"All Too Well" is a song by American singer-songwriter
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
. Its five-minute version is part of her fourth studio album, ''
Red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
'' (2012), whereas its
re-recording and uncut 10-minute version is part of her second re-recorded album, ''
Red (Taylor's Version)
''Red (Taylor's Version)'' is the second re-recorded album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Released via Republic Records on November 12, 2021, as a part of Swift's countermeasure against the purchase of the masters of her back cata ...
'' (2021). Swift wrote "All Too Well" during rehearsals for her
Speak Now World Tour
The Speak Now World Tour was the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, and it was launched in support of her third studio album '' Speak Now'' (2010). The Speak Now tour began on February 9, 2011 in Singapore and the to ...
, and asked longtime co-writer
Liz Rose
Elisabeth Wagner (born September 6, 1957), known professionally as Liz Rose, is an American country music songwriter, best known for her work with Taylor Swift. She has co-written seventeen of Swift's officially released songs, including "You Bel ...
to help trim the song to five minutes from its original 10-minute length. "All Too Well" is a
power ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romance (love), romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn m ...
combining
country rock,
soft rock,
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fo ...
and
arena rock
Arena rock (also known as AOR, melodic rock, stadium rock, anthem rock, pomp rock, corporate rock and dad rock; ; ) is a style of rock music that originated in the mid-1970s. As hard rock bands and those playing a softer yet strident kind of po ...
styles, with lyrics narrating a romantic relationship and its subsequent dissolution using vivid imagery.
After ''Red'' was released by
Big Machine Records
Big Machine Records is an American independent record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Specializing in country and pop artists, Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by fo ...
on October 22, 2012, "All Too Well" peaked at number 80 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and 59 on the
Canadian Hot 100, and was
certified gold
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Swift first performed the track at the
56th Annual Grammy Awards
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid comp ...
in January 2014, and included it in her
Red Tour
The Red Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in support of her fourth studio album, ''Red'' (2012). The tour started on March 13, 2013, at CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska and concluded on June 12, 2 ...
(2013–14) and
Reputation Stadium Tour
The Reputation Stadium Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in support of her sixth studio album ''Reputation'' (2017). The all- stadium tour began on May 8, 2018, in Glendale, Arizona, and concluded on ...
(2018) among many other concerts. It went on to become one of Swift's most acclaimed and widely covered songs, and earned a
cult following, with its "
scarf
A scarf, plural ''scarves'', is a piece of fabric worn around the neck or head for warmth, sun protection, cleanliness, fashion, religious reasons, or used to show the support for a sports club or team. They can be made in a variety of differ ...
" reference becoming a
popular culture
Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...
phenomenon. Critics, fans, and media outlets have often called "All Too Well" Swift's best song, highlighting its cathartic songwriting; emotional engagement; specific,
expository
Narrative exposition is the insertion of background information within a story or narrative. This information can be about the setting, characters' backstories, prior plot events, historical context, etc. In literature, exposition appears in t ...
details; slow-burning production; vocal performance; and musical climax. It featured on several publications' lists of the best songs of the 2010s decade and the greatest songs of all time, such as ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' 2021 revision of the
500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...
(number 69).
In 2021, following
the controversy regarding her masters, Swift re-recorded two versions of "All Too Well"—the 5-minute "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)", and the unabridged "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)"—for ''Red (Taylor's Version)'', released on November 12 via
Republic Records. The 10-minute version contains the removed verses and melodies, produced by Swift and
Jack Antonoff
Jack Michael Antonoff (born March 31, 1984) is an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. Antonoff is the lead singer of rock band Bleachers, and is the guitarist and drummer in the pop rock band Fun. He was pr ...
. It was accompanied by ''
All Too Well: The Short Film'', a
romantic drama
Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...
written and directed by Swift, starring
Sadie Sink
Sadie Elizabeth Sink (born April 16, 2002) is an American actress. She began acting at age seven in local theater productions, and played the title role in '' Annie'' (2012–14) and young Queen Elizabeth II in '' The Audience'' (2015) on Broad ...
and
Dylan O'Brien
Dylan Rhodes O'Brien (born August 26, 1991) is an American actor. His first major role was Stiles Stilinski on the MTV supernatural drama ''Teen Wolf'' (2011–2017), where he was a series regular during all six seasons. He achieved further pr ...
