Breathe
Feat. Colbie Caillat | Promotional Single | Fearless (2008) | Fearless (Taylor's Version) [2021]
Background and Release
«It was total therapy because I came in and I was like, 'Look, one of my best friends, I'm gonna have to not see anymore and is not gonna be part of what I do. It's the hardest thing to go through. It's crazy listening to the song because you would think it's about a relationship, and it's really about losing a friend, and having a fallout.»
Lyrical Theme
«'Breathe' is a song about having to say goodbye to somebody, but it never blames anybody. Sometimes that’s the most difficult part. When it’s nobody’s fault.»
«I went to Nashville about a year and a half ago and she wanted to write with me. I flew there and she had this beautiful song started. It’s about having to let someone go and say goodbye to a really good friend. And we became friends after that. She is so sweet, so beautiful, so talented, and honestly just a really intelligent young woman. She knows what she is doing and she knows how to handle her career and take charge. I love her.»
Live Performance
Critical Reception
Taylor performed the song live for the first time ten years after its release, as a surprise song in Miami on the “reputation Stadium Tour” in 2018.
Commercial Performance
“Breathe (Taylor’s Version)” debuted at No. 34 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart on the week ending April 15, 2021.
Taylor's Version
«The song ‘Breathe’ is a song about having to let go of someone in your life who you care about, and you don’t want to hurt, but you’ve outgrown the friendship or the relationship. And I wrote the idea for it, and Colbie Caillat was in town who’s just one of my favorite artists, I absolutely love her music and I love her voice. I brought her this idea and she really liked it, and we wrote it together. And she sang backup vocals on it that are just so haunting. I’m so lucky because she agreed to do the same backup vocals on my version of ‘Breathe.’ So, it absolutely would not have been the same without her. I’m really, really grateful that she decided to return to the project.»
Lyrics
[Verse 1: Taylor Swift]
I see your face in my mind as I drive away
‘Cause none of us thought it was gonna end that way
People are people and sometimes we change our minds
But it’s killing me to see you go after all this time
[Break: Taylor Swift]
Mm-mm, mm-mm-mm-mm
Mm-mm, mm-mm-mm-mm
[Verse 2: Taylor Swift with Colbie Caillat]
The music starts playing like the end of a sad movie
It’s the kind of ending you don’t really wanna see
‘Cause it’s tragedy and it’ll only bring you down
Now I don’t know what to be without you around
[Pre-Chorus: Taylor Swift with Colbie Caillat]
And we know it’s never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You’re the only thing I know like the back of my hand
[Chorus: Taylor Swift with Colbie Caillat]
And I can’t breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to
[Verse 3: Taylor Swift with Colbie Caillat]
Never wanted this, never wanna see you hurt
Every little bump in the road, I tried to swerve
But people are people and sometimes it doesn’t work out
And nothin’ we say is gonna save us from the fallout
[Pre-Chorus: Taylor Swift with Colbie Caillat]
And we know it’s never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You’re the only thing I know like the back of my hand
[Chorus: Taylor Swift with Colbie Caillat]
And I can’t breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you but I have to
[Bridge: Taylor Swift with Colbie Caillat]
It’s 2 A.M., feeling like I just lost a friend
Hope you know it’s not easy, easy for me
It’s 2 A.M., feeling like I just lost a friend
Hope you know this ain’t easy, easy for me
[Pre-Chorus: Taylor Swift with Colbie Caillat]
And we know it’s never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me, oh
[Final Chorus: Taylor Swift with Colbie Caillat]
I can’t breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to
Breathe without you, but I have to
[Outro: Taylor Swift & Colbie Caillat]
I’m sorry, I’m sorry (Mmm)
I’m sorry, (Yeah, yeah) I’m sorry
I’m sorry, I’m sorry (Ooh, ooh)
I’m sorry
Albums | Fearless Fearless (Taylor’s Version) | |||
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Feature | Colbie Caillat | |||
Released | October 21, 2008 | |||
Re-Released | April 9, 2021 | |||
Genre | Country Pop | |||
Length | 4:21 | |||
Labels | Big Machine Records Republic Records | |||
Songwriters | Taylor Swift Colbie Caillat | |||
Producers | Nathan Chapman (original) Christopher Rowe Taylor Swift | |||
FEARLESS CHRONOLOGY | ||||
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