State of Grace (song): Difference between revisions

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State of grace is the best song

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+State of grace is the best song
-{{Infobox song
-| Name          = State of Grace
-| Cover         = Taylor Swift - State of Grace.jpg
-| Caption       =
-| Border        = yes
-| Recorded      = Blackbird Studios ([[Nashville, Tennessee]])
-| Artist        = [[Taylor Swift]]
-| Album         = [[Red (Taylor Swift album)|Red]]
-| Released      = {{Start date|2012|10|16}}
-| Type          = [[Promotional single]]
-| Format        = [[Music download|Digital download]]
-| Genre         = [[Alternative rock]]
-| Length        = {{Duration|m=4|s=56}}
-| Label         = [[Big Machine Records|Big Machine]]
-| Writer        = Taylor Swift
-| Producer      = [[Nathan Chapman (record producer)|Nathan Chapman]], Taylor Swift
-}}
-"'''State of Grace'''" is a song by American singer-songwriter [[Taylor Swift]] from her fourth [[studio album]] ''[[Red (Taylor Swift album)|Red]]'' (2012). It was released to the [[iTunes Store]] on October 16, 2012, in the United States by [[Big Machine Records]] as the fourth and final [[promotional single]] from the album. It was the only promotional single from the album that was not re-issued as an official single, as "[[Begin Again (Taylor Swift song)|Begin Again]]", "[[Red (Taylor Swift song)|Red]]", and "[[I Knew You Were Trouble]]", were all later re-issued as official singles. The song was written by Swift and produced by [[Nathan Chapman (record producer)|Nathan Chapman]] and Swift. Musically, the song is a departure from Swift's typical [[country pop]], using influences of [[alternative rock]] while being compared to bands such as [[U2]], [[Muse (band)|Muse]] and [[The Cranberries]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Grady|title=Taylor Swift channels U2 on new track 'State of Grace': Hear it here|url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2012/10/16/taylor-swift-state-of-grace-new-song/|work=The Music Mix|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|accessdate=19 October 2012|date=Oct 16, 2012}}</ref>  The song has received acclaim from music critics, who have praised its broader sound in comparison with Swift's previous material.
-==Background==
-During her preview of the song on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[Good Morning America]]'', Swift described the song as such: “I wrote this song about when you first fall in love with someone — the possibilities, kind of thinking about the different ways that it could go. It’s a really big sound. To me, this sounds like the feeling of falling in love in an epic way.”<ref>{{cite web|title=Taylor Swift New Song 'State of Grace' Preview Off New Album 'Red'|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPmp9vANrGw|work=[[YouTube]]|accessdate=19 October 2012}}</ref>
-==Critical reception==
-The song was lauded by critics upon its release. ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' noted the song's "[[Rock music|Brit rock]]" sound and [[U2]] influence, writing, "ethereal guitars and moody overtones ring out over a driving midtempo drum beat as she delivers a lyric you could imagine Bono singing: “This is a state of grace/This is a worthwhile fight/ Love is a ruthless game unless you play it good and right.”"<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Grady|title=Taylor Swift channels U2 on new track 'State of Grace': Hear it here|url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2012/10/16/taylor-swift-state-of-grace-new-song/|work=The Music Mix|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|accessdate=19 October 2012|date=Oct 16, 2012}}</ref> Jenna Hally Rubenstein, writing for ''[[MTV]]'s  Buzzworthy Blog'', was very positive about the song, feeling that "both melodically and lyrically, Taylor delves deep as she sings about true love's free fall."<ref>{{cite web|last=Rubenstein|first=Jenna Hally|title=New Song: Taylor Swift, 'State of Grace'|url=http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2012/10/16/taylor-swift-state-of-grace/|work=[[MTV]] Buzzworthy Blog|accessdate=19 October 2012}}</ref> Placing it somewhere between "[[We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together]]" and "[[Red (Taylor Swift song)|Red]]" in terms of genre, she also noted that "[State of Grace]'s sparkling production and powerhouse vocals definitely has the record in the realm of pop, but Taylor's country twang isn't too far behind either." ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' reporter Marc Hogan identified State of Grace as "the one Rolling Stone previously described as a "howling, U2-style epic with reverb-drenched guitars,"" and went on to praise Swift's take on the sound: "but what had gone unmentioned is how brutally effective it is. More "whoa-oh"-ing than literally "howling," but streaked with unexpected feedback, Swift recognizes that [[The Joshua Tree|''Joshua Tree'']]-era U2 is as traditional now as country, anyway, and adapts its melodramatic uplift to her own first-person romantic observations."