"Back to December" | ||||
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Single by Taylor Swift | ||||
from the album Speak Now | ||||
Released | November 15, 2010 | |||
Genre | Country pop | |||
Length | 4:53 | |||
Label | Big Machine | |||
Songwriter(s) | Taylor Swift | |||
Producer(s) |
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Taylor Swift singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Back to December" on YouTube |
"Back to December" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Big Machine Records released it as the album's second single on November 15, 2010. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Back to December" is a country pop power ballad that incorporates a string section. Inspired by Swift's relationship with the actor Taylor Lautner, the lyrics are about a remorseful plea for forgiveness from a former lover.
In contemporary reviews, music critics praised "Back to December" for its production and the mature lyrics expressing regret over lost love. Several critics have considered it one of Swift's best songs. In the United States, the single peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Hot Country Songs chart, and the Recording Industry Association of America certified it triple platinum. Elsewhere, "Back to December" peaked at number seven in Canada and received certifications in Australia, Brazil, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The song's accompanying music video, directed by Yoann Lemoine, depicts the aftermath of a breakup between Swift and her boyfriend. Swift performed "Back to December" at the Country Music Association Awards and the American Music Awards. On the Speak Now World Tour (2011–12), she performed the song as part of a mashup with OneRepublic's "Apologize" and her own song "You're Not Sorry". A re-recorded version, titled "Back to December (Taylor's Version)", was released as part of Swift's third re-recorded album Speak Now (Taylor's Version) on July 7, 2023. The re-recorded song topped the Philippines Songs chart.
Swift wrote her third studio album, Speak Now (2010), entirely by herself. According to Swift, Speak Now is a collection of songs about the things she had wanted to say to the people in her life, but never had a chance to. [1] "Back to December" is an apology to a past lover in the form of a song, something that she had never done before. [2] [3] In press interviews leading up to the release of Speak Now, Swift said that although her past songs usually criticized her ex-boyfriends, she felt the need to apologize to a person who was nice to her: "Guys get what they deserve in my songs, and if they deserve an apology, they should get one. There was someone who was absolutely wonderful to me and I dropped the ball, and I needed to say all that." [3] [4]
"Back to December" was produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman. It was first released as a promotional single from Speak Now on October 12, 2010, as a part of the exclusive campaign by the iTunes Store leading up to the album's release. [5] On November 15, 2010, the song was released to US country radio by Big Machine Records, as the second single from Speak Now. [6] Around the time of its release, the inspiration behind the song was subject to media scrutiny, because of Swift's dating history with other celebrities. [7] In press interviews, Swift refused to reveal the subject of the song, as well as other Speak Now tracks, because she wanted to focus on the songwriting aspect of her work. [8] The actor Taylor Lautner, an ex-boyfriend of Swift, told the press in 2016 that he was the inspiration of "Back to December". [9]
"Back to December" has a length of four minutes and 55 seconds. [10] Musically, it is a power ballad. [11] [12] In contemporary reviews, critics categorized the ballad as country [13] and pop. [14] The track is set in common time and has a tempo of 72 beats per minute. It is written in the key of D major, and Swift's vocals span from of F♯3 to A4. [15] The song incorporates an orchestral arrangement consisting of strings, recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. [16] [17] It is one of the three Speak Now tracks to incorporate orchestral strings, the two being "Haunted" and "Enchanted". [17] Maura Johnston from Vulture described the song's texture as "a chilly day when the sun goes down too soon and the mind can only turn to past regrets". [18] Clash opined that the production is "wintry" with "soft flourishes of guitar and strings". [19] In the Los Angeles Times , Martens Todd found the song borderline 1980s rock. [20]
In the lyrics, the narrator apologizes an ex-lover for having hurt him. The lyrics lament a failed relationship that could have been special, "It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you / Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine." [16] The narrator reminisces about the last time she saw the ex-lover, "You gave me roses, and I left them there to die." [21] She wishes to go back in time to change her mind, "I'd go back to December, turn around, and change my own mind / I go back to December all the time." [21] [22] In the bridge, the narrator attempts to fix uncovered memories and change where she went wrong, but ultimately realizes that it is too late. [19]
