Taylor Swift VMAs 2010: "Innocent" Lyrics Reflect on Kanye West Incident

Taylor Swift performs at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010, in Los Angeles.

/ AP Photo/Matt Sayles

NEW YORK (CBS/AP) Taylor Swift took to the stage at Sunday's Video Music Awards with something to say - and this time, no one interrupted her.

The 20-year-old delivered a poignant ode that referenced her run-in with Kanye West at last year's show.

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Her performance began with a video montage of the debacle and then she went on to sing about last year's incident, when he hijacked her VMA acceptance speech to announce that fellow nominee Beyonce should have won.

The song's lyrics included the line: "Who you are is not what you did." She also said: "32 is still growing up now ... you're still an innocent."

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2010 VMAs Highlights

"Everyone of us has messed up, too," she sang. "I hope you remember today is never too late to be brand new."

The song, titled "Innocent," will appear on her upcoming album, "Speak," due in October.

West also performed on Sunday night. While he didn't address the trophy-gate incident directly, he rapped and sang a song that mocked the boorish behavior that has upstaged his music.

"I always find something wrong; you've been putting up with my (expletive) for too long," he said, before launching into the unprintable chorus, which included the line, "Let's have a toast to scumbags."

[twosides]

Late... anyway, I agree Kanye was wrong, but in bringing up that video clip and making a song about forgiving, of all people, Kanye West... it shows me that this young lady must need some psychological help right alongside West. Sooo... does this mean we have to look forward to next year and Kanye accepting her apology through song? I agree with the poster annac8...

As for last year's awards show where the initial incident happened... Jay Z performed with Alicia Keyes and Lil Mama come on stage (uninvited to a rehearsed performance) and no one got all bent out of shape about that! Jay Z talked about that in a radio program...

The industry is a cruel place...much more cruel than Kanye West but sadly, we don't see it (well, I do because I deal with it). On a brighter note, Linking Park's performance at the Griffith Park Observatory was absolutely sick!

[ashmarie123]

he totally deserved this! i mean dang how would you like to be standing infront of billions of people and get embarassed!!! rock on taylor you are awesome!

[annac8]

I'm the same age as Taylor and honestly I don't consider her mature at all. Most of her songs are about fairytales, the boy who doesn't like her, the boy who broke up with her on the phone etc. I could see if you are 13 years old how this would be appealing but for me it's unrealistic as I juggle school, work and have bills to pay. My intimate relationships are adult ones and I do not have the time to sit idly by and wait for a phone call from my crush.
That being said I think anyone who was in doubt that this wasn't a publicity stunt last year needs to sit down and re-watch this years VMA's. Why would they even invite Kanye back in the first place if everyone considers what he did to her so awful?
He didn't rape her, it wasn't the oscars, it wasn't the end of the world. Rude? Yes, of course, but her whole career is centered around being the victim and I do not find that charming and endearing as other people may.

[christi2222]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU....I TOTALLY AGREE 100%

[ImWonderstruck]

Honestly, nobody asked if you thought she was mature.
And in her prologue on her CD, it said these were songs she wrote and words she should have said when the moment was right. Kanye West did, am I right? Yeah. And besides it's not like she was dissing the guy. She FORGAVE him. That's pretty mature to me.
And maybe it wasn't the end of the world, but still. Anyways, what you had to say was just an opinion. Personally I disagree. But whatever. I think she's a very special young lady.

[peopleinusa]

people people, what kanye did was not only really rude it was cruel and embarrasing and none of this has to do with the color of his skin. if you were taylor swift and even though he said sorry could you really ever forgive him for ruining your acceptance speech. obviously ya taylor''s song was foccused toward kanye but that just means absolutley nothing i am honestly a hardcore taylor swift fan but if i was a hardcore kanyewest fan i'd be saying the exact same thing even the president said something about it too so if people still haven't forgot about and moved on in a year clearly nobody that was at the vmas they menchened it 20 times who cares so ya thats what i have to say!

[jackee10]

I am a Kanye West fan forever. I think Kanye said what alot of people were thinking that day and wanted to say, but he just did it Kanye West way. ;). It was funny to me and alot of other people as well. LMAO

[emeralds_green]

LOL, you just don't get it. Not everyone is into your type of music and not hers. But she was big in her genre, and some people who do not normally like country liked her songs also. Are you that dense?

