Songfacts®:

• "Say Don't Go" is a track from Taylor Swift's 1989 Taylor's Version re-recording. It is one of five new From The Vault songs from the 1989 era that didn't make the original record.
• Here, Swift references an on-off relationship, which is filled with uncertainty at every turn. It's a vivid painting of emotional turmoil, echoing the yearning for commitment, contrasted with the sting of feeling strung along, neglected, and ultimately abandoned.
• As the romance's flame flickers, Swift pleads with her lover to "say, don't go." She weaves this thread of longing throughout other 1989 tracks like "How You Get The Girl" and "All You Had To Do Was Stay."
• It's widely believed that some of Swift's 1989 tunes are about Harry Styles, her high-profile flame in late 2012 to early 2013. While Swift remains tight-lipped, Styles has conceded that tracks like "Out Of The Woods" and "Style" might refer to their romance. As "Out Of The Woods" and "Say Don't Go" share that stormy relationship vibe, this song may also be about the One Directioner.
• Taylor Swift co-wrote "Say Don't Go" with hit songwriter Diane Warren ("If I Could Turn Back Time," "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing") during the sessions for 1989, but it wasn't included on the original release. Swift and Warren have both spoken about how much they enjoyed working together on the song and how pleased they are that it's finally seen the light of day. Swift said it "was a dream come true" to write with her. Warren wrote that she was "so excited that everyone gets to hear this song at last."
• Swift and her frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff produced all five of the From the Vault tracks.