Love Story
Written By Taylor Swift
Produced By Taylor Swift & Christopher Rowe
About
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Track 3 on "Fearless".
In February 2021, "Love Story" became the first official re-release from Taylor's back catalogue following contractual disputes with Scooter Braun. It marked the beginning of a new chapter in her career, as she sought autonomy and freedom from what she perceived as a manipulative business relationship.
The 2021 re-recording of "Love Story" was released following a surprise announcement on Good Morning America on Feb 12, 2021. During the interview, Taylor announced that she had finished re-recording the entirety of her breakout album Fearless, featuring the subtitle of (Taylor's Version), and that it would be released soon. There was a hidden message in her social media posts referencing the date of "APRIL NINTH".
The lyrical content of "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" is the same as the original 2008 version.
Taylor was inspired to write "Love Story" when she was going through a difficult situation with a boy she liked, whom she wasn't "officially" dating. The song has been rumoured to be about two singers - the first being Joe Jonas, since it was recorded in March 2008, just a few months before she began actually dating him. Other songs such as "Forever & Always" and "Last Kiss" are more explicitly about him.
The second rumored subject of the song is Boys Like Girls front-man, Martin Johnson, whom Swift had a brief fling with in 2008 and collaborated with to pen the band's track "Two is Better Than One" and Taylor's song "If This Was a Movie". This is a fitting match for the "star-crossed lovers" theme of the song as sources claimed that although the pair were into each other, Taylor's publicists felt he was not a good match for her "American sweetheart" image - with him being a punk rocker who was going through personal issues at the time.
She chose to portray the story of Romeo and Juliet in the song, because she felt like she could relate.
I used to be in high school, where you see [a boyfriend] every day. Then I was in a situation where it wasn't so easy for me, and I wrote this song because I could relate to the whole Romeo and Juliet thing.
The lyrics talk about disapproval against the relationship, and her desire to go somewhere far away with him, and escape the people who look down on them.
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
We were both young when I first saw you
I close my eyes and the flashback starts
I'm standing there
On a balcony in summer air
See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns
See you make your way through the crowd
And say, "Hello"
Little did I know
[Pre-Chorus]
That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you, "Please don't go," and I said
[Chorus]
Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes"
[Verse 2]
So I sneak out to the garden to see you
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew
So close your eyes
Escape this town for a little while, oh, oh
[Pre-Chorus]
'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"
But you were everything to me
I was begging you, "Please don't go," and I said
[Chorus]
Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes"
Romeo, save me, they're trying to tell me how to feel
This love is difficult, but it's real
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess
It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes"
[Post-Chorus]
Oh, oh
[Bridge]
And I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town
[Chorus]
And I said, "Romeo, save me, I've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you, but you never come
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think"
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring, and said
"Marry me, Juliet, you'll never have to be alone
I love you and that's all I really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress
It's a love story, baby, just say, 'Yes'"
[Outro]
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
'Cause we were both young when I first saw you