Love Story

Album: Fearless (2008)
Charted: 2 4
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Songfacts®:

  • Like most of Swift's songs, this was based on a real experience. As a teenager, she had an argument with her parents over a boy - they thought he was a creep, and Taylor thought it was love. She told 60 Minutes that he was, indeed, a creep, but she thought he was amazing at the time. The pre-chorus of the song came into her head: "You were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles, and my daddy said, 'Stay away from Juliet.'" She grabbed her guitar and worked out the chords on her bedroom floor.

    Taylor added that the song was met with indifference from her record company and her parents, but she fought for it, which she says was a fun experience because she had something to prove.
  • This could be about Swift's relationship with Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers, whom she dated for much of 2008. The line "Romeo, take me some place we can be alone" relates to how they were never alone due to their popularity. "I sneak out to the garden" is symbolic of how they had to sneak around to have dates due to the paparazzi.

    The song also talks about Swift's father and his objection to Joe, but Taylor ignored her father's advice and continued to date him until their breakup in October. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Anna - Brooklyn, NY
  • Swift expanded on this song's invocation of the story of Romeo and Juliet in an interview with the Los Angeles Times October 26, 2008. Said Swift: "I was going through a situation like that where I 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. I was really inspired by that story. Except for the ending. I feel like they had such promise and they were so crazy for each other. And if that had just gone a little bit differently, it could have been the best love story ever told. And it is one of the best love stories ever told, but it's a tragedy. I thought, why can't you... make it a happy ending and put a key change in the song and turn it into a marriage proposal?"
  • Taylor Swift told The Morning Call the story of this song: "I wrote it about a guy that I was talking to. He wasn't the popular choice, but I believed in it. I thought, 'This love is different, but it's real.' And I knew I needed to put that line in somewhere. I think that this song is really more about a love that's not convenient and not as comfortable as something else, but it's something you have to fight for. I added the ending [a proposal] cause I want that ending. I want someone to say, 'I love you and that's all I really know.' That's the girly girl in me."
  • Swift told Billboard magazine that the song is about "a love that you've got to hide because for whatever reason it wouldn't go over well. I spun it in the direction of 'Romeo and Juliet'; our parents are fighting. I relate to it more as a love that you cannot really elaborate on - a love that maybe society wouldn't accept [or] maybe your friends wouldn't accept."
  • The part of "Romeo" in the song's music video was played by Justin Gastin. The country singer and model is also known for being a contestant on Nashville Star and for dating Miley Cyrus.
  • This was the first country song to top the Mainstream Top 40 chart in that tally's history. The previous highest ranking on that chart for a country song, was the #3 placing of Shania Twain's "You're Still the One" in 1998.
  • Marketing country and western acts in Europe can be a problem, so an alternative "International Radio Mix" was created for the release of this song across the Atlantic. This country-lite mix retained the banjo plucking from the originally version but added a bassline, drums and an electric guitar solo to make it more palatable to European ears. The tactic worked in the UK, as this song became Swift's first British hit.
  • On the chart week of June 6, 2009, this climbed to the peak position of the Adult Contemporary chart. This was the fifth song to reach #1 on both the Adult Contemporary and Hot Country lists. The previous four to do so were "What Hurts The Most," Rascal Flatts, 2006-07, "I Hope You Dance," Lee Ann Womack, 2001, "Breathe," Faith Hill, 2000 and "You're Still the One," Shania Twain, 1998.
  • Swift won video of the year and female video of the year at the 2009 Country Music Television awards for this song's promo. On winning the latter award Swift said, "This is for everybody who still believes in love stories, because I do."
  • Swift won her second straight song of the year award at the 2009 BMI Country Awards for this song. (Teardrops On My Guitar earned the prestigious honor in 2008.)
  • This song won the Video of the Year Award at the 2009 Country Music Association Awards. At the same ceremony, Swift swept up three other awards including Entertainer of the Year, becoming the youngest winner of the association's highest honor, as well as Album of the Year for Fearless and Female Vocalist of the Year.
  • In August 2019, Swift announced her intention to re-record her first six studio albums following a public battle over the sale of her master recordings to Scooter Braun's company. The first of her reworkings we got to hear was "Love Story (Taylor's Version)," which she dropped on February 12, 2021 as the lead single from Fearless (Taylor's Version). It is fitting that Taylor released the single on Valentine's Day weekend, as she was in the 2010 movie Valentine's Day.
  • The subtly updated production for "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" features Swift's touring band plus fiddle player Jonathan Yudkin and backing vocalist Caitlin Evanson, who both appeared on the original version of the song. "It's a combination of the originals and people who have been sweating on stages with me for over a decade playing on this album," she explained.
  • Swift first teased "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" in December 2020, when a snippet was featured in a Match.com advertisement directed by her friend Ryan Reynolds.
  • "Love Story (Taylor's Version)," debuted at the top of the Country chart dated February 27, 2021. It was the second song to reach #1 on the tally twice in separate iterations by the same artist, the other one being Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," which first reached the summit in June 1974, then again eight years later she recorded a second version for the film The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, which led for a week in October 1982.
  • Swedish producer and songwriter Elvira Anderfjärd first linked up with Swift when she came up with the "willow - dancing witch version" of the superstar's "Willow" single. She later did a remix of "Love Story (Taylor's Version)," as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of Fearless (Taylor's Version).

