Speak Now
Speak Now: Story
'Speak now or forever hold your peace,' the words said by preachers at the end of wedding ceremonies all over the world, right before the vows. It's a last chance for protest, a moment that makes everyone's heart race, and a moment I've always been strangely fascinated by. So many fantasize about bursting into a church, saying what they'd kept inside for years like in the movies. In real life, it rarely happens.
Real life is a funny thing, you know. In real life, saying the right thing at the right moment is beyond crucial. So crucial, in fact, that most of us start to hesitate, for fear of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. But lately what I've begun to fear more than that is letting the moment pass without saying anything.
I think most of us fear reaching the end of our life, and looking back regretting the moments we didn't speak up. When we didn't say 'I love you.' When we should've said 'I'm sorry.' When we didn't stand up for ourselves or someone who needed help.
These songs are made up of words I didn't say when the moment was right in front of me. These songs are open letters. Each is written with a specific person in mind, telling them what I meant to tell them in person. To the beautiful boy whose heart I broke in December. To my first love who I never thought would be my first heartbreak. To my band. To a mean man I used to be afraid of. To someone who made my world very dark for a while. To a girl who stole something of mine. To someone I forgive for what he said in front of the whole world.
Speak Now
Mine
(Taylor Swift)
Mine: Story
Lately I've had this bad habit of running away from love. Kind of getting to the place where it's about to commit, and then you just, like, run in the opposite direction. "Mine" is about the idea that I could find someone who would be the exception to that, someone who would be so sturdy and so much of a sure thing that I wouldn't run from it. Sometimes I look back on a lot of examples that I've seen of love, long term, and a lot of times it doesn't work out. There are goodbyes and people get really hurt, so I tend to be a little 'run-awayish.' But I'm never past hoping that at some point that could change.
This song is the first single because it has this…there was this moment between Nathan and I, my producer, when I brought this song in and when we made this demo in one day in his basement and we just kinda looked at each other and we were like, "This is it. This is the one. All of the times that I've had "The Moment" with songs of "This is the one," it's been a good call, so I'm hoping for the best on this one. Wish me luck.
Mine: Lyrics
You were in college working part time waiting tables
Left a small town never looked back
I was a flight risk with a fear of falling
Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts
I say can you believe it?
As we're lying on the couch
The moment I could see it
Yes, yes I can see it now
Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?
You put your arm around me for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
Flash forward and we're taking on the world together
And there's a drawer of my things at your place
You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes
But we got bills to pay, we got nothing figured out
When it was hard to take
Yes, yes, this is what I thought about
Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?
You put your arm around me for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
Do you remember all the city lights on the water?
You saw me start to believe for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
And I remember that fight, 2:30 am
As everything was slipping right out of our hands
I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street
Braced myself for the goodbye
Cause that's all I've ever known
Then you took me by surprise
You said I'll never leave you alone
You said I remember how we felt sitting by the water
And every time I look at you, it's like the first time
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter
She is the best thing that's ever been mine
Hold on, make it last
Hold on, never turn back
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine
Yes, yes do you believe it?
Yes, yes we're gonna make it now
Yes, yes I can see it
I can see it now
Speak Now
Sparks Fly
(Taylor Swift)
Sparks Fly: Story
"Sparks Fly" is about falling for someone who you maybe shouldn't fall for, but you can't stop yourself because there's such a connection and chemistry. This is a song I wrote a few years ago and I have been working on it ever since. It's been awesome to see it change over the years. The fans have heard it before in concert, but there have been some really cool changes that I am very proud of and can't wait for them to hear.
Sparks Fly: Lyrics
The way you move is like a full-on rainstorm
And I'm a house of cards
You're the kind of reckless that should
Send me running but
I kinda know that I won't get far
And you stood there in front of me
Just close enough to touch
Close enough to hope you couldn't see what I was thinking of
Chorus
Drop everything now
Meet me in the pouring rain
Kiss me on the sidewalk
Take away the pain
Cause I see sparks fly
Whenever you smile
Get me with those green eyes baby
As the lights go down
Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around
Cause I see sparks fly
Whenever you smile
My mind forgets to remind me
You're a bad idea
You touch me once and it's really something
You find I'm even better than
You imagined I would be
I'm on my guard for the rest of the world, but with you
I know it's no good
And I could wait patiently
But I really wish you would
Repeat Chorus
I'll run my fingers through your hair
And watch the lights go wild
Just keep on keeping your eyes on me
It's just wrong enough to make it feel right
And lead me up the staircase
Won't you whisper soft and slow
I'm captivated by you baby like a fireworks show
Repeat Chorus
Sparks fly, oh baby smile
And the sparks fly
Speak Now
Back To December
(Taylor Swift)
Back To December: Story
"Back to December" addresses a first for me, in that I've never apologized to someone in a song before. In the good, or bad, or the apology, the person I wrote the song for deserves this. This is about somebody who was incredible to me, just perfect to me in a relationship, and I was really careless with him, so these are the words that I would say to him -- that he deserves to hear.
