Taylor Swift: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Watch Taylor Swift play "The Man", "Lover", "Death by a Thousand Cuts" and "All Too Well" at the Tiny Desk.

More from NPR Music:

Oct. 15, 2019 | Lyndsey McKenna -- As Taylor Swift settled in for her Tiny Desk, she looked out at the 300-plus NPR employees and guests. "Wow! This is a lot of people in a tiny office!" she said. "I love it!" Then, after introducing herself, she explained her objective: "I just decided to take this as an opportunity to show you guys how the songs sounded when I first wrote them."

It should come as no surprise that someone who commands stadium stages could hold court in NPR Music's corner of our Washington, D.C., office — specifically, behind Bob Boilen's desk — but Swift was truly at home in stripped-down, solo-session mode. ("It's just me. There's no dancers, unfortunately," she quipped.)

Opening with an acoustic rendition of "The Man," from her 2019 album, Lover, Swift delivered a critique of gender double standards with a sense of humor (and a perfectly deployed hair toss), Leonardo DiCaprio name check and all. Turning to the piano with a smile for Lover's title track, she explained the guitar-string scars of the song's bridge. Picking up the guitar again for "Death by a Thousand Cuts," Swift confronted a question that she says has haunted her career: What will you ever do if you get happy? Across the song's run-on thoughts and relentless searching, Swift offered an answer: She'll continue to excel at crafting superb story-songs.

Though most Tiny Desk concerts stop at three songs, we couldn't turn down the chance to hear "All Too Well" from Swift's 2012 album, Red. Routinely cited by critics and fans alike as a favorite, the beloved track has become the stuff of Swiftie legends, striking in its specificity (that scarf!) and relatable in a way that anyone who has loved and lost can understand.

That sense of connection is at the heart of it all. Some 800 Tiny Desk concerts since we published our very first back in April 2008, the aim remains the same: In the midst of meetings and conference calls, Tiny Desk concerts offer respite from the workday and opportunities to see artists reimagine their work in a strange setting. It's always special, but on some days, it feels downright magical. Watching Taylor Swift perform — and then interact with co-workers and guests who have grown up with her — was simply enchanting.

SET LIST
"The Man"
"Lover"
"Death by a Thousand Cuts"
"All Too Well"

MUSICIAN
Taylor Swift: vocals, guitar, piano

CREDITS
Producers: Bob Boilen, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineers: Josh Rogosin, Natasha Branch; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Kara Frame, Maia Stern; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Production Assistants: Jack Corbett, Mito Habe-Evans; Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Bob Boilen/NPR

[nprmusic]

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[tenaya]

folklore is literally the perfect album for a tiny desk concert

[gm.]

i love how she always says “i’m taylor” like everyone knows she’s taylor, she’s taylor freaking swift.

[joaoandrade]

It's crazy rewatching this and seeing that once we didn't had the 10 minute version...

[SeptemberSoldier]

I finally understand the appeal of Taylor. She makes you feel as if you’re in on the secret, a fantasy world of bedsheets hung up to form a backdrop for a theater production in a tree house, of friends lying on the grass giggling at the stars, where cool kids or nerdy kids don’t matter, and all that matters is that you’re laughing in the moment. The power of her worldcraft is amazing.

[TokyoBlue]

I just became a fan of hers in 2020 with Folklore & Evermore, and have realized how much I was missing out on. Now I’m watching and listening to all of her stuff. Her lyrics are wonderful, she’s really talented.

[gabzd]

All Too Well really hits different every single time you hear it.

[nwemvjp]

I'm a 79 yr old man. I looked her up because I watched David Brooks quote her lyrics on npr last night.
Now I see what I have been missing. I second all the other positive comments on this thread.

[stewdogg]

All Too Well is legit one of the best songs I’ve ever heard.

[lolaestevez]

the way she talks about her songs before singing them, explaining why or how she wrote them and what they are about. you know she´s a real artist when she does stuff like this

[arakanecofi]

2:32 - The Man
9:00 - Lover
16:02 - Death by a thousand cuts
22:58 - All to well

[WisconsinWanderer]

I’m a 67 year old guy and this young lady gives me so much joy in how much of a genuine person she really is. She truly is wonderful artist thank you Taylor 😊

[vanessaolea]

I may not have seen too many of these but all the ones I have seen are main artists singing with two or three people on the instruments and she went it there alone just her singing songs she wrote, playing instruments and connecting with an audience. Just showcases all her talent fr.

[VanshikaGulati]

so, apparently, when she's happy we get things like folklore and evermore

[damnednation]

Tiny Desk: Making you fall in love with artists you've never heard of, then making you fall in love with artists you thought you'd heard enough of.

[catherinetong]

Last line from Death by a Thousand Cuts..."I ask the traffic lights if it will be alright...they say i dont know" is an amazing way to say you're trying to see if you can move on or not but you don't get the sign.

[vanessamax]

"so casually cruel in the name of being honest" best lyricccc

[iago]

This and her Netflix doc have really changed my perception of her... she’s a super talented musician that deserves respect.

And homegirl is a talker 🗣

[mariawilliams]

I’m an older gal but whenever I listen to her songs, boy can she stir up those feelings, some forgotten, some remembered, some happy & sad. Such an amazing, talented artist to be able to connect with so many people traversing this life journey. When she presents her creativity in such a pared down, vulnerable raw & simple way, it’s just the best. She’s a gift to us all. 🩷

[seoule]

so embarrassed I've been so prejudiced based on her image never bothered to find out until now. thanks tiny desk for this opprtunity to, albeit on the late side, correct myself. deepest apologies to taylor s. you're so talented! thanks for this performance.