    Anderfjärd told Billboard it took about a week for her to do her "Love Story" reworking. "I started over once, because it's hard to do a dance remix of a pop country song that's so famous," she said. "Everyone knows the original, and to make it dance-ey, that was pretty hard."

Comments: 35

  • Swifty ~ Cocomelon Fan >:>I love swifty! #TAYLOR SWIFT IN THE HOUSE! 0o0 :>
  • Nigel Fishman from Great Barrier ReefI LOVE THIS SONG, the flow is as perfect as the ocean and I love how the lyrics tell a story its so creative and bright like the coral surrounding me!! totally recommend!
  • Emil Daise from ArcticThis songs a proper bop! In love man innit
  • Nick Fearless from HollandShe made iT for me
  • Prerana Niranjan from Mysore, IndiaRomeo take me somewhere we can be alone
    All thats left to do is run
    You Be the prince and ill be the princess
    its a love story baby just say yes
    This one was for Niraj Kumar
  • Tiffany from Boston, MaLove Story is about Martin Johnson. They dated, and people didn't want them together because he wasn't good for her reputation. Breathe and White Horse are also about him.
  • Gericka Venice from Pasay, PhilippinesThis is the first song of Taylor Swift that I really love...... It makes my life happy and with love
  • Carrie from Roanoke, VaThere are lots of things to dislike about this song, such as Taylor's mis-application of the Scarlet Letter symbol. With that said, the idea behind the song was kind of cute. Although I am a Shakespeare afficionado, it was sweet of Taylor to put a happy twist on the ending. I also liked that her Romeo said he'd help her pick the wedding dress, because most men aren't at all interested in the wedding preparations. A perfect Romeo for the 21st century.
  • Joey from Millville, NjIn School Were reading this Story right now, and all i can think about is this song when we read it. It's better then the real story though.
  • Katy from Pleasant View, TnHahaha Slipknot is awesome, but I prefer Avenged Sevenfold. Anyways.....Taylor Swift is very talented and I like her stuff. This song is a good one, but I've heard it so much it's annoying. I still love Taylor tho. xD
  • Mike from Denver, Cothiz song annoys the crap out of me. i hear it every day and my mom and sister sing it all the time when they visit me. imagine listening to slipknot or lamb of god in your car and suddenly you hear a whiny voice in another car blast out "Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone..." god its HORRIBLE. i hear this song every day if im changing the radio. WAT THE HELL? overplayed, and its a horrible, cliche and just retarded song. i like the whole true love idea tho. nothing against that. i have a girlfriend ive been dating for 8 years since freshman year of high school. we r getting married in a few months, and yes, she hates this song too. i guess you can say we have a fairytale ending, but the song at our wedding will most definitely NOT be this one.
  • Breanna from Henderson, NvI hear this song way too much! I hate it! I like Shakesphere's version where they die at the end better!
  • Lauren from Wellington, New Zealandawesome song bout romeo and juliet
  • Ashleigh from Pocatello, United Kingdomi love that song!!!!!!!!!!!! it is so amazing. i could so totally see Taylor sneaking out to meet a boy that could be her romeo:)
  • Jimmy from Philadelphia, PaIts still a very ambiguous reference and doesn't make much sense. Theres no inference that her Dad is, or would even be, talking to the dude.
  • Radu from Reidsville, Nchey dumbasses, it means that the dad is telling the dude she likes to stay away from her.
