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Electric Touch (From The Vault)

Feat. Fall Out Boy | Speak Now (Taylor's Version) [2023]

“Electric Touch (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]” is a song written by Taylor featuring Fall Out Boy that appears on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) [2023], Taylor’s third re-recorded album. She wrote it alone in 2010. The song sees Taylor and Patrick Stump long for hope, vulnerability, and the uncertainty of new love while they also share their perspectives on the potential risks and rewards of opening themselves up to new romantic possibilities.

Background

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) marks the third in a series of albums that have seen Taylor re-recording her Big Machine catalog as an alternative for fans to listen to old albums that will not put money in the pockets of parties who purchased the masters to those records along with the label as a whole. Previous re-recordings were Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and RED (Taylor’s Version), both released in 2021.

“Electric Touch” used to be one of Taylor’s many unreleased songs, although it had never been in rotation. Taylor revealed the full track list for Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) on June 5, including who her duet partners would be on the previously unrecorded “Vault Tracks” — Fall Out Boy is featured on “Electric Touch”. Taylor wrote:

«I’m VERY excited to show you the back cover of Speak Now (My Version) including the vault tracks and collaborations with Hayley Williams from Paramore and Fall Out Boy. Since Speak Now was all about my songwriting, I decided to go to the artists who I feel influenced me most powerfully as a lyricist at that time and ask them to sing on the album. They’re so cool and generous for agreeing to support my version of Speak Now. I recorded this album when I was 32 (and still growing up, now) and can’t wait to unveil it all to you on July 7th!»

Taylor Swift

Taylor's Love for Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy has always been one of Taylor’s favorite bands. They performed the band’s song “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark” together multiple times in 2013, on Taylor’s “The RED Tour” and during the 2013 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. During a cover story interview with Rolling Stone in 2019, Taylor once again shared her admiration for Fall Out Boy and how much they helped form her songwriting:

«I love Fall Out Boy so much. Their songwriting really influenced me, lyrically, maybe more than anyone else. They take a phrase and they twist it. ‘Loaded God complex/ Cock it and pull it’? When I heard that, I was like, 'I’m dreaming.'»

Taylor Swift

Lyrical Theme

“Electric Touch” sees Taylor and Patrick long for hope, vulnerability, and the uncertainty of new love while they also share their perspectives on the potential risks and rewards of opening themselves up to new romantic possibilities. Yet embedded underneath the hopeful and anthemic rock veneer is a lot of the pessimism and self-doubt. “I’m trying hard not to look like I’m trying,” Stump sings, stealing some of 19-year-old Taylor’s lines, “’cause every time I tried hard for love it fell apart.” It’s the uneasy tension between luck and predestined loss that gives this song a little tension amid the breeziness, before it tips on the side of even the losers getting lucky sometimes.

Live Performance

Taylor first performed “Electric Touch” during her sixth headlining concert tour, “The Eras Tour” (2023-2024). It was the second surprise song during her show on February 8, 2024, in Tokyo. It was a truly beautiful acoustic piano rendition of the originally upbeat song.

Commercial Performance

Upon the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), “Electric Touch” debuted and peaked at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the week ending July 13, 2023.

Lyrics

[Verse 1: Taylor Swift]
Just breathe
Just relax
It’ll be ok
Just an hour til your car’s in the driveway
Just the first time ever hanging out with you, tonight
I’ve got my money on things going badly
Got a history of stories ending sadly
Still hoping that the fire won’t burn me
Just one time
Just one time

[Chorus: Taylor Swift]
All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life
Got a feeling your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life
And I want you now
Want to need you forever
In the heat of your electric touch

[Verse 2: Patrick Stump, Taylor Swift & Patrick Stump]
I’ve been left in the rain lost and pining
I’m trying hard not to look like I’m trying
‘Cause every time I tried hard for love it fell apart, oh
I’ve gotten used to no one calling my phone
I’ve grown accustomed to sleeping alone
Still I know that all it takes is to get it right
Just one time
Just one time

[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Patrick Stump]
All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life
Got a feeling your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life
And I want you now
Want to need you forever
In the heat of your electric touch

[Bridge: Taylor Swift, Patrick Stump]
I was thinking just one time (Just one time)
Maybe the stars align (Just one time)
And maybe I call you mine
And you won’t need space
Or string me along while you decide
And just one time (Just one time)
Maybe the moment’s right (Just one time)
It’s 8:05 and I see two headlights

[Final Chorus: Taylor Swift & Patrick Stump, Taylor Swift]
All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life
Got a feeling your electric touch
All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life
Got a feeling your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life
And I want you now
Want to need you forever
In the heat of your electric touch