with him anyway on her own free accord. The result? She got burnt. That’s why on the second line she states that the “shame is on her.”

On the third and fourth lines of the first stanza of Chorus A, we see that he basically swept her off her feet to a love (or sex) that she never experienced before (i.e. “flew me to places I’d never been”), until it was all over (i.e. “put her down”) on the fourth line.

The second stanza of Chorus A is a repeat of the first stanza up until the last line:

Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground

This line paints a potent image of the finality of their relationship. After “FLYING her to places she had never been,” she’s now “LYING on the cold hard ground.” The relationship has crashed, and she’s the wreckage.

Chorus B

Consisting of just one lyric (“trouble”), it sums up the premise of the entire story. He was TROUBLE.

Verse-2

First stanza

Here in the first stanza of the second verse we find Swift having a conversation with herself about the guy:

No apologies, he’ll never see you cry

Pretend he doesn’t know that he’s the reason why

The two lines above hammer home the degree to just how disinterested this guy is in the RELATIONSHIP (doesn’t pertain to sex, though – more on that later). He doesn’t apologize for his actions, and he never sees, or fails to acknowledge the fact that she’s upset with the relationship and crying – because HE DOESN’T CARE!

The third line sums up her emotional state in a potent manner with just one lyric:

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Your drowning, your drowning, your drowning

Second Stanza

Here in the second stanza the story progresses to post-relationship.

And I heard you moved on, from whispers on the street

A new notch in your belt, is all I’ll ever be

And now I see, now I see, now I see

On the first line we immediately find out that the relationship has ended . What’s really sad, but not surprising, is that she found this out from other people that were probably gossiping about it in a hush-hush manner (i.e. “whispers on the street”). She knew that the relationship wasn’t working out, but he never even had the decency to break up with her in person. He just “moved on” to someone else.

That leads her to the realization as to what the true nature of their “relationship” was all about. It was for the sex (i.e. “a new notch on your belt is all I’ll ever be”). Having feelings or a desire to be in a relationship was never in the cards for him.

And finally, the third line (“and now I see”) is the confirmation that she UNDERSTANDS that this is what the “relationship” was all about for him.

Pre-Chorus-2

First, notice in the second Pre-Chorus it shifts to her reflecting on the past (since the relationship ended in the preceding Verse), where in the first Pre-Chorus it was still in the present (i.e. she was still in the relationship at the time).

He was long gone, when he met me

And I realize, the joke is on me

In the first Pre-Chorus he was “long gone” when he was “next to her” (i.e. while they were still in the midst of the relationship). Here in the second Pre-Chorus, she reflects on the past and realizes that he was long gone even before they met. He never had any intention of getting involved in a “feelings” based relationship in the first place. She was just another impending “notch on his belt” as previously stated.

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In addition to accepting the “blame” as she did in the first Pre-Chorus, here in the second Pre- Chorus she realizes that “the joke was on her,” because that’s all this relationship wound up being in the end – a joke.

Bridge

The Bridge is all about realization. Notice that the first line conveys sadness (which also jibes with the nature of her vocal delivery), but builds into anger half-way through the second line (again, jibing with the nature of the vocal delivery).

And the saddest fear, comes creeping in

That you never loved me, or her, or anyone or anything

Here she realizes what she, and we, knew all along – the fact that he never loved her. She didn’t want to accept it from the get-go, and that’s why she got hurt.

On the second line she finally starts to show some anger. After stating that he never loved her, she then takes it to the next level by relating it to someone else (“or her”) or “anyone” or “anything“ for that matter – showing that he’s just a cold-hearted bastard, which is conveyed vocally in a typical “Taylor Swift” type fashion (she has her own unique style when it comes to these things).

Lyrics / Harmonic Progression / Word & Syllable Count:

Key (Parethesis): Indicates a chord that occurs before the beginning of the line Blue Font On Lyric: Indicates where the chord change takes place *: Indicates a lyric that is “stretched” out beyond it’s normal syllable count. See the Vocal Melody section for details

Note: Capo on 4th Fret

Verse-1 (D) (7 words / 11 syllables) Once upon time, a few mistakes ago

A (9 words / 10 syllables) I was in your sights, you got me alone

Bm – G (9 words / *9 syllables) You *found me, you *found me, you *found *me

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Second Stanza

D (11 words / 12 syllables) I guess you didn’t care, and I guess I liked that

A (10 words / 10 syllables) And when I fell hard, you took a step back

Bm – G (6 words / *9 syllables) *Without me, *without me, *without *me

Pre-Chorus-1

(D) – A – Bm (9 words / *9 syllables) And he’s *long gone, when he’s *next to me

G (8 words / *9 syllables) And I *realize, the blame is on me

Chorus-A

Bm – G – A (10 words / *11 syllables) ‘Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked *in

D – A – Bm (5 words / *5 syllables) So shame on me *now

G – A (7 words / *9 syllables) Flew me to places I’d never *been

D – A (6 words / 6 syllables) ‘Till you put me down oh

Bm – G – A (9 words / 10 syllables) I knew you were trouble when you walked *in

D – A – Bm (5 words / 5 syllables) So shame on me *now

G – A (7 words / *9 syllables) Flew me to places I’d never *been

D – Bm (8 words / 9 syllables) Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground

Chorus-B

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G – A – D – A (5 words / *8 syllables) *Oh, *oh, trouble, trouble, trouble

(Bm) – G – A – D – A (5 words / 8 syllables) *Oh, *oh, trouble, trouble, trouble

Verse-2

D (7 words / 11 syllables) No apologies, he’ll never see you cry

A (9 words / 12 syllables) Pretend he doesn’t know, that he’s the reason why

Bm – G (6 words / *9 syllables) You’re *drowning, you’re *drowning, you’re *drowning

Second Stanza

D (11 words / 12 syllables) Now I heard you moved on, from whispers on the street

A (11 words / 12 syllables) A new notch in your belt, is all I’ll ever be

Bm – G (10 words / 10 syllables) And *now I see, *now I see, *now I *see

Pre-Chorus-2

(D) – A – Bm (8 words / 8 syllables) He was *long gone, when he *met me

G (8 words / 9 syllables) And I *realize, the joke is on me

Bridge

D – Bm (7 words / 9 syllables) And the saddest fear comes creeping in

G – A (12 words / *17 syllables) That you never loved me, or her, or anyone, or anything, *yeah!

Chorus (Final)

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Bm – G – A (9 words / *10 syllables) I knew you were trouble when you walked *in

D – A (3 words / 6 syllables) Trouble, trouble, trouble

Bm – G – A (9 words / *10 syllables) I knew you were trouble when you walked *in

D (3 words / 6 syllables) Trouble, trouble, trouble

LYRIC TYPES This section highlights the types of lyrics and phrases used throughout each section of the song. Notice that some of the lyrics and phrases appear in more than one category.