.
Surpassing the 2012 track's chart performance, "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" was met with international commercial success, topping the charts in various countries and breaking the ''
Guinness World Record'' for
the longest song ever to reach number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It was met with rave reviews from music critics, who praised Swift's songwriting for the "epic" songcraft,
song structure
Song structure is the arrangement of a song, and is a part of the songwriting process. It is typically sectional, which uses repeating forms in songs. Common forms include bar form, 32-bar form, verse–chorus form, ternary form, strophic form, and ...
, and the extended storytelling for providing more context and perspective than the five-minute version. Publications named it one of the best songs of 2021 in their year-end rankings and a career highlight for Swift. Both the 10-minute song and the short film have received numerous accolades, including the
MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
and a nomination for
Song of the Year at the forthcoming
65th Annual Grammy Awards
The 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 5, 2023. It will recognize the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from October 1, 2021, to September 3 ...
.
2012 version
Background and release
"All Too Well" was the first song Swift wrote for her album ''Red'', having penned the lyrics almost two years before the album's release. While collaborating with different writers on ''Red'', Swift wrote the song along with
Liz Rose
Elisabeth Wagner (born September 6, 1957), known professionally as Liz Rose, is an American country music songwriter, best known for her work with Taylor Swift. She has co-written seventeen of Swift's officially released songs, including "You Bel ...
, with whom she had written many songs on her earlier albums. Rose has said that Swift unexpectedly asked her to help write the song as a one-off project after not having collaborated with Swift for some years.
Swift wrote a first draft of the song by herself unexpectedly while on her
Speak Now World Tour
The Speak Now World Tour was the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, and it was launched in support of her third studio album '' Speak Now'' (2010). The Speak Now tour began on February 9, 2011 in Singapore and the to ...
in February 2011, with the final draft being completed in March of that same year.
In an interview with ''
Good Morning America'', Swift said that the song was "the hardest to write on the album", saying: "it took me a really long time to filter through everything I wanted to put in the song without it being a 10-minute song, which you can't put on an album. I wanted a story that could work in the form of a song and I called my co-writer Liz Rose and said, 'Come over, we've gotta filter this down,' and it took me a really long time to get it."
Rose also said that the song was originally "10, 12 or 15 minutes long" before cutting down to "the important pieces".
In a later interview, Rose described "All Too Well" as originally being "probably a 20-minute song when
wift
WIFT (102.1 FM, "Bigfoot Country 102.1 & 101.3") is a country music formatted broadcast radio station licensed to DuBois, Pennsylvania, serving the DuBois/ Punxsutawney/ Clearfield area. WIFT is owned and operated by Kristin Cantrell, through ...
called me." Even after cutting it down, the song is the longest track on the album, clocking in at five minutes and twenty-eight seconds (5:28). In a 2020 interview on ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
''
's ''
500 Greatest Albums'' podcast, Swift later confirmed that the original version was about 10 minutes long and also revealed that it was explicit. The song's studio recording was produced by Swift and
Nathan Chapman.
In an interview with ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'',
Liz Rose
Elisabeth Wagner (born September 6, 1957), known professionally as Liz Rose, is an American country music songwriter, best known for her work with Taylor Swift. She has co-written seventeen of Swift's officially released songs, including "You Bel ...
explained how "All Too Well" came to be, stating "When we did 'All Too Well,' I hadn't heard from her in awhile. She hadn't really been writing." After receiving a call from Swift asking her to collaborate on the song, Rose explained that "
wift
WIFT (102.1 FM, "Bigfoot Country 102.1 & 101.3") is a country music formatted broadcast radio station licensed to DuBois, Pennsylvania, serving the DuBois/ Punxsutawney/ Clearfield area. WIFT is owned and operated by Kristin Cantrell, through ...
had a
''lot
'' of information. I just let her go. She already had a melody and she started singing some words, and I started writing things down, saying, 'Ok, let's use this, let's use that." Rose later stated "It was the most emotional, in-depth song we've ever written."
