Enchanted
Speak Now (2010) | Speak Now (Taylor's Version) [2023]
“Enchanted” is the ninth track on Taylor’s third studio album, Speak Now (2010). The sweeping power ballad captures the feeling of instant infatuation after meeting someone for the first time, while also conveying the uncertainty of whether those emotions will be reciprocated. It was the theme song for Taylor’s fragrances Wonderstruck and Wonderstruck Enchanted. The re-recorded version, “Enchanted (Taylor’s Version),” was released on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) [2023].
“Enchanted” was originally intended to be the title track of Speak Now, but Taylor ultimately changed the album’s name after consulting with Big Machine Records president Scott Borchetta. He felt that Enchanted did not fully align with the album’s grown-up themes and perspectives.
Background and Release
Taylor wrote “Enchanted” entirely by herself for her third studio album, Speak Now. She wrote the song after meeting Adam Young, the lead singer of Owl City, backstage after attending one of his shows in New York City. Taylor had exchanged emails with Young before their meeting and, on her way home, found herself wondering whether he was interested in her and whether he might already be in love with someone else. In an interview in 2010, she said:
«I had talked to him on email before, but I had never met him. And meeting him, it was this overwhelming feeling of: 'I really hope that you're not in love with somebody.' And the whole entire way home, I remember the glittery New York City buildings passing by and then just sitting there thinking, 'Am I ever going to talk to this person again?' And that pining away for a romance that may never even happen, but all you have is this hope that it could and the fear that it never will. I started writing that in the hotel room when I got back. Because it just was this positive, wistful feeling of, 'I hope you understand just how much I loved meeting you. I hope that you know that meeting you was not something that I took lightly or just in passing.'»
When Young later emailed her that he had been “wonderstruck” by meeting her, Taylor incorporated the unusual word into the song as a subtle message to him. She also hid his name in the Speak Now liner notes, where the first letters of certain words spell “Adam.” Young later confirmed that he recognized himself as the subject of the song, noting both the hidden message and Taylor’s use of “wonderstruck” as clues.
Produced by Taylor and Nathan Chapman, “Enchanted” was recorded for Speak Now and ultimately placed as the album’s ninth track. It was released alongside the album on October 25, 2010, rather than as a single. The nearly six-minute song was nevertheless one of the album’s more prominent tracks, with its expansive production built around acoustic and electric guitars, piano, strings and layered vocals.
For a time, Enchanted was also the working title of Speak Now. Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta later recalled that he challenged the title during a lunch with Taylor after hearing several of the new songs. He told her that the record was no longer about “fairy tales and high school” and that Enchanted no longer reflected where she was in her life. Taylor briefly excused herself from the table and returned minutes later with her final decision: the album would be called Speak Now. The new title better reflected the album’s recurring focus on finding the courage to say what one truly means before the opportunity passes.
Produced by Taylor and Nathan Chapman, “Enchanted” was recorded for Speak Now and ultimately placed as the album’s ninth track. It was released alongside the album on October 25, 2010, rather than as a single. The nearly six-minute song was nevertheless one of the album’s more prominent tracks, with its expansive production built around acoustic and electric guitars, piano, strings and layered vocals.
For a time, Enchanted was also the working title of Speak Now. Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta later recalled that he challenged the title during a lunch with Taylor after hearing several of the new songs. He told her that the record was no longer about “fairy tales and high school” and that Enchanted no longer reflected where she was in her life. Taylor briefly excused herself from the table and returned minutes later with her final decision: the album would be called Speak Now. The new title better reflected the album’s recurring focus on finding the courage to say what one truly means before the opportunity passes.