Imagery, Place & Time Based Lyrics & Phrases: (These lyrics “paint a picture” in your head and establish the place and time within the story)

Verse 1

Once upon time (not a specific time, but indicates the past)

Verse 2

From whispers on the street (place)

A new notch in your belt (can be imagery in addition to its figurative nature)

Pre-Chorus

When he’s next to me (place)

Chorus

Flew me to places I’d never been (indicates places, though nothing specific)

Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground (imagery, place)

Bridge

None

Emotional/State Of Mind Based Lyrics and Phrases:

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(These lyrics and phrases shed light on the character’s state of mind and convey emotion –either directly or indirectly- enabling you to connect with what the characters are feeling or going through on an emotional level within the story)

Verse 1

1st stanza

A few mistakes ago

I was in your sights (i.e. he was in to her)

2nd stanza

I guess you didn’t care, and I guess I liked that

And when I fell hard, you took a step back

Verse 2

1st stanza

No apologies, he’ll never see you cry

Pretend he doesn’t know, that he’s the reason why (state of mind)

You’re drowning, you’re drowning, you’re drowning

2nd stanza

Now I heard you moved on

A new notch in your belt, is all I’ll ever be (realization/state of mind)

And now I see, now I see, now I see (realization)

Pre-Chorus-1

And he’s long gone, when he’s next to me (state of mind)

And I realize the blame is on me

Pre-Chorus-2

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He was long gone, when he met me

And I realize the joke is on me

Chorus

I knew you were trouble when you walked in

So shame on me now

‘Till you put me down

Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground (conveys an emotional state figuratively)

Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble

Bridge

And the saddest fear, comes creeping in

That you never loved me, or her, or anyone, or anything

Action Based Lyrics & Phrases: (These lyrics get you into what the characters within the story have done, are doing or will do)

Verse 1

And when I fell hard, you took a step back (not literally, but conveys the action of the past emotion)

Verse 2

None

Pre-Chorus

None

Chorus

‘Till you put me down oh

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I knew you were trouble when you walked in

Flew me to places I’d never been

Bridge

And the saddest fear, comes creeping in

Character/Person Based Lyrics & Phrases (Including Pronouns): (These lyrics show how all of the characters within the story are defined)

Red Font: 1st Person Blue Font: 2nd Person Green Font: 3rd Person

Verse 1 Once upon time, few mistakes ago I was in your sights, you got me alone You found me, you found me, you found me

I guess you didn’t care, and I guess I liked that And when I fell hard, you took a step back Without me, without me, without me

Verse 2 No apologies, he’ll never see you cry Pretend he doesn’t know, that he’s the reason why You’re drowning, you’re drowning, you’re drowning

Now I heard you moved on, from whispers on the street A new notch in your belt, is all I’ll ever be And now I see, now I see, now I see

Pre-Chorus And he’s long gone When he’s next to me And I realize the blame is on me

Chorus I knew you were trouble when you walked in

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So shame on me now Flew me to places I’d never been Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground

Bridge And the saddest fear comes creeping in That you never loved me or her or anyone or anything

Rhyming Lyrics The highlighted lyric indicates the “rhymer.” In some cases it’s a full lyric, and in other cases it many by just one letter or a syllable.

Verse 1

Lines 1 & 2

Once upon time, few mistakes ago

I was in your sights, you got me alone

Lines 3 & 4

I guess you didn’t care, and I guess I liked that

And when I fell hard, you took a step back

Verse 2

Lines 1 & 2

No apologies, he’ll never see you cry

Pretend he doesn’t know, that he’s the reason why

Lines 3 & 4

Now I heard you moved on, from whispers on the street

A new notch in your belt, is all I’ll ever be

Pre-Chorus

Lines 2 & 3

When he’s next to me

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And I realize the blame is on me

Chorus Notice that the end of the first and third lines rhyme with each other, as do the second and fourth (in/been, now/ground)

I knew you were trouble when you walked in

So shame on me now

Flew me to places I’d never been

Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground

The Vocal Melody Back to Top

One of, if not THE strongest aspect of I Knew You Were Trouble is the infectious, engaging and memorable nature of the vocal melody. As you’ll soon see, there were four key factors that went into making it so effective:

Short Phrases / Segmenting: Enables the melody to easily connect and get engrained within the listener’s head (i.e. the “phone number” method).

Simplicity: For the most part, there weren’t any “artsy” vocal acrobatics going on within the song. As a result, its easy to connect with the melody, follow and remember (and even sing).

Repetition: Various methods of repetition were utilized within the vocal melody throughout the song including:

Line repetition (i.e. phrases on a particular line repeat in the same manner)

Sectional repetition (i.e. lines as a whole repeat within a particular section)

Cross-sectional repetition (i.e. the general nature of the vocal melody repeats within specific sections of the song (i.e. Pre-Chorus to Pre-Chorus, Chorus to Chorus, etc…)

Rhythmic/Timing repetition

Diversifiers & Color Adders: Specific phrases, lyrics or even syllables that worked to increase the infectious nature of a section as well as break up the monotony of the repetition.

GRAPHICAL KEY Blue Line: Lead Vocal Melody Red Diamond: Rest Black Diamond: Half & Dotted Half

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Blue Diamond: Quarter & Dotted Quarter Green Diamond: Eighth & Dotted Eighth Yellow Diamond: Sixteenth Note

Note:

Capo on 4th Fret Key of G-flat major/e-flat minor 6 Flats (G, A, B, C, D, E)

VERSE

1st Stanza – Verse-1

Line 1

Line 2

Line 3

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2nd Stanza – Verse-1

Line 1

Line 2

Line 3

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Line Reference:

Verse 1

1st Stanza Line 1: Once upon time, a few mistakes ago Line 2: I was in your sights, you got me alone Line 3: You found me, you found me, you found me

2nd Stanza

Line 1: I guess you didn’t care, and I guess I liked that Line 2: And when I fell hard, you took a step back Line 3: Without me, without me, without me

Verse 2 (not shown in the graphs above)

1st Stanza

Line 1: No apologies, he’ll never see you cry Line 2: Pretend he doesn’t know, that he’s the reason why Line 3: You’re drowning, you’re drowning, you’re drowning

2nd Stanza

Line 1: Now I heard you moved on, from whispers on the street Line 2: A new notch in your belt, is all I’ll ever be Line 3: And now I see, now I see, now I see

Vocal Range

High: B Low: D

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Vocal Melody Highlights

The “Phone Number” Method (i.e. Short Phrases)

Is it easier to remember 2125551212 or 212-555-1212? The answer is obvious, and the same premise goes for songwriting as well. Swift utilized short phrases throughout the section to make it easy for the melody to connect and get embedded in the listeners head.

Let’s look at the first stanza as an example (note that the second stanza and second verse as a whole are virtually identical as well):

Line 1

Phrase 1: Once upon a time (4 words)

Phrase 2: A few mistakes ago (4 words)

Line 2

Phrase 1: I was in your sights (5 words)

Phrase 2: You got me alone (4 words)

Line 3

Phrase 1: You found me (3 words)

Phrase 2: You found me (3 words)

Phrase 3: You found me (3 words)

As you can see, the individual phrases on each line consist of just 5 words or less, which makes the line as a whole very easy to remember.

Vocal Melody Progression

Now that we have our short phrases, let’s see what the progressions are like. Are they complex and all over the place (i.e. is she being “artsy” with her vocal style) or are they simplistic and regimented? In this case, the latter is true, and to a very high degree. Once again, let’s look at the first stanza of Verse 1 as an example:

Line 1

Once upon a time: B – A – G – F – D

A few mistakes ago: D – B – A - G – F – D

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Line 2

I was in your sights: B – A – G – F – D

You got me alone : B – A – G – F – D

Line 3

You found me: G – B – A – G – F – G

You found me: G – B – A – G – F – G

You found me-e-e-e-e: G – B – A – G – F – G – G – G – G – G

As you can see, the individual phrase progressions on lines 1 and 2 are identical (except for the lyric “A” that’s a D note on line 1, and the ending of line 3 – “e-e-e-e” – more on that later).

Rhythm (Timing)

Notice that the rhythm of each progression on each line is virtually identical as well. Each lyric/syllable in each phrase consists of an eighth-note value, except for the last lyric/syllable on each line, which is a quarter-note followed by a rest. For example:

Once upon a time: Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Quarter – Rest

The one key variation occurs on “me-e-e-e-e” on the third line, where each possesses quarter-note timing.

Diversifiers & Color Adders

Considering the vast amount of repetition, there are some key areas that both prevent the section from becoming overly monotonous as well as adding “color” to the overall melody via clever, infectious phrasing. Let’s look at the first stanza of Verse-1once again as an example:

“A” as a D

As subtle as it is, having the lyric “A” kick off the second phrase on line one of the first stanza on a D provides just enough differentiation to keep the entire stanza from becoming completely monotonous, considering that all the other phrases start on B. Without that variation, every single phrase would be identical in nature, which is not a good thing when you’re trying to engaging the listener.

