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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

Taylor wrote all 14 tracks on the standard edition of Speak Now entirely by herself. She penned “Enchanted” about a man she became infatuated with after meeting him in New York City one evening, expressing her hope that their connection would continue. Deliberately, she included the word “wonderstruck” in the lyrics because he had used it in an email to her.

For a time, Enchanted was the working title of Taylor’s third album. Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta recalled the moment in an interview with Billboard at the time: “We were at lunch, and she had played me a bunch of the new songs. I looked at her and said, ‘Taylor, this record isn’t about fairy tales and high school anymore. That’s not where you’re at. I don’t think the record should be called Enchanted.’” Taylor then excused herself from the table and, just minutes later, returned with her final decision—the album would be called Speak Now.

Lyrical Theme

“Enchanted” was written by Taylor and produced by Nathan Chapman. Lyrically, the song captures the magical rush of instant infatuation, weaving together the thrill, wonder, and nervous anticipation of meeting someone for the first time. Beneath the excitement, there is a lingering uncertainty and a quiet hope that the connection is mutual and not just a fleeting moment.

The lyrics create a dreamlike, fairytale atmosphere, painting the encounter as something almost otherworldly. Each verse and chorus conveys a sense of being completely mesmerized, caught between reality and fantasy. Still, Taylor has said that the bridge is her favorite part of the song because it reflects her raw, unfiltered stream of consciousness as she wrote it—a moment where the magic of the night turns into longing and vulnerability. She shared the story behind “Enchanted” in an interview:

«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.' And 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.»

Taylor Swift

The guy in question had yet to hear the song at the time of the interview. However, Taylor anticipated that he would recognize it was about their brief encounter once he did, as she deliberately included a specific word as a clue. Reflecting on the moment, she recalled, “I got home, and I opened my email, and he had emailed me, and said something like, ‘Sorry I was so quiet, I was wonderstruck meeting you.’ And so I incorporated the term ‘wonderstruck’ into the song as a, ‘Hey, this one’s for you.’ ‘Cause I don’t think that he knows that I… feel this way at all. So…” She took the reference a step further by embedding an additional hint in the album booklet—its hidden message for the song spells out “A-D-A-M.”

Production

Musically, the song captures the feeling of enchantment, gradually building with sweeping crescendos that intensify its emotional pull. Its soaring melodies evoke the wistful hope of a love story in its earliest, most uncertain moments. The song’s fairytale undertones are further emphasized through its dynamic progression, with each repetition of “I was enchanted to meet you” growing in intensity before culminating in a harmony-layered coda that amplifies the emotional climax.

Receiving a Public Response

The song reflects Taylor’s unrealized crush on Owl City’s Adam Young, and any lingering doubts about his identity were erased when Young publicly responded on his website. In a heartfelt 2011 Valentine’s Day message addressed to Taylor, he admitted that he, too, had felt an instant connection when they first met, writing:

«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.»

Adam Young

Along with his message, Adam Young shared his own version of “Enchanted,” adding a new verse at the end as a direct response 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

However, Taylor never acknowledged his response—at least, not publicly.

Live Performances

Taylor’s first live performance of “Enchanted” was for an NBC Speak Now Thanksgiving Special, which aired on November 25, 2010. The special featured behind-the-scenes footage of the album’s creation, along with live rooftop performances in New York City. A few months later, she added “Enchanted” to the regular setlist of her “Speak Now World Tour” (2011–2012), where it became a standout moment of the show.

During “The 1989 World Tour” (2015), Taylor reimagined the song by performing a mashup of “Enchanted” and “Wildest Dreams” on a grand piano, blending the fairytale-like romance of both tracks. On “The Eras Tour” (2023–2024), “Enchanted” became the only song from Speak Now featured in the standard setlist for every show, serving as a nostalgic highlight of the night.

Taylor has also performed “Enchanted” on select dates of her other tours. During “The RED Tour” (2013–2014), she surprised fans by playing it at shows in Denver and Portland. She later revived it as a special acoustic performance during the “reputation Stadium Tour” in East Rutherford on July 22, 2018.

Critical Reception

In the Rolling Stone review of Speak Now, critic Rob Sheffield praised Taylor’s voice for its unpretentious quality, which skillfully conceals how masterful she has become as a singer. He highlighted “Enchanted” as one of her best songs, singling out the harmony-layered coda as a “coup de grace.” The Guardian‘s Alex Macpherson lauded the track for demonstrating Taylor’s remarkable ability to capture emotion with precision, noting how even the song’s closing moments evoke a subtle sense of dread. In Slant Magazine, critic Jonathan Keefe commended the production for showcasing Taylor’s songwriting craftsmanship, selecting “Enchanted” as one of the album’s standout tracks. In Paste‘s ranking of Taylor’s discography, Jane Song placed “Enchanted” among her top ten songs, praising the track for its captivating narrative brought to life by Taylor’s exceptional songwriting.

Commercial Performance

After Speak Now was released in 2010, “Enchanted” debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at No. 75 and on the Country Digital Song Sales chart at No. 11. It also entered the Canadian Hot 100 at No. 95. Desipite being a fan favorite, the song was never released as a single during the album’s promotional run.

In October–November 2021, “Enchanted” experienced an unexpected resurgence in popularity after going viral on TikTok. During the week of October 27, 2021, the song garnered over one million streams in the United States, and by the following week, that number had increased to over three million. This unexpected popularity was part of the larger “SwiftTok” phenomenon, a hashtag associated with TikTok videos featuring Taylor’s songs. “Enchanted” then peaked at No. 55 on the Billboard Global 200 and climbed to No. 47 on the Canadian Hot 100. The song also charted on the singles charts in Australia (No. 50) and Singapore (No. 14), while reaching the Top 10 on Billboard‘s Country Streaming Songs chart. Additionally, it entered two other Billboard component charts: Digital Song Sales and Streaming Songs.

In July 2023, “Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)” debuted and peaked at No. 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It even reached the Top 10 in several other markets, including Singapore (No. 2), Malaysia (No. 3), the Philippines (No. 4), Australia (No. 7) and Ireland (No. 8).

Fragrance Line

Few songs can claim the distinction of having a perfume line named after them, but “Enchanted” is one of them. Taylor collaborated with beauty company Elizabeth Arden to create the fragrances Wonderstruck and Wonderstruck Enchanted, both of which are inspired by a line from the song. Taylor shared:

«I wrote the lyric, 'I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home' for the song 'Enchanted' about the first time you meet someone. A fragrance can help shape someone's first impression and memory of you. It's exciting to think that Wonderstruck will play a role in creating some of those memories.»

Taylor Swift

The Wonderstruck fragrance line, launched in 2011, featured fruity and floral notes, while Wonderstruck Enchanted, released in 2012, offered a more sensual and sophisticated fragrance. Both perfumes were a commercial success, capturing the romantic spirit of Taylor’s brand.

Taylor's Version

The re-recording of “Enchanted”, titled “Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)”, was released on July 7, 2023, as part of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). While preserving the original’s ethereal quality and whimsy, this version presents a more polished and mature sound, showcasing Taylor’s evolution as an artist. In the album’s prologue, she shared that the song continues to hold deep personal significance for her:

«I made sure to say it all in these songs. [...] It was an album that was the most precious to me because of its vast extremes. It was unfiltered and potent. [...] My most wistfully romantic [song] is 'Enchanted'.»

Taylor Swift

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