Back To December: Lyrics
I'm so glad you made time to see me
How's life, tell me how's your family
I haven't seen them in a while
You've been good, busier than ever
We small talk, work and the weather
Your guard is up, and I know why
Because the last time you saw me is still burned in the back of your mind
You gave me roses and I left them there to die
So this is me swallowing my pride
Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night
And I go back to December all the time
It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine
I go back to December, turn around and make it alright
I go back to December all the time
These days I haven't been sleeping
Staying up playing back myself leaving
When your birthday passed and I didn't call
Then I think about summer, all the beautiful times
I watched you laughing from the passenger side
And realized I loved you in the fall
And then the cold came, the dark days when fear crept into my mind
You gave me all your love and all I gave you was goodbye
So this is me swallowing my pride
Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night
And I go back to December all the time
It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine
I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind
I go back to December all the time
I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile, so good to me, so right
And how you held me in your arms that September night
The first time you ever saw me cry
Maybe this is wishful thinking
Probably mindless dreaming
But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right
I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't
So if the chain is on your door I understand
But this is me swallowing my pride
Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night
And I go back to December
It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine
I go back to December turn around and make it alright
I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind
I go back to December all the time
All the time
Speak Now
Speak Now
(Taylor Swift)
Speak Now: Story
This song was inspired by one of my friends who was telling me about her childhood sweetheart, crush guy. They were kind of together in high school and went their separate ways, and it was kind of understood that they were gonna get back together. Then, she one day comes in and tells me he's getting married. He had met this girl who was just this mean person who made him completely stop talking to all of his friends, cut off his family, had him like so completely isolated. And I just, kind of randomly, was like, "So, you gonna speak now?" She was like, "What do you mean?" And I was like "Oh, you know, like storm the church, speak now or forever hold your peace? I'll go with you. I'll play guitar. It would be great." She was just kind of laughing, and later on I just was wrapping my mind around that idea of how tragic it would be if someone you loved was marrying somebody else.
Later I had a dream about one of my ex-boyfriends getting married, and it just all came together that I needed to write this song about interrupting a wedding. For me, I like to think of it as good versus evil, and this girl is so completely painted as the evil one. So this is "Speak Now."
Speak Now: Lyrics
I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion
But you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl
I sneak in and see your friends and her snotty little family all dressed in pastel
And she is yelling at a bridesmaid
Somewhere back inside a room wearing a gown shaped like a pastry
This is surely not what you thought it would be
I lose myself in a daydream where I stand and say
Don't say yes, run away now
I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door
Don't wait or say a single vow
You need to hear me out
And they said speak now
Fond gestures are exchanged
And the organ starts to play a song that sounds like a death march
And I am hiding in the curtains
It seems that I was uninvited by your lovely bride-to-be
She floats down the aisle like a pageant queen
But I know you wish it was me
You wish it was me, don't you
Don't say yes, run away now
I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door
Don't wait or say a single vow
You need to hear me out
And they said speak now
Don't say yes, run away now
I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door
Don't wait or say a single vow
Your time is running out
And they said speak now
Oh, la, oh
I hear the preacher say speak now or forever hold your peace
There's the silence, there's my last chance
I stand up with shaky hands
All eyes on me
Horrified looks from everyone in the room
But I'm only looking at you
I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion
But you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl
So don't say yes, run away now
I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door
Don't wait or say a single vow
You need to hear me out
They said speak now
And you say let's run away now
I'll meet you when I'm out of my tux at the back door
Baby, I didn't say my vows
So glad you were around
When they said speak now
Speak Now
Dear John
(Taylor Swift)
Dear John: Story
The song "Dear John" is sort of like the last email you would ever send to someone that you used to be in a relationship with. Usually people write this venting last email to someone and they say everything that they want to say to that person, and then they usually don't send it. I guess by putting this song on the album I am pushing send.
