22
Single | RED (2012) | RED (Taylor's Version) [2021]
Background and Release
The song was officially supposed to impact contemporary hit radio in the U.S. on March 5, 2013, before being pushed back by one week to March 12, 2013, and in the UK on March 31, 2013. An exclusive limited edition individually numbered CD single was also released exclusively to Taylor’s store on March 13, 2013, the same day the music video was released and Taylor kicked off her third concert tour, “The RED Tour.”
Lyrical Theme
«For me, being 22 has been my favorite year of my life. I like all the possibilities of how you're still learning, but you know enough. You still know nothing, but you know that you know nothing. You're old enough to start planning your life, but you're young enough to know there are so many unanswered questions. That brings about a carefree feeling that is sort of based on indecision and fear and a the same time letting lose. Being 22 has taught me so much.»
Original Lyrics
In addition to, “It feels like a perfect night” originally being, “It seems like a perfect night,” a photo has surfaced of the page on which Taylor wrote the song, with these different lyrics written. They were likely part of the original bridge, since the final two lyrics carried over into the studio version.
Sometimes it hits me
We’re moving quickly
Toward something hazy
A future I can’t see
Let’s break the old rules
While we’re still 22
You look like bad news
I gotta have you
Critical Reception
Commercial Performance
Music Video
Taylor's Version
«'22' is a song I wrote about exactly how I was feeling when I was 22 years old; I felt happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time, which I think is the way a lot of 22-year-olds feel, you know? We all feel that way all the time. So I brought this song to Max Martin and Sheelback, and I had written in on a plane ride and they loved the idea. And it just happened really fast! They were like, 'Oh my God, we get exactly where you wanna go with this.' I just wanted the most infectuous chorus and I feel it really does that. When somebody turns 22 and they in some way incorporate this song into their social media posts, or they dance to this song when they turn 22, it's the coolest feeling when I see that happen! And you know, I'm about to turn 32, so I'm sure I'm gonna be playing it at my birthday party.»
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
It feels like a perfect night to dress up like hipsters
And make fun of our exes (Oh oh, oh oh)
It feels like a perfect night for breakfast at midnight
To fall in love with strangers (Oh oh, oh oh)
[Pre-Chorus]
Yeah
We’re happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time
It’s miserable and magical, oh yeah
Tonight’s the night when we forget about the deadlines
It’s time (Oh oh)
[Chorus]
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22
Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you
You don’t know about me, but I bet you wanted to
Everything will be alright if we just keep dancing like we’re 22, 22
[Verse 2]
It seems like one of those nights
This place is too crowded, too many cool kids, uh uh, uh uh
(Who’s Taylor Swift, anyway? Ew)
It seems like one of those nights
We ditch the whole scene and end up dreaming
Instead of sleeping
[Pre-Chorus]
Yeah
We’re happy, free, confused, and lonely in the best way
It’s miserable and magical, oh yeah
Tonight’s the night when we forget about the heartbreaks
It’s time (Oh oh)
[Chorus]
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22
Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you
You don’t know about me, but I bet you wanted to
Everything will be alright if we just keep dancing like we’re 22, 22
I don’t know about you, 22, 22
[Bridge]
It feels like one of those nights
We ditch the whole scene
It feels like one of those nights
We won’t be sleeping
It feels like one of those nights
You look like bad news, I gotta have you
I gotta have you
[Chorus]
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22
Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you
You don’t know about me, but I bet you wanted to
Everything will be alright if we just keep dancing like we’re 22, 22
Dancing like 22 (Yeah)
22 (Yeah, yeah)
[Outro]
It feels like one of those nights
We ditch the whole scene
It feels like one of those nights
We won’t be sleeping
It feels like one of those nights
You look like bad news, I gotta have you
I gotta have you
Albums | RED RED (Taylor’s Version) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Released | October 22, 2012 | |||
Re-Released | November 12, 2021 | |||
Studio | Conway (Los Angeles) MXM (Stockholm) | |||
Genre | Bubblegum Pop | |||
Length | 3:50 | |||
Labels | Big Machine Records Republic Records | |||
Songwriters | Taylor Swift Max Martin Shellback | |||
Producers | Max Martin (original) Shellback Christopher Rowe Taylor Swift | |||
RED CHRONOLOGY | ||||
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