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State of Grace (song)

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This article is about the Taylor Swift song. For other songs of the same name, see State of Grace § Songs.
"State of Grace"
A photograph of Swift standing in a grassland, with her back facing the camera. She is wearing a purple dress and holding a guitar upside-down. Her name "Taylor Swift" is printed in red and the title "State of Grace" is printed in white; both are capitalized.
Promotional single by Taylor Swift
from the album Red
ReleasedOctober 16, 2012 (2012-10-16)
StudioBlackbird (Nashville, Tennessee)
GenreArena rock
Length4:56
LabelBig Machine
Songwriter(s)Taylor Swift
Producer(s)

"State of Grace" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fourth studio album, Red (2012). It was released for digital download on October 16, 2012, as a promotional single from the album by Big Machine Records. Produced by Nathan Chapman and Swift, "State of Grace" is an arena rock song featuring chiming guitars and dynamic drums. The opening track of Red, it is about the tumultuous feelings evoked from the first sights of love, which sets the tone for an album about lost romance.

Music critics noted "State of Grace" for expanding beyond Swift's previous country pop catalog. They praised its anthemic production and emotional sentiments, and have retrospectively included it among Swift's best songs. "State of Grace" peaked within the top 50 of record charts in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the U.K., and Canada, where it peaked at number nine on the Canadian Hot 100. In the U.S., the song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Background and release

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her third studio album, Speak Now, in October 2010. She wrote the album entirely by herself and co-produced it with Nathan Chapman, her longtime collaborator.[1] The album's sound expands on the country pop sound of her two previous albums, with elements of radio-friendly pop crossover that had been evident on its predecessor Fearless (2008).[2] On Speak Now's follow-up, Red, Swift aimed to experiment beyond her previous albums' formulaic country pop sound.[1] "State of Grace" was one of the first songs that Swift wrote at her career base of Nashville, Tennessee, before she headed to Los Angeles, California, to approach new producers.[1] She co-produced the song with Chapman, who co-produced eight of Red's sixteen tracks.[3] "State of Grace" was recorded by engineers Brian David Willis, Chad Carlson, and Matt Rausch; and mixed by Justin Niebank at Blackbird Studios (Nashville).[3] The track was mastered by Hank Williams at Nashville's MasterMix studio.[3]

To promote Red, Swift released one album track each week onto the iTunes Store, from September 24 until the album's release date of October 22, 2012, as part of a four-week release countdown.[4] "State of Grace" was released as the final promotional single from Red during the final countdown week, on October 16, 2012.[5][6]

Music and lyrics

"State of Grace"
An arena rock song instrumented by chiming guitars and dynamic drums, "State of Grace" is about the tumultuous feelings evoked from the first sights of love.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"State of Grace" is the opening track of Red.[3] It is an arena rock song with an anthemic production backed by chiming guitars and dynamic drums.[7][8][9] Music journalists commented the song's rock-leaning production departed from the country pop sound of Swift's previous albums, citing Irish rock band U2 as a possible influence.[10] Music professor James Perone found "State of Grace" reminiscent of 1980s college rock,[11] while Marc Hogan from Spin and Randall Roberts from the Los Angeles Times said that it particularly sounded like a U2 song on The Joshua Tree (1987).[12][13]

Lyrically consistent with Swift's romantic themes, "State of Grace" is about the tumultuous feelings evoked from the first sights of love.[13][14] The song uses heavy feedback and reverberation for the guitars, and Swift sings with loud vocals and elongated syllables.[9][5] In the second verse, the bass halts for a contemplative moment when Swift sings: "We are alone, just you and me/ Up in your room and our slates are clean."[14][15] The song then accelerates as Swift sings against fast-paced drums and propelling guitars.[16] According to Entertainment Weekly's Grady Smith, contrary to Swift's usual intricate storytelling, "State of Grace" puts heavier emphasis on the production. Smith wrote the expansive sound represents the song's theme of a "dawning sense of triumphant wonder that accompanies love".[8]

