The Real Meaning Behind Taylor Swift's 'Today Was A Fairytale' (Taylor's Version)
Throughout Taylor Swift's career she has often harkened back to nostalgic imagery in her music. In 2019, following an unsuccessful battle for her masters, Swift announced that she would be re-recording "albums 1 through 5 all over again" (via Good Morning America). Ahead of the release of the first re-recorded album, Fearless (Taylor's Version), Swift tweeted out: "I'm counting down the minutes til we can all jump into this brave world together, filled with equal parts nostalgia and brand newness."
"Today Was a Fairytale" was one of the updated tracks that was featured on the album. Swifties remember the cut from first appearing on the Valentine's Day soundtrack. The song climbed the charts and was a Billboard No.1 in February 2010. In the movie Valentine's Day, Swift played Felicia Miller, a love-sick high school student. Before singing, acting was originally the performer's first passion.
"After a few years of auditioning in New York and not getting anything, I started writing songs," she admitted to Inquirer.net in April 2012. Swift had recorded "Today Was a Fairytale" before she was even attached to the movie, but she had trouble finding the right project to include it on. "I reached back into my pocket and thought, 'I think this is perfect for the soundtrack,'" she told The Tennessean in January 2010.
Emma Roberts recalled to MTV how she saw Swift repeatedly locking lips with Taylor Lautner on-camera for the film. Kissing also happened to be one of the integral themes of the song.
The song is about Taylor Swift's fascinations
Upon the release of "Today Was A Fairytale," Billboard wrote, "The lyrics are driven more by sweeping emotion than by the kind of specific, youth-focused imagery found in Swift's ... singles 'Fifteen' and 'You Belong With Me.' The song centers around Taylor Swift falling for a guy who has everyday-Prince Charming qualities.
"Today was a fairytale / You were the prince / I used to be a damsel in distress," the artist sings at the beginning of the track. "I am completely fascinated by the differences and comparisons between real life and fairy tales," Swift said in a 2008 interview with CMT. The pop star revealed that many young girls think they will find a prince. "But there's still that core of us that believes that it's true and that if you find the right person, you can have that love story and it can work out," she added.
"Today Was A Fairytale" is all about getting swept up in the fantasy-like feeling of new love. "But can you feel this magic in the air? / It must have been the way you kissed me," Swift repeats throughout the hit song. In addition to being intrigued by fairy tales, the singer told CMT she is "fascinated by the theme of love and kissing." Swift elaborated on how interesting she found it that singing about kissing could have different implications.
"It's funny how you can mention one thing, like kissing, and have it be completely different in each song," she told the outlet. This song is about the "magic" of a kiss.