Dear John: Lyrics
Long were the nights when my days once revolved around you
Counting my footsteps praying the floor won't fall through again
And my mother accused me of losing my mind
But I swore I was fine
You paint me a blue sky and go back and turn it to rain
And I lived in your chess game
But you changed the rules everyday
Wondering which version of you I might get on the phone
Tonight
Well I stopped picking up and this song is to let you know why
Dear John, I see it all now that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with
The girl in the dress cried the whole way home
I should've known
Well maybe it's me and my blind optimism to blame
Or maybe it's you and your sick need to give love then take it away
And you'll add my name to your long list of traitors who don't understand
And I'll look back and regret how I ignored when they said
Run as fast as you can
Dear John, I see it all now that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with
The girl in the dress cried the whole way home
Dear John, I see it all now it was wrong
Don't you think 19's too young to be played by
Your dark twisted games when I loved you so
I should've known
You are an expert at sorry
And keeping lines blurry
Never impressed by me acing your tests
All the girls that you've run dry
Have tired, lifeless eyes
Cause you burned them out
But I took your matches before fire could catch me
So don't look now
I'm shining like fireworks
Over your sad empty town
Dear John, I see it all now that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with
The girl in the dress cried the whole way home
I see it all now that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with
The girl in the dress wrote you a song
You should've known
You should've known
Don't you think I was too young
You should've known
Speak Now
Mean
(Taylor Swift)
Mean: Story
The song "Mean" is about, well, when you do what I do, which is you put yourself out there for a lot of people to say whatever they want about it, there are a million different opinions from a million different people.
I get it that not everyone is going to like everything that you do, and I get that no matter what, you're going to be criticized for something. But I also get that there are different kinds of ways to criticize someone. There is constructive criticism. There's professional criticism. And then, there's just being mean. There's a line that you cross when you just start to attack everything about a person, and there's one guy who just crossed the line over and over again. Just being mean, and saying things that would ruin my day.
This happens... no matter what you do, no matter how old you are, no matter what your job is, no matter what your place is in life. There's always going to be someone who's just mean to you. Dealing with that is all you can control about that situation, how you handle it. "Mean" is about how I handle it, and sort of my mind set about this whole situation
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 a nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard calling me out when I'm wounded
You, picking 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
Chorus
Someday I'll be living in a big ole 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
You, with your switching sides and your wildfire lies and your humiliation
You have pointed out my flaws again, as if I don't already see them
I walk with my head down trying to block you out cause I'll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again
I bet you got pushed around
Somebody made you cold
But the cycle ends right now cause you can't lead me down that road
And you don't know what you don't know
Repeat Chorus
And I can see you years from now in a bar
Talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion
But nobody's listening
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing
But all you are is mean
All you are is mean
And a liar and pathetic and alone in life
And mean, and mean, and mean
But someday I'll be living in a big ole city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah
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
Someday I'll be living in a big ole city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so 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
Speak Now
The Story Of Us
(Taylor Swift)
The Story Of Us: Story
The "Story of Us" is a song that I wrote about an awkward situation where, well… Let me just preface by saying that I have happened to run into exes in strange places lately. This is about one of those situations where the strange place that I ran into him was an awards show.
I was seated a couple of seats away from him and there was so much that needed to be said, and neither one of us was willing to say it. We were both acting like we were engaged in conversations with people that we don't even know. It was just miserable. I was telling my Mom about it later, and I said I felt like I was standing alone in a crowded room. And then I was like, "Gotta go. Bye!" And my Mom is used to that at this point so, that's what this song is about.
The Story Of Us: Lyrics
I used to think one day we'd tell the story of us
How we met and the sparks flew instantly
And people would say they're the lucky ones
I used to know my place was the spot next to you
Now I'm searching the room for an empty seat
Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on
Oh, a simple complication, miscommunications lead to fall out
So many things that I wish you knew
So many walls up I can't break through
Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room
And we're not speaking
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like its killing me, yeah
I don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now
Next chapter
How'd we end up this way
See me nervously pulling at my clothes and trying to look busy
And you're doing your best to avoid me
I'm starting to think one day I'll tell the story of us
How I was losing my mind when I saw you here
But you held your pride like you should've held me
Oh, I'm scared to see the ending, why are we pretending this is nothing
I'd tell you I miss you, but I don't know how
I've never heard silence quite this loud
Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room
And we're not speaking
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like its killing me, yeah
I don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now
This is looking like a contest of who can act like they care less
But I liked it better when you were on my side
The battles in your hands now
But I would lay my armor down if you said you'd rather love than fight
So many things that you wish I knew
But the story of us might be ending soon
Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room
And we're not speaking
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like its killing me, yeah
I don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down
The story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now
Now, now
And we're not speaking
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like its killing me, yeah
I don't know what to say since the twist of fate cause we're goin' down
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now
The end
Speak Now
Never Grow Up
(Taylor Swift)
Never Grow Up: Story
"Never Grow Up" is a song about the fact that I don't quite know how I feel about growing up. It's tricky. Growing up happens without you knowing it. Growing up is such a crazy concept because a lot of times when you were younger you wish you were older. I look out into a crowd every night and I see a lot of girls that are my age and going through exactly the same things as I'm going through. Every once in a while I look down and I see a little girl who is seven or eight, and I wish I could tell her all of this. There she is becoming who she is going to be and forming her thoughts and dreams and opinions. I wrote this song for those little girls.
