“The Best Day (Taylor’s Version)” is the twelfh track from Swift’s first re-recorded album, Fearless (Taylor’s Version).
Here, Swift sings about her childhood, growth and her family, especially her mother, Andrea Swift, who has always been looking out for her, even if she was wrong, sad and happy. Then Swift addresses how much of herself is mirrored of who her mother is.
[Verse 1]
I'm five years old, it's gettin' cold, I've got my big coat on
I hear your laugh and look up smilin' at you, I run and run
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides, look, now the sky is gold
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home
[Chorus]
I don't know why all the trees change in the fall
But I know you're not scared of anything at all
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away
But I know I had the best day with you today
[Verse 2]
I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean
I come home cryin' and you hold me tight and grab the keys
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away
And we talk and window shop 'til I've forgotten all their names
[Chorus]
I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school
But I know I'm laughin' on the car ride home with you
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay
But I know I had the best day with you today
[Bridge]
I have an excellent father, his strength is making me stronger
God smiles on my little brother, inside and out, he's better than I am
I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run
And I had the best days with you
[Verse 3]
There is a video I found from back when I was three
You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talkin' to me
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarves
Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world
[Chorus]
Now I know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong
And I love you for givin' me your eyes
For staying back and watchin' me shine
And I didn't know if you knew
So I'm taking this chance to say
That I had the best day with you today
Written By: Taylor Swift
Produced By: Christopher Rowe & Taylor Swift
[Verse 1]
I'm five years old, it's getting cold, I've got my big coat on
I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you, I run and run
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides
Look now, the sky is gold
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home
[Chorus]
I don't know why all the trees change in the fall
But I know you're not scared of anything at all
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away
But I know I had the best day with you today
[Verse 2]
I'm thirteen now
And don't know how my friends could be so mean
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away
And we talk and window shop 'til I've forgotten all their names
[Chorus]
I don't know who I'm going to talk to now at school
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you
Don't know how long it's going to take to feel okay
But I know I had the best day with you today
[Bridge]
I have an excellent father, his strength is making me stronger
God smiles on my little brother, inside and out
He's better than I am
I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run
And I had the best days with you
[Verse 3]
There is a video I found from back when I was three
You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs
And Daddy's smart
And you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world
[Chorus]
And now, I know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong
And I love you for giving me your eyes
For staying back and watching me shine
And I didn't know if you knew, so I'm taking this chance to say
That I had the best day with you today
Written By: Taylor Swift
Produced By: Nathan Chapman & Taylor Swift
Swift told AOL Music:
I started writing it in the summertime [of 2007], and I decided I wasn’t going to play it for my mom until Christmas. So I finished the song secretly [and] recorded it completely without her knowing. I synched it up with all these home videos of me when I was little with her, and I made this music video for it. On Christmas Eve, I put it in the DVD player and played it for her. She didn’t know that it was me singing until about halfway through the song, at which point she burst out crying. It’s probably one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever written. My mom and I have been best friends since I was born. So I’m really glad that I got that down on CD.
In an interview with Taste of Country, Swift talked about how special her mom is to her:
She would just take me on these adventures and we would drive around and go to towns we’d never seen before. Those adventures and those days of just running away from my problems — you’re not supposed to run away from your problems, but when you’re 13 and your friends won’t talk to you and they move when you sit down at the lunch table, and your mom lets you run from those problems, I think it’s a good thing…my mom was my escape in a lot of ways.
Swift also said to CMT News:
My mom and I are closer than ever. Out in the big world, I’ve learned to appreciate my mom. I realize how smart she is. I know my mom knows more than I do. Our arguments become discussions. We are together on the bus or at home all the time, and it works for us.”
