The track “Untouchable,” featured on the Platinum Edition of Taylor Swift’s blockbuster album Fearless (2008), is a unique entry in her heavily self-penned catalog. It’s a cover song, but its journey—and Swift’s profound re-imagining of it—is a masterclass in musical interpretation that resulted in a rare, voluntary gift: a co-writing credit from the original artists. Taylor Swift’s cover of “Untouchable” left fans stunned when they learned it was originally a Rock song by Luna Halo, as they couldn’t believe she had done such a great job of altering the melody that the original band had to give her co-writing credit for the song.
From Garage Rock to Grand Ballad: How Taylor Swift Transformed “Untouchable”
The song was initially a fast-paced, edgy Rock track by the Nashville band Luna Halo, released in 2007 on their self-titled album. Written by Cary Barlowe, Nathan Barlowe, and Tommy Lee James, the original “Untouchable” was far removed from the dreamy, country-pop ballad Swift’s fans know and adore. The stunning shift in sound is what left fans—and the original writers—in awe. Swift completely stripped the song down, dramatically slowing the tempo and replacing the gritty guitars with a soft, piano-driven melody and lush vocal arrangement. The Data Point: Luna Halo’s Nathan Barlowe confirmed the extent of the alteration, noting that while the chorus remained largely true to the original, Swift “changed the verse quite a bit” and the melody of the verses was nearly unrecognizable.
The Transformation: A Shift in Genre and Melody
The Credit: Because of the significant melodic and compositional changes Taylor Swift made to the song, the original writers willingly granted her a co-writing credit on her version. This acknowledgement solidified the fact that her arrangement was far more than a simple cover; it was a fundamental re-composition, earning her a spot alongside Cary Barlowe, Nathan Barlowe, and Tommy Lee James in the writing credits for both Fearless (Platinum Edition) and the later re-recording, Untouchable (Taylor’s Version) (2021). Related Notable Event: The Power of the Cover: This event demonstrates the immense respect a major artist can earn from the songwriting community. Luna Halo’s decision was not a contractual obligation, but a recognition of Swift’s artistic contribution. Furthermore, Swift’s cover brought massive, unexpected attention to the rock band. As Nathan Barlowe himself stated, the cover led to “so many YouTube hits” for the original version, allowing an indie rock band to reach millions of fans through the biggest name in country-pop music at the time. This crossover success highlights how the music industry can sometimes foster collaboration and recognition across different genres, enriching the careers of both the original artist and the interpreter.