Taylor Swift’s Toy Story 5 Song Works Because It Lets Jessie Tell the Story

In fact, that is what makes the song refreshing as opposed to just another piece of celebrity soundtrack inclusion.

Instead of trying to take over the whole song with her presence, Taylor Swift is only stepping away from the limelight for the song, giving a voice to the character.

As a song meant for Jessie, the cowgirl who has been so much of a vital element of Toy Story 2, it means that this is actually a completely new assignment for Taylor Swift. It does not mean that she has another autobiography of sorts to tell us about her public life and relationships. Rather, this is a completely original song that has been created for the characters of Toy Story.

This is a song about reuniting, nostalgia, and heartbreak.

A Song Built Around Jessie, Not Taylor

The song “I Knew It, I Knew You” is presented as a composition created for the new Disney and Pixar film called Toy Story 5, which premieres on June 19. The track created for the upcoming sequel of Toy Story was written and produced by Taylor Swift with the collaboration of her usual partner Jack Antonoff. As said by the film director Andrew Stanton, the musician instantly realized how important the role of Jessie is.

This is important because the character is far from being shallow. Jessie has one of the darkest and saddest past histories in the Pixar universe – she was loved by a little girl named Emily, but then she was left behind. In the film Toy Story 2, there was already a song by Sarah McLachlan called “When She Loved Me” telling about that pain.

However, the current song seems to be different. This time, it will be not the repetition of the pain. Instead, it will be about discovering those things that have been missing for some time.

Based on the title of the song, it looks like a song of a revelation made after many years.

Swift Returns to Her Country Storytelling Roots

One factor contributing to the success of the song lies in its capacity to readily evoke former attributes.

The song has been termed as a song having an infusion of country music, giving Taylor Swift a chance to explore the kind of music that earned her a reputation initially.

In this case, the song does not necessarily become a nostalgia trip. The important part of the song is that its structure complements its essence. Jessie is a cowgirl doll, but there is no element in the song that compels one to look at her with derision.

This aspect assumes greater significance especially with respect to Taylor Swift. There is a factor that has consistently distinguished her successful tracks from those that were not. Her most successful songs have always allowed listeners to connect beyond the surface meaning of the song lyrics.

Such an opportunity arises through this song.

Why This May Be Her Best Soundtrack Fit Yet

While Swift has explored other realms in movie soundtracks before, “I Knew It, I Knew You” seems to give her a perfect blend that no other of her previous ventures has ever achieved. Here she uses her talent for songwriting, which allows her to write lyrics revolving around memories in combination with a movie franchise that revolves around nothing else but memories associated with childhood objects.

This is where Swift’s association with Toy Story lies.

She and the franchise know very well the emotional importance of any object. A blanket, a room, a trip in the car, or a toy sitting on the shelf are more than mere objects; they are memories of the past times.

It may be none other in the whole Pixar filmography that can show it better than the case of Jessie. This character is more than merely a toy; she proves that being loved leaves its impact even if your owner passes away.

Thus, Swift can perfectly write from her personal experience here.

A Soundtrack Song That Does Not Need to Shout

The greatest benefit of “I Knew It, I Knew You” is that, apparently, there is no competition between this track and the tradition established in “When She Loved Me.” According to one Guardian reviewer, this song can easily be considered among the best tracks of Taylor Swift for the last several years, because this is a happy conclusion of Jesse’s previous break-up story, which does not attempt to repeat Newman’s original at all.

This is exactly what makes a good soundtrack different from a song merely inserted into the movie.

An inferior version of this album track would chase after an Academy Award-winning ballad; however, it looks like Taylor has made something much simpler with her song. She has found out that it all was necessary was just a new look at Jesse’s life-story.

The Bigger Takeaway

The main difference of “I Knew It, I Knew You” is that it offers Swift the unique chance to write like Taylor Swift, but not about herself and Taylor Swift.

This probably accounts for why the song is fresh and interesting to hear, as Swift uses her usual emotional means, such as nostalgia, reunions, heartbreaks, and recognition – to construct another person’s biography.

For Toy Story 5, it only adds new emotional nuances to the already explored themes in previous films.

As for Swift, this is a priceless chance to create a story, demonstrating once again that her songwriting skills remain untouched by anything other than her personal life.

At least, in this case, Swift is getting far more than just a plotline for the cowgirl named Jessie.

It appears that being remembered is itself a kind of redemption.

By David Loran Jr

A successful Editor-in-Chief, journalist for over 6 years, writing about important topics that are going on within the U.S. and beyond.

Sources:

The Guardian: Taylor Swift: I Knew It, I Knew You review – giddy up! Song for Toy Story cowgirl Jessie is Swift’s best in years

AP News: Taylor Swift’s ‘Toy Story 5′ song is a return to pop country

Featured and Inset Image Courtesy of Eva Rinaldi‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License