Never Grow Up: Lyrics
I used to think one day we'd tell the story of us
How we met and the sparks flew instantly
And people would say they're the lucky ones
I used to know my place was the spot next to you
Now I'm searching the room for an empty seat
Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on
Oh, a simple complication, miscommunications lead to fall out
So many things that I wish you knew
So many walls up I can't break through
Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room
And we're not speaking
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like its killing me, yeah
I don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now
Next chapter
How'd we end up this way
See me nervously pulling at my clothes and trying to look busy
And you're doing your best to avoid me
I'm starting to think one day I'll tell the story of us
How I was losing my mind when I saw you here
But you held your pride like you should've held me
Oh, I'm scared to see the ending, why are we pretending this is nothing
I'd tell you I miss you, but I don't know how
I've never heard silence quite this loud
Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room
And we're not speaking
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like its killing me, yeah
I don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now
This is looking like a contest of who can act like they care less
But I liked it better when you were on my side
The battles in your hands now
But I would lay my armor down if you said you'd rather love than fight
So many things that you wish I knew
But the story of us might be ending soon
Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room
And we're not speaking
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like its killing me, yeah
I don't know what to say since the twist of fate when it all broke down
The story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now
Now, now
And we're not speaking
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like its killing me, yeah
I don't know what to say since the twist of fate cause we're goin' down
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now
The end
Speak Now
Enchanted
(Taylor Swift)
Enchanted: Story
I wrote "Enchanted" about a guy who I was enchanted to meet, obviously. He was somebody that I had talked to a couple of times on email, and then I was in New York and went to meet him.
I remember just the whole way home thinking, "I hope he's not in love with somebody." It was just wonderful, that feeling. Like, "Oh my gosh. Who's he with? Does he like me? Does he like somebody else? What does it mean?" I got home and he had emailed me and said something like, "Sorry I was so quiet. I was just wonderstruck meeting you." And so I incorporated the word wonderstruck, into the song as a, "Hey this one's sorta for you."
Enchanted: Lyrics
There I was again tonight
Forcing laughter, faking smiles
Same old tired, lonely place
Walls of insincerity
Shifting eyes and vacancy
Vanished when I saw your face
All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you
Your eyes whispered "Have we met?"
Across the room, your silhouette
Starts to make its way to me
The playful conversation starts
Counter all your quick remarks
Like passing notes in secrecy
And it was enchanting to meet you
All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you
Chorus
This night is sparkling, don't you let it go
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you
The lingering question kept me up
2 am, who do you love?
I wonder 'til I'm wide awake
Now I'm pacing back and forth
Wishing you were at my door
I'd open up and you would say
It was enchanting to meet you
All I know is I was enchanted to meet you
Chorus
This night is sparkling, don't you let it go
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
This night is flawless, don't you let it go
I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you
This is me praying that
This was the very first page
Not where the story line ends
My thoughts will echo your name
Until I see you again
These are the words I held back
As I was leaving too soon
I was enchanted to meet you
Please don't be in love with someone else
Please don't have somebody waiting on you
Please don't be in love with someone else
Please don't have somebody waiting on you
Chorus
This night is sparkling, don't you let it go
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
This night is flawless, don't you let it go
I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you
Please don't be in love with someone else
Please don't have somebody waiting on you
Speak Now
Better Than Revenge
(Taylor Swift)
Better Than Revenge: Story
The song "Better Than Revenge" is about a girl, who a few years ago, stole my boyfriend. I think she probably thought I forgot about it, but I didn't.