Line 3, “Found” & “Me”

Considering that lines 1 & 2 are virtually identical from a rhythmic and progression standpoint,

40 / 70 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com it’s the third line that comes to the rescue with some much needed diversity. Even though it pretty much follows the same general B – A – G – F progression that defined lines 1 and 2 (except for the start and finish on G), notice that the progression is occurring on a SINGLE LYRIC (i.e. “found.”)

F-ou-ou-ound: B – A – G – F

Notice that this occurs three times in succession on the line.

Additionally, notice what happens with the lyric “me” at the end of line 3. It gets “stretched out” on a G with a quarter-note delivery:

Me – e – e – e – e: G – G – G – G – G

Line 3 “E”

Notice the subtle difference between the manner in which line 3 ends in the first stanza and the second.

In the first stanza, “Me-e-e-e-e” ends on a G. In the second stanza, however, notice that there’s an additional “e” tacked on at the end that “stretched” over an additional A followed by a B to conclude the section. Going up in register provided a nice differentiated conclusion to the section moving into the Pre-Chorus. Continuing on in G would also have worked, but not nearly as well.

All in all, the factors mentioned above do a fantastic job of breaking up repetition and providing the listener with increased “color” in an infectious, memorable manner. Without these variations, the section would not have been as engaging for the listener.

Second Stanza Diversifier

In contrast to the first two lines in the first stanza where all of the phrases started on B and were diversified by the D at the beginning of the second phrase as previously mentioned, in the second stanza each phrase (except for the first which starts on G) starts on a D and then jumps up to B before embarking on the downward progression (reference the graphs). The “diversifier” here occurs at the beginning of the second phrase on line 1. Instead of jumping from D to B, we first have a “double D” before progressing up to B, which provides subtle diversity:

And I guess I liked that: D – D – B – A – G – D

The other phrases follow: D – B – A – G

Verse-1 / Verse-2 Vocal Melody Similarities & Differences

There are some noticeable similarities and differences that occur in both Verse sections of the

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Similarities (i.e. Repetition)

Lines 1 & 2

Lines 1 and 2 in both Verse sections are basically sung in the same exact manner (progression, rhythm/timing).

Line 3

The nature of line 3 is also basically the same in each stanza in both verse sections:

Verse-1 / Stanza-1: You found me, you found me, you found me-e-e-e-e

Verse-1 / Stanza-2: Without me, without me, without me-e-e-e-e

Verse-2 / Stanza-1: You’re drowning, you’re drowning, you’re drown-i-i-i-ing

Verse-2 / Stanza-2: And now I see, now I see, now I see-e-e-e-e

Differences

Vocal Harmony/Phasing

On line 3 in the first stanza of the second verse, there’s a “phased” vocal harmony on the lyrics “your drowning, you’re drowning, you’re drowning.”

On lines 1 & 2 in the second stanza of the second verse there’s vocal harmony on both lines, providing additional color to the section. On line 3 in the second stanza of the second verse the vocal “phasing” from the first stanza makes a repeat appearance.

So as you can see, the difference resides in vocal harmony, but not in the actual melody. The result is that there’s increased “engagement value” for the listener with no memorability drawback (i.e. the melodic repetition is still in full effect).

Infectious Memorability

Combined, all of the elements that we’ve reviewed in the Verse section achieve two important goals – they make for an infectious, engaging melody that the listener can’t resist, and the repetition gets it completely engrained in the listener’s head.

PRE-CHORUS

Line 1, Pre-Chorus 1

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Line 2, Pre-Chorus 1

Line 2, Pre-Chorus 2

Line Reference

Pre-Chorus 1

Line 1: And he’s long gone, when he’s next to me

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Line 2: And I realize, the blame is on me

Pre-Chorus 2

Line 1: He was long gone, when he met me Line 2: And I realize, the joke is on me

Vocal Range (Lead)

High: B Low: B

Vocal Melody Highlights

Short, Memorable Phrases

Just as was the case with the verse sections of the song, here in the Pre-Chorus we also have short phrases that accentuate the overall memorability factor of the section:

Line 1

Phrase 1: And he’s long gone (4 words)

Phrase 2: when he’s next to me (5 words)

Line 2

Phrase 3: And I realize (3 words)

Phrase 4: the blame (joke) is on me (5 words)

Clever, Infectious Phrasing (Phrases 1 – 3)

Notice the manner in which the lyrics “long,” “next to,” and “realize” are accentuated (pay attention to the associated word and syllable count to see how they’re “stretched” out):

Long (1 word, 1 syllable): Follows an A – B – A progression, with dotted quarter – eighth – quarter timing.

Next to (2 words, 1 syllable each): Follows the same A – B – A progression as “long,” with dotted quarter – eighth – quarter timing.

Realize (1 word, 2 syllables): Follows a G – A – B – B – A – G progression utilizing eighth – dotted half – eighth – sixteenth – sixteenth timing.

Now, notice how the lyrics above are “set-up” by the nature of the lyrics that proceed and

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Long: Preceded by “and he’s” and followed by “gone.” Notice that each of these lyrics are a D, which enables the lyric “long” to have greater emphasis and “pop” more considering that it then jumps up to A and resides in a higher register via A – B – A.

Next To: Preceded by “when he’s” and followed by “me.” Notice that it’s basically the same case as was with “long,” except for the fact that “me” ends on an E instead of a D.

Realize: Preceded by “and I,” both of which are a D (same set-up as the other lyrics), followed by dropping down to B on the lyric “the” in the first pre-chorus, and remaining in G on the lyric “the” during the second Pre-Chorus (i.e. “the joke is on me”).

The Build:

Notice how the last note in each of the following phrases goes up in register in successive order (D – E – G). This does a great job of helping to increase the MTI level and hold the listener’s attention throughout the section.

Phrase 1: And he’s long gone (“And” starts on D and “gone” ends on D)

Phrase 2: When he’s next to me (“When” starts on D and “me” ends on E)

Phrase 3: And I realize (“And” starts on D and the last part of the “stretched out” “realize” lyric ends on a G)

So – each phrase is starting out on the same note (D), and ending in a higher register.

Phrase 4

The fourth (and last) phrase of the section is exceptionally important for 2 primary reasons:

It breaks up the repetition of the progression similarity between the first 3 phrases of the section. Without the change, the section would have been way too monotonous and as a result lose impact with the listener.

The nature of the 2 variations “the blame is on me” (verse 1), and “the joke is on me” (verse 2) perfectly sets up the differing nature of the chorus that follows in both sections of the song.

Phrase 4, Verse 1: The blame is on me

Phrase 4, Verse 2: The joke is on me

*Notice that the essential melodic difference between the two phrases is the fact that the second is sung at an octave above the first.

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First, let’s look at how they differ from the preceding phrases of the section.

Where the first three phrases essentially follow a D – A – B – A… progression (plus the additional notes within the progression of “realize”), the fourth phrase is different in the sense that it follows a completely different progression: B – C – B – C – C – B (pre-chorus-1),and G – C – B – C – C – B (pre-chorus-2).

Now, let’s see how they set-up the chorus that follows:

Pre-chorus 1: Considering that Swift’s register DROPS from a G at the end of “realize” to B on the lyric “the,” it perfectly sets up the BREAKDOWN chorus that follows.

Pre-Chorus 2 (an octave above Pre-Chorus-1): Here Swift’s register initially remains at the same level as it was at the end of the preceding phrase (G). From there, she goes up in register to follow the C – B – C…progression. This, coupled with the more “animated” nature of her vocal perfectly sets up the FULL DUBSTEP (i.e. intense) Chorus that follows.

Pre-Chorus 1 to Pre-Chorus 2 “Differentiators”

If the core lead vocal melody is going to remain the same for a chunk of a “like” section (i.e. Pre- Chorus 1 and Pre-Chorus 2), you’re going to need to do something that adds additional “color” in order to differentiate the sections and provide increased engagement value for the listener. In this case, there were 2 key differentiating factors that came into play in Pre-Chorus 2 (in addition to the fourth phrase and instrumentation differences as previously discussed):

Notice that Swift’s lead vocal harmony is more pronounced in the mix than it was the first time around.

