For another perspective on Taylor Swift, listen to her song "Ronan" and prepare

[pnwmom]

Last edited Thu Feb 8, 2024, 02:27 AM - Edit history (4)

to get your heart ripped out. (Assuming you have a heart.)

The video is at this link.

https://www.today.com/popculture/mom-boy-who-inspired-taylor-swift-s-ronan-reacts-song-t238933?fbclid=IwAR3Kjnq3Dl9NqRIgB--AG93b5iuh2qjvdVXchWM2E9bO_MwAn1jXoU71RNY

One of Taylor Swift’s most heartbreaking songs is her 2012 ballad “Ronan,” which honors a 4-year-old boy who had died from cancer the year before.

Originally, Swift, 31, released “Ronan” nine years ago as a charity single exclusive to iTunes. Now Swift is including a new edition of the song on “Red (Taylor’s Version),” the re-recording of her fourth studio album, “Red.”

After Ronan died, his mother Maya started a foundation to help find cures for childhood cancer. About a year later, the phone rang.

Maya gets a call that begins “Hey Maya, it’s Taylor Swift…” Taylor has written a song based on Maya’s blog. “I wrote a song for Ronan,” she says. Taylor performs the song on Stand Up 2 Cancer, which is nationally televised. All of Taylor's profits of the song went to cancer charities; all of Maya’s profits went to The Ronan Foundation. She titles the song simply: “Ronan.”. Taylor Swift continues to be a supporter of the foundation, an advocate for children with cancer and maintains a close relationship with Maya.

https://ronanfoundation.org/story?fbclid=IwAR1njZsJlefITo4TVKX-jxlgVjD2CBSl5Tmd0D0Uj7HziAzztG0yvCnOPrM

More about Maya and Taylor Swift here.
https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-ronan-meaning-49170020

Maya also added that her relationship with Swift means "everything" to her and that she keeps it private because she "would never want to exploit it." But Maya explained that Swift had "anchored" Ronan to this world, and she hopes fans who hear his song look into how childhood cancers are underfunded and need more attention and research. Per the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, just four percent of the government's annual spending on cancer research goes to childhood cancer.

Maya, Taylor, and Ronan's new baby sister, born two years after his death.

Link to tweet

[consider_this]

1. question...

I did not listen yet, but I will, however, I have tried to 'get with it' and learn more what she's about and I notice there are ton's of her things that say they have a 'Taylor's version' - it is almost like a brand or something.
Can you explain what that is exactly? I mean, if they are her songs, aren't they already her version - so appending that is not computing for me. Hope you can help me understand that nuance? thanks!

[blm]

4. Her early recordings were sold to an investment group.

She re-recorded all of them. And her fans bought them…..again.

[consider_this]

10. thank you, got another reply too so thanks to you both

[pnwmom]

5. I think I understand this now. Her original contract with a record company was signed at age 15.

That contract allowed the company to sell her music to another record company a few years ago, and that company sold the rights to her music to an investment banking company.

For a time, because of that original contract, she wasn't even allowed to perform her own music onstage at her own concerts.

She finally reached the date in the contract that meant she could re-record her old music; and the new recordings -- Taylor's version -- would then belong to her. And she found another record company that supported her in keeping the rights to her own music from now on.

[consider_this]

9. WTF - bogus, but good for her...

I actually now remember hearing about this - so don't Spotify anything that is not her version then, right?

I recall a good segment recently on Rick Beato's channel of all the various ways the record company's raked over artist in various ways to profit unduly off of them.

[pnwmom]

11. Right. Profits from a "Taylor's version" of an old song go to Taylor and her charities.

Profits from other old songs go to the investment bankers.

(She is happy with her arrangement with her current record company.)

[AllaN01Bear]

14. goes to show u, license only do not sell rights .

[Silent Type]

7. Better posts above. Not up on details. But she's redoing some old albums/songs over a dispute with record label.

Or something close.

[flying rabbit]

8. I think that she rerecorded her songs

to get out of an egregious record company contract. So they they were her versions. Not entirely sure.

[pnwmom]

20. Here's an example from an old article. It originally had a link to her song Ronan

but the link now says it was "disabled due to copyright infringement."

So she was prevented for years from sharing her own music -- till she was allowed, under the terms of the contract, to record her old songs.

https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/taylor-swift-tears-up-talking-about-cancer-performs-ronan-2015188/?ref=popsugar.com&=___psv__p_49170020__t_w__r_www.google.com%2F_

[blm]

2. Oh my.

🥹

[Silent Type]

3. While unique, she reminds me of Dolly Parton. Both make the world better.

[pnwmom]

6. I agree. They both seem to have a lot of warmth, and empathy. nt

[NNadir]

12. Well, she surely isn't a Republican.

[summer_in_TX]

13. Oh man. Heartbreaking and beautiful

Love her insight and empathy in "Ronan." I have yet to become familiar with her music, but love what I've heard.

[Deuxcents]

15. This might be the first song I've heard and I'm touched how she captured the love and the pain

This story tells. It’s sweet and beautiful and if Ronan’s mom cherishes it, even better because it was for her. I don’t care about the business end of the record companies..they’ve rarely given a fair shake to the artist..especially the ones who wanted to control their own creatively.

[pnwmom]

17. Since Taylor isn't a mother herself, it was especially amazing to me

that this tribute to a 4 year old's life and death was composed and put together so beautifully. She credits Maya as being the co-writer, and it isn't clear which words came straight from Maya -- but Taylor, who had read Maya's blog, could see the beauty and heartbreak and had the talent to make something that Maya and her husband will cherish always.

And this music has benefited even more people through the donations to the cancer charities.

[Deuxcents]

19. Very nicely said.

[consider_this]

16. Wow - and the lyrics...

the bold line - what a true way to say it:

flowers pile up in the worse way
no one knows what to say
about a beautiful boy who died

[pnwmom]

18. And this part. The whole song had me crying from beginning to end, but especially

Come on, baby, with me
We're gonna fly away from here
Out of this curtained room
In this hospital grey, we'll just disappear
Come on, baby, with me
We're gonna fly away from here
You were my best four years


To put this into context, on Ronan's foundation page, I'd read this:

Ronan’s little body could not fight anymore, his little organs were failing. His family did everything they could to keep him comfortable. Surrounded by his Mama, Dad, and big brothers, Ronan let go and stopped fighting. His Mama kept whispering in his ear, “Come with me, Ronan. Let’s get out of here." He ended his battle with Neuroblastoma on May 9, 2011. Maya made a promise to Ronan to continue to fight for him until people start listening, survival rates improve, and one day, a cure is found.

https://ronanfoundation.org/story?fbclid=IwAR1njZsJlefITo4TVKX-jxlgVjD2CBSl5Tmd0D0Uj7HziAzztG0yvCnOPrM

[North Shore Chicago]

21. Ms. Swift

brings empathy and kindness wherever she goes.