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Back to December
"Back to December" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Big Machine Records released it as the album's second single on November 15, 2010. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Back to December" is a country pop song and a power ballad that incorporates a string section. Inspired by Swift's relationship with the actor Taylor Lautner, the lyrics are about a remorseful plea for forgiveness from a former lover.
In contemporary reviews, music critics praised "Back to December" for its production and the mature lyrics expressing regret over lost love. Several critics have considered it one of Swift's best songs. In the United States, the single peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Hot Country Songs chart, and the Recording Industry Association of America certified it triple platinum. Elsewhere, "Back to December" peaked at number seven in Canada and received certifications in Australia, Brazil, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The song's music video, directed by Yoann Lemoine, depicts the aftermath of a breakup between Swift and her boyfriend. Swift performed "Back to December" at the Country Music Association Awards and the American Music Awards. On the Speak Now World Tour (2011–2012), she performed the song as part of a medley with OneRepublic's "Apologize" and her song "You're Not Sorry". A re-recorded version, titled "Back to December (Taylor's Version)", was released as part of Swift's third re-recorded album, Speak Now (Taylor's Version), on July 7, 2023. The re-recorded song topped the Philippines Songs chart.
Swift wrote her third studio album, Speak Now (2010), entirely by herself. According to Swift, Speak Now is a collection of songs about the things she had wanted to say to the people in her life, but never had a chance to. "Back to December" is an apology to a past lover in the form of a song, something that she had never done before. In press interviews leading up to the release of Speak Now, Swift said that although her past songs usually criticized her ex-boyfriends, she felt the need to apologize to a person who was nice to her: "Guys get what they deserve in my songs, and if they deserve an apology, they should get one. There was someone who was absolutely wonderful to me and I dropped the ball, and I needed to say all that."
"Back to December" was produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman. It was first released as a promotional single from Speak Now on October 12, 2010, as a part of the exclusive campaign by the iTunes Store leading up to the album's release. On November 15, 2010, the song was released to US country radio by Big Machine Records, as the second single from Speak Now. Around the time of its release, the inspiration behind the song was subject to media scrutiny, because of Swift's dating history with other celebrities. In press interviews, Swift refused to reveal the subject of the song, as well as other Speak Now tracks, because she wanted to focus on the songwriting aspect of her work. The actor Taylor Lautner, an ex-boyfriend of Swift, told the press in 2016 that he was the inspiration of "Back to December".
"Back to December" has a length of 4 minutes and 55 seconds. Musically, it is a power ballad. In contemporary reviews, critics categorized the ballad as country and pop. The song incorporates an orchestral arrangement consisting of strings, recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. It is one of the three Speak Now tracks to incorporate orchestral strings, the other two being "Haunted" and "Enchanted". Maura Johnston from Vulture described the song's texture as "a chilly day when the sun goes down too soon and the mind can only turn to past regrets". Clash opined that the production is "wintry" with "soft flourishes of guitar and strings". In the Los Angeles Times, Martens Todd found the song borderline 1980s rock.
In the lyrics, the narrator apologizes to an ex-lover for having hurt him. The lyrics lament a failed relationship that could have been special, "It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you / Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine." The narrator reminisces about the last time she saw the ex-lover, "You gave me roses, and I left them there to die." She wishes to go back in time to change her mind, "I'd go back to December, turn around, and change my own mind / I go back to December all the time." In the bridge, the narrator attempts to fix uncovered memories and change where she went wrong, but ultimately realizes that it is too late.
Billboard journalist Lyndsey Havens wrote of the lyrics, "To hear Swift declare and own a previous mistake was both comforting and empowering all at once — and proved that it's OK, and sometimes even necessary, to swallow one's pride in the name of love." Mandi Bierly from Entertainment Weekly described the song as "a melancholy mea culpa with the kind of driving chorus and age-appropriate yet universal honesty". Leah Greenblatt from the same publication deemed the lyric "Your guard is up and I know why, because the last time you saw me is still burned in the back of your mind / You gave me roses and I left them there to die" one of the most outstanding lyrics from Speak Now.