<ref>{{cite web|last=Hogan|first=Marc|title=Taylor Swift Reaches 'State of Grace' on Feedback-Streaked Rock Anthem|url=http://www.spin.com/#articles/taylor-swift-state-of-grace-listen|work=[[Spin (magazine){{!}}Spin]]|publisher=[[Buzz Media]]|accessdate=19 October 2012|date=Oct 16, 2012}}</ref> ''The [[Los Angeles Times]]'' thought the track was Swift's most arresting and promising song yet. "It's the least obviously "re-inventing" single from the album so far," August Brown of the Times commented, "[but] this song might be the most effective." The article offered this elaboration on that assessment: "[The song] has a strong U2 streak to it, with feedback- and echo-drenched guitars and some of her most for-the-rafters vocals yet. Despite ''Red'' being tipped as a "breakup album," this one is all love-struck optimism, a setting she's worked well in before."<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=August|title=Taylor Swift releases 'State of Grace' single|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-taylor-swift-releases-state-of-grace-20121016,0,4301656.story|work=Music|publisher=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=19 October 2012|date=Oct 16, 2012}}</ref> Adam Graham of ''[[The Detroit News]]'' raved about the song's "epic" production and mature feel. "“State of Grace” — the opening track on ''Red'' — feels like something of a game-changer for Swift," he says, "a big-time, grown-up rock anthem that feels like it’s wrapping its arms around the top row of the cheap seats. [...] The song’s best bit comes in the second verse when the bass drops out entirely, a moment of solemnity as Swift sings, “we are alone, just you and me/ up in your room and our slates are clean.” She’s creating moments of intimacy within the booming sonics of the song, and showing a flare for dynamics we didn’t know she had in her."<ref>{{cite web|last=Graham|first=Adam|title=Listen: Taylor Swift swings for the fences with 'State of Grace'|url=http://blogs.detroitnews.com/poptropolis/2012/10/16/listen-taylor-swift-swings-for-the-fences-with-state-of-grace/|work=Poptropolis|publisher=[[The Detroit News]]|accessdate=19 October 2012|date=Oct 16, 2012}}</ref>
-==Live performances==
-Swift performed the song live for the first time on November 15, 2012, during the [[The X Factor (U.S. season 2)|second season]] of ''[[The X Factor (U.S. TV series)|The X Factor]]'' (U.S.).<ref>{{cite web|title=Who Was Eliminated On Tonight's X-Factor?|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/11/08/who-was-eliminated-on-tonights-the-x-factor-spoiler/156826/|work=TVByTheNumbers|publisher=[[Zap2It]]|accessdate=November 9, 2012|date=November 8, 2012|first=Robert|last=Seidman}}</ref> Swift also performed the song at Z100 Jingle Ball on [[Madison Square Garden]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/photos/live/1481513/justin-bieber-taylor-swift-one-direction-and-more-light-up-nyc-at-z100 |title=Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, One Direction and More Light Up NYC at Z100 Jingle Ball |date=December 8, 2012 |magazine=Billboard |first=Andrew |last=Hampp |accessdate=April 28, 2013}}</ref> The song also serves as the opening track from her  [[Red Tour]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Taylor Swift's 'Red' Tour: Her Amps Go Up to 22|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/pop-life/taylor-swifts-red-tour-her-amps-go-up-to-22-20130328}}</ref>
-==Track listing==
-;Digital download<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/state-of-grace-single/id570336916|title=State of Grace - Single by Taylor Swift|work=''[[iTunes Store]]''|publisher=[[Apple, Inc.|Apple, Inc]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018235008/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/state-of-grace-single/id570336916|archivedate=October 18, 2012|accessdate=October 19, 2014}}</ref>
-# "State of Grace" - 4:55
-==Charts==
-{| class="wikitable sortable"
-|-
-! style="text-align:center;"|Chart (2012)
-! style="text-align:center;"|Peak<br>position
-|-
-{{singlechart|Australia|44|artist=Taylor Swift|song=State of Grace|accessdate=2012-10-20}}
-|-
-{{singlechart|Canada|9|artist=Taylor Swift|artistid={{BillboardID|Taylor Swift}}|song=State of Grace|accessdate=2012-10-24}}
-|-
-{{singlechart|Ireland|43|year=2012|week=42|accessdate=2012-10-20}}
-|-
-{{singlechart|New Zealand|20|artist=Taylor Swift|song=State of Grace|accessdate=2012-10-20}}
-|-
-{{singlechart|UK|36|date=2012-10-27}}
-|-
-{{singlechart|Billboardhot100|13|artist=Taylor Swift|artistid={{BillboardID|Taylor Swift}}|accessdate=2012-10-25}}
-|-
-|}
-==References==
-{{Reflist}}
-==External links==
-* Taylor Swift official site: [http://taylorswift.com/releases#release-7312 single], [http://taylorswift.com/releases#release-7301 album] (with lyrics)
-* {{MetroLyrics song|taylor-swift|state-of-grace}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider -->
-{{Taylor Swift songs}}
-[[Category:2012 songs]]
-[[Category:Taylor Swift songs]]
-[[Category:Big Machine Records singles]]
-[[Category:Songs written by Taylor Swift]]
-[[Category:Song recordings produced by Nathan Chapman (record producer)]]