Billboard journalist Lyndsey Havens wrote of the lyrics, "To hear Swift declare and own a previous mistake was both comforting and empowering all at once — and proved that it's OK, and sometimes even necessary, to swallow one’s pride in the name of love." [22] Mandi Bierly from Entertainment Weekly describes the song as "a melancholy mea culpa with the kind of driving chorus and age-appropriate yet universal honesty". [21] Leah Greenblatt from the same publication ranked the couplet, "Your guard is up and I know why, because the last time you saw me is still burned in the back of your mind / You gave me roses and I left them there to die," as one of the most outstanding lyrics from Speak Now. [23]
Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone gave it a positive review commenting, "Swift's voice is unaffected enough to mask how masterful she has become as a singer; she lowers her voice for the payoff lines in the classic mode of a shy girl trying to talk tough." [24] Jonathan Keefe from Slant Magazine complimented Swift's ability "to write an indelible melody" and praised the production of the song, writing "[the song] showcase(s) Swift's unique knack for matching the overall tone of a melody to the broader themes of a song". He added that "it isn't easy to make a melancholy song like "Back to December" sound catchy at the same time, but that's what Swift does, and it's an impressive trick." [25]
Rudy Klapper from Sputnikmusic described the song as a "regret-filled apology". [26] In The Washington Post , Allison Stewart picked it as one of the album's "great" songs. [27] Dan DeLuca writing for The Philadelphia Inquirer considered "Back to December" the Speak Now track that most showcased Swift's maturing songwriting, thanks to the lyrics depicting her acknowledgements of her own shortcomings without blaming others. [28] Steven Hyden in a review for The A.V. Club was less enthusiastic, deeming "Back to December" a generic ballad and saying that it is not as effective as other album tracks where Swift criticizes those who had wronged her, such as "Innocent", "Better than Revenge", or "Mean". [29]
In a retrospective review, Johnston selected "Back to December" as one of the most memorable tracks on the album, deeming it a wistful song and praising the emotional sentiments: "Swift's lyrics slip between in-the-moment narration and getting lost in her head in an utterly relatable way." [18] James Rettig, in a 10-year anniversary review of Speak Now for Stereogum , found it to represent Swift "at her best" for portraying universal feelings about "lost love and youthful regret" despite taking inspiration from her own personal life. [30] Clash magazine's editors included the single in their list of the 15 best songs by Swift, with Sahar Ghadirian specifically lauding the bridge. [19] On a less complimentary side, Alexis Petridis of The Guardian ranked "Back to December" 39th in his 2019 ranking of Swift's 44 singles; while saying that the song is "beautifully produced", he remarked that it "never quite sets your pulse racing". [31]
Year | Organization | Award/work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | American Country Awards | Female Video of the Year | Nominated | |
BMI Awards | Publisher of the Year | Won | [33] | |
Award-Winning Songs | Won | |||
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Break-Up Song | Won |
Upon its digital release, "Back to December" debuted and peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 with first-week digital sales of 242,000 downloads. [35] On the Hot Country Songs chart, the single peaked at number three. [36] On other airplay charts by Billboard, "Back to December" peaked at number 11 on Pop Songs, number 11 on Adult Pop Songs, and number 14 on Adult Contemporary. [36] According to the Billboard Year-End Charts of 2011, "Back to December" ranked at number 38 on the year-end Hot Country Songs [37] and number 74 on the year-end Hot 100 chart. [38] As of November 2017, "Back to December" had sold two million digital copies in the United States. [39] Elsewhere, the single peaked at number seven on the Canadian Hot 100, [36] number 26 on the Australian ARIA Charts, [40] and number 24 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart. [41]
"Back to December"'s accompanying music video was directed by Yoann Lemoine, who directed the video for Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream", and was filmed in late December 2010 before Christmas Day. [42] In an interview with Country Music Television, Lemoine explained that he developed the idea for the video after being inspired from the film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial . [43] He also told MTV News that he wanted the video to be simple yet metaphorical. He added, "I wanted to work on the coldness of feelings in a very visual way, playing with the snow, the distance and sadness." [44] [45] He wanted to focus on Swift's look in the video so that she would come off as accessible, saying "I wanted her to perform a very natural way, to make her look very European. This was the main challenge to me. All of Taylor's world is very far away from my culture, but I saw something in her that could be very rough and heartbreaking; far from the princess glittery outfits and glam that she often goes for." [44] Lemoine was allowed to take control of the whole production of the video, although it was Swift's idea to have her character leave the letter for her beloved. [44] Swift's love interest in the video was played by model, Guntars Asmanis. [46] [47] Lemoine commented that Asmanis was the perfect fit for Swift's love interest, saying "I wanted a boy that was fragile and beautiful. I didn't want to go for a hunk or a perfect cheesy boy that would have killed the sincerity of the video." [44] The outdoor scenes were filmed in Binghamton, New York (including footage of the school and stadium at MacArthur Park) and neighboring Vestal, New York, [48] [49] while scenes with Swift were shot in an old country mansion outside of Nashville. [43]
