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Dark Blue Tennessee

Unreleased | 2004

“Dark Blue Tennessee” is one of Taylor’s numerous unreleased songs, written by her and Robert Ellis Orrall. It got leaked around 2004 because it was track eight on Taylor’s 2004-2005 Demo CD. A piano demo later also surfaced online. Lyrically, the song is one of the darkest in Taylor’s discography.

Background and Lyrical Theme

“Dark Blue Tennessee” is one of the darkest songs Taylor has ever written. It delves into the aftermath of a recent breakup, portraying a poignant narrative of two individuals too prideful and hesitant to acknowledge their lingering love and pain. The storyline takes a tragic turn in the bridge when one of them, overwhelmed by the emotional turmoil, reaches a breaking point and sadly resorts to suicide. The suicide note confesses enduring love and the decision to find solace in eternity in Tennessee, offering closure to the other and relieving them from any lingering worry or speculation.

In an interview with the “Swift Legacy Podcast” Robert said that the inclusion of the suicide narrative was ultimately the reason why the song was not released:

«That’s what made the song too mature for the first album, cause that’s really what it was. That was what we had no problem saying what it was. It was Romeo and Juliet, who doesn’t love Romeo and Juliet? Taylor loves Romeo and Juliet. Maybe if we had never admitted that it would’ve had a better shot.»

Robert Ellis Orrall

To this day, it is still Robert’s favorite song he worked on with Taylor: “I didn’t say, ‘Hey, why didn’t that song go on the record?’ I just felt that decisions are being made that are not mine to make. I’m a songwriter and I was asked to produce some songs and I was grateful to do that and loved doing that. So I never asked but I had the feeling that it felt too mature for the first record.” Everyone in Taylor’s circle who knew of “Dark Blue Tennessee” clearly stated that it was among their favorite songs she had ever written, though.

Almost on Fearless

“Dark Blue Tennessee” was first recorded in 2004 for one of Taylor’s demo CDs. A couple of years later, it was re-recorded when it was in consideration to be released on her second album, Fearless (2008). It was track five on a temporary Fearless tracklist in late 2007. Other songs on the shortlist included “Permanent Marker,” “Tell Me Why,” “I’d Lie,” “Fearless,” “Sparks Fly” and “Bye Bye Baby” (which was originally called “The One Thing”). In the end it was still scrapped, though. Robert said:

«I got my hopes up about it being included on Fearless. I never knew how close it came to being included on that album because I never saw that list of songs on the mirror until someone put it on Instagram. And it's funny because her dad would call me all the time like, 'Rob, I told her she gotta put 'Dark Blue Tennessee' on the album!' And I was like, 'Scott, please stop telling her that! I wouldn't want my dad telling me what to put on my album, you're making it not go on the album!' But he loved it too, it was his favorite song of hers at the time.»

Robert Ellis Orrall

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
He said,
“I got me a nice new apartment in the city
Wouldn’t you have hated that?
I’m getting by with a broken heart you left me with”
He hangs up the phone
And she whispers back

[Chorus]
Missing you like this is such sweet sorrow
Won’t you come back to me?
I’ll be here today
And here tomorrow
In dark blue Tennessee

[Verse 2]
He was lying
When he said he moved to LA
He’s just hiding out on the other side of town
With his head in his hands
And she’s just seven miles away
He’s staring out the window and puts her picture down
Saying

[Chorus]
Missing you like this is such sweet sorrow
Won’t you come back to me?
I’ll be here today
And here tomorrow
In dark blue Tennessee

[Bridge]
She almost called him on the night that he wrote
These simple words on his goodbye note

[Final Chorus]
Missing you like this is such sweet sorrow
Won’t you come back to me?
I’ll be here today
And here tomorrow
In dark blue Tennessee

[Outro]
In dark blue Tennessee

Artist	Taylor Swift
Status	Unreleased
Leaked	2004
Written	2004
Genre	Country
Length	3:00
Songwriters	Taylor Swift Robert Ellis Orrall
Producer	Robert Ellis Orrall

Dark Blue Tennessee

Unreleased | 2004

Table of Contents

Background and Lyrical Theme

Almost on Fearless

Lyrics

Discography

Videography

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