Notice the background “Ahhh” vocals that follow a G-flat – F – E-flat progression and are held for a whole-note duration.

CHORUS

Chorus-A

Line 1 & 2

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Line 3 & 4 (1st stanza)

Line 3 & 4 (second stanza)

Chorus-B

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Chorus A/B (Outro)

Chorus A

Line Reference

Line 1: (‘Cause) I knew you were trouble when you walked in Line 2: So shame on me now Line 3: Flew me to places I’d never been Line 4: ‘Till you put me down oh Line 4 (second time around): Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground

Vocal Range

High: B Low: D

Chorus B

Line Reference

Line 1: Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble

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Vocal Range

High: E Low: E

Chorus A/B

Line Reference

Line 1: I knew you were trouble when you walked in Line 2: trouble, trouble, trouble

Vocal Range

High: B Low: D

Chorus Structure

As discussed previously within the report, I Knew You Were Trouble contains 4 Chorus sections within its framework, consisting of 3 variations:

Chorus A & Chorus B: They occur back to back during the first 3 full Chorus occurrences within the song.

Chorus A/B: This is a “combination” of Choruses A & B, occurring during the fourth (and last) occurrence within the song. It can also be considered an Outro.

Chorus A

Chorus A repeats twice (back to back) during Choruses 1, 2 & 3. The primary difference between both occurrences (besides the backing music) resides in line 4 (which is the last line of the stanza).

The first time around Swift sings “’till you put me down,” which is then followed by a repeat of the stanza (i.e. going back into “I knew you were trouble…”).

The second time around, Swift concludes Chorus A on the fourth line by singing “Now I’m lining on the cold hard ground,” which then leads into Chorus B.

Chorus B

Chorus B consists solely of the “Oh, Oh, trouble, trouble, trouble” line, which is repeated twice in the section and is always associated with the Dubstep portion of the song (as opposed to Chorus A, which is a guitar based breakdown the first time around and Dubstep during the second and third occurrences).

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Chorus A/B

The last Chorus of the song combines elements of Chorus A and B into one section:

Chorus A contribution: I knew you were trouble when you walked in

Chorus B contribution: Trouble, trouble, trouble

Combined, the section flows like this:

Line 1: I knew you were trouble when you walked in

Line 2: trouble, trouble, trouble

Repeated twice within the section, they combine to form a Chorus/Outro hybrid which brings the song to its conclusion.

Chorus A – Vocal Melody Key-Points

The “Up-Down” Vocal Melody

As you know by now, the Chorus (most of the time) is the “payoff” for the listener within the song. So, in order to make it REALLY pay off (besides the nature of the backing music), you need a vocal melody that is both unique, engaging, simplistic and repetitive in nature that engages the listener and gets completely engrained within their head. I Knew You Were Trouble achieves this throughout the section, especially via the nature of the “up-down” melody.

Line 1: I knew you were trouble…

This phrase kicks the line off following an E – B – E – B – E progression. Notice that even though there are other “up – down” melodies within the section (see below), the E – B – E – B – E progression is the most “pronounced” of all of them considering the “jump level” from E to B and back down to E again (this is also indicative of the first phrase on line 3 as you’ll soon see).

Line 2: So shame on me now

Even though this line doesn’t repeat in the exact same fashion as line 1, it still has an “up – down” nature to it. Initially, the progression ascends an octave via D – B – D on the lyrics “So shame on…” It then drops down, goes back up, and down once again via the lyrics “me no-o- w” via an A – B – F – E progression. Notice how the lyric “now” is also “stretched” in nature, progressing through B – F – E to conclude the line.

Line 3: Flew me to places

The first phrase on this line has the same overall characteristics as the first phrase on line 1

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Line 4 (1st Stanza): ‘Till you put me down, oh

Line 4 is similar in nature to line 2 except for the fact that the “up – down” occurs toward the tail end of the line. It initially ascends on the lyrics “’Till you put me” via a G – A – B – D progression, before dropping down to A on the lyric “down” and then back up to B on the lyric “Oh” to conclude the line.

Line 4 (2nd Stanza): Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground

Notice that the “up – down” progression here isn’t as “sharp” and defined as it was on the other phrases. Where the jump and dive was more immediate on “I knew you,” which followed an E – B – E progression, here it’s more subtle (think of it as going up and down rounded hills as opposed to steep mountains):

Now I’m lying on the cold hard: G – A – B – A – G – A – B – A – G – A

Ground: See below

Now – notice that instead of going back up to B after “hard,” it instead goes back down to G on “gro” and then further down to E on “und” to bring the line to a conclusion before proceeding into Chorus B.

The “Up – Down” separator

In order to enable the “up – down” progressions as previously mentioned to really stand out and pop, they need to be separated by a line or part of a line that’s more “flat” in nature (i.e. a more limited, monotone natured delivery). This “separator” occurs on parts of line 1 and 3 as follows:

Line 1: “…trouble when you walked in”

Notice that after the “up – down” nature that defined “’Cause I knew you were” the progression launches into basically a monotone delivery via “trouble when you walked,” which follows an E – E – E – D – E progression.

Now, to conclude the line, we have a change-up on the last lyric “in,” which initially jumps up to G and is then “stretched” down to F to conclude the line.

Line 3: “…places I’d never been”

Here on line 3 we have a melody that’s very similar in nature to that which defined line 1, just with a bit more variation within the progression this time around. See the graph above for

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Timing/Rhythm

Not only does the nature of the melody differ between the “up – down” and “up – down separator” aspects of each line, but the timing does as well in order accentuate the pronouncement:

“Up-Down” timing: The following lyrics are quarter-notes (except where noted).

Line 1: I knew you were

Line 2: Shame on me no-w (note that “no” in “now” possesses quarter-note timing. “w” is an eighth-note.

Line 3: Flew me to plac-es (“plac” is a quarter-note, “es” is an eighth-note).

Line 4 (first stanza): Put me down, oh!

“Up-Down Separator” timing: These lyrics possess eighth-note timing

With the exception of the lyric “in” on line 1 and “been” on line 2, which are “stretched” in nature, all of the “separator” lyrics consist of eighth-note timing.

Chorus B Precursor Timing

Besides possessing a unique progression compared to the other lines within the section, notice the nature of the timing within the line that precedes Chorus B “Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground.” Here the entire line is basically sung with an eighth-note delivery, with some sixteenths thrown in on the first “stretched” syllable on the lyrics “co-ld,” “ha-rd,” and “gro-und.”

This faster-natured progression jibes perfectly with the nature of Swift’s vocal style and the lyrics to amp-up the “anger” factor, providing a strong lead in to Chorus-B that follows.

“Stretched” Lyrics

As you’ve by now noticed, there are a handful of lyrics that are “stretched” beyond their normal syllable count, providing them with increased emphasis and “color”:

Line 1

In: A one-syllable lyric that’s “stretched” into two via G – F.

Line 2

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Now: A one-syllable lyric that’s “stretched” into three via B – F – E.

Line 3

Been: A one-syllable lyric that’s “stretched” into four via G – F – E – D.

Line Segmenting

As you’ve seen, up until this point within the song each section has consisted of pretty short vocal phrases (ranging from 3 to 5 words). Here in Chorus-A we initially see a break from this pattern, via the line “I knew you were trouble when you walked in,” which consists of 9 words.

That doesn’t mean that it’s any less memorable, however. This is because the timing and the nature of the progression actually works to segment the line even though there aren’t any individual phrases. Let’s take line 1 in the first stanza for example (and it’s also the case on line 3 as well):

I knew you were trouble when you walked in

Segment 1: I knew (E – B, quarter note-timing)

Segment 2: you were (E – B, quarter note-timing)

Segment 3: trouble when you walked in (E – E – E – D – E – G – F, primarily eighth- note timing up until the end).

So – each individual segment is exceptionally infectious and memorable in its own right. When you put them all together, the line as a whole gets completely engrained in your head.

