Taylor Swift – Love Story (Lyrics Review and Song Meaning)

Eight years ago the industry of music was forever changed with the sudden rise of Taylor Swift into the game. And one of the songs that propelled her success was “Love Story.” The single was released in September 12, 2008 and the world knew something special was happening in Country music. This is the very first song of Taylor Swift I heard and have been a fan ever since.

“Love Story” was written by Taylor Swift when she was 17 years old, when her parents disapproved of a relationship she was having back then. Heartbroken Taylor Swift put her sadness into a song and this masterpiece was born. The song was produced by Nathan Chapman and it came out as a single off of her second studio album ‘Fearless’ released in 2008 and was released under the record label (then and now) Big Machine Records.

Inspiration Behind “Love Story” by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift shared what inspired her to compose “Love Story” with Los Angeles Times.

“I was going through a situation like that where I could relate. I used to be in high school where you see [a boyfriend] every day. Then I was in a situation where it wasn’t so easy for me, and I wrote this song because I could relate to the whole Romeo and Juliet thing. I was really inspired by that story. Except for the ending. I feel like they had such promise and they were so crazy for each other. And if that had just gone a little bit differently, it could have been the best love story ever told. And it is one of the best love stories ever told, but it’s a tragedy. I thought, why can’t you… make it a happy ending and put a key change in the song and turn it into a marriage proposal?”

The song is based around the characters from William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” a tale that has been made synonymous with an undying love. So it makes perfect sense that Taylor Swift used the same context to give life to her best romantic song.

Listen to “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” re-recorded

Watch Taylor Swift in “Love Story” Music Video

Even after 8 years of release, the love for this song has not died away. Even in Taylor Swift’s latest and most successful ‘1989 World Tour’, she performed a Pop version of “Love Story” to a nostalgic crowd. Watch the clip below.

“Love Story” won ‘Country Song of The Year’ by Broadcast Music Incorporated in 2009. The music video for “Love Story” won ‘Video of the Year’ and ‘Female Video of the Year’ at 2009 Country Music Television awards.

---

Download “Love Story” by Taylor Swift on iTunes / Amazon

Download ‘Fearless’ Album on iTunes / Amazon

---

“Love Story” Lyrics Review, Meaning, Analysis and Interpretation

Taylor Swift imposes a first-person narrative style to convey the message in the song. The lyrics are quite simple and straightforward.

We were both young when I first saw you
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I’m standing there on a balcony in summer air

Taylor Swift is starting a flashback into a time when she was hopelessly in love with her ‘Romeo.’

See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns.
See you make your way through the crowd
And say, “Hello.”
Little did I know…

Taylor Swift portrays a daughter of a family of nobility, and they are having a ball dance in the evening. The lights are up, the party is in motion and everybody is dressed to the sevens. She sees this handsome man making his way towards her through the crowd. The simplest ‘hello’ leads to this wonderful story that is about to unfold before us in “Love Story.”

That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles,
And my daddy said, “Stay away from Juliet.”
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you, “Please don’t go.”
And I said…

The new couple had no way of meeting each other with the strict norms of the nobles, and Romeo was throwing pebbles at Juliet’s window to talk to her. But troubles are brewing. Juliet’s father catches on to their forbidden love and warns Romeo to stay away from his daughter. Juliet has no other option than to wet her eyes with tears and pray that Romeo wouldn’t go away.

Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I’ll be waiting; all that’s left to do is run.
You’ll be the prince and I’ll be the princess,
It’s a love story, baby, just say “Yes”.

Romeo and Juliet cannot meet each other at her house. So she begs him to take her somewhere private from the prying eyes. They are forbidden to see each other, but their love is so strong that she is willing to run away with him. She portrays herself as the princess and Romeo as the prince as in the fairy tales.

This is her proposal to the guy. Juliet wants him to accept her proposal and say yes. This puts a huge twist to Shakespeare’s classic tale, which actually ends in tragedy. But as Taylor Swift says, why not make it a happy ending. So she has re-created her own version of Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending titled “Love Story.”

Second scene of the “Love Story” unfolds…

So I sneak out to the garden to see you.
We keep quiet ’cause we’re dead if they knew
So close your eyes,
Escape this town for a little while.
Oh, oh.

Juliet’s first wish is granted. She wanted to sneak out and they are in the garden, walking and talking. But they have to keep quite, because they are still forbidden to see each other. Their only escape from this harsh reality is their imagination.

‘Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter,
And my daddy said, “Stay away from Juliet.”
But you were everything to me,
I was begging you, “Please don’t go.”
And I said…

Taylor Swift says he was the Romeo that made her betray her family and nobility for, much like in the Romeo and Juliet play.

[polldaddy poll=9502889]

Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone
I’ll be waiting all there’s left to do is run
You’ll be the prince and I’ll be the princess
It’s a love story baby just say yes
Romeo, save me, they’re trying to tell me how to feel
This love is difficult, but it’s real
Don’t be afraid, we’ll make it out of this mess
It’s a love story baby just say yes

Juliet is confused by what their parents tell her of love and relationships. They are feeding her with thoughts to break them up. The singer screams to Romeo to save her from being manipulated. She knows how she feels about Romeo-but her parents are trying to enforce other feelings on her.

Love is always difficult. It’s never a bed of roses. Hence Juliet says, although this love is difficult, it is far more real than any other. Because she can feel the love in her bones. She ensures him that they will be able to get out of this ‘mess’ of a situation and ride into the sunset.

The bridge of “Love Story” takes a turn for the worse…

I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said

Romeo and Juliet in Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” kept on fighting the fight for romance. But she was starting to break. She had been waiting and waiting for him to say ‘yes’ and take her away from this town. But it wasn’t happening. She got tired. Her thoughts began running wild. She imagined the worse-that he might have found another girl to fall in love with.

But one fine day, she met him in some remote part of the town…

Romeo save me I’ve been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
Is this in my head? I don’t know what to think
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring

She confesses that she has been feeling so alone without her company. She had been waiting and waiting for him to come, and that to no avail. Is she imagining the worse? Or is it really not happening?

Now comes the twist which ‘Romeo and Juliet’ play did not give to the fans. Romeo in “Love Story” falls back to his knees and takes out a ring and proposes Juliet.

And said: “Marry me Juliet
You’ll never have to be alone
I love you and that’s all I really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress
It’s a love story baby just say yes”

This bit is narrated by Juliet of what Romeo said at the time. Finally, Romeo proposes her. He assures that she will never have to be alone again. He loves her and that’s all he really knows. The storms brewing outside the door are sorrows for a later day. Romeo has confessed his love to Juliet with her dad and he has finally come around. He asks her to go pick out a white dress for the wedding because-well, this is a love story and that’s how a love story ends.

Pop Version of “Love Story” Performed by Taylor Swift

So ends one of the most beautiful love stories done by Taylor Swift-maybe, even in Country music history. This is one of those songs you can just keep on listening and never get tired of. Taylor Swift’s beauty in the music video and the simplistic lyrics and soothing melody made me fall in love with “Love Story” and we would like to hear your story too.

Taylor Swift Performs Acoustic “Love Story”

We would love to hear your experience with Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” and what made you a fan of the song. Make sure to leave a comment below.

You can also join in on the conversation of analyzing the lyrics to “Love Story” by commenting your own interpretation or meaning of the song. If we like it, we will amend our post with your suggestion.