Taylor Swift - The Moment I Knew (Taylor's Version)

“The Moment I Knew” is the 17th track of the re-recorded album “Red” by Taylor Swift.
The song describes the feelings Swift felt when her boyfriend at the time, the actor Jake Gyllenhaal, did not arrive to her 21st birthday party.
In an interview with Swift by Yahoo Music she shared: "‘The Moment I Knew’ was a song about my 21st birthday party, which was the worst experience ever."

There are also some connection between this song to the 10 minute version of “All Too Well”, in which Swift expressed her feelings after her birthday party.

Written By: Taylor Swift

Produced By: Christopher Rowe & Taylor Swift

[Verse 1]

You should've been there

Should've burst through the door

With that "Baby, I'm right here" smile

And it would've felt like

A million little shining stars that just align

And I would've been so happy

[Verse 2]

Christmas lights glisten

I've got my eye on the door

Just waiting for you to walk in

But the time is ticking

People ask me how I've been

As I comb back through my memory

How you said you'd be here

You said you'd be here

[Chorus]

And it was like slow motion

Standing there in my party dress

In red lipstick

With no one to impress

And they're all laughing

As I'm looking around the room

But therе was one thing missing

And that was the moment I knеw

[Verse 3]

And the hours pass by

Now I just wanna be alone

But your close friends always seem to know

When there's something really wrong

So they follow me down the hall

And there in the bathroom

I try not to fall apart

And the sinking feeling starts

As I say hopelessly

"He said he'd be here"

[Chorus]

And it was like slow motion

Standing there in my party dress

In red lipstick

With no one to impress

And they're all laughing

And asking me about you

But there was one thing missing

And that was the moment I knew

[Bridge]

What do you say

When tears are streaming down your face

In front of everyone you know?

And what do you do

When the one who means the most to you

Is the one who didn't show?

[Breakdown]

You should've been here

And I would've been so happy

[Chorus]

And it was like slow motion

Standing there in my party dress

In red lipstick

With no one to impress

And they're all standing around me, singing

"Happy birthday to you"

But there was one thing missing

And that was the moment I knew

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, I knew

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

[Outro]

You called me later

And said, "I'm sorry I didn't make it"

And I said, "I'm sorry, too"

And that was the moment I knew

Written By: Taylor Swift

Produced By: Nathan Chapman &

Taylor Swift

[Verse 1]

You should've been there

Should've burst through the door

With that "Baby, I'm right here" smile

And it would've felt like

A million little shining stars had just aligned

And I would've been so happy

[Verse 2]

Christmas lights glisten

I've got my eye on the door

Just waiting for you to walk in

But the time is ticking

People ask me how I've been

As I comb back through my memory

How you said you'd be here

You said you'd be here

[Chorus]

And it was like slow motion

Standing there in my party dress

In red lipstick

With no one to impress

And they're all laughing

As I'm looking around the room

But there was one thing missing

And that was the moment I knew

[Verse 3]

And the hours pass by

Now I just wanna be alone

But your close friends always seem to know

When there's something really wrong

So they follow me down the hall

And there in the bathroom

I try not to fall apart

And the sinking feeling starts

As I say hopelessly

"He said he'd be here"

[Chorus]

And it was like slow motion

Standing there in my party dress

In red lipstick

With no one to impress

And they're all laughing

And asking me about you

But there was one thing missing (Missing)

And that was the moment I knew

[Bridge]

What do you say

When tears are streaming down your face

In front of everyone you know?

And what do you do

When the one who means the most to you

Is the one who didn't show?

[Breakdown]

You should've been here

And I would've been so happy

[Chorus]

And it was like slow motion

Standing there in my party dress

In red lipstick

With no one to impress

And they're all standing around me, singing

"Happy birthday to you"

But there was one thing missing

And that was the moment I knew

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, I knew

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

[Outro]

You called me later

And said, "I'm sorry I didn't make it"

And I said, "I'm sorry, too"

And that was the moment I knew

“The Moment I Knew” was a really difficult song for my friends and family to listen to, because it was about my 21st birthday party, and it was not a good party, as you can hear in the song. It was standing there, waiting for someone to show up who never did. It was a song that I felt was really important to put out for people to hear, because nobody likes that feeling of waiting for somebody who’s never gonna walk through the door.

— Swift via a Red (Track by Track) YouTube video.

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Taylor Swift — The Moment I Knew : Song Analysis