Now, as for lines 2 and 4 (first stanza), they’re both quite short in nature (consisting of 5 and 6 words, respectively). That, coupled with the timing and nature of the progression also does a great job of dividing the line up a bit so that it’s easier to remember.

This is also the case with line 4 in the second stanza as well:

Segment 1: Now I’m lying on the (all eighth-notes)

Segment 2: Co-ld (sixteenth/eighth)

Segment 3: Ha-rd (sixteenth/eighth)

Segment 4: Gro-und (sixteenth/eighth/rest)

So even though the segments above are more subtle and aren’t as pronounced as other individual phrases within the song (which are separated by notes of longer duration and or rests), they still do a great job of breaking things up just enough in order to take the

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Chorus B – Vocal Melody Key-Points

Consisting of just one line that is repeated twice, Chorus B (which directly follows Chorus A and is consistently the Dubstep natured section throughout the song as previously mentioned) is ultra-simplistic, engaging and exceptionally memorable.

Segmenting

The entire line consists of 2 “major” segments (i.e. “Oh, Oh” being one, and “trouble, trouble, trouble” being the other) and as a whole consists of 5 “minor” segments as follows:

Segment 1 and 2: Oh, Oh (each “Oh segment” is separated by a quarter-rest).

Segments 3, 4 & 5: Trouble, trouble, trouble (each “ble” in “trouble” consists of dotted-eighth timing, which effectively segments each “trouble” on the line).

So as a whole, with the major and minor segmenting, the line is exceptionally easy to remember.

Progression Simplicity

As you can see in the vocal melody graph, there isn’t much to the progressions within this section. Their simplistic, infectious nature makes them exceptionally engaging.

First “Oh”

Consists of a prolonged half-note timing on “O” (which is an E note) and then drops down an octave to conclude on “H,” which is a quarter-note.

Second “Oh”

Here the second “O” starts out in a lower register (on D as opposed to E) and concludes on F (which is a slightly higher register than how the first “Oh” ended on E). The duration is different as well, with the “O” and “H” each possessing dotted-quarter timing. This variation works to set-up the “trouble, trouble, trouble” that follows.”

Trouble

Notice the identical manner in which each “trouble” is sung:

Each follows an A – G progression (“Trou-ble”)

Each possesses eighth – dotted-quarter timing

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Chorus 4 A/B

To conclude the song, as previously mentioned, Chorus 4 A/B combines the first line from Chorus A with the last segment of Chorus B, forming a “hybrid” Chorus so to speak.

I knew you were trouble when you walked in, trouble, trouble, trouble

So not only is the nature of the vocal melody exceptionally infectious and memorable as we’ve looked at earlier within the section, but also notice how these two segments are the only 2 within the song that relate to the title.

What you wind up with is a melodic and lyrical finale to the song, which combined is like leaving the listener with “song highlights” before coming to an abrupt end with the “false ending,” which leaves them wanting more.

BRIDGE

Line 1

Line 2

Line Reference

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Line 1: And the saddest fear, comes creeping in Line 2: That you never loved me, or her, or anyone, or anything, yeah!

Vocal Range

High: D Low: B

As previously mentioned earlier within the report, the two lines within the Bridge possess two distinct emotions. The first line through the first phrase on the second line have Swift singing with a more “downtrodden,” somber delivery, while the second phrase on sees Swift starting to become more animated and “angry” (albeit in a Swift “Pop” style manner). This is also apparent and accentuated by the nature of the vocal melody progression as follows:

Line 1

Line 1 consists of the following two phrases (segments) which are separated by a dotted- quarter rest:

Segment 1: And the saddest fear

Segment 2: Comes creeping in

Notice that both segments are very similar in nature (remember – repetition fosters memorability). Segment 1 initially climbs via an E – F – G progression via the lyrics “And the sad-“ before dropping down to C to conclude the phrase on the syllable/lyric “-dest fear.”

Now, segment 2 starts by ascending from F to G on the lyric/syllable “comes creep-“ which is then followed by dropping down to B on the syllable/lyric “-ing in” to conclude the line.

By having “-dest fear” as C notes and then dropping down to B on “-ing in” with the F – G progression remaining as a constant, (refer to the graph so that it’s easy to understand), it takes the melancholy nature of the line to the next level. If it was the other way around (i.e. B to C), it obviously wouldn’t have had the same effect (i.e. down = sad, up = getting more animated).

Line 2

Line 2 consists of 5 individual segments, with the first followed by a quarter-rest and the others by an eighth-rest:

Segment 1: That you never loved me

Segment 2: Or her

Segment 3: Or anyone

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Segment 4: Or anything

Segment 5: Yeah!

Essentially what goes on throughout line 2 is that the nature of the progression is jibing with Swift’s increasingly animated vocal delivery, taking the section to a climax before leading back into the Dubstep Chorus that follows.

Segment 1: That you never loved me

Notice that this phrase carries on in the same vein that was indicative of the first phrase on line 1, following an E – F – G - C – C – C progression. Its nature is still melancholy, further accentuated by the nature of Swifts vocal delivery.

Segments 2 – 5

From that point on, we’re hit with a more rapid delivery of shorter phrases that work in conjunction with Swifts vocal to take the line (and section for that matter) to a climax. Notice that for the most part she’s just fluctuating between G and A.

Segment 2: Or he-r (G – G – E) Notice that the dip down to E at the end of “her” aids in providing her vocal with increased animation as she then starts out on G in the segment that follows.

Segment 3: Or anyone (G – G – A – A) As with segment 2, she starts out on G, but instead of dropping back down to E as she previously did, she ends on A, which keeps the intensity up there (again, jibing with her more animated vocal delivery).

Segment 4: Or anything (G – G – A – A) This segment is sung in the same manner as segment 3.

Segment 5: Ye-ah! (G – D) This one lyric is what takes the animated nature of the section to its peak. Initially, Swift drops from A (at the end of the preceding segment) down to G on “ye-” which sets up the final thrust up to D to conclude the section, carrying over into the Chorus that follows.

Repetition

Even though there are melodic differences from segment to segment throughout the section, the first 3 segments and the last 3 (omitting the final “yeah!” of the section) are exceptionally similar in nature, both from an overall progression, segmenting and timing standpoint:

Group 1: And the saddest fear / comes creeping in / that you never loved me

Group 2: Or her / or anyone / or anything

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The result – it amps up the infectious nature of the section and takes the memorability factor to the next level.

Top 10 Assessment Back to Top

Benchmark Analysis Compares I Knew You Were Trouble to the 21 songs that landed in the Billboard Pop Songs top 10 during Q4-2012.

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All of the compositional characteristics and attributes present in I Knew You Were Trouble are in line with Q4-2012 top 10 Pop hits EXCEPT:

The Intro is 0:08 shorter than the top 10 hit average.

It’s Tempo is 39 BPM’s faster than the average.

The song is sung with a Female lead vocal where the majority of top 10 hits during Q4 were sung with a Male lead.

*Note: I Knew You Were Trouble does contain some Acoustic Guitar in the mix, but the song as a whole is primarily Electric in nature.

To sum it up, I Knew You Were Trouble is like the “poster child” of a current mainstream Pop song. It embodies just about all of the elements that top-charting Pop songs possess. This is specifically thanks to two-thirds of the songwriting team (Max Martin and Shellback), who are two of the world’s top current Pop hitmakers.

A&R Hit Factor Assessment Back to Top

Artist Career Factor Does the song have what it takes maintain or grow the artist’s clout in the Pop mainstream?

As the third U.S. single released from Red (and the second to feature the Max Martin/Shellback songwriting/production team), I Knew You Were Trouble was no doubt one of the most important releases of Swift’s career. Why? It was going to prove whether Swift would be accepted as a viable force in the Pop mainstream or prove that the global success of We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together was just a fluke.

Fortunately for Swift, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together showed that the public was willing to accept her in her new “Pop Princess” role, and what it essentially did was wet their appetite for the next mainstream Pop installment (excluding the more Country natured Begin Again, which preceded Trouble’s release).