The song's secret message in ''Red''
's liner notes is "MAPLE LATTES".
The first of four Target-exclusive deluxe editions of Swift's 2019 album ''
Lover'' contained her old diary, in which some of the scrapped lyrics of "All Too Well" can be found: "There we are again / You're crying on the phone / Realized you lost the one real thing you've ever known" was the original
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
of the song, while the original opening lines were "I walked through the door with you / The air was cold / Pictures on the fireplace, you're showing me around." Additional original lyrics included "There we are again / When you blew the candle out / Took this blazing love and steered it right into the ground / Running scared, I was there," and "You'll mail back my things in a box with no note / Except for that scarf from the very first week / Yeah you keep it in your drawer 'cause it smells like me."
Following a
dispute with
Scooter Braun
Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun (born June 18, 1981) is an American entrepreneur, investor, and entertainment executive. Known as the manager for artists such as Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, J Balvin, Demi Lovato, The Kid Laroi and other artists ...
and
Big Machine Records
Big Machine Records is an American independent record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Specializing in country and pop artists, Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by fo ...
over the rights to the masters of her first six studio albums, including ''Red'', Swift announced her intention to re-record each of the albums under her new label,
Republic Records. On June 18, 2021, Swift announced that ''
Red (Taylor's Version)
''Red (Taylor's Version)'' is the second re-recorded album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Released via Republic Records on November 12, 2021, as a part of Swift's countermeasure against the purchase of the masters of her back cata ...
'' would be released on November 12, 2021. In the social media post announcing the album, she wrote, "This will be the first time you hear all 30 songs that were meant to go on ''Red''. And hey, one of them is even ten minutes long," driving widespread speculation that the extended 10-minute version of "All Too Well" would be included on ''Red (Taylor's Version),'' which was confirmed by Swift when she revealed the tracklist on August 6, 2021.
Composition and lyrics
"All Too Well" is a
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
,
country rock,
arena rock
Arena rock (also known as AOR, melodic rock, stadium rock, anthem rock, pomp rock, corporate rock and dad rock; ; ) is a style of rock music that originated in the mid-1970s. As hard rock bands and those playing a softer yet strident kind of po ...
,
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fo ...
,
power pop
Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and c ...
,
and
soft rock power ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romance (love), romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn m ...
vividly narrating the difficulty of moving on from a crushing heartbreak. It runs for five minutes and twenty-eight seconds, making it the longest track on the album.
Musically, the song is set in the key of
C major with a
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
of 93 beats per minute. Swift's vocals range from
F3 to
D5.
The song is instrumented by acoustic and electric guitars, keyboard, drums, and bass.
The song follows the track five pattern noted by music critics, in which the fifth track on Swift's albums are the most "anguish-filled" songs, featuring "stabbing lyrics and climactic
bridges
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually someth ...
." The song is often categorized as ''Red''
's emotional centerpiece by critics. Brad Nelson of ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
'' identified the song as the climax of ''Red''
's overarching theme that "Nothing dies without leaving some trace of itself."
The lyrics see Swift long for the memories of the relationship
that have been frozen in time.
Swift sings "I can picture it after all these days," "Time won't fly / It's like I'm paralyzed by it," and "I remember it all too well."
[Swift, Taylor. — Liner notes for ''Red'', by Taylor Swift. Big Machine Records. 2012, compact disc.] The verses narrate
expository
Narrative exposition is the insertion of background information within a story or narrative. This information can be about the setting, characters' backstories, prior plot events, historical context, etc. In literature, exposition appears in t ...
details.
Rebecca Farley of ''
Refinery29'' described the lyrics as blameless,
lamenting the
negative space
Negative space, in art, is the empty space around and between the subject(s) of an image. Negative space may be most evident when the space around a subject, not the subject itself, forms an interesting or artistically relevant shape, and s ...
left by a breakup and recounting the lost memories.
Brittany Spanos of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' writes that the song describes "the pain of having to piece one's self back together again"
after a relationship ends. The song
crescendo
In music, the dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings still require interpretation by the performer dependin ...
s from a slow,
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fo ...