[kyleedick54]

Wow. I hope one day you have a little girl and she gets an award and she gets made fun of. A kanye way? Really? you are an idiot. There is no reason to bash someone else like them or not it wasnt his award.And obviously not a lot of people thought she shouldnt of got Best Female Video because she won. So shut up retard.

[tbaby0220]

Obama called kanye west a jacka$$, it was justified...but i'm sure the president isn't still talking about it.

[annbix29]

Kayne West is a jerk. He is old enough and famous enough to be past all of this. What he did to Talor Swift was unproffesional and outright rude. It does not matter what color either one of them are. There is respect to all colors not just one. So the race thing is a joke it is 2010 and all people no matter there race should be treated the same with respect.
He needs to hold up his end on his apology to Tayor Swift who is just as talented as he is in her own respect and show her some respect. Did Kanye have this kind of talent when he was 19??? Its the VMA's everyone enjoy cut the fighting out Kanye.

[KimberlyCasey]

http://www.aspensquare.com/blog/archive/2010/09/13/kanye-vs-taylor-swift-ndash-who-handled-it-better.aspx

Kanye talking about himself yet again, Taylor showing growth as a person and ability to forgive. Who do you think handled it better?

[annac8]

Kanye has apologized over and over again this whole year, Taylor has even said she's moved on and what does she do? Bring it up again at the VMA's and base her entire solo performance around it. Imo, Taylor should've done a different song. The VMA's are about MUSIC, god forbid they actually perform instead of reminding everyone what happened over a year ago. The horse is dead already.

[twosides]

Taylor needed to let it go and sing something that had nothing to do with Kanye West, let alone leave that video clip in the past. I was disappointed that she did that; made me think of women who can't get over a break up with a boyfriend/significant other. But... if that is what she had to do to feel justified, then so be it. I am sure she knows that everyone has seen all about this silliness for a year and hopefully, many people could have cared less....
In reality, we don't know either of these two people... so why argue about it?

[Shells101]

Bla, bla, bla! GET OVER IT! Beyonce saved her day back then...it's an awards show, and her celebrity soared afterwards! SPARE ME, SPARE ME, SPARE ME! Kanye was dead wrong, he admitted it, apologized, now stop reacting because you saw a black man take the microphone from a white women. If she were a black woman, you wouldn't care! If it were a black women, and Kanye were a white man, I seriously doubt the situation would have reached this magnitude over an MTV award! People act like she was recieving the noble peace prize! Kanye's performance was genius, and once again...he stole the show!

[jenn0526]

Give me a break...playing the race card? I mean this is the 21st century, not everything is about color. It had no difference what color Kayne or Taylor is. It is the fact that he was a 31 year old ADULT who bashed on a 19 year old. Anyone who would have done that is a ****-head. It doesn't matter on race or gender. And if you think Kayne is still great after his act last year, then you have some soul searching to do, because no matter who was on that stage, it was immature and selfish and downright ignorant to do what he did.

[tbaby0220]

Its perfectly logical to play the race card because racism is alive and well...it may not be to the point of segregation; and, yes, we all have equal rights but the fact of the matter is there are different unwritten rules as to what is acceptable for black people to "get away with" versus what white people can "get away with". And if the races were reversed it wouldn't have been as big a deal and people wouldn't be talking about it a year later...its just the way it is. I'm not saying Kanye wasn't wrong but what else would you like for him to do? Community service, give blood, jail time? He apologized - he admitted he was wrong..LET IT GO.

[theywerestrongandgood]

She's written an excellent song and given us all some encouragement on forgiveness, both of ourselves and others. It's kind of stunning hearing those lyrics from such a young woman, and it reveals, perhaps more than she realizes, the pain she has suffered this year. All those who somehow have chosen to blame her and send their animosity her way just for being West's victim should take heed. Maybe it's time for the Swift bashers to treat Swift as an "innocent."

[pak31]

True, but I am starting to get tired of them going back and forth with each other. Enough already. She really seems to hold onto a grudge too much. BUT, that being said she is very young and she's just trying to find herself still. I agree she's innocent and I am sorry for how he acted toward her but she didn't do anything wrong. HE made the jerk out of himself and actions speak louder than words, IMO. She came out the winner without having to say anything. I do hope she can move on from this, it's been too long for her to be dealing with this.