So – with Max Martin and Shellback at the helm to provide a “mainstream ready,” ultra- infectious track that capitalized on the trends of the day, (i.e. “Pop fusion,” in this case straight- up Pop, Rock and Dubstep), coupled with Swift’s “trademark” Love/Relationship lyrical content and unique vocal style that her fans have come to love and expect, the stage was set for success.

In the end, I Knew You Were Trouble succeeded in firmly establishing Taylor Swift as a major Pop player, and this was specifically thanks to her choice in collaborators (i.e. Max Martin and Shellback, who also write for a plethora of other top-charting “A” list artists).

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While this is clearly having a major positive impact on her career in the short term, being “one of the bunch” can and most likely will wind up being a detriment to Swift in the long run (think about it – due to the Max Martin influence in this case, Katy Perry could have just as easily performed Trouble and would have done just as good a job). Without the having a unique identity and style (which she DID establish on her previous album but traded in for Pop super stardom on Red), the ability for her to survive trend changes throughout the years will be in jeopardy (only a handful of artists are able to do this – AC/DC being a good example).

Originality Factor Does the song push genre boundaries and possess a unique nature or have you heard it all before? Does it stand out in the Pop mainstream?

We need to look at this in a couple of ways: How original does the song come across in the current Pop mainstream, and how original is it within Swift’s body of work?

Pop Mainstream

There are 2 factors involved – the backing music, and Swift’s vocal coupled with the lyrical content. As far as the backing music is concerned, there is nothing overtly unique about it. In today’s Pop mainstream, it’s all about the “fusion” of sub-genres within a body of work (like straight-up Pop fusing with Reggae in Maroon 5’s One More Night, for example). Here, Martin and Shellback fused straight-up Pop with Dubstep combined with a Rock edge. You’ve heard the style before, and you’ve heard the nature of the instrumentation before as well. You don’t listen to it and say “wow – now that’s totally pushing the boundaries of music as we know it!” It sounds familiar, but it’s at the forefront of what’s happening TODAY.

Some of the other factors to take note of include the fact that there’s nothing new about having the first Chorus of the song being a “breakdown,” nor the clever vocal phrasing (i.e. “you found me-e-e-e-e-e“), nor the “overdriven” “trouble, trouble, trouble” vocal. However, the initial breakdown in the Bridge that utilized the backward Piano effect did come across as being unique compared to most other current mainstream songs.

Now, on the other hand we have Swift’s vocal style coupled with the lyrics. Combined, they enabled the song to come across in a unique manner compared to everyone else in the mainstream Pop pack. No one else sounds like her, and no one would have the same impact with those lyrics (i.e. it’s what we’ve come to expect from Swift – love/relationship themed lyrics that pertain to HER relationships but that come across in a universal manner with wide appeal).

Taylor Swift’s Body Of Work

While having crossed over into straight-up Pop/Rock territory before, and having sung Love/Relationship themed lyrics once or twice (ok- EVERY song), she has never thrown a curveball by slamming in with a Dubstep influenced Chorus. This factor alone makes I Knew You Were Trouble exceptionally unique within her body of work to date. It will also come across as being unique for her fans (and non-fans alike) in the sense that they never would have

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So – overall, just how original is I Knew You Were Trouble? As a whole I think the fact that this is Taylor Swift doing Dubstep enables it to lean toward the unique side, even though components of the song are anything but.

Social & Controversy Factors Were there any external social aspects surrounding the release of the song that could help increase its visibility, reach and success potential?

There were 2 external factors that definitely aided in the success of the single (in addition to marketing, promotion, etc…).

First, there was still a strong buzz surrounding the single’s parent album, Red. It was “controversial” for its change in style compared to its predecessor, and I Knew You Were Trouble most certainly benefited from the hype.

Second, as previously mentioned, I Knew You Were Trouble is “Swift does Dubstep.” This no doubt created hype and curiosity amongst her fans (and non-fans alike) to pick up the song to see what it’s all about.

The Demographic Reach / Fan Factor Is this a song that’s pigeonholed in one specific gender/age/genre bracket or does it have mass reach? How will it affect the artist’s original fan base, and will it attract new fans?

Obviously I Knew You Were Trouble leans toward a younger female demographic considering the nature of the lyrics, music, and Swift herself, but the key areas to look at are how will this affect her original fan base and will it attract her a new throng of fans?

As far as how all this affects her clout as a Country artist remains to be seen. Think about it in the sense as when Dylan went electric at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. He was booed because he “sold out” and went electric, “turning his back” (as his fan base perceived) on his folk roots.

Swift did something similar by going mainstream Pop. There is absolutely no doubt that she’ll lose part of her core Country fan base with her foray into the Pop mainstream. This happens when most artists make an abrupt change in direction (i.e. when Rush went from the heavy, progressive guitar driven music that they were known for in the 70’s compared to when they went Synth in the 80’s).

That being said, keep in mind that today’s Country is not yesterday’s Country, that’s for sure. Like Pop, the genre also contains a fusion of influences, including Pop and 80’s influences Rock, for example. It’s quite possible that Swift’s experimentation with different styles could rub off on other Country artists and continue to take Country in a completely different direction. The end result – more fans and clout for Swift.

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Now, as for the world of Pop, she is no doubt going to win over mainstream Pop fans that might not have given her a shot with the more Country influenced leanings of her previous album. The songs are definitely strong enough, and the more you hear Swift doing this type of music, the more you get used to it and eventually accept her in her new role.

The “Holly Sh*t – You Gotta Hear This NOW” Factor Is this a song where someone would instantly call up their friend and say “drop what you’re doing – you gotta listen to this – NOW!!!”

Not so much for the strength of the song itself as it is for the “Taylor goes Dubstep” factor. Is the song good? No. It’s great. But it’s not so revolutionary that it makes you stop in your tracks. That being said, the fact that this is Taylor Swift going in a completely new direction that she has never explored before could definitely warrant that immediate phone call to a friend.

The “Multiple Listen” Factor Is this song engaging enough to warrant repeat listens?

As with most songs, initially yes, but the law of diminishing returns does set in after a while. It is a song that is worth going back to after a break due to its strong, infectious nature, however.

The “Human Emotion” Factor Does this song exude a vibe that enables the listener to connect on a deep, emotional, HUMAN level?

Despite the “polished” production and the processing on Swift’s vocals, I Knew You Were Trouble does connect with the listener on an emotional level via the backing music, Swift’s vocal delivery and the lyrical content throughout the song.

Backing Music: Different types of emotion are conjured up via the nature of the guitar driven Pop sections, the heavy synth Dubstep sections and the backward Piano that defines the Bridge.

Swifts Vocal Delivery: Again, despite the processed nature of her vocals throughout much of the song, Swift does a good job of conveying emotion via her vocal delivery to accentuate the nature of the lyrics. That being said, at times she does seem too preoccupied with nailing the “perfect, infectious” Pop vocal, and as a result doesn’t convey as much emotion as she could have.

Lyrics: As a whole, the lyrics do possess a good amount of emotional content throughout the song, enabling the listener to connect on a deeper level (after all, it’s Taylor Swift singing about one of her relationships!).

Combined, the three factors above do provide I Knew You Were Trouble with a good amount of emotion that does a great job of further engrossing the listener within the story. Now, is it on par with say, Adele? Absolutely not. But it’s not as devoid of emotion as some other (non- named) Pop hits.

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Memorability Factor How easy is it to remember the song’s lyrics & melody? Is each section of the song equally as memorable?

I Knew You Were Trouble is an exceptionally memorable song due to 3 primary factors – it’s simplistic and easy to follow (vocal melody, backing music), it’s infectious (exceptional craft on all levels), and more than anything it’s repetitive (again, vocally and via the backing music). Combined, these elements enable the song to get completely engrained within the listener’s head.

Longevity Factor – Artist Will this song become a staple of the artist’s repertoire and catalog?

Taylor Swift has quite a few gems in her catalog, and I Knew You Were Trouble makes a great addition to the bunch. Not so much for its exceptional craft (this is one area that most of her songs are not lacking), but for its unique nature (specifically the Dubstep). It’s carved out its own unique niche within her body of work, and as a result will remain a highlight and a feature in her live shows for some time to come.