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Back to December
"Back to December" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Big Machine Records released it as the album's second single on November 15, 2010. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Back to December" is a country pop song and a power ballad that incorporates a string section. Inspired by Swift's relationship with the actor Taylor Lautner, the lyrics are about a remorseful plea for forgiveness from a former lover.
In contemporary reviews, music critics praised "Back to December" for its production and the mature lyrics expressing regret over lost love. Several critics have considered it one of Swift's best songs. In the United States, the single peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Hot Country Songs chart, and the Recording Industry Association of America certified it triple platinum. Elsewhere, "Back to December" peaked at number seven in Canada and received certifications in Australia, Brazil, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The song's music video, directed by Yoann Lemoine, depicts the aftermath of a breakup between Swift and her boyfriend. Swift performed "Back to December" at the Country Music Association Awards and the American Music Awards. On the Speak Now World Tour (2011–2012), she performed the song as part of a medley with OneRepublic's "Apologize" and her song "You're Not Sorry". A re-recorded version, titled "Back to December (Taylor's Version)", was released as part of Swift's third re-recorded album, Speak Now (Taylor's Version), on July 7, 2023. The re-recorded song topped the Philippines Songs chart.
Swift wrote her third studio album, Speak Now (2010), entirely by herself. According to Swift, Speak Now is a collection of songs about the things she had wanted to say to the people in her life, but never had a chance to. "Back to December" is an apology to a past lover in the form of a song, something that she had never done before. In press interviews leading up to the release of Speak Now, Swift said that although her past songs usually criticized her ex-boyfriends, she felt the need to apologize to a person who was nice to her: "Guys get what they deserve in my songs, and if they deserve an apology, they should get one. There was someone who was absolutely wonderful to me and I dropped the ball, and I needed to say all that."
"Back to December" was produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman. It was first released as a promotional single from Speak Now on October 12, 2010, as a part of the exclusive campaign by the iTunes Store leading up to the album's release. On November 15, 2010, the song was released to US country radio by Big Machine Records, as the second single from Speak Now. Around the time of its release, the inspiration behind the song was subject to media scrutiny, because of Swift's dating history with other celebrities. In press interviews, Swift refused to reveal the subject of the song, as well as other Speak Now tracks, because she wanted to focus on the songwriting aspect of her work. The actor Taylor Lautner, an ex-boyfriend of Swift, told the press in 2016 that he was the inspiration of "Back to December".
"Back to December" has a length of 4 minutes and 55 seconds. Musically, it is a power ballad. In contemporary reviews, critics categorized the ballad as country and pop. The song incorporates an orchestral arrangement consisting of strings, recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. It is one of the three Speak Now tracks to incorporate orchestral strings, the other two being "Haunted" and "Enchanted". Maura Johnston from Vulture described the song's texture as "a chilly day when the sun goes down too soon and the mind can only turn to past regrets". Clash opined that the production is "wintry" with "soft flourishes of guitar and strings". In the Los Angeles Times, Martens Todd found the song borderline 1980s rock.
In the lyrics, the narrator apologizes to an ex-lover for having hurt him. The lyrics lament a failed relationship that could have been special, "It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you / Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine." The narrator reminisces about the last time she saw the ex-lover, "You gave me roses, and I left them there to die." She wishes to go back in time to change her mind, "I'd go back to December, turn around, and change my own mind / I go back to December all the time." In the bridge, the narrator attempts to fix uncovered memories and change where she went wrong, but ultimately realizes that it is too late.
Billboard journalist Lyndsey Havens wrote of the lyrics, "To hear Swift declare and own a previous mistake was both comforting and empowering all at once — and proved that it's OK, and sometimes even necessary, to swallow one's pride in the name of love." Mandi Bierly from Entertainment Weekly described the song as "a melancholy mea culpa with the kind of driving chorus and age-appropriate yet universal honesty". Leah Greenblatt from the same publication deemed the lyric "Your guard is up and I know why, because the last time you saw me is still burned in the back of your mind / You gave me roses and I left them there to die" one of the most outstanding lyrics from Speak Now.