The film adaptation of Delia Owens's acclaimed novel Where the Crawdads Sing is about to be released in theaters on July 15th. In addition to a cast that includes Daisy Edgar-Jones and a production team led by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine, the film incorporates an original composition by 11-time Grammy Award winner Taylor Swift.
This is not the first time Swift has dabbled in writing songs for motion pictures, and she has even appeared in a few films as an actress. Several of Swift's original film songs have gone on to be just as popular with fans as he traditionally released work.
"Crazier" from Hannah Montana: The Movie
Hannah Montana: The Movie followed in the footsteps of The Lizzie McGuire Movie as the second film adaptation of a Disney Channel Original Series to be released theatrically. The film continued to follow the adventures of Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), who leads a double life as a normal teenager and as a pop star.
"Crazier" is a country-pop ballad written and performed by Swift, who also makes an appearance in the movie as herself. Hannah Montana: The Movie was released less than a year after Swift's second studio album Fearless, which would become her breakthrough into the mainstream. Of all these Swift songs, "Crazier" sounds the most juvenile and innocent, with a pleasant melody but without the kind of sophisticated lyrics that would become emblematic of her songwriting.
"Sweeter Than Fiction" from One Chance
David Frankel's 2013 film One Chance is perhaps more under the radar than the other films for which Swift composed original music. This movie starring James Corden (prior to his larger mainstream success) tells the true story of operatic tenor Paul Potts and his journey towards winning Britain's Got Talent.
"Sweeter Than Fiction," which earned Swift a Golden Globe nomination, is an uptempo pop track and was released in between her albums Red and 1989. This is particularly significant since Swift was making the careful transition from country music to mainstream pop during this time. "Sweeter Than Fiction" makes that transition feel simple and breezy, which is also thanks to Swift's collaboration with then relative newcomer Jack Antonoff.
"Beautiful Ghosts" from Cats
Tom Hooper's critically reviled fantasy movie Cats was an adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's successful Broadway musical, which itself was inspired by the poems by T.S. Eliot. Swift played Bombalurina, and although the film was a box office bomb and was widely panned, Swift was largely exempt from criticism.
Swift's original song "Beautiful Ghosts," a collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber himself, should not be forgotten even if the film surrounding it did not rise to the standards of the song. Written for the protagonist played by Francesca Hayward, "Beautiful Ghosts" represents a different genre for Swift: musical theatre. Perhaps with better material, Swift can continue to explore her songwriting abilities in these waters too.
"Eyes Open" from The Hunger Games
"Eyes Open" is one of two songs Swift contributed to the soundtrack of the first installment of the popular franchise based on Suzanne Collins's young adult novels. The dystopian action-adventure film directed by Gary Ross launched then indie actress Jennifer Lawrence into mainstream Hollywood.
"Eyes Open" is a rock-pop track produced by Nathan Chapman, who was a frequent collaborator of Swift's on her album Red, which came out during the time of the film's promotion and release. "Eyes Open" features some of Swift's more confident vocals. She flips effortlessly between a breathy falsetto and a resonant belt.
"Today Was A Fairytale" from Valentine's Day
Swift's Hollywood acting debut was in Garry Marshall's romantic comedy Valentine's Day alongside an ensemble cast that included Julia Roberts and Anne Hathaway. Although the film was not well received, it was commercially successful and spawned a series of holiday-themed ensemble films.
Taylor Swift's role in the film may have been limited, but "Today was a Fairytale" remains the gem to remember from her involvement in this film. The dreamscape country-pop aesthetic is reminiscent of her work on the Fearless album, so much so that when Swift re-recorded Fearless in 2021, she included this track as part of her version of the album.
"Only the Young" from Miss Americana
The 2020 Netflix documentary Miss Americana chronicles Swift's experience primarily during the creation of her albums Reputation and Lover. The documentary showed a more vulnerable side to Swift and took a closer look at the difficulties of navigating fame in the male-dominated music industry.
The original song "Only the Young" reflects another recurring theme in the documentary, which is Swift's growing political voice. This pop ear-worm, which she wrote with producer Joel Little, seeks to provide a sense of optimism for young minds and voters in a bleak political time in America.
"Carolina" from Where The Crawdads Sing
The newest addition to Swift's catalog is her song for the upcoming Where The Crawdads Sing. Despite all her contributions to various movie soundtracks, Taylor Swift has yet to receive a highly coveted Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. Perhaps "Carolina" will change that.
"Carolina" is a folk ballad, recorded using spare instrumentation that reminds fans of Swift's most recent ventures into indie folk and chamber pop with the sister albums folklore and evermore. As she did with those albums, Swift collaborated with producer Aaron Dessner to create a haunting, spooky piece that leans heavily on low whispers and breathy vocals.
"I Don't Wanna Live Forever" from Fifty Shades Darker
The popular but controversial Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy may not carry the same level of prestige as Where the Crawdads Sing does, but the soundtracks of these films are full of sensual contemporary pop hits, including "Love Me Like You Do" by Ellie Goulding and the Oscar-nominated "Earned it" by the Weeknd.
"I Don't Wanna Live Forever" is a duet between Swift and ZAYN of the boy band One Direction. Once again, Swift worked with pop producer/lyricist Jack Antonoff on this track. Together, they created an erotic electropop hit that builds nicely to an explosive final chorus.
"Safe and Sound" from The Hunger Games
The best song Taylor Swift has written for a motion picture soundtrack is undoubtedly "Safe and Sound" featuring The Civil Wars. "Safe and Sound" was a collaboration between Swift and legendary musician/producer T-Bone Burnett. The song served as a successful promotional single for the film's soundtrack.
"Safe and Sound" has all the elements of a classic Swiftian composition: visceral lyrical imagery, strong song structure, and an emotionally effective progression from her signature breathy falsetto to her chest voice. "Safe and Sound" may have been snubbed by the Academy back in 2012, but it is widely regarded as Taylor Swift's best song written for cinema so far.