Longevity Factor – Pop Genre Does this song have what it takes to stand the test of time and rank amongst the all-time greats?

As previously mentioned, I Knew You Were Trouble is an exceptionally well crafted song, BUT, there are many exceptionally well crafted songs out there. For a song to have true longevity amongst the greats, it needs to have a unique quality about it that separates it from the pack, been a trailblazer, or just so amazing that it will resonate forever. I Knew You Were Trouble DOES have that unique quality, but not in the Pop mainstream. It’s unique within Swift’s own body of work.

In the end, no one is going to complain when I Knew You Were Trouble is played, but there’s just nothing about it where you’re going to look back and say “this was a very important song in the history of Pop.”

Conclusion Back to Top Now that we have thoroughly explored I Knew You Were Trouble, let’s review some of the core strengths and weaknesses of the song:

Strengths

Every section of the song is equally infectious, engaging and memorable. There’s absolutely no filler.

Individual sections change over frequently (every 0:12 – 0:13), which aids in keeping the listener engaged throughout the song

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An immense 59% of the total song is kept within the ultra infectious, memorable nature of the Chorus. Even better, it was split into 2 distinct sections (Chorus A and B), which provided double the value for the listener. It’s the payoff that keeps paying off!

There’s a good amount of MTI level fluctuation from section to section throughout the song, which makes for a more engaging listening experience.

Trouble is essentially divided into 2 distinct sub-genres that define specific sections of the song. Synth driven Dubstep encompasses all of the Chorus sections (except for the first breakdown Chorus A), and Guitar Driven Pop defines all of the other sections within the song.

Copious amounts of repetition were utilized throughout, both in the backing music and the vocal melody (including line, sectional and cross-sectional repetition). The result – memorability!

The storyline possesses a strong, engaging flow that has universal appeal even though it pertains to a specific relationship.

The nature of the vocal melody was exceptionally strong primarily due to its infectious simplicity, methodical progressions and phrase segmenting. Additionally, the “diversifiers” and “color adders” provided just enough variation so that it didn’t become overly monotonous.

As with the “diversifiers” and “color adders” present within the vocal melody, the same was the case with the backing music as well. Generally, the core elements remained constant throughout the song, with “embellishments” being added or subtracted from the mix to prevent monotony and heighten the engagement factor.

The song was strong enough to solidify Swifts position as a force in the mainstream Pop pack, specifically thanks to her co-writers Max Martin and Shellback.

Swifts foray into Dubstep was the perfect “fusion factor” that enabled the song to really stand out and resonate compared to if she had just released another purely straight-up Pop song.

Weaknesses

Besides what Taylor Swift herself brings to the table (i.e. her unique vocal style, lyrics), there is nothing overtly unique about this song – it’s all been done before. Additionally, it could have just as easily been performed by Katy Perry (at least that’s who I hear), with the same results (i.e. the Max Martin influence).

At times Swift seems to be more concerned about nailing the “perfect Pop vocal” than exuding the emotion that the lyrics warrant.

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Even though the song solidifies her position in the Pop mainstream, it will no doubt have an adverse affect on at least part of her original Country fan base.

By becoming “one of the bunch,” Swift has lost her unique identity, which will most likely jeopardize her career longevity and impact.

Bottom Line

Overall, I Knew You Were Trouble is an exceptionally well crafted Pop song, and you wouldn’t expect any less from team Martin, Shellback and Swift. That being said, how this, and her other more mainstream hits affect her career path will remain to be seen.

Songwriter/Producer Take Aways Back to Top

Fusion I’ve been saying this for quite some time – now more than ever it’s all about Fusion in the Pop mainstream. It’s about combining different genres together to wind up with something that comes across fresh and original, either in the genre as a whole or within an artists body of work (as was the case with Taylor Swift’s I Knew You Were Trouble). So, be creative. Be unique. Push the envelope. Just make sure you do it in a methodical manner, utilizing the highest degree of craft. Remember – it all comes down to how well you connect and resonate with your audience!

Fusion Methods There are a number of ways to fuse different sub-genres under one roof within your song. Two of the most popular (and effective) methods include combining them to define the sound of the entire song (i.e. straight-up Pop fused with Reggae as in Maroon 5?s One More Night), and relegating different sub-genres to specific sections of your song, which was the case with I Knew You Were Trouble. Here, the Choruses (with the exception of Chorus 1A) were Synth driven Dubstep, while the other sections of the song were Guitar driven Pop. Whatever method you choose to employ, just make sure that you fuse both in a seamless manner (remember – it needs to make sense).

Lyrics with Universal Appeal It’s ok to write personal natured lyrics (as was the case in I Knew You Were Trouble), but the key is presenting it in a universal manner so that it can connect with the widest possible audience. How do you do this? Primarily by refraining from mentioning specific places, dates, and names, for example.

Repetition & Diversity One of the most important methods for heightening the memorability factor of your song is to utilize copious amounts of repetition, be it in the vocal melody, the backing music or both. The trick is to employ it in a manner that doesn’t become overly monotonous and wind up boring the listener. The best way to avoid this pitfall is by changing up one phrase, one lyric, or even just one syllable, or by adding or detracting specific instrumentation from the mix within “like” sections of your song (i.e. verse 1 and verse 2, for example). This was a key strength of I

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Knew You Were Trouble.

MTI Level Fluctuations This is a takeaway that comes up in just about every “deconstructed” report that we put out. In order to really engage the listener, you need to take them on a “sonic journey” by varying momentum, tension, and intensity levels throughout the song. If you don’t, your song is going to come across too “linear” in nature, and despite how infectious it may be, the listener’s attention will start to wander. This was a key attribute of I Knew You Were Trouble.

Make EVERY Section Count This is another takeaway that comes up all the time and was a core strength of Trouble. Too often I hear “just bare through section X, because when you get to section Y, it’s killer!” Well, not too many people are going to bare through section “X” to get to section “Y” – be it your prospective fans and most certainly decision makers in the industry. So – take the time, as long as it takes, to make sure that every single aspect of your song is as strong as it can possibly be. Is it a pain? Sure, it can be. But remember this - with all the songwriters out there, you need to give yourself as much of a competitive edge as possible!

Artist Career Factor: 10/10 (Maintenance), 9/10 (Growth) Does the song have what it takes maintain or grow the artist’s clout in the Pop mainstream?

As the third U.S. single released from Red (and the second to feature the Max Martin/Shellback songwriting/production team), I Knew You Were Trouble was no doubt one of the most important releases of Swift’s career. Why? It was going to prove whether Swift would be accepted as a viable force in the Pop mainstream or prove that the global success of We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together was just a fluke.

Fortunately for Swift, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together showed that the public was willing to accept her in her new “Pop Princess” role, and what it essentially did was wet their appetite for the next mainstream Pop installment (excluding the more Country natured Begin Again, which preceded Trouble’s release).

So – with Max Martin and Shellback at the helm to provide a “mainstream ready,” ultra- infectious track that capitalized on the trends of the day, (i.e. “Pop fusion,” in this case straight- up Pop, Rock and Dubstep), coupled with Swift’s “trademark” Love/Relationship lyrical content and unique vocal style that her fans have come to love and expect, the stage was set for success.

In the end, I Knew You Were Trouble succeeded in firmly establishing Taylor Swift as a major player in the Pop mainstream, and this was specifically thanks to her choice in collaborators (i.e. Max Martin and Shellback, who also write for a plethora of other top-charting “A” list artists).

While this is clearly having a major positive impact on her career in the short term, being “one

66 / 70 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com of the bunch” can and will wind up being a detriment to Swift in the long run. Without the having a unique identity and style (which she DID establish on her previous album but traded in for Pop superstardom on Red), the ability for her to survive trend changes throughout the years will be in jeopardy (only a handful of artists are able to do this – AC/DC and Neil Young are two examples).

