Taylor Lautner isn’t too worried about being the subject of the re-recorded “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” coming out July 7.
Appearing Tuesday on “Today,” Lautner and his wife, whose name is also Taylor, promoted their podcast “The Squeeze.” When asked about “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” which the singer recently announced will come out this summer, Lautner didn’t have any bad blood.
“I think it’s a great album. Yeah, I feel safe,” he said, according to Today.com. “Praying for John.”
Swift dated Lautner briefly before “Speak Now” came out, and it is believed that she wrote “Back to December” about him. They appeared together as a couple in “Valentine’s Day” (2010) during the period they dated.
Lautner’s joking reference to John Mayer, who Swift also previously dated, has more validity. Swift wrote the nearly seven-minute ballad “Dear John” about the “In the Blood” singer, even mimicking his signature guitar licks. Swift featured on Mayer’s “Half of My Heart,” and he in turn seemingly wrote “Paper Doll,” which has references to the number 22 and red (Swift is known for her red lipstick and song “22”) about Swift.
Jake Gyllenhaal experienced a similar anticipatory spotlight when “Red (Taylor’s Version)” came out Nov. 2022. Gyllenhaal seemed to be the target of “All Too Well” and “We Are Never Getting Back Together” on Swift’s fourth album, so when the ten-minute version of “All Too Well” came out, Swifties experienced went after him all over again.
Swift’s latest album “Midnights” contains a song called “Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve” that references her “at 19” which is the same age she dated John Mayer, as she previously sang in “Dear John.” The Swifties rose up in defense after hearing that 3AM track as well.
“Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” will have six more “From the Vault” songs, or songs Swift supposedly wrote during her various album eras that didn’t make it onto the finished products.