General Information
| Artist | Taylor Swift |
|---|---|
| Albums |
Speak Now Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) |
| Written | 2009–2010 |
| Released | October 25, 2010 |
| Re-Released | July 7, 2023 |
| Genre | Country Rock |
| Length | 5:53 |
| Labels |
Big Machine Records Republic Records |
| Songwriter | Taylor Swift |
| Producers |
Nathan Chapman (original) Christopher Rowe Taylor Swift |
Hidden Message
Adam
Official Audio
Song Artwork
![Speak Now (Taylor's Version) [Republic Records, 2023]](https://taylorswiftswitzerland.ch/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/speak-now-taylors-version-2023-cover.jpg)
![Speak Now (Taylor's Version) Deluxe Digital Album [Republic Records, 2023]](https://taylorswiftswitzerland.ch/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/speak-now-taylors-version-deluxe-digital-album.jpg)
Lyrical Theme
“Enchanted” captures the exhilaration and uncertainty of developing an immediate infatuation with someone after a single encounter. Rather than depicting an established romance, the song focuses on the possibility of one: the narrator is captivated by the person she has just met, but has no idea whether the attraction is mutual or whether they will ever meet again. The lyrics therefore move between the excitement of the present moment and the anxious anticipation of what might come next, transforming an ordinary meeting into something that feels significant and full of possibility.
The song’s fairytale imagery reinforces this sense of wonder, while its recurring references to stories, wishes and fate give the encounter an almost cinematic quality. Yet beneath the romantic idealism is a more vulnerable perspective. The narrator imagines that this meeting could be “the very first page” of a story, but acknowledges that it could just as easily be its ending. This tension between hope and uncertainty is central to the song: the encounter feels extraordinary precisely because nothing has been decided yet. The extended outro intensifies this feeling, with repeated thoughts about whether the other person might already be in love with someone else turning the initial excitement into restless longing.
Taylor has described the bridge as her favorite part of the song because it reflects her thoughts almost exactly as she experienced them while writing. In a 2010 interview focusing on the album’s songs, she said:
The song’s fairytale imagery reinforces this sense of wonder, while its recurring references to stories, wishes and fate give the encounter an almost cinematic quality. Yet beneath the romantic idealism is a more vulnerable perspective. The narrator imagines that this meeting could be “the very first page” of a story, but acknowledges that it could just as easily be its ending. This tension between hope and uncertainty is central to the song: the encounter feels extraordinary precisely because nothing has been decided yet. The extended outro intensifies this feeling, with repeated thoughts about whether the other person might already be in love with someone else turning the initial excitement into restless longing.
Taylor has described the bridge as her favorite part of the song because it reflects her thoughts almost exactly as she experienced them while writing. In a 2010 interview focusing on the album’s songs, she said:
«I think my favorite part of that song is the part where, in the bridge, it goes to a stream of consciousness of, 'Please don't be in love with someone else. Please don't have somebody waiting on you.' Because at that moment, that's exactly what my thoughts were. And it feels good to write exactly what your thoughts were in a certain moment.»
Rather than filtering those feelings through the song’s romantic imagery, the bridge becomes a direct stream of consciousness, revealing the insecurity beneath the enchantment. She explained that she wanted to capture the feeling of hoping a romance might happen while fearing that it never would, and that writing the thoughts down exactly as they occurred made the song feel particularly honest.
Production
Musically, the song mirrors the exhilaration and uncertainty of its subject, gradually expanding through sweeping crescendos that heighten its emotional intensity. Its soaring melodies and dynamic arrangement capture the wistful optimism of a love story still in its earliest, most uncertain stages. The repeated refrain of “I was enchanted to meet you” grows increasingly powerful with each return, eventually giving way to a harmony-layered coda that carries the song to its emotional peak.
Receiving a Public Response
The song’s inspiration became even more apparent after Adam Young publicly responded to it following its release. On Valentine’s Day 2011, the Owl City frontman addressed Taylor directly on his website, revealing that he had also felt a strong connection when they first met. In a heartfelt message, he wrote:
«You are a true princess from a dreamy fairy tale, and above all, I just want you to know, I was enchanted to meet you too.»
Young accompanied his message with his own rendition of “Enchanted,” in which he added a new verse responding directly to Taylor’s lyrics:
I was never in love with someone else
I never had somebody waiting on me
‘Cause you were all of my dreams come true
And I just wish you knew
Taylor, I was so in love with you
Taylor never publicly acknowledged his response, leaving the brief exchange as a rare real-life continuation of one of her songs’ stories.