  • Jimmy from Philadelphia, PaI am following up with lyse,from Sydney. It drives me nuts when she says "And my Daddy said Stay away from Juliet"! I need to find an answer! The only thing I could think of is that she infers her Daddy wants her to stay away from "being like" Juliet.
  • Maddie from Scarborough, United KingdomThis song is amazing! Every girl can relate to this song... so well done Taylor! x
  • Ashleigh from ?????, MoGreat Song! Everyone can relate to it because everyone wants their own fairytale ending.
  • Emily from Around Chicago, IlIn the booklet that comes w/the CD, there are hidden messages in the lyrics. You take all the capital letters and put them in order to spell a phrase. Love Story's message is: SOMEDAY I'LL FIND THIS.
  • Ashley from Houston, Txthe coolest song ever
    thanks for putting it in song facts
  • Jake from Onida, SdThis song is amazing!!! I think i have fallen in love with Brianna Berglund of Gettysburg, because of this song. Thank you Taylor Swift
  • Louraince C. Lee from Novaliches Quezon City, PhilippinesI really Love all Taylor Swift song!!!! I hope She would visit Phillippines someday!!!! Romeo and Juliet was a real character and like a song of Taylor she was real inlove on joe but at the story end they were not meant 4 each other!!!! I hope you find more deserving than him!
  • Kyle from Shropshire, United Kingdomwell im a boy and i like it!!!!
  • Natalie. from Beverly Hills , Calove this song so much. for the same reason everyone else does----everyone wants that fairytale ending.
  • Emily from Around Chicago, IlI love this song so much!!! Really, do I have to say more? I've actually read Romeo and Juliet-it's a great story-and, well, the lyrics and the music are just beautiful.
  • Makayla from Louisville, Kymy friend could really compare to this song a lot because she thinks she is in love
  • Lyse from Sydney, --what do you think it means by "stay away from juliet?"

    stay away from her as the cahracter, or stay away from girls aka dont be a lesbian?
  • Mitchie from Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaLOVE IT! I just could not stop listening to it , its wonderful!
  • Jake from Groveland, FlThis song is the most awesome song ever written. I'm a guy, and it is my favorite song. Just change it from saying, "I said Romeo take me..." to "You said, Romeo take me..." Either way, I love it. It takes a wonderful person to take a tragic story and change it into a witty and easy to relate to Love Story.
  • Amelia from Gallup, Nmi really love thiz song because i think that it iz very sweet and awsome but i really like taylor swift
  • Sarah from New Castle, Pathis song is good hearing this from a metal head like me its gotta b i dnt understand how this song relates to romeo and juliette tho i mean yea they loved eachother but the video seems to b impersonating it well hello romeo dies.
  • Desiree from Ap, FlLove the song, but the line about the scarlet letter makes no sense to me...
    I've read the book The Scarlet Letter, and see no relevance in this song.
  • Kaitlyn from Grovedale, Abits like a song where a taylor follows the story of romeo and juliet and she doesnt think hes coming back and when he does he marries her and they are in love forever and ever
  • Kate from Poughkeepsie, NyI love this song because it's so sweet and any girl can relate to this song. The music video for it is amazing! I love how it flashes from nowadays to yesteryear. In the video, "Romeo" is Justin Gaston. Justin was also on Nashville Star this past summer.
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