You Belong With Me 

"You Belong with Me" is the sixth track from American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's second studio album, Fearless, released on November 11, 2008, through Big Machine Records. The song became the second single from the album on April 21, 2009. It is also the sixth track from her debut re-recorded album, Fearless (Taylor's Version), released on April 9, 2021, through Republic Records. 

Background

Swift became inspired to write "You Belong with Me" after she overheard a male friend of hers speaking to his girlfriend through a phone call.[1] He acted defensive as his girlfriend yelled at him, and said to her, "No, baby...I had to get off the phone really quickly... I tried to call you right back... Of course I love you. More than anything! Baby, I’m so sorry."[1] Out of the sympathy she felt towards him in the situation, Swift developed a concept for a song.[1] In a writing session with co-writer Liz Rose, Swift explained the situation along with her idea and conceived the song's opening line, "You’re on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset / She's going off about something that you said."[1] Together, they developed a story line, which described Swift being in love with the male friend and her having the desire for him to breakup with his current girlfriend for her.[1] Swift described the song's concept as "basically about wanting someone who is with this girl who doesn't appreciate him at all. Basically like 'girl-next-door-itis.' You like this guy who you have for your whole life, and you know him better than she does but somehow the popular girl gets the guy every time."[2] Swift recalled, "It was really fun for us to write the line, 'She wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts'."[1] "You Belong with Me" was first released as a promotional single from Fearless on November 4, 2008, as part of Countdown to Fearless, an exclusive campaign by the iTunes Store;[3] the song was then released as the third single from Fearless on April 21, 2009.[4]

Composition

"You Belong with Me" is a country pop song with a length of three minutes and fifty-two seconds.[5] According to Kate Kiefer of Paste magazine, it is "a straight-up pop song."[6] The song is set in common time and has a moderate tempo of 130 beats per minute. It is written in the key of G♭ major and Swift's vocals span two octaves, from G♭3 to D♭5. Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly felt Swift's vocals were light and twangy while the melody was "lilting".[7] It follows the chord progression G♭–D♭–A♭m-C♭.[8] The instrumentation consisted of clucking banjos alongside New Wave electric guitars.[9]

The lyrics to "You Belong with Me" alternate between narrative modes, where she speaks of herself, a male friend whom she has an unrequited crush on, and his girlfriend. Greenblatt described Swift's role as a storyteller, the song being a narrative set to music, which describes concerning about love and boys "just [being] very hard to catch".[7]

Craig Rosen of The Hollywood Reporter believes "You Belong with Me"'s plot is "confessional" and regards scenarios themed with high school, while Swift "is the girl next door who's had her heart broken and takes refuge in music".[10] Lucy Davies of the BBC noted, "Swift deals in the prosaic imagery of high school boys".[11] In one verse, Swift contrasts herself with her friend's girlfriend and states, "She wears high heels, I wear sneakers / She's cheer captain, I'm on the bleachers", which Davies interpreted as the song's protagonist feeling envy towards cheerleaders, in particular, the one dating her male friend.[11] In the choruses, Swift attempts "to persuade some boy to come to his senses and submit to her every girl charms".[9]

"You Belong with Me" (2009)

Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" portrays many pop music elements.

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Music video

"You Belong with Me"s accompanying music video was directed by Roman White. In the video, Swift portrays both the protagonist and antagonist, which she respectively described as "the nerd, who is pining away for this guy that she can't have" and "the popular girl."[2] Swift described the popular girl's persona as "horrible and scary and intimidating and perfect".[12] Her love interest is portrayed by American actor Lucas Till; Swift met Till while acting on the set of Hannah Montana: The Movie in April 2008. She later asked him to act in the video, as she was intrigued by his "cool look", embodying a "dreamy guy".[12] In regards to his acting on the video, Swift said, "He's absolutely perfect for the part and really fun to be around, too."[2] According to her, the video's plot is "charming"; she also said that, "the whole video, I'm just sitting there pining away, wishing I could be in her position."[12] In regards to the video's conclusion, White explained that Swift "becomes who she really is", while Swift thought it was a happy ending.[12] Swift commented, "One of my favorite things about this video is that there wasn't a standard performance scene. This video was pretty much all story line and I'm narrating it in the moment, basically narrating while all this is happening around me."[12]

The video was shot in two days between Gallatin, Tennessee and Hendersonville, Tennessee.[2] On the first day of filming, Swift used a body double in order for both Swift, as the protagonist and antagonist, to appear in one shot.[12][13] In a scene where she appeared dancing, White replaced Swift's routine with a one having no rhythm; she recalled, "It was some of the most fun I'd had in a long time, just freaking out and doing the dumbest moves."[12] On the second day, they first filmed a prom scene and, lastly, the football game, both being filmed at Pope John Paul II High School. The school supplied many students as extras, including football players, band members, cheerleaders and students for the final prom scene. When filming for a touchdown, Till was unable to catch the ball, furthering the length of the shoot.[12] "You put a lot of good solid effort in it and it looks good", Swift stated about filming.[12]