I was never in love with someone else
I never had somebody waiting on me
‘Cause you were all of my dreams come true
And I just wish you knew
Taylor, I was so in love with you
Taylor never publicly acknowledged his response, leaving the brief exchange as a rare real-life continuation of one of her songs’ stories.
Taylor's Version
“Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)” was released on July 7, 2023, as part of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). The re-recording stays largely faithful to the original arrangement while benefiting from a fuller, cleaner production. In the prologue to Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), Taylor singled out “Enchanted” as her “most wistfully romantic” song. Her description underscores the enduring place the song holds within the record: although its story belongs to a particular moment in her younger life, its sense of wonder and romantic possibility remained meaningful to her more than a decade later.
Live Performances
Taylor first performed “Enchanted” during the Speak Now Thanksgiving Special, which aired on NBC on November 25, 2010. A few months later, she incorporated the song into the regular setlist of the “Speak Now World Tour” (2011–2012), where it became one of the show’s most elaborate performances. Dressed in a long ball gown, Taylor performed from a winding staircase while ballerinas danced around her, creating a theatrical fairytale scene that mirrored the song’s romantic imagery. The staging helped establish “Enchanted” as a fan favorite despite the song never being released as a single.
Taylor continued to revisit the song in later years, including a mashup with “Wildest Dreams” on “The 1989 World Tour” (2015). Performed on a sparkling grand piano, the medley transitioned from “Wildest Dreams” into “Enchanted,” combining two songs about romantic fantasy and the fleeting possibility of love. The performance became one of the tour’s most acclaimed mashups and was later reprised at select standalone shows. Taylor also performed “Enchanted” as a surprise acoustic song on “The RED Tour” in Denver and Portland and on the “reputation Stadium Tour” in East Rutherford on July 22, 2018.
On “The Eras Tour” (2023–2024), “Enchanted” took on an even greater significance. It was the sole song representing Speak Now in the original standard setlist, performed in a ball gown against a dreamlike backdrop of purple lights and accompanied by dancers, acoustic instrumentation and a full-band crescendo. Taylor later explained that she chose it because it had always been her favorite song on the album, adding that fans had made it “one of the most recognizable songs from that album” despite its never having been a single. The song’s prominent placement on the tour, together with its inclusion in the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film, introduced it to a much wider audience and cemented its status as the defining live representation of the Speak Now era.
Taylor continued to revisit the song in later years, including a mashup with “Wildest Dreams” on “The 1989 World Tour” (2015). Performed on a sparkling grand piano, the medley transitioned from “Wildest Dreams” into “Enchanted,” combining two songs about romantic fantasy and the fleeting possibility of love. The performance became one of the tour’s most acclaimed mashups and was later reprised at select standalone shows. Taylor also performed “Enchanted” as a surprise acoustic song on “The RED Tour” in Denver and Portland and on the “reputation Stadium Tour” in East Rutherford on July 22, 2018.
On “The Eras Tour” (2023–2024), “Enchanted” took on an even greater significance. It was the sole song representing Speak Now in the original standard setlist, performed in a ball gown against a dreamlike backdrop of purple lights and accompanied by dancers, acoustic instrumentation and a full-band crescendo. Taylor later explained that she chose it because it had always been her favorite song on the album, adding that fans had made it “one of the most recognizable songs from that album” despite its never having been a single. The song’s prominent placement on the tour, together with its inclusion in the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film, introduced it to a much wider audience and cemented its status as the defining live representation of the Speak Now era.
Music & More
Enchanted
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Critical Reception
In the Rolling Stone review of Speak Now, critic Rob Sheffield praised Taylor’s voice for its unpretentious quality, which he felt could almost conceal how masterful she had become as a singer. He singled out “Enchanted” as one of her best songs, particularly praising its harmony-layered coda as a “coup de grace.” The Guardian’s Alex Macpherson similarly highlighted the song’s emotional precision, praising Taylor’s ability to capture the exhilaration of a new infatuation while allowing a subtle sense of dread to creep into its closing moments. In Slant Magazine, Jonathan Keefe praised the song’s production for showcasing the craftsmanship of Taylor’s songwriting and selected it as one of the album’s highlights.
