Taylor Swift - How You Get The Girl (Taylor's Version)

The song works as an advice to a guy who wants to get a girl back. She suggests better tactics than the ones her former lovers seemed to have used on her, described in songs like “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”.

The song has also been rumored to be about the on/off relationship between Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.

“How You Get the Girl (Taylor’s Version)” is a new take on Taylor Swift’s original song from her 2014 album, “1989”. It came out on October 27, 2023, as part of Taylor’s re-recorded “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” album.

While it still feels like the original, “How You Get the Girl (Taylor’s Version)” has subtle changes that show how Taylor has grown as an artist. Her more mature voice and evolved musical style give the song a deeper feeling.

Written By: Adam Feeney, Louis Bell & Taylor Swift

Produced By: Christopher Rowe & Taylor Swift

[Intro]

Oh, oh, oh

Oh, oh

[Verse 1]

Stand there like a ghost, shakin' from the rain, rain

She'll open up the door and say, "Are you insane-ane?"

Say, "It's been a long six months"

And you were too afraid to tell her what you want, want

[Pre-Chorus]

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl

And then you say

[Chorus]

I want you for worse or for better

I would wait forever and ever

Broke your heart, I'll put it back together

I would wait forever and ever

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl, oh

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl

[Verse 2]

Remind her how it used to be, be, yeah, yеah

Of pictures in frames, of kisses on cheeks, cheeks

Tеll her how you must have lost your mind, ooh

When you left her all alone and never told her why, why

[Pre-Chorus]

And that's how it works

That's how you lost the girl

And now you say

[Chorus]

I want you for worse or for better

I would wait forever and ever (Ever and ever)

Broke your heart, I'll put it back together (Put it back together)

I would wait forever and ever (Ever and ever)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl, oh

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl, yeah, yeah

[Bridge]

And you know

That I don't want you to go

[Break]

Remind me how it used to be

Pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks

And say you want me, yeah, yeah, 'cause

And then you say

[Chorus]

I want you for worse or for better (Worse or for better)

I would wait forever and ever (Ever and ever)

Broke your heart, I'll put it back together

I want you forever and ever (I want you forever and ever)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl ('Cause it's how it works)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl (Get the girl, that's how it works)

And that's how it works (Oh)

That's how you get the girl, girl (Oh)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl

[Outro]

And that's how it works

That's how you got the girl

STOLEN

VERSION

Written By: Adam Feeney, Louis Bell & Taylor Swift

Produced By: Shellback & Max Martin

LYRICS

[Intro]

Oh, oh, oh

Oh-oh, oh-oh

[Verse 1]

Stand there like a ghost

Shaking from the rain, rain

She'll open up the door and say, "Are you insane?"

Say it's been a long six months

And you were too afraid to tell her what you want, want

[Pre-Chorus]

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl

And then, you say

[Chorus]

I want you for worse or for better

I would wait forever and ever

Broke your heart, I'll put it back together

I would wait forever and ever

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl (Oh-oh, oh)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl

[Verse 2]

Remind her how it used to be, be, yeah-yeah

With pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks, cheeks

Tell her how you must have lost your mind, ooh-ooh

When you left her all alone

And never told her why, why

[Pre-Chorus]

And that's how it works

That's how you lost the girl

And now, you say

[Chorus]

I want you for worse or for better

I would wait forever and ever (Ever and ever)

Broke your heart, I'll put it back together

I would wait forever and ever

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl (Oh-oh, oh-oh)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl

Yeah, yeah

[Bridge]

And you know

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

That I don't want you to go, oh, oh

[Breakdown]

Remind me how it used to be

Pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks

And say you want me, yeah-yeah

And then you say

[Chorus]

I want you for worse or for better (Worse or for better)

I would wait forever and ever (Ever and ever)

Broke your heart, I'll put it back together

I want you forever and ever (I would wait forever and ever)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl (This is how it works)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl (Get the girl)

(That's how it works)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl

(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl

(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)

[Outro]

And that's how it works

That's how you got the girl

The Meaning Behind The Song: How You Get The Girl by Taylor Swift - Old Time Music

“How You Get The Girl” is a song that I wrote about how when we’re young, which most of my friends and most of my peers are, a lot of the time, we take for granted a really good relationship and let go of it and go out into the world and then realize that you want it back. This song is kind of an instruction manual for a guy who has broken up with his girlfriend and lets six months go by and the lengths he will need to go to to get her back. It’s not gonna be as simple as just sending a text message, it’s like “‘Sup? Miss you,” it’s not gonna work. He will need to do all the things in this song.

— Via Yahoo! Live

In 2014, Swift told radio.com:

The song ‘How You Get the Girl’ is a song that I wrote about how you get the girl back if you ruined the relationship somehow and she won’t talk to you anymore. Like, if you broke up with her and left her on her own for six months and then you realize you miss her. All the steps you have to do to edge your way back into her life, because she’s probably pretty mad at you. So it’s kind of a tutorial. If you follow the directions in the song, chances are things will work out. Or you may get a restraining order.