The video commences with Till arguing with his girlfriend through a phone call. As soon as Swift, as the protagonist, notices, they begin to communicate by holding up signs through their bedroom windows. Till closes his curtains, and Swift holds up a sign saying, "I love you". As the song's chorus approaches, Swift starts to sing and dance in front of a mirror, changing to different clothing multiple times. Afterward, Swift is sitting in a bench while reading a book. Till arrives and the two converse. Then, Swift, as the antagonist, arrives in a red convertible car and Till gets in it; Swift, as the antagonist, kisses him and gives a vicious look towards the protagonist. Suddenly, she is seen cheerleading at a football game while Swift's other persona is in the bleachers, performing in the school band. After scoring the winning touchdown, Till moves toward his girlfriend and finds her flirting with a teammate; meanwhile, Swift, as the protagonist, stares in amazement. Back in their bedroom windows, they again communicate through signs, Till asked Swift, as the protagonist, if she was attending prom and she responded, "no, studying". Shortly after, Swift is seen entering prom with a white dress, no longer looking like a nerd, while all her peers stare in amazement. When Till spots her, he walks towards her and Swift, as the antagonist, attempts to impede him, but he ignores her. Ending the video, Till and Swift reveal folded signs saying "I love you" and kiss.

Video reception

See also: 2009 MTV Video Music Awards controversy

Swift with her MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video at the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards.

The video premiered on May 2, 2009, on CMT.[14] Chris Ryan of MTV commented, "'You Belong With Me' was a teen rom-com wrapped up in a music video, wherein Taylor plays two roles.[15] See Dooley of About.com believed Swift worked "doubly hard", playing two roles.[16] A Times Editor review from The St. Petersburg Times compared the large glasses Swift wore to those of Clark Kent.[17] Michael Deacon of The Daily Telegraph felt the video suited the song, "in that they’re equally sappy and dull".[18]

At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. During Swift's acceptance speech, rapper Kanye West interrupted Swift, grabbing the microphone and stating, "Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you and I'ma let you finish, but Beyoncé [Knowles] had one of the best videos of all time", regarding her video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[19] According to Jayson Rodriguez of MTV News, Knowles "looked on from the crowd, stunned".[19] Later in the evening, during her acceptance speech for winning the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, Knowles told about her first experience winning her first Video Music Award with Destiny's Child and how much it meant to her. She then called Swift from backstage to complete her acceptance speech.[20] Numerous critics, celebrities, and fans criticized West's actions, including the President of the United States, Barack Obama, who called West a "jackass".[21] At first, West made no effort in contacting Swift, but he later issued an apology, which Swift accepted.[22] The video was nominated for Video of the Year at the 45th Academy of Country Music Awards.[23] At the 2010 CMT Music Awards, the video received nominations for the CMT Music Award for "Video of the Year" and "Female Video of the Year", but lost to Carrie Underwood's "Cowboy Casanova" and Miranda Lambert's "White Liar", respectively.[24] The video was nominated for the MuchMusic Video Award for Best International Artist Video and the MuchMusic Video Award for People's Choice: Favourite International Video, but lost to Miley Cyrus' video for "Party in the U.S.A." and Adam Lambert's video for "Whataya Want From Me" at the 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards, respectively.[25]

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset
She's going off about something that you said
'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do
I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like
And she'll never know your story like I do

[Pre-chorus]
But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts
She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

[Chorus]
If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along, so, why can't you see?
You belong with me, you belong with me

[Verse 2]
Walking the streets with you and your worn-out jeans
I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be
Laughing on a park bench, thinking to myself, "Hey, isn't this easy?"
And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town
I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down
You say you're fine, I know you better than that
Hey, whatcha doing with a girl like that?

[Pre-Chorus]
She wears high heels, I wear sneakers
She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

[Chorus]
If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along, so, why can't you see?
You belong with me
Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time, how could you not know, baby?
You belong with me, you belong with me

[Bridge]
Oh, I remember you driving to my house
In the middle of the night
I'm the one who makes you laugh
When you know you're 'bout to cry
And I know your favorite songs
And you tell me 'bout your dreams
Think I know where you belong
Think I know it's with me 

[Chorus]

Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you

Been here all along, so, why can't you see?

You belong with me

Standing by and waiting at your back door

All this time, how could you not know, baby?

You belong with me, you belong with me

[Outro]

You belong with me

Have you ever thought, just maybe, you belong with me?

You belong with me