The song’s reputation continued to grow in retrospective assessments. Billboard ranked “Enchanted” as the fourth-most-underrated Taylor Swift song in 2014, while The Daily Telegraph included it among her ten best songs that same year. Jane Song of Paste later placed it among Taylor’s ten best songs, praising the captivating narrative created by her songwriting. More recently, Rob Sheffield ranked “Enchanted” among the strongest songs in Taylor’s catalogue, again emphasizing the dramatic transformation of its final coda. These retrospective accolades reflect the song’s enduring reputation as one of the defining highlights of Speak Now, particularly for its combination of detailed storytelling, romantic vulnerability and increasingly expansive production.
The song’s reputation continued to grow in retrospective assessments. Billboard ranked “Enchanted” as the fourth-most-underrated Taylor Swift song in 2014, while The Daily Telegraph included it among her ten best songs that same year. Jane Song of Paste later placed it among Taylor’s ten best songs, praising the captivating narrative created by her songwriting. More recently, Rob Sheffield ranked “Enchanted” among the strongest songs in Taylor’s catalogue, again emphasizing the dramatic transformation of its final coda. These retrospective accolades reflect the song’s enduring reputation as one of the defining highlights of Speak Now, particularly for its combination of detailed storytelling, romantic vulnerability and increasingly expansive production.
Fragrance Line
Taylor collaborated with beauty company Elizabeth Arden to create Wonderstruck, her first signature fragrance, which launched in October 2011. It was conceived as a sensory extension of the song’s theme of the excitement of meeting someone who immediately captivates you. It proved to be a major commercial success: Elizabeth Arden reported that Wonderstruck became the No. 2 women’s fragrance launch of 2011, while industry reports noted that it generated a $1 million sales week within its first month. The success led to Wonderstruck Enchanted, released in September 2012.
Commercial Performance
Following the release of Speak Now in October 2010, “Enchanted” debuted at No. 75 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No. 44 on the Digital Song Sales chart and No. 11 on the Country Digital Song Sales chart. It also reached No. 95 on the Canadian Hot 100. As the song was never released as a single, these chart positions were achieved entirely through album sales and individual digital downloads rather than a dedicated single campaign.
More than a decade after its original release, “Enchanted” experienced an unexpected second life through TikTok. In October and November 2021, the song went viral as part of the wider “SwiftTok” phenomenon, driving its weekly US streams from more than one million to over three million within a matter of weeks. The resurgence pushed the original recording onto charts around the world, including a new peak of No. 55 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 47 on the Canadian Hot 100. It also reached No. 27 in Australia, No. 11 in Malaysia, No. 13 in the Philippines and No. 4 in Singapore, while entering Billboard’s Streaming Songs, Digital Song Sales and Country Streaming Songs charts. The revival was significant because it demonstrated that the song had acquired an audience well beyond its original album-era fanbase: eleven years after its release, “Enchanted” was suddenly competing in streaming-driven charts without any new recording, single release or traditional promotional campaign.
“Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)” was released on July 7, 2023, as part of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and immediately surpassed the original recording’s commercial performance. It debuted and peaked at No. 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 11 on the Billboard Global 200. Internationally, it entered the Top 10 in Singapore at No. 2, the Philippines at No. 4, Australia at No. 7 and Ireland at No. 8, while also reaching No. 18 in Canada, No. 15 in the United Kingdom and No. 15 in New Zealand.
The chart history of “Enchanted” therefore reflects a remarkable transformation in the song’s cultural and commercial standing. Its original 2010 release was a non-single album track that achieved only a modest chart debut, but its enduring fan appeal gradually turned it into one of the most recognizable songs from Speak Now. The 2021 TikTok resurgence then demonstrated its ability to connect with a new generation of listeners, while the release of Taylor’s Version in 2023 converted that renewed interest into the song’s strongest chart performance to date. In other words, “Enchanted” did not follow the conventional trajectory of a hit single: its commercial success accumulated slowly, driven first by fan loyalty, then by viral rediscovery, and finally by the enormous global reach of Taylor’s re-recording project. The fact that the song achieved a higher Hot 100 peak in 2023 than it had in 2010—despite still never having been released as a conventional single—is a particularly striking measure of how dramatically Taylor’s audience and the music industry’s consumption patterns had changed.