Better Than Revenge: Lyrics
Now go stand in the corner and think about what you did
The story starts when it was hot and it was summer and
I had it all, I had him right there where I wanted him
She came along, got him alone, and let's hear the applause
She took him faster than you could say sabotage
I never saw it coming, wouldn't have suspected it
I underestimated just who I was dealing with
She had to know the pain was beating on me like a drum
She underestimated just who she was from stealing from
Chorus
She's not a saint, and she's not what you think
She's an actress, whoa
But she's better known for the things that she does on the mattress
Whoa
Soon she's gonna find stealing other peoples' toys on the playground won't make you many friends
She should keep in mind
She should keep in mind
There is nothing I do better than revenge
She looks at life like it's a party and she's on the list
She looks at me like I'm a trend and she's so over it
I think her ever-present frown is a little troubling
She thinks I'm psycho cause I like to rhyme her name with things
But sophistication isn't what you wear or who you know
Or pushing people down to get you where you wanna go
They didn't teach you that in prep school so it's up to me
That no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity
Repeat Chorus
I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at honey
You might have him but haven't you heard
I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at honey
You might have him but I always get the last word
Whoa
Repeat Chorus
Do you still feel like you know what you're doing
Cause I don't think you do
Oh, do you still feel like you know what you're doing
I don't think you do, I don't think you do
Let's hear the applause
Come on show me how much better you are
See you deserve some applause
Cause you're so much better
She took him faster than you could say sabotage
Speak Now
Innocent
(Taylor Swift)
Innocent: Story
The song "Innocent" is about something that really intensely affected me emotionally. It took a while to write this one. I was fortunate enough to get a chance to perform this song on the VMAs, and that's the first time that anyone ever heard it. Putting out an album called Speak Now where you're supposed to say what you feel when you know how you feel, I felt that performing that song on that particular award show was appropriate. I hope everybody likes this one.
Innocent: Lyrics
Guess you really did it this time
Left yourself in your war path
Lost your balance on a tightrope
Lost your mind trying to get it back
Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days
Always a bigger bed to crawl into
Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything
And everybody believed in you
It's alright just wait and see, your string of lights are still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent
Still an innocent
Did some things you can't speak of
But at night you live it all again
You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now
If only you had seen what you know now then
Wasn't it easier in your firefly catching days
When everything out of reach someone bigger brought down to you
Wasn't it beautiful running wild till you fell asleep
Before the monsters caught up to you
It's alright just wait and see, your string of lights are still bright to me
Oh who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent
It's okay, life is a tough crowd
32 and still growing up now
Who you are is not what you did
You're still an innocent
Time turns flames to embers
You'll have new Septembers
Every one of us has messed up too
Minds change like the weather
I hope you remember
Today is never too late to
Be brand new
It's alright just wait and see, your string of lights are still bright to me
Oh, who you are is not where you've been
You're still an innocent
It's okay, life is a tough crowd
32 and still growing up now
Who you are is not what you did
You're still an innocent
You're still an innocent
Lost your balance on the tight rope
It's never too late to get it back
Speak Now
Haunted
(Taylor Swift)
Haunted: Story
"Haunted" is about the moment that you realize the person you're in love with is drifting and fading fast. And you don't know what to do, but in that period of time, in that phase of love, where it's fading out, time moves so slowly. Everything hinges on what that last text message said, and you're realizing that he's kind of falling out of love. That's a really heartbreaking and tragic thing to go through, because the whole time you're trying to tell yourself it's not happening. I went through this, and I ended up waking up in the middle of the night writing this song about it.
I wanted the music and the orchestration to reflect the intensity of the emotion the song is about, so we recorded strings with Paul Buckmaster at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. It was an amazing experience - recording this entire big, live string section that I think in the end really captured the intense, chaotic feeling of confusion I was looking for.
Haunted: Lyrics
You and I walk a fragile line
I have known it all this time
But I never thought I'd live to see it break
It's getting dark and it's all so quiet and I can't trust anything now
And it's coming over you like it's all a big mistake
Oh, holding my breath
Won't lose you again
Something's made your eyes go cold
Come on, come on, don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Something's gone terribly wrong
You're all I wanted
Come on, come on, don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Can't breathe whenever you're gone
Can't turn back now
I'm haunted
Stood there and watched you walk away from everything we had
But I still mean every word I said to you
He will try to take away my pain and he just might make me smile
But the whole time I'm wishing he was you instead
Oh, holding my breath
Won't see you again
Something keeps me holding onto nothing
Come on, come on, don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Something's gone terribly wrong
You're all I wanted
Come on, come on, don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Can't breathe whenever you're gone
Can't turn back now
I'm haunted
I know, I know
I just know
You're not gone
You can't be gone
No
Come on, come on, don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Something's gone terribly wrong
Won't finish what you started
Come on, come on, don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Can't breathe whenever you're gone
I can't go back
I'm haunted
You and I walk a fragile line
I have known it all this time
But I never thought I'd see it break
Never thought I'd see it
Speak Now
Last Kiss
(Taylor Swift)
Last Kiss: Story
The song "Last Kiss" is sort of like a letter to somebody. You say all of these desperate, hopeless feelings that you have after a breakup. Going through a breakup you feel all of these different things. You feel anger, and you feel confusion, and frustration. Then there is the absolute sadness. The sadness of losing this person, losing all the memories, and the hopes you had for the future. There are times when you have this moment of truth where you just admit to yourself that you miss all these things. When I was in one of those moments I wrote this song.