-inspired intro to an
arena rock
Arena rock (also known as AOR, melodic rock, stadium rock, anthem rock, pomp rock, corporate rock and dad rock; ; ) is a style of rock music that originated in the mid-1970s. As hard rock bands and those playing a softer yet strident kind of po ...
bridge,
where Swift sings "And you call me up again just to break me like a promise / So casually cruel in the name of being honest / I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying here / 'Cause I remember it all, all, all / Too well."
The events are set mainly in
autumn, with Swift singing "Autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place / And I can picture it after all these days" in the first verse.
Ginny Montalbano of the
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,07 ...
's Country Music Project highlighted the song's unique structure Swift used to accommodate the song's dramatic details.
The song opens with the lyric "I walked through the door with you / the air was cold / but something about it felt like home somehow / and I left my scarf there at your sister's house / and you've still got it in your drawer even now." The scarf is mentioned again towards the end of the song: "But you keep my old scarf from that very first week / 'Cause it reminds you of innocence and it smells like me / You can't get rid of it 'cause you remember it all too well."
Nelson compared the scarf to a
Chekhov's gun
Chekhov's gun (Chekhov's rifle; russian: Чеховское ружьё) is a narrative principle that states that every element in a story must be necessary, and irrelevant elements should be removed. Alternatively explained, suppose a writer featu ...
, symbolizing the persisting emotional flame of their romance long after it has physically ended.
Critical reception
"All Too Well" has received widespread acclaim from critics, who have lauded it as one of Swift's best-written songs for its heavily detailed and powerful lyrics.
Rob Sheffield
Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author.
He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Ble ...
of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' ranked it as Swift's greatest song, and wrote that Swift "
pinsa tragic tale of doomed love and scarves and autumn leaves and maple lattes."
Brittany Spanos also of ''Rolling Stone'' wrote that the song is a "masterpiece of the break-up ballad form".
In a track-by-track review of ''
Red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
'', ''
Billboard'' described the song as a "sumptuous country" track that sees Swift mourn the memories "of a romance that has seemingly been buried in time."
Writing for ''
Slant Magazine'', Jonathan Keefe chose "All Too Well" as "arguably the finest song in Swift's entire catalogue:" it "crescendos from coffeehouse folk to arena rock
..until she unleashes one of her best-ever lines
..and the song explodes into a full-on bloodletting."
In Sam Lansky's review of ''Red'' published in ''
Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
'', he stated that of all of the songs on ''Red'', "All Too Well" "hits the hardest... reaching an almost hysterical unraveling." In a ranking of her discography (127 songs at the time of publication), Nate Jones of ''
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
'' ranked "All Too Well" as her second-best song, praising its "string of impeccably observed details" and describing the song as a "kaleidoscopic swirl of images", choosing it as one of her most memorable songs.
J. English of ''
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
'' praised its maturity compared to her earlier work, writing that Swift "mourns the loss of her innocence" while simultaneously acknowledging her
naïveté
Naivety (also spelled naïvety), naiveness, or naïveté is the state of being naive. It refers to an apparent or actual lack of experience and sophistication, often describing a neglect of pragmatism in favor of moral idealism. A ''naïve'' may ...
as she
comes of age. In a review of ''Red'', John Dolan of ''Rolling Stone'' remarked on the song's imagery, especially in the lyric "We're dancing 'round the kitchen in the refrigerator light", while Michael Robbins of ''Spin'' described that same lyric as "gorgeous".
Jon Caramanica
Jon Caramanica (born 1975) is an American journalist and pop music critic who writes for ''The New York Times''. He is also known for writing about hip hop music.
Biography
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Caramanica received his bachelor's degree ...
, writing for ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' hailed the petulance of her shouts, resulting in a song that "swells until it erupts."
Commercial performance
The week her album ''Red'' was released, all of the songs charted in different countries due to strong digital sale
downloads
In computer networks, download means to ''receive'' data from a remote system, typically a server such as a web server, an FTP server, an email server, or other similar system. This contrasts with uploading, where data is ''sent to'' a remote ...