The music video premiered on January 13, 2011, on CMT [50] and Great American Country. [51] It begins with a young man seen walking alone in a small town to the snowy football field in a winter morning. The video cuts to Swift inside a house wearing a comfy sweater draped over one shoulder. She is brooding and singing about her lost love while wandering morosely around her house. She is also seen sitting in the bathtub, missing her boyfriend who she didn't treat well when they were together. About halfway through the video, it starts to snow inside the spacious house. A montage of Swift writing a letter is shown alternately with scenes of her boyfriend strolling around the town. It is then revealed that the whole situation is the aftermath of a break-up between Swift and her boyfriend. It is also shown that Swift slips the letter that she has written in his coat pocket before he leaves. The final scene shows her ex-boyfriend sitting in the bleachers of the snowy football field, reading her apology letter. [52] [53]
Critical receptions towards the music video were positive. Jillian Mapes of Billboard believed that the video is "appropriately understated" considering the fact that the song is all about making an apology. [54] The Improper noticed that the video has "the look and feel of a Hallmark movie and is almost as maudlin," [55] while Amos Barshad of New York magazine felt that the video was "terrible". [56] Tamar Anitai of MTV described the video as "a bummer", writing "[It] isn't just about a girl with her calendar permanently stuck on the twelfth month of the year. It's not just about feeling like a Lady Antebellum song. It's about getting stuck in a place of romantic regret." [57]
In a different perspective, Kyle Anderson of MTV argued that the music video puts Swift in a "pantheon of modern classics" with regards to its "almost haunting visual sense" which makes up for the inadequate narrative. [52] Leah Collins of Dose.ca called the music video "dreamy and moody". [58] Her points were echoed by Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly , who deemed the video as "kind of lovely", which corresponds with the melancholic yet regretful mood of the song. [59] Joycelyn Vena of MTV noticed that the video is "darker" and "somber", something that is not synonymous with Swift. [42] Yet, The Oxonian Review considered Swift's "listlessness, the bare trees, and snowy indoors" in the music video attuned to the tenor of the song, achieved by "mixing wide shots, medium close ups, and cut-ins of Ms. Swift and her ex, matching their gazes across frames, and blurring focus tastefully." [60]
Swift first performed "Back to December" in Paris at a showcase at the Salle Wagram theater, on October 18, 2010, to promote her upcoming album, Speak Now, set for release on the October 25, 2010. [61] Swift also performed the song on Speak Now: Taylor Swift Live From New York City, a special programme which was streamed live on CMT.com, MTV.com, VH1.com and other MTV Networks websites in Europe, Asia, Australia and Latin America to celebrate the release of her new album. [62]
Swift also performed "Back to December" on several other occasions. On November 10, 2010, she performed the song live at the 44th annual Country Music Association Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. [63] Her performance of the song during that event was graded as a "B+" in the Los Angeles Times , noting she "kept it simple" and "rose to the occasion". [64] On November 21, 2010, Swift mashed "Back to December" with OneRepublic's "Apologize" at the 38th American Music Awards. [65] [66] Her rendition in that event was graded as a "B−" in the Los Angeles Times, noting that "a brief end-song breakaway into OneRepublic's "Apologize" seemed unnecessary". [20]
Swift performed "Back to December" and several songs from Speak Now on November 24, 2010, during Thanksgiving night, on NBC. [67] She later performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on December 2, 2010. [68] On January 31, 2011, she sang the song in JetBlue's Terminal 5 in New York as part of JetBlue's Live at Terminal 5 concert series. [69] She also performs the song on her Speak Now World Tour as well as mashing the song with Apologize and her own song "You're Not Sorry", from her album Fearless . [70] [71] [72] The performance was released on Swift's first live album called Speak Now: World Tour Live . [73] On the July 15, 2023, concert in Denver, as part of the Eras Tour, Swift sang "Back to December" as a "surprise song". [74]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [86] | 2× Platinum | 140,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [87] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [88] | Gold | 40,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI) [89] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [90] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Worldwide | October 12, 2010 | Digital download | Big Machine | [91] |
November 15, 2010 | Country radio | [92] | ||
November 30, 2010 | Contemporary hit radio |
| [93] | |
United Kingdom | March 20, 2011 | Digital download | Universal | [94] |
"Back to December (Taylor's Version)" | |
---|---|