Last Kiss: Lyrics
I still remember the look on your face
Lit through the darkness at 1:58
The words that you whispered for just us to know
You told me you loved me
So why did you go away
Away
I do recall now, the smell of the rain
Fresh on the pavement
I ran off the plane
That July ninth, the beat of your heart
It jumps through your shirt
I can still feel your arms
But now I'll go, sit on the floor
Wearing your clothes
All that I know is I don't know
How to be something you miss
I never thought we'd have a last kiss
Never imagined we'd end like this
Your name, forever the name on my lips
I do remember the swing of your step
The life of the party, you're showing off again
And I'd roll my eyes and then you'd pull me in
I'm not much for dancing, but for you I did
Because I love your handshake, meeting my father
I love how you walk with your hands in your pockets
How you'd kiss me when I was in the middle of saying something
There's not a day I don't miss those rude interruptions
And I'll go sit on the floor
Wearing your clothes
All that I know is I don't know
How to be something you miss
I never thought we'd have a last kiss
Never imagined we'd end like this
Your name, forever the name on my lips
So I'll watch your life in pictures like I used to watch you sleep
And I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe
And I'll keep up with our old friends
Just to ask them how you are
Hope it's nice where you are
And I hope the sun shines and it's a beautiful day
And something reminds you you wish you had stayed
You can plan for a change in the weather and time
But I never planned on you changing your mind
So I'll go, sit on the floor wearing your clothes
All that I know is I don't know how to be something you miss
I never thought we'd have a last kiss
Never imagined we'd end like this
Your name, forever the name on my lips
Just like our last kiss
Forever the name on my lips
Forever the name on my lips
Just like our last
Speak Now
Long Live
(Taylor Swift)
Long Live: Story
"Long Live," (in parentheses "We Will Be Remembered"), is the first song where I've ever had parentheses in the title. Besides that, though, this song is about my band, and my producer, and all the people who have helped us build this brick by brick. The fans, the people who I feel that we are all in this together, this song talks about the triumphant moments that we've had in the last two years. We've had times where we just jump up and down, and dance like we don't care how we're dancing, and just scream at the top of our lungs, "How is this happening?" And, I feel very lucky to even have had one of those moments, nonetheless all the ones that I got to have.
"Long Live" is about how I feel reflecting on it. This song for me is like looking at a photo album of all the award shows, and all the stadium shows, and all the hands in the air in the crowd. It's sort of the first love song that I've written to my team.
Long Live: Lyrics
I said remember this moment
In the back of my mind
The time we stood with our shaking hands
The crowds in stands went wild
We were the kings and the queens
And they read off our names
The night you danced like you knew our lives would never be the same
You held your head like a hero on a history book page
It was the end of a decade
But the start of an age
Long live the walls we crashed through
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered
I said remember this feeling
I pass the pictures around
Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines
Wishing for right now
We are the kings and the queens
You traded your baseball cap for a crown
When they gave us our trophies
And we held them up for our town
And the cynics were outraged
Screaming this is absurd
Cause for a moment a band of thieves in ripped up jeans got to rule the world
Long live the walls we crashed through
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders
I'm not afraid
Long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
I was screaming long live that look on your face
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered
Hold on to spinning around
Confetti falls to the ground
May these memories break our fall
Will you take a moment, promise me this
That you'll stand by me forever
But if God forbid fate should step in
And force us into a goodbye
If you have children someday
When they point to the pictures
Please tell them my name
Tell them how the crowds went wild
Tell them how I hope they shine
Long live the walls we crashed through
I had the time of my life with you
Long long live the walls we crashed through
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
And I was screaming long live
All the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders, I'm not afraid
Singing long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
And long long live the look on your face
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered