Love Story
Lead Single | Fearless (2008) | Fearless (Taylor's Version) [2021]
Background and Lyrical Theme
«I used to be in high school where you see [a boyfriend] every day. Then I was in a situation where it wasn’t 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?»
Music Video
The crew considered traveling to Europe to find a castle for the video’s setting, but settled on Castle Gwynn in Arrington, Tennessee instead; Castle Gwynn was built in 1973 and is part of the annual Tennessee Renaissance Festival. Wardrobe for the video was supplied by Jacquard Fabrics, excluding Taylor’s dress for the balcony scene, which was designed by Sandi Spika with inspiration and suggestions from Taylor herself. The video was filmed in two days in August 2008 in Tennessee.
Live Performances
“Love Story” also served as the final performance on the setlist of Taylor’s second concert tour, the “Speak Now World Tour” (2011-2012); the performances featured Taylor floating over the crowd, wearing a gold princess gown. She again performed the song on “The RED Tour” (2013-2014), stating she would never stop playing the song live:
«I like when I go to a concert and the artist respects what the people’s favorite songs are. I’m going to be playing 'Love Story' for the rest of my career because the fans really like it. If I ever get sick of it, I would continue to play it at my shows. You have to, as an artist, remember your experiences as a fan. And as a fan you heard the song in your bedroom, you played it over and over again, you know where the fiddle part is, you know where the banjo part is and you like the way it is sung on the record.»
On April 23, 2019, she performed a piano rendition of the song at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts during the Time 100 Gala, where she was honored. On November 24, she performed the song as part of a medley at the 2019 American Music Awards in Los Angeles where she was honored with the “Artist of the Decade” award.
Critical Reception
“Love Story” featured on 2008 year-end lists by Blender at No. 73 and The Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop critics’ poll at No. 48. Taste of Country listed the song at No. 17 on its 2016 list of “Greatest Country Songs of All Time.” In retrospective reviews, Hannah Mylrea from NME and Nate Jones from New York considered “Love Story” one of Taylor’s strongest songs in her entire discography.
Commercial Performance
Worldwide, “Love Story” was the sixth-best-selling single of 2009, selling 6.5 million copies throughout the year. By February 2021, estimated worldwide sales of “Love Story” stood at 18 million.
Accolades
Taylor's Version
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 1]
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 1]
“Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I’ll be waiting
All that’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
[Pre-chorus 2]
Oh, Oh
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 2]
“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'”
[Bridge]
Oh, oh
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
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
[Chorus 3]
“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
‘Cause we were both young when I first saw you
Albums | Fearless Fearless (Taylor’s Version) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Released | September 16, 2008 | |||
Re-Released | February 12, 2021 | |||
Written | February-March, 2008 | |||
Studios | Blackbird (Nashville) Conway (Los Angeles) Studio 13 (Nashville) Prime Recording (Nashville) | |||
Genre | Country Pop | |||
Length | 3:56 | |||
Labels | Big Machine Records Republic Records | |||
Songwriter | Taylor Swift | |||
Producers | Nathan Chapman (original) Christopher Rowe Taylor Swift | |||
FEARLESS CHRONOLOGY | ||||
|