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A connection between Nathan Chapman and John Shanks isn't just that they produced some teenpop;* Chapman was actually something of a John Shanks acolyte. Don't know if they ever worked together but Chapman specifically modeled himself on Shanks. And to my mind (don't know about theirs), they're each fundamentally rock guys, which may be one reason "Should've Said No" sounds so ferocious. Another reason it sounds so ferocious, of course, is Taylor Swift.

*And of course Shanks produced much that wasn't categorized as teenpop.

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Googled this and found a reputable source confirming: some guy named koganbot https://koganbot.livejournal.com/223637.html

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Can't find the original podcast you mention but here's a newer interview I should probably listen to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnHBy5G3P-4&t=8s

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On other songwriters not writing songs for Taylor Swift's first album: "It's like poker -- you get dealt a two-three off suit, then you fold, and then the flop's a 2-2-3. Well, how would you know?"

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Taylor convo starts in earnest around 36:00.

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So far his description of the relationship w/ Taylor reminds me a LOT of Skye Sweetnam and James Robertson in the studio, though I think James R was even younger than Chapman (who was 28 when Swift was 14).

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Also an interesting conversation about how FAST the songwriting process was between album one and album two. Album two was being written without any indication that anyone would necessarily hear it, even though by the time that album was released you get profiles like Caramanica's. In Chapman's mind, the pressure wasn't really on until "Speak Now," at which point "Fearless" had already won AOTY at the Grammys. The interviewer: "She has stayed legitimately A1 for...15 years!" <--I know!!!

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I think the fact that the video for "Teardrops On My Guitar" was set in a *high school* was a big factor in the song's breaking pop and teenpop.

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