"Today Was a Fairytale" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Taylor Swift | ||||
from the album Valentine's Day | ||||
Released | January 19, 2010 | |||
Genre | Country pop | |||
Length | 4:02 | |||
Label | Big Machine | |||
Songwriter(s) | Taylor Swift | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Taylor Swift singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
2011 re-release cover | ||||
Audio video | ||||
"Today Was a Fairytale" on YouTube |
"Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor's Version)" | |
---|---|
Song by Taylor Swift | |
from the album Fearless (Taylor's Version) | |
Released | April 9, 2021 |
Genre | Country pop |
Length | 4:02 |
Label | Republic |
Songwriter(s) | Taylor Swift |
Producer(s) |
|
Lyric video | |
"Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor's Version)" on YouTube |
"Today Was a Fairytale" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman,it was released digitally on January 19,2010,by Big Machine Records as a single from the corresponding soundtrack for the 2010 film Valentine's Day ,in which she acted. Swift had previously written the song and offered it to producers for the film's soundtrack. Musically,"Today Was a Fairytale" is country pop-influenced and,lyrically,speaks of a magical date.
Some critics deemed "Today Was a Fairytale" the best song on the Valentine's Day soundtrack,but some others deemed it bland. The song peaked at number one in Canada,number two in the United States,and number six in Australia. Swift included the track on a revised set list for the continuation of her Fearless Tour in 2010. The song was re-recorded and released as "Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor's Version)",as part of Swift's 2021 re-recorded album,Fearless (Taylor's Version).
Swift solely penned "Today Was a Fairytale" in the summer of 2008 and stored it away for a while. [1] After being cast as Felicia Miller on Valentine's Day,Swift offered the song to the film producers for the soundtrack as she did not believe it fit on her upcoming album. "When this movie opportunity came about,I reached back into my pocket and thought,'I think this is perfect for the soundtrack. I hope it's perfect for the soundtrack'",Swift told The Tennessean . [1] "Today Was a Fairytale" was released as a single from the Valentine's Day soundtrack on January 19,2010,exclusively through the iTunes Store. [2] The single was re-released on February 15,2011. [3] Swift released a re-recorded version,"Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor's Version)",as the twentieth track on her re-recorded album Fearless (Taylor's Version) ,on April 9,2021. [4]
"Today Was a Fairytale" has a length of four minutes and two seconds. [5] It is set in common time and has a ballad tempo of 80 beats per minute. It is written in the key of G major and Swift's vocals span a little more than one octave,from G3 to C5. [6] It follows the chord progression G–C–Em–D. [6] Jody Rosen and Jonas Weiner of Slate magazine noted that although Swift typically sings country pop,"with the possible exception of that woodsy acoustic guitar" in the song's introduction "Today Was a Fairytale" displays no aspects of country music in either its instrumentation or vocals. "Taylor's vowels have gotten flattened and Yankee-ified," commented Rosen,though Weiner pointed out that Swift's pop-heavy music was the primary reason for her success. [7] Hannah Mylrea from NME ,meanwhile,described it as a country song. [8] Melanie Bertoldi of Billboard believed Swift's vocals displayed a newfound maturity. [9] There are two different versions of the song's intro:the first one having much more electronic production while the second one is only accompanied by an acoustic guitar.