Song by Taylor Swift | |
from the album Speak Now (Taylor's Version) | |
Released | July 7, 2023 |
Length | 4:54 |
Label | Republic |
Songwriter(s) | Taylor Swift |
Producer(s) |
|
Lyric video | |
"Back to December (Taylor's Version)" on YouTube |
After signing a new contract with Republic Records, Swift began re-recording her first six studio albums in November 2020. [95] The decision came after the public 2019 dispute between Swift and the talent manager Scooter Braun, who acquired Big Machine Records, including the masters of Swift's albums the label had released. [96] [97] By re-recording her catalog, Swift had full ownership of the new masters, including the copyright licensing of her songs, devaluing the Big Machine-owned masters. [98] Her first two re-recordings, Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version) , were released in April and November 2021, respectively. [99] [100]
On May 5, 2023, at the first Nashville show of the Eras Tour, Swift announced Speak Now (Taylor's Version) as her next re-recorded album, slated for release on July 7, [101] with "Back to December (Taylor's Version)" as the third track of the record. [102] On June 29, a snippet of "Back to December (Taylor's Version)" was featured in the trailer to the second season of the Prime Video original series, The Summer I Turned Pretty . [103]
Adapted from Speak Now (Taylor's Version) digital album inline notes. [104]
Production
Musicians
Chart (2023) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [105] | 11 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [106] | 17 |
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [107] | 10 |
Greece (IFPI) [108] | 52 |
Ireland ( Billboard ) [109] | 17 |
Malaysia ( Billboard ) [110] | 12 |
Malaysia International (RIM) [111] | 5 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [112] | 10 |
Philippines ( Billboard ) [113] | 1 |
Singapore (RIAS) [114] | 4 |
UK Streaming (OCC) [115] | 30 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [116] | 16 |
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [117] | 5 |
Vietnam (Vietnam Hot 100) [118] | 55 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [86] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [119] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic reinventions, and cultural impact, Swift is a leading figure in popular music and the subject of widespread public interest.
"Love Story" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released as the lead single from her second studio album, Fearless, on September 15, 2008, by Big Machine Records. Inspired by a boy who was unpopular with her family and friends, Swift wrote the song using William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet as a reference point. The lyrics narrate a troubled romance that ends with a marriage proposal, contrary to Shakespeare's tragic conclusion. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, the midtempo country pop song includes a key change after the bridge and uses acoustic instruments including banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar.
"Fearless" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the title track of her 2008 second studio album. Swift wrote the song with Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey while promoting her 2006 self-titled debut album, and she produced it with Nathan Chapman. She placed it first on Fearless's track listing because she thought it encompassed the album's overarching theme; the song's lyrics are about a perfect first date despite its uncertainties. The production is country pop and pop rock and incorporates dynamic guitars. Big Machine Records released "Fearless" to US country radio as the album's fifth and final single on January 4, 2010.
"Fifteen" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her second studio album, Fearless (2008). Inspired by Swift's high-school freshman year, the lyrics narrate how she and her friend Abigail Anderson, both at 15, experience teenage heartbreak and realize life aspirations. Swift included the track on the album after Anderson consented to the personal references. She and Nathan Chapman produced "Fifteen", a country pop song with a pop melody. Big Machine Records released "Fifteen" to American country radio on August 31, 2009, as the fourth single from Fearless.
"Ours" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for the deluxe edition of her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). It was released to US country radio as the album's last single on December 5, 2011, by Big Machine Records. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Ours" is an understated country pop ballad with a folk-influenced production. The lyrics depict a young couple's resilience to protect their relationship despite others' scrutiny.
Speak Now is the third studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on October 25, 2010, by Big Machine Records. Swift wrote the album entirely herself while touring in 2009–2010 to reflect on her transition from adolescence to adulthood.
"Mine" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the lead single from her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Big Machine Records released the song for download and to radio on August 4, 2010. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Mine" is a country pop and pop rock song. In its lyrics, it discusses the ups and downs of young love, inspired by Swift's tendency to run away from love for fears of heartbreak.