Originality Factor: 7/10 (Mainstream), 10/10 (Swift) Does the song push genre boundaries and possess a unique nature or have you heard it all before? Does it stand out in the Pop mainstream?

We need to look at this in a couple of ways: How original does the song come across in the current Pop mainstream, and how original is it within Swift’s body of work?

Pop Mainstream

There are 2 factors involved – the backing music, and Swift’s vocal coupled with the lyrical content. As far as the backing music is concerned, there is nothing overtly unique about it. In today’s Pop mainstream, it’s all about the “fusion” of sub-genres within a body of work (like straight-up Pop fusing with Reggae in Maroon 5’s One More Night, for example). Here, Martin and Shellback fused straight-up Pop with Dubstep combined with a Rock edge. You’ve heard the style before, and you’ve heard the nature of the instrumentation before as well. You don’t listen to it and say “wow – now that’s totally pushing the boundaries of music as we know it!” It sounds familiar, but it’s at the forefront of what’s happening TODAY.

Some of the other factors to take note of include the fact that there’s nothing new about having the first Chorus of the song being a “breakdown,” nor the clever vocal phrasing (i.e. you found me-e-e-e-e-e), nor the “overdriven” “trouble, trouble, trouble” vocal. However, the initial breakdown in the Bridge that utilized the backward Piano effect did come across as being unique compared to most other current mainstream songs.

Now, on the other hand we have Swift’s vocal style coupled with the lyrics. Combined, they enabled the song to come across in a unique manner compared to everyone else in the mainstream Pop pack. No one else sounds like her, and no one would have the same impact with those lyrics (i.e. it’s what we’ve come to expect from Swift – love/relationship themed lyrics that pertain to HER relationships but that come across in a universal manner that has wide appeal).

Taylor Swift’s Body Of Work

While having crossed over into straight-up Pop/Rock territory before, and having sung Love/Relationship themed lyrics once or twice (ok- EVERY song), she has never thrown a curveball by slamming in with a Dubstep influenced Chorus. This factor alone makes I Knew You Were Trouble exceptionally unique within her body of work to date. It will also come across as being unique for her fans (and non-fans alike) in the sense that never would have expected to hear this from her.

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So – overall, just how original is I Knew You Were Trouble? As a whole I think the fact that this is Taylor Swift doing Dubstep enables it to lean toward the unique side, even though components of the song are anything but.

Social & Controversy Factors: 9/10 Were there any external social aspects surrounding the release of the song that could help increase its visibility, reach and success potential?

There were 2 external factors that definitely aided in the success of the single (in addition to marketing, promotion, etc…).

First, there was still a strong buzz surrounding the singles parent album, Red. It was “controversial” for its change in style compared to its predecessor, and I Knew You Were Trouble most certainly benefited from the hype.

Second, as previously mentioned, I Knew You Were Trouble is “Swift does Dubstep.” This no doubt created hype and curiosity amongst her fans (and non-fans alike) to get the song and see what it was all about.

The Demographic Reach / Fan Factor: 8/10 Is this a song that’s pigeonholed in one specific gender/age/genre bracket or does it have mass reach? How will it affect the artist’s original fan base, and will it attract new fans?

Obviously I Knew You Were Trouble leans toward a younger female demographic considering the nature of the lyrics, music, and Swift herself, but the key area to look at is how will this affect her original fan base and will it attract her a new throng of fans?

As far as how all this affects her clout as a Country artist remains to be seen. Think about it in the sense as when Dylan went electric at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. He was booed because he “sold out” and went electric, “turning his back” (as his fan base perceived) on his folk roots.

Swift did something similar by going mainstream Pop. There is absolutely no doubt that she’ll lose part of her core Country fan base with her foray into the Pop mainstream. This happens when most artists make an abrupt change in direction (i.e. when Rush went from the heavy, progressive guitar driven music that they were known for in the 70’s compared to when they went Synth in the 80’s).

That being said, keep in mind that today’s Country is not yesterday’s Country, that’s for sure. Like Pop, the genre also contains a fusion of influences, including Pop and 80’s influences Rock, for example. It’s quite possible that Swift’s experimentation with different styles could rub off on other Country artists and continue to take Country in a completely different direction. The end result – more fans and clout for Swift.

Now, as for the world of Pop, she is no doubt going to win over mainstream Pop fans that might not have given her a shot with the more Country influenced leanings of her previous album. The

68 / 70 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com songs are definitely strong enough, and the more you hear Swift doing this type of music, the more you get used to it and eventually accept her in her new role.

The “Holly Sh*t – You Gotta Hear This NOW” Factor: 8.5/10 Is this a song where someone would instantly call up their friend and say “drop what you’re doing – you gotta listen to this – NOW!!!”

Not so much for the strength of the song itself as it is for the “Taylor goes Dubstep” factor. Is the song good? No. It’s great. But it’s not so revolutionary that it makes you stop in your tracks. That being said, the fact that this is Taylor Swift going in a completely new direction that she has never explored before could definitely warrant that immediate phone call to a friend.

The “Multiple Listen” Factor: 9/10 Is this song engaging enough to warrant repeat listens?

As with most songs, initially yes, but the law of diminishing returns does set in after a while. It is a song that is worth going back to after a break due to its strong, infectious nature, however.

The “Human Emotion” Factor: 8/10 Does this song exude a vibe that enables the listener to connect on a deep, emotional, HUMAN level?

Despite the “polished” production and the processing on Swift’s vocals, I Knew You Were Trouble does connect with the listener on an emotional level via the backing music, Swift’s vocal delivery and the lyrical content throughout the song.

Backing Music: Different types of emotion are conjured up via the nature of the guitar driven Pop sections, the heavy synth Dubstep sections and the backward Piano that defines the Bridge.

Swifts Vocal Delivery: Again, despite the processed nature of her vocals throughout much of the song, Swift does a good job of conveying emotion via her vocal delivery to accentuate the nature of the lyrics. That being said, at times she does seem too preoccupied with nailing the “perfect, infectious” Pop vocal, and as a result doesn’t convey as much emotion as she could have.

Lyrics: As a whole, the lyrics do possess a good amount of emotional content throughout the song, enabling the listener to connect on a deeper level (after all, it’s Taylor Swift singing about one of her relationships!).

Combined, the three factors above do provide I Knew You Were Trouble with a good amount of emotion that does a great job of further engrossing the listener within the story. Now, is it on par with say, Adele? Absolutely not. But it’s not as devoid of emotion as some other (non-named) Pop hits.

Memorability Factor: 9/10

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How easy is it to remember the song’s lyrics & melody? Is each section of the song equally as memorable?

I Knew You Were Trouble is an exceptionally memorable song due to 3 primary factors – it’s simplistic and easy to follow (vocal melody, backing music), it’s infectious (exceptional craft on all levels), and more than anything it’s repetitive (again, vocally and via the backing music). Combined, these elements enable the song to get completely engrained within the listener’s head.

Longevity Factor – Artist: 9/10 Will this song become a staple of the artist’s repertoire and catalog?

Taylor Swift has quite a few gems in her catalog, and I Knew You Were Trouble makes a great addition to the bunch. Not so much for its exceptional craft (this is one area that most of her songs are not lacking), but for its unique nature (specifically the Dubstep). It’s carved out its own unique niche within her body of work, and as a result will remain a highlight and a feature in her live shows for some time to come.

Longevity Factor – Genre: 5/10 Does this song have what it takes to stand the test of time and rank amongst the all-time greats?

As previously mentioned, I Knew You Were Trouble is an exceptionally well crafted song, but there are many exceptionally well crafted songs out there. For a song to have true longevity amongst the greats, it needs to have a unique quality about it that separates it from the pack, been a trailblazer, or just so amazing that it will resonate forever. I Knew You Were Trouble DOES have that unique quality, but not in the Pop mainstream. It’s unique within Swift’s own body of work.

In the end, no one is going to complain when I Knew You Were Trouble is played, but there’s just nothing about it where you’re going to look back and say “this was a very important song in the history of Pop.”

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