Picture to Burn
Single | Taylor Swift (2006)
Background and Lyrical Theme
«I found myself just sitting there with my guitar going, 'I hate his stupid truck that he doesn't let me drive. He's such a redneck! Oh my Gosh!' That actually became the chorus to the song, so that's one of the most honest songs I've ever written.»
«[Jordan and I] just thought it was funny. [Jordan] was like, ‘I’m not a redneck! She makes me look like some redneck!’ But other than that we just thought it was kind of funny. After I began dating him, Taylor and I exchanged a few words over a locker fight. We were 14, we were just being girly, snarky.»
Teenage Feelings
In retrospect, Taylor has stated that she has evolved on a personal level and as a songwriter, claiming she processed emotions differently since “Picture to Burn”. When looking back at the song in 2011, she said: “I had this song called ‘Picture To Burn,’ that’s talking about how, ‘I hate your truck,’ and, ‘I hate that you ignored me, I hate you.’ Now, the way that I would say that and the way that I would feel that kind of pain is a lot different.” Despite her evolving on a personal level and as a songwriter, she claimed not to be regretful of “Picture to Burn”, rather happy she was able to demonstrate “those emotions that when you’re so angry, you hate everything. It’s like recording your diary over the years, and that’s a gift”, she said.
Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta never thought that the song was too harsh. He said it was the second or third song Taylor played for him when they first met. “That was the song where I pointed and said, ‘That’s a hit song,'” he recounted. “I had her play it again; I heard the first line and said, ‘Did you really just sing that?'”
Music Videos
Critical Reception
Commercial Performance
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
State the obvious, I didn’t get my perfect fantasy
I realize you love yourself more than you could ever love me
So go and tell your friends that I’m obsessive and crazy
That’s fine, you won’t mind if I say
By the way
[Chorus]
I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive
You’re a redneck heartbreak who’s really bad at lying
So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time
As far as I’m concerned you’re just another picture to burn
[Verse 2]
There’s no time for tears
I’m just sitting here planning my revenge
There’s nothing stopping me from going out with all of your best friends
And if you come around saying sorry to me
My daddy’s gonna show you how sorry you’ll be
[Chorus]
I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive
You’re a redneck heartbreak who’s really bad at lying
So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time
As far as I’m concerned you’re just another picture to burn
[Bridge]
If you’re missing me you’d better keep it to yourself
Cause coming back around here would be bad for your health
[Chorus Variation]
‘Cause I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive
You’re a redneck heartbreak who’s really bad at lying
So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time
In case you haven’t heard
I really, really hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive
You’re a redneck heartbreak who’s really bad at lying
So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time
As far as I’m concerned, you’re just another picture to burn
[Outro]
Burn, burn, burn, baby, burn
Just another picture to burn
Baby, burn
“That’s fine you won’t mind if I say” was originally recorded as “That’s fine, I’ll tell mine you’re gay”.
Album | Taylor Swift | |||
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Released | October 24, 2006 | |||
Recorded | 2006 | |||
Studio | The Castles Studios-A (Nashville) Sound Cottage (Nashville) Sound Emporium (Nashville) | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 2:55 | |||
Label | Big Machine Records | |||
Songwriters | Taylor Swift Liz Rose | |||
Producer | Nathan Chapman | |||
TAYLOR SWIFT CHRONOLOGY | ||||
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