"Speak Now" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It is the title track for her third studio album of the same name (2010), and was released for digital download as a promotional single on October 5, 2010, by Big Machine Records. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Speak Now" is an acoustic guitar-driven country pop song with its refrain incorporating the 1950s rock chord progression. Lyrically, the track is about a protagonist interrupting a wedding in an attempt to win her ex-lover back. Swift was inspired to write it after learning that an ex-boyfriend of her friend would marry someone else.
"Mean" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Big Machine Records released the song to US country radio as the album's third single on March 13, 2011. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Mean" is a six-string banjo-led country pop and bluegrass track that incorporates hand claps, fiddles, and multitracked vocals. Inspired by critics of Swift, the lyrics narrate a protagonist's self-awareness of her own shortcomings, efforts to overcome the criticism, and ridicule of a "mean" antagonist.
"Sparks Fly" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Swift had written the track in 2006 and occasionally performed it live, and she recorded it for Speak Now after receiving fan requests to release it. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Sparks Fly" is a pop rock track combining elements of arena rock and country; its production incorporates dynamic electric guitars and subtle fiddles. The lyrics are about temptations and reluctance caused by a dangerous love affair.
"The Story of Us" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). The international mix was released to radio in Europe on April 7, 2011 and the original version was sent to US pop radio on April 19, 2011, as the fourth single from the album. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, the track combines pop-punk, dance-pop, new wave, and power pop, with a production consisting of fast-paced drums and dynamic electric guitars. For the lyrics, which are about the awkwardness between two parted lovers, Swift was inspired by her encounter with an ex-boyfriend at an awards show.
"Better than Revenge" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Swift and Nathan Chapman produced the track, which is an electric guitar-driven pop-punk song. In the lyrics, Swift's character addresses a romantic rival that stole her boyfriend, lambasting the sexual habits, tastes, and life choices of the other girl. "Better than Revenge" charted in Canada and the United States in 2010, and it was included in the set list of Swift's Speak Now World Tour (2011–2012).
Speak Now World Tour – Live is the first live album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on November 21, 2011, by Big Machine Records. It consists of two components: an audio CD and a visual accompaniment either on DVD or Blu-ray. Recorded on Swift's Speak Now World Tour, which she embarked on to support her third studio album Speak Now, the live album consists of songs and performances on various dates.
"Long Live" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Long Live" is a heartland rock song featuring girl group harmonies and chiming rock guitars. The lyrics are about Swift's gratitude for her fans and bandmates, using high-school and royalty imagery to describe the accomplishments in the narrator's life.
Red is the fourth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on October 22, 2012, by Big Machine Records. Swift designated Red as a breakup album that portrays the complex and conflicting feelings ensuing from lost love.
"Begin Again" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fourth studio album, Red (2012). It was released as the second single from Red on October 1, 2012, by Big Machine Records. Produced by Swift, Dann Huff, and Nathan Chapman, "Begin Again" is a gentle country and soft rock ballad with arpeggiated acoustic guitar, steel guitar, and percussion. Its lyrics detail falling in love again after going through heartbreak.
"Everything Has Changed" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring the English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran from Swift's fourth studio album, Red (2012). It was released as the sixth single from the album on July 14, 2013, by Big Machine Records. A music video for the song was released earlier on June 6, 2013. Produced by Butch Walker, "Everything Has Changed" is a guitar-led folk-pop ballad. Its lyrics are about wanting to know a new lover better. The song received mixed reviews from critics, who either complimented or criticized the production.
"Innocent" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, the song was written in response to Kanye West's interruption of her acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, feeling the need to sympathize with him after the public outrage he received. A gentle pop and alternative country ballad with tender vocals, its lyrics are about a protagonist's encouragement of someone who has committed wrongdoings, claiming them to hold innocence and believing that they could redeem themself.
"Enchanted" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, the song is a power ballad combining pop, rock, and country. The production incorporates gentle acoustic guitars and crescendos after each refrain, leading to dynamic electric guitars, a steady drum beat, and a vocal harmony-layered coda. In the lyrics, a narrator is infatuated with someone after meeting them for the first time, and she worries about whether the initial feeling will be reciprocated.
"Dear John" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). The title references the Dear John letter, which is a letter written to a man by his romantic partner to inform him that their relationship is over. The lyrics describe a 19-year-old's toxic and inappropriate relationship with an older man. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Dear John" is a slow-burning power ballad combining soft rock, electric blues, and country pop; the production incorporates electric guitar licks.
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