Several critics highlighted Swift's songwriting maturity on "State of Grace"; Hogan found the lyrics uplifting as Swift does not seek revenge on a failed relationship: "And I never saw you coming / And I'll never be the same."[13] In a review for The Atlantic, Brad Nelson noticed Swift introduced more nuances to the narrative compared to her previous love songs: after clichéd lyrics about love, "We fall in love 'til it hurts or bleeds / or fades in time," the second verse where she sings, "We are alone, just you and me / Up in your room and our slates are clean / Just twin fire sings / four blue eyes," employs details that "detach from a narrative and stretch over it like clouds", which reminded Nelson of Steely Dan songwriters.[16] The song concludes with the lyric, "Love is a ruthless game / unless you play it good and right," which sets the tone for an album about complex feelings ensued from lost romance.[9][17]

Live performances

Taylor Swift wearing a brimmed hat and a laced white shirt smiling
Swift during the Red Tour (2013), where she performed "State of Grace"

Swift performed "State of Grace" live for the first time on November 15, 2012, during the second season of the U.S. version of The X Factor.[18] She later performed the song at Z100 Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden on December 7, 2012.[19] The song was the opening number on the set list of the Red Tour (2013–14), which Swift embarked to promote Red.[20] Swift performed the song during the July 10, 2018 concert at Landover, Maryland, as part of her Reputation Stadium Tour.[21]

Critical reception

Upon its release, "State of Grace" received positive reviews from contemporary critics.[10] Grady Smith from Entertainment Weekly commented on the rock sound: "the extended instrumental breaks provide a more forceful, mature impact than Swift's standard sass."[8] Spin's Marc Hogan similarly lauded the production as "brutally effective",[13] and August Brown from the Los Angeles Times thought the track was Red's most arresting and promising song.[5] Adam Graham of The Detroit News complimented Swift's songwriting for creating "moments of intimacy within the booming sonics", which showcased a new aspect of her artistry.[15] Jason Lipshutz of Billboard similarly commented on the song's "sweeping emotion" and labelled it Swift's bold experimentation with arena rock.[9]

Reviews of the song in the context of Red album reviews were more mixed. Michael Robbins from Spin selected "State of Grace" as one of the album's songs that "go down like pop punch spiked by pros".[22] Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times highlighted the song as one of Red's evidence for Swift's experimentation beyond country; while Roberts praised the track, he viewed that the experimentation makes Swift "like a mere cypher for the music that surrounds her".[12] Jonathan Keefe from Slant Magazine was disappointed by the song's "repetitive" drums and guitars, because it prioritized musical experimentation but failed to exhibit Swift's songwriting abilities.[23] In a 2017 retrospective review of Red for Pitchfork, Brad Nelson wrote "State of Grace", while produced by Swift's longtime collaborator Chapman, was an example of her emerging musical versatility beyond country.[14] Jordan Sargent of Spin commented favorably on its experimentation, describing it as a "thematically perfect musical composition, unhurried as if to marinate on the moment but also fleetingly epic".[24]

The staff of Billboard included "State of Grace" in their 2017 list of the "100 Best Deep Cuts by 21st Century Pop Stars", describing the built-up arena rock production as "a wallop quite unlike anything in Swift's catalog".[25] Hannah Mylrea of NME and Jane Song of Paste included the song among the 10 best songs in Swift's catalog, both lauding the arena rock sound that Swift since has not recreated.[7][26] Nate Jones from New York acknowledged that "State of Grace" does not showcase Swift's intricate songwriting, but lauded it for proving Swift's abilities to create radio-friendly songs with a big and memorable sound.[27]

Commercial performance

"State of Grace" charted on the record charts of the English-speaking countries, peaking within the top 50 in Australia (44),[28] Ireland (43),[29] the U.K. (36),[30] and New Zealand (20).[31] The song reached the top 10 on the Canadian Hot 100, peaking at number nine.[32] In the U.S., it peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100[33] and received a gold certification from the RIAA, which denotes 500,000 track-equivalent units based on sales and on-demand streaming.[34]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Red[3]

  • Taylor Swift – vocals, songwriter, producer
  • Nathan Chapman – producer, guitar
  • Justin Niebank – mixer
  • Brian David Willis – engineer
  • Chad Carlson – engineer
  • Matt Rausch – engineer
  • Hank Williams – mastering engineer
  • Drew Bollman – assistant mixer
  • Leland Elliott – assistant recording engineer
  • Nick Buda – drums
  • Eric Darken – percussion