More than a decade after its original release, “Enchanted” experienced an unexpected second life through TikTok. In October and November 2021, the song went viral as part of the wider “SwiftTok” phenomenon, driving its weekly US streams from more than one million to over three million within a matter of weeks. The resurgence pushed the original recording onto charts around the world, including a new peak of No. 55 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 47 on the Canadian Hot 100. It also reached No. 27 in Australia, No. 11 in Malaysia, No. 13 in the Philippines and No. 4 in Singapore, while entering Billboard’s Streaming Songs, Digital Song Sales and Country Streaming Songs charts. The revival was significant because it demonstrated that the song had acquired an audience well beyond its original album-era fanbase: eleven years after its release, “Enchanted” was suddenly competing in streaming-driven charts without any new recording, single release or traditional promotional campaign.
“Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)” was released on July 7, 2023, as part of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and immediately surpassed the original recording’s commercial performance. It debuted and peaked at No. 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 11 on the Billboard Global 200. Internationally, it entered the Top 10 in Singapore at No. 2, the Philippines at No. 4, Australia at No. 7 and Ireland at No. 8, while also reaching No. 18 in Canada, No. 15 in the United Kingdom and No. 15 in New Zealand.
The chart history of “Enchanted” therefore reflects a remarkable transformation in the song’s cultural and commercial standing. Its original 2010 release was a non-single album track that achieved only a modest chart debut, but its enduring fan appeal gradually turned it into one of the most recognizable songs from Speak Now. The 2021 TikTok resurgence then demonstrated its ability to connect with a new generation of listeners, while the release of Taylor’s Version in 2023 converted that renewed interest into the song’s strongest chart performance to date. In other words, “Enchanted” did not follow the conventional trajectory of a hit single: its commercial success accumulated slowly, driven first by fan loyalty, then by viral rediscovery, and finally by the enormous global reach of Taylor’s re-recording project. The fact that the song achieved a higher Hot 100 peak in 2023 than it had in 2010—despite still never having been released as a conventional single—is a particularly striking measure of how dramatically Taylor’s audience and the music industry’s consumption patterns had changed.
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
There I was again tonight
Forcing laughter, faking smiles
Same old tired, lonely place
Walls of insincerity
Shifting eyes and vacancy
Vanished when I saw your face
All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you
[Verse 2]
Your eyes whispered, “Have we met?”
Across the room your silhouette
Starts to make its way to me
The playful conversation starts
Counter all your quick remarks
Like passing notes in secrecy
And it was enchanting to meet you
All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you
[Chorus 1]
This night is sparkling, don’t you let it go
I’m wonderstruck, blushing all the way home
I’ll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you
[Verse 3]
The lingering question kept me up
2am, who do you love?
I wonder ’til I’m wide awake
Now I’m pacing back and forth
Wishing you were at my door
I’d open up and you would say,
“It was enchanting to meet you,
All I know is I was enchanted to meet you”
[Chorus 2]
This night is sparkling, don’t you let it go
I’m wonderstruck, blushing all the way home
I’ll spend forever wondering if you knew
This night is flawless, don’t you let it go
I’m wonderstruck, dancing around all alone
I’ll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you
[Bridge]
This is me praying that
This was the very first page
Not where the story line ends
My thoughts will echo your name
Until I see you again
These are the words I held back
As I was leaving too soon
I was enchanted to meet you
Please don’t be in love with someone else
Please don’t have somebody waiting on you
Please don’t be in love with someone else
Please don’t have somebody waiting on you
[Chorus 2]
This night is sparkling, don’t you let it go
I’m wonderstruck, blushing all the way home
I’ll spend forever wondering if you knew
This night is flawless, don’t you let it go
I’m wonderstruck, dancing around all alone
I’ll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you
[Outro]
Please don’t be in love with someone else
Please don’t have somebody waiting on you