Home » Albums » Speak Now » Songs on Speak Now » Superman

Superman

Bonus Track | Promotional Single | Speak Now (2010) | Speak Now (Taylor's Version) [2023]

“Superman” is the closing track on the deluxe edition of Taylor’s third studio album, Speak Now (2010). In the song, she describes a boy who left her, but she hopes he will eventually come back to her when the time is right. The re-recording of the song, “Superman (Taylor’s Version)”, was released on July 7, 2023, on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).

Background and Release

Despite the sad premise, the melody and words of “Superman” are hopeful. Taylor wrote the track alone and produced in together with Nathan Chapman. During one of her concerts she explained the song, saying:

«This is about, well, a guy, as usual. This was a guy that I was sort of enamored with. This song got its title by something that I just said randomly in conversation. [When] he walked out of the room, I turned to one of my friends and said, 'It's like watching Superman fly away.»

Taylor Swift

“Superman” was released as promotional single together with “If This Was A Movie” on November 8, 2011.

Live Performances

Taylor fist performed “Superman” acoustically during her show in Kansas City on the “Speak Now World Tour” on September 24, 2011. She didn’t sing it again for 13 years, until she chose it as the first surprise song for her “The Eras Tour” show in Tokyo on February 9, 2024.

Taylor's Version

The re-recording of the song, “Superman (Taylor’s Version)”, was released alongside Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) on July 7, 2023. Upon the release of the album, the re-recording of the song debuted and peaked at No. 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the week ending July 13, 2023.

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Tall, dark and superman
He puts papers in his briefcase and drives away
To save the world or go to work
It’s the same thing to me
He’s got his mother’s eyes, his father’s ambition
I wonder if he knows how much that I miss him
I hang on every word you say

[Pre-chorus 1]
And you smile and say, “How are you?”
And I’ll say, “Just fine”
I always forget to tell you, “I love you,
I’ll love you forever”

[Chorus]
I watched superman fly away
You’ve got a busy day today
Go save the world, I’ll be around
I watched superman fly away
Come back, I’ll be with you someday
I’ll be right here on the ground
When you come back down

[Verse 2]
Tall, dark and beautiful
He’s complicated, he’s irrational
But I hope someday he’ll take me away and save the day, yeah
Something in his deep brown eyes has me sayin’
He’s not all bad like his reputation
And I can’t hear one single word they say

[Pre-chorus 2]
And you’ll leave, got places to be and I’ll be okay
I always forget to tell you, “I love you,
I loved you from the very first day”

[Bridge]
And I watch you fly around the world
And I hope you don’t save some other girl
Don’t forget, don’t forget about me
I’m far away but I never let you go
I’m love struck and looking out the window
Don’t forget, don’t forget where I’ll be
Right here wishing the flowers were from you
Wishing the card was from you
Wishing the call was from you
‘Cause I loved you from the very first day

[Final Chorus]
I watched superman fly away
You’ve got a busy day today
Go save the world, I’ll be around (Forever and ever and)
I watched superman fly away
I swear I’ll be with you someday
I’ll be right here on the ground
When you come back down

[Outro]
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
When you come back down