Track listing

  • Digital download[35]
  1. "State of Grace" – 4:55

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[28] 44
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[32] 9
Ireland (IRMA)[29] 43
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[31] 20
UK Singles (OCC)[30] 36
US Billboard Hot 100[33] 13

Certification

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[34] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Bernstein, Jonathan (November 18, 2020). "500 Greatest Albums: Taylor Swift Looks Back on Her 'Only True Breakup Album' 'Red'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  2. ^ Thomas Erlewine, Stephen. "Speak Now – Taylor Swift". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 5, 2017. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e Red (CD liner notes). Taylor Swift. Big Machine Records. 2012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ Bernstein, Alyssa (September 21, 2013). "Taylor Swift Launches Red Album Release With 4-Week Song Preview Countdown". American Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on November 23, 2012. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c Brown, August (October 16, 2012). "Taylor Swift releases 'State of Grace' single". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  6. ^ Montgomery, James (October 16, 2012). "Taylor Swift's 'State of Grace' goes straight to #1 on iTunes". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Mylrea, Hannah (September 8, 2020). "Every Taylor Swift song ranked in order of greatness". NME. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Smith, Grady (October 16, 2012). "Taylor Swift channels U2 on new track 'State of Grace': Hear it here". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  9. ^ a b c d Lipshutz, Jason (October 16, 2012). "Taylor Swift Finds 'State of Grace' on New 'Red' Track: Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 3, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Lansky, Sam (October 16, 2012). "Taylor Swift's 'State of Grace': Review Revue". Idolator. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  11. ^ Perone 2017, p. 46.
  12. ^ a b Roberts, Randall (October 22, 2012). "Album review: Taylor Swift's 'Red' burns with confidence". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c d Hogan, Marc (October 16, 2012). "Taylor Swift Reaches 'State of Grace' on Feedback-Streaked Rock Anthem". Spin. Archived from the original on December 17, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  14. ^ a b c Nelson, Brad (August 19, 2019). "Taylor Swift: Red Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  15. ^ a b Graham, Adam (October 16, 2012). "Listen: Taylor Swift swings for the fences with 'State of Grace'". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  16. ^ a b Nelson, Brad (November 1, 2012). "If You Listen Closely, Taylor Swift Is Kind of Like Leonard Cohen". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  17. ^ Perone 2017, p. 45.
  18. ^ Kroll, Katy (November 16, 2012). "Taylor Swift Debuts 'State of Grace' During 'X Factor' Double Elimination". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  19. ^ Hampp, Andrew (December 8, 2012). "Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, One Direction and More Light Up NYC at Z100 Jingle Ball". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  20. ^ Sheffield, Rob (March 28, 2013). "Taylor Swift's 'Red' Tour: Her Amps Go Up to 22". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 26, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  21. ^ Iasimone, Ashley. "All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed On Her Reputation Stadium Tour B-Stage (So Far)". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 8, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  22. ^ Robbins, Michael (October 25, 2012). "Taylor Swift, 'Red' (Big Machine)". Spin. Archived from the original on December 12, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
  23. ^ Keefe, Jonathan (October 22, 2012). "Taylor Swift: Red". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
  24. ^ Sargent, Jordan (June 16, 2017). "Listen to Taylor Swift's Red, One of the Best Pop Albums of Our Time". Spin. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  25. ^ "The 100 Best Deep Cuts by 21st Century Pop Stars: Critics' Picks". Billboard. November 21, 2017. Archived from the original on November 23, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  26. ^ "All 158 Taylor Swift Songs, ranked". Paste. February 11, 2020. Archived from the original on April 13, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  27. ^ Jones, Nate (August 13, 2020). "Taylor Swift Songs, Ranked from Worst to Best". New York. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  28. ^ a b "Taylor Swift – State of Grace". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  29. ^ a b "Chart Track: Week 42, 2012". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  30. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  31. ^ a b "Taylor Swift – State of Grace". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  32. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  33. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  34. ^ a b "American single certifications – Taylor Swift – State of Grace". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  35. ^ "State of Grace – Single by Taylor Swift". iTunes Store. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2014.

Citations

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