The song's lyrics describe a magical date. [10] Like many of Swift's songs,the lyrics invoke princess imagery with lines such as "Today was a fairytale/You were the prince/I used to be a damsel in distress." [7] Bertoldi said the lyrics were "driven more by sweeping emotion than [...] specific,youth-focused imagery". [9] Occasionally,Swift does interrupt the fairytale construct with modern day,real world details like the time her date arrives or the color of his shirt. [7]
The song received generally positive reviews from contemporary critics. Melanie Bertoldi of Billboard compared the song's lyrics to those of Swift's previous singles "You Belong with Me" and "Fifteen";she was convinced that "Today Was a Fairytale" would "help [Swift] reach an even broader audience." [9] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly did not see a departure from Swift,recalling lyrics to be familiar of those of "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me". However,she ended with "What do we know? The song sounds Taylor-made (oh,the wit!) for her fans,and we’re just happy she's still sweet,neat,and [...] age-appropriate." [11] An uncredited review from People magazine said the track led the Valentine's Day soundtrack. [12] Brittany Talarico of British magazine OK! called the song's refrains "catchy" and described the overall feel as "sweet." [13] Andrew Leahey of AllMusic said that there was special attention placed on Swift's tracks on the soundtrack,particularly on the song. [14] Jody Rosen of Slate magazine declared "Today Was a Fairytale" "track of the week",highlighting its imagery that,according to her,"sharpen the focus instead of softening it." [7] Jonah Weiner,also of Slate,wrote,"This song is a funny mix:some of her tightest songwriting to date,but some of her laziest lyrics." He mentioned that in the lyrics,Swift mainly "invoke[d] the clichéand hope[d] it [did] her heavy lifting for her." [7] In June 2022,Insider ranked "Today Was a Fairytale" as Swift's second worst soundtrack song. [15]
On the week ending February 6,2010,"Today Was a Fairytale" debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 (blocked from number one by Kesha's "Tik Tok"). [16] [17] This was due to the sales of 325,000 digital downloads,which broke the record for largest first-week download sales by a female artist previously set by Britney Spears' "Womanizer". [18] In the succeeding week,the song descended to number 22. [19] It spent a total of 18 weeks on the chart. "Today Was a Fairytale" additionally peaked at number one on the Digital Song Sales chart,number 20 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart,number 21 on the Adult Contemporary chart,and number 41 on the Hot Country Songs chart. [20] It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for the sales of over one million units. [21] As of November 2014,"Today Was a Fairytale" had sold 1.6 million digital downloads in the United States. [22]
"Today Was a Fairytale" was Swift's first song to peak at number one on the Canadian Hot 100. [23] The song peaked at number six in Australia [24] and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales of 70,000 units. [25] It peaked at number 29 in New Zealand, [26] number 41 in Ireland, [27] number 57 in the United Kingdom, [28] and number 63 in Japan. [20]
Swift performed a medley,which included the song,at the 52nd Grammy Awards. Wearing casual white blouse and black skinny jeans,Swift performed "Today Was a Fairytale",where she took center stage with a wooden acoustic guitar strapped to her shoulder. After performing the track,she announced. "It's a fairy tale and an honor to share the stage with Stevie Nicks". Following,the two performed a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon" (1976). Swift and Nicks then jumped into the third and final part in her medley,a twangy version of "You Belong with Me". [29] Eric Ditzian of MTV News was disappointed at Swift's and Nicks' harmonies,but said the two "made for a compelling twosome". [29] The performance followed much backlash in regards to Swift's off key singing, [30] which caused Scott Borchetta,CEO of Big Machine Records,to issue a statement defending the performance. [31]
Swift annexed "Today Was a Fairytale" to a revised set list for the continuation of her Fearless Tour in 2010. During the performances,which was the penultimate of each concert,Swift was usually costumed in a black cocktail dress with a v-neck cut and black,leather boots. [32] [33] She performed with a rhinestoned acoustic guitar center-stage as a forest was projected on the stage;concluding the performance,clips from Valentine's Day were depicted and,following its completion,confetti dropped from the ceiling. [32] [33] At the May 22,2010 concert at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto,Ontario,Canada,Jane Stevenson of The Toronto Sun said that Swift wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey "didn't hurt [her] popularity either in this hockey-mad town." [34] Molly Trust of Billboard noted the performance at the tour's final concert on June 5,2010 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough,Massachusetts "sported a touch of a hometown feel,as Swift literally and figuratively played to the crowd in a Patriots shirt." [35] Swift later performed the song on select dates on the Red Tour (2013–2014) in place of "I Almost Do";and during the Eras Tour (2023–2024) as a surprise song for the second Houston show. [36]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [53] | 2× Platinum | 140,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [54] | Platinum | 1,600,000 [22] |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Country | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
United States [2] | January 19, 2010 | Digital download | Big Machine |
Australia [55] | January 22, 2010 | ||
Japan [56] | |||
United States [57] | February 9, 2010 | Contemporary hit radio |
|
Germany [58] | March 12, 2010 | Digital download | Universal |
United States [3] | February 15, 2011 | Digital download (rerelease) | Big Machine |
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.
"Our Song" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the third single from her self-titled debut studio album (2006). Swift wrote "Our Song" for a high school talent show during ninth grade; the lyrics are about a young couple using the regular events in their lives to create their own song. She included the song on the track list because it was popular among her classmates. Big Machine Records released the song to US country radio on September 10, 2007. Produced by Nathan Chapman, "Our Song" is an uptempo banjo-driven country track incorporating fiddles and drums.
"Should've Said No" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her self-titled debut studio album (2006). The song was released to US country radio as the album's fifth and final single on May 19, 2008, by Big Machine Records. Produced by Nathan Chapman, "Should've Said No" combines country rock, pop rock, and post-grunge with banjo and distorted guitars. The lyrics are about Swift's contempt for a cheating ex-lover.
