We’ve heard Taylor Swift described as many things, in many ways. But Batman? I did not see that coming.
Dave Grohl was in Cannes for a private performance, and before he played his song he told a long anecdote about being at a party with Paul McCartney. Paul gets up to sing a song, and then, inevitably, Dave is asked to follow. And I guess, as a famous musician, you can’t say no if Paul McCartney has said yes. That just makes you seem like an asshole.
But Dave was (slightly) high, doesn’t know how to play the piano, and only had access to Paul’s left-handed instruments. He’s (slightly) freaking out, and then he hears a voice from the crowd. A volunteer tribute. It’s Taylor Swift, and she jumps on stage. Dave Grohl is SAVED. By Taylor Swift (who he then refers to as Batman).
And I guess this is where I’m supposed to rag on her for being a try-hard. For being the girl who always has her hand up in class, ready to answer the teacher’s question. But you know what? Good for her. Put your goddamn hand up, Taylor. Because when she got to the piano, do you know what she played? A Foo Fighters song. So, to reiterate, Dave did not know how to play his own song on the piano, and Taylor did. And then he joined her onstage to jam.
If you know the answer, why wouldn’t you put your hand up? To paraphrase Mindy Kaling, know your sh-t and show your sh-t. Because how would being meek, or quiet, or not showing that she can play a Foo Fighters song in front of the lead singer of the Foo Fighters, benefit Taylor Swift?
And before you eye-roll her, what if John Mayer or Keith Urban had gotten up to play with Dave? Then it would be considered a jam session between contemporaries. Taylor deserves to be on stage with Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl as much as any rock, pop, hip hop, R&B etc. musicians. More than almost all of them, actually.
My only complaint is that she should have played Big Me (the acoustic version was my wedding song). I’d be looking for a bootleg of that.
