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Suburban Legends (From The Vault)

1989 (Taylor's Version) [2023]

“Suburban Legends (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]” is a song written by Taylor and Jack Antonoff that appears on 1989 (Taylor’s Version), her fourth re-recorded album. It was released on October 27, 2023.

Background and Release

1989 (Taylor’s Version) marks the fourth in a series of albums that have seen Taylor re-recording her Big Machine catalog, as an alternative for fans to listen to. In comparison to the original albums that put money in the pockets of parties who purchased the masters to those records along with the label as a whole without Taylor’s permission, she fully owns these re-recordings. Previous re-recorded albums were Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and RED (Taylor’s Version), both released in 2021, as well as Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), which was released in July 2023.

“Suburban Legends” used to be one of Taylor’s many unreleased songs, although it had never been in rotation. Taylor revealed the full track list for 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on September 20, 2023, including “Suburban Legends”.

Live Performance

Taylor first performed “Suburban Legends” during her sixth headlining concert tour, “The Eras Tour” (2023-2024). It was the second surprise song during her show on November 17, 2023, in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). She performed it acoustically on piano.

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
You had people who called you on unmarked numbers
In my peripheral vision
I let it slide like a hose on a slippery on a slippery plastic summer
All was quickly forgiven
You were so magnetic it was almost obnoxious
Flush with the currency of cool
I was always turning out my empty pockets
And when it came to you

[Chorus 1]
I didn’t come here to make friends
We were born to be suburban legends
When you hold me it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever

[Verse 2]
I had the fantasy that maybe our mismatched star signs would surprise the whole school
When I ended up back at our class reunion walking in with you
You’d be more than a chapter in my old diaries – with the pages ripped out
I am standing in a 1950s gymnasium
And I can still se you now

[Chorus 2]
I didn’t come here to make friends
We were born to be suburban legends
When you hold me it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever
I know that you still remember
We were born to be national treasures
When you told me we’d get back together
And you kissed me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever

[Bridge]
Tick tock on the clock
I pace down your block
I broke my own heart ’cause you were too polite to do it
Waves crash on the shore
I dash to the door
You don’t knock anymore
And my whole life’s ruined
Tick tock on the clock
I pace down your block
I broke my own heart ’cause you were too polite to do it
Waves crash to the shore
I dash to the door
You don’t knock anymore

[Outro]
And I always knew it
That my life would be ruined