Fearless is the second studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. She wrote the majority of the album while touring in 2007–2008 and produced it with Nathan Chapman.
"Change" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on August 8, 2008, to promote the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack for the United States team at the 2008 Olympics. "Change" was included in Swift's second studio album, Fearless (2008). Swift wrote the track after winning the Horizon Award at the 2007 Country Music Association Awards; its lyrics are about overcoming obstacles to achieve victory.
"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.
"You Belong with Me" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and is the third single from her second studio album Fearless (2008). Big Machine Records released the song to radio on April 20, 2009. Swift was inspired to write "You Belong with Me" after overhearing a telephone call between a touring band member and his girlfriend; she and Liz Rose wrote the lyrics, which discuss an unrequited love. Swift and Nathan Chapman produced the track, which has a banjo-led country pop production and incorporates fiddle, mandolin, and rock-influenced bass and electric guitars. Although the single was promoted on country radio, some critics categorized it into 1980s pop subgenres such as pop rock and power pop.
"White Horse" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the second single from her second studio album, Fearless (2008). Big Machine Records released the track to US country radio on December 8, 2008. Swift wrote "White Horse" with Liz Rose and produced it with Nathan Chapman. An understated country pop ballad, the song is driven by a finger-picked guitar and includes piano and cello accents. The lyrics incorporate fairy-tale imagery of princesses and white horses: the narrator is heartbroken upon realizing that her boyfriend is not an ideal figure like she thought, and in the end she leaves her town with hopes of finding somebody more worthy.
"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.
"Crazier" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from the soundtrack to the 2009 film Hannah Montana: The Movie. Swift wrote the song with Robert Ellis Orrall and produced it with Nathan Chapman. A country ballad, the song has lyrics about falling in love. In Hannah Montana: The Movie, Swift makes a cameo and performs the song. "Crazier" was released on Radio Disney and Disney Channel.
"The Best Day" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her second studio album, Fearless (2008). Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "The Best Day" is an understated song rooted in country rock, with lyrics dedicated to Swift's parents, most of the verses being to her mother. A music video containing home footage edited by Swift was released on May 1, 2009, as part of a special Mother's Day promotion through Big Machine Records.
Valentine's Day (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the official soundtrack to the 2010 film Valentine's Day, released on February 9, 2010, by WaterTower Music and Big Machine Records. The album includes contributions from country and pop artists, including Big Machine artists Taylor Swift, Jewel and Steel Magnolia.
"Breathe" is a song by Taylor Swift featuring Colbie Caillat from Swift's second studio album, Fearless (2008). Swift wrote the song with Caillat and produced it with Nathan Chapman. A pop rock ballad, "Breathe" incorporates strummed acoustic instruments and a string section. The lyrics are about heartbreak from losing a close friend. Big Machine Records released the track onto Rhapsody on October 21, 2008. Music critics found "Breathe" a sentimental song with resonant lyrics, but some deemed it insubstantial. The song was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010.
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 within two years while touring to promote her second studio album, Fearless (2008), 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.
"Eyes Open" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for the soundtrack to the 2012 film The Hunger Games. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Eyes Open" is an alternative rock song with chiming guitars. Its lyrics are about staying strong during hardships, told from the perspective of the film's protagonist, Katniss Everdeen. The track was released as a promotional single from the soundtrack.
"Sweeter than Fiction" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who wrote and produced it with Jack Antonoff for the soundtrack to the 2013 film One Chance. It was released by Big Machine Records for digital download on October 21, 2013. An incorporation of bubblegum pop, synth-pop, and electropop, "Sweeter than Fiction" features elements of 1980s new wave. The track peaked in the top 40 on the singles charts of Canada, Ireland, Scotland, and the United States.
"Forever & Always" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her second studio album, Fearless (2008). Swift was inspired to write the song by her short-lived relationship with Joe Jonas in 2008. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Forever & Always" is a country pop and pop rock song with lyrics about a troubled relationship with an ex-boyfriend. Music critics found the song catchy but generic, and they commented that it set the precedent to Swift's songwriting about her highly publicized personal life on subsequent albums.
The discography of the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift includes 61 singles as lead artist, 8 singles as a featured artist, and 39 promotional singles. She had sold over 150 million singles worldwide by December 2016. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Swift's digital singles have achieved 137.5 million certified units, based on sales and on-demand streaming, as of July 2023. On the US Billboard Hot 100, as of April 2024, Swift is the female musician with the most charted songs (263), most top-40 songs (164), most top-20 songs (100), most top-10 songs (59), most top-10 debuts (48), most top-five songs (36), and most number-one debuts (7).