Taylor Swift's "Mean" girl moment leads to CMA nomination

Nov 04, 2011 11:57 AM by Sara McGinnis

Posted in Entertainment / Music

Taylor Swift Gets Songwriter Accolades

Taylor Swift's "Mean" not only gave the songstress a chance to hit back at critics, it's earned her a long-awaited Country Music Award nomination!

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is known by legions of fans as an incredible singer and performer, but it's thanks to her hit song "Mean" that the young star is getting recognition -- long overdue in many people's opinion -- for her way with lyrics.

Taylor Swift, pictured here during her Speak Now World Tour 2011, has been nominated for song of the year by the Country Music Association. This specific award goes to the song's writer -- not the performer.

Commenting on Taylor Swift's "Mean" nomination, Scott Borchetta, the head of her label, said, "Respectfully, it's about time. I don't think she gets near the props she deserves for her songwriting. I've been in the business with Taylor for almost seven years now and her songs were great when I met her at 14."

Taylor Swift told the Associated Press, "Getting a CMA nomination for 'Mean' was definitely a jumping-up-and-down moment for me because this song is really close to my heart."

The 20-year-old, who has be recognized by a number of other organizations for her songwriting skills, continued, "I'm so thrilled it was nominated for song of the year because it's a song that I wrote on a really, really bad day, but it has produced so many happy days for me since."

Here's a sampling of Taylor Swift's "Mean" lyrics:

You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again got me feeling like I'm nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard, calling me out when I'm wounded
You, pickin' on the weaker man

Well, you can take me down with just one single blow
But you don't know what you don't know
Someday I'll be living in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Why you gotta be so mean?

"She's just been on an amazing streak," Borchetta added of Taylor Swift. "Whatever her surroundings, wherever she happened to be, this is what she saw. And (the songs) are very sophisticated. They're very catchy. She's a brilliant songwriter and if you ask any of the other artists who are hip to her, they know. So I'm thrilled the CMA has acknowledged her."

Congratulations to Taylor Swift on the CMA nomination!