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Girl At Home

Promotional Single | Bonus Track | RED (2012) | RED (Taylor's Version) [2021]

“Girl At Home” is track nineteen on the deluxe edition of Taylor’s fourth studio album, RED (2012). She describes a man who attempts to hit on her even though he has a girlfriend. The song’s re-recording, “Girl At Home (Taylor’s Version),” was released on November 12, 2021, on RED (Taylor’s Version).

Background

“Girl At Home” was written by Taylor and originally produced by Nathan Chapman. She sings about a guy who is flirting with her (and who she is interested in as well). But she is aware that he is just playing games with her because everyone knows he has a girlfriend. Taylor is disappointed in his actions, tells him to lose her number and go home.

Later in the song, Taylor admits that she might think differently, if she hadn’t been cheated on by an ex herself. Because she knows what that feels like she immediately puts up boundaries. She told Yahoo:

«There’s a song called ‘Girl at Home,’ which was about a guy who had a girlfriend, and I just felt like it was disgusting that he was flirting with other girls.»

Taylor Swift

A few years after its release, Taylor wasn’t particularly proud of the song anymore (similar cases would be “Picture to Burn” and “Better Than Revenge“). Apart from the fact that the original version is essentially a demo track, Taylor has always been reluctant to perform “Girl At Home” live, likely because the lyrics “It would be a fine proposition, if I was a stupid girl” blames the woman instead of the guy who is cheating.

Taylor's Version

In Taylor’s Version of “Girl At Home,” Taylor and Swedish producer Elvira Anderfjärd changed the entire instrumentation and production of the song completely. It now has a more upbeat electropop sound, similar to Taylor’s songs on 1989 (2014) like “Wonderland” or “New Romantics.” This switch of sound consolidates her want to switch towards pop during the RED era.

Lyrics

[Intro]
Don’t look at me
You got a girl at home
And everybody knows that
Everybody knows that (Ah ah)
Don’t look at me
You got a girl at home
And everybody knows that

[Verse 1]
I don’t even know her
But I feel a responsibility
To do what’s upstanding and right
It’s kinda like a code, yeah
And you’ve been getting closer and closer
And crossing so many lines

[Pre-Chorus 1]
And it would be a fine proposition
If I was a stupid girl
But honey I am no one’s exception
This I have previously learned, so

[Chorus]
Don’t look at me
You got a girl at home
And everybody knows that
Everybody knows that (Ah ah)
Don’t look at me
You got a girl at home
And everybody knows that
I see you turn off your phone
And now you got me alone
And I say,
“Don’t look at me
You got a girl at home
And everybody knows that
Everybody knows that”

[Verse 2]
I just wanna make sure
You understand perfectly
You’re the kind of man who makes me sad
While she waits up
You chase down the newest thing
And take for granted what you have

[Pre-Chorus 2]
And it would be a fine proposition
If I was a stupid girl
And yeah, I might go with it
If I hadn’t once been just like her

[Bridge]
Call a cab
Lose my number
You’re about to lose your girl
Call a cab
Lose my number
Let’s consider this lesson learned

[Final Chorus]
Don’t look at me
You got a girl at home
And everybody knows that
Everybody knows that (Ah ah)
Don’t look at me
You got a girl at home
And everybody knows that
Want to see you pick up your phone
And tell her you’re coming home
Don’t look at me
You got a girl at home
And everybody knows that
Everybody knows that (Ah ah)

[Outro]
Don’t look at me
You got a girl at home
And everybody knows that
Everybody knows that
It would be a fine proposition
If I hadn’t once been just like her