. On the issue date November 10, 2012, "All Too Well" debuted at number 80 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, number 22 on the
Digital Song Sales
The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally starte ...
chart, number 59 on the
Canadian Hot 100, and number 17 on the
Hot Country Songs chart. On July 23, 2018, "All Too Well" was
certified
Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
Gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America for selling over 500,000 units in the country.
Charts
Certifications
2021 re-recordings
Background and release
After a
public dispute over the ownership of Swift's back catalog under her previous label Big Machine, Swift began
re-recording her entire back catalog in November 2020 to claim the rights to her
master recording
Mastering, a form of audio post production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device (the master), the source from which all copies will be produced (via meth ...
s. After her first re-recorded album, ''
Fearless (Taylor's Version)
''Fearless (Taylor's Version)'' is the first re-recorded album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on April 9, 2021, through Republic Records. It is a re-recording of Swift's second studio album, ''Fearless'' (2008), and the f ...
''—the re-recording of her
2008 album, Swift followed with ''
Red (Taylor's Version)
''Red (Taylor's Version)'' is the second re-recorded album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Released via Republic Records on November 12, 2021, as a part of Swift's countermeasure against the purchase of the masters of her back cata ...
''—the re-recording of her
2012 album.
''Red (Taylor's Version)'', released on November 12, 2021, features two versions of "All Too Well": a re-recording of the original one subtitled "Taylor's Version", and a 10-minute version subtitled "10 Minute Version (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)".
Before "All Too Well" was cut down to a 10-minute version and then more to a final five minute and 28-second version, American songwriter
Liz Rose
Elisabeth Wagner (born September 6, 1957), known professionally as Liz Rose, is an American country music songwriter, best known for her work with Taylor Swift. She has co-written seventeen of Swift's officially released songs, including "You Bel ...
, with whom Swift wrote the song, believed it was "probably a 20-minute song".
Swift had conceived the song in February 2011 while at a band rehearsal for the
Speak Now World Tour
The Speak Now World Tour was the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, and it was launched in support of her third studio album '' Speak Now'' (2010). The Speak Now tour began on February 9, 2011 in Singapore and the to ...
.
In promoting the single's release, Swift appeared on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...
'' on November 11, 2021, the day before the album's release. During the interview, while discussing where the origins of "All Too Well" came from, Swift recalled ad-libbing the song at a band rehearsal when she was 21, and at the end of the session, her mother approached the sound guy and collected a CD of the recorded session.
"All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" was made available to US
hot adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...
on November 11, 2021, one day before the release of ''Red (Taylor's Version)''.
[ ''Type'' "Taylor Swift" ''in the Search field''.] "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" was released as a digital
promotional single
A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
on Swift's webstore on November 15, 2021, exclusively to U.S. customers.
The live acoustic version from the ''All Too Well: The Short Film'' premiere performance was released to the
iTunes Store
The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
and her website for digital download the same day.
The acoustic "Sad Girl Autumn" version, recorded at
Aaron Dessner
Aaron Brooking Dessner (born April 23, 1976) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as a founding member of the rock band the National, with whom he has recorded eight studio albums; a co-founder of the indie ...
's Long Pond Studio in
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley (also known as the Hudson River Valley) comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York. The region stretches from the Capital District including Albany and Troy south to ...
, was released on November 17. In June 2022, a new version titled "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film)" was released for digital download and streaming that is 11 minutes and 26 seconds long with different instrumentals and outro.
Lyrics
Memories are the building blocks of "All Too Well". The song relies on specifics of the rise and fall of a romantic relationship, drawn from memory.
Apart from mentioning more expository details, "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" provides greater context than the five-minute version; Swift mentions the
age difference between her and the subject several times, and states how the subject used it as an excuse to terminate their relationship but continued to date women of her age. She recollects "the build-up and intensity of falling in love" and acknowledges her
naivety
Naivety (also spelled naïvety), naiveness, or naïveté is the state of being naive. It refers to an apparent or actual lack of experience and sophistication, often describing a neglect of pragmatism in favor of moral idealism. A ''naïve'' may b ...
. Apart from the unaltered bridge, the differences of "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" from the 5-minute version in
song structure
Song structure is the arrangement of a song, and is a part of the songwriting process. It is typically sectional, which uses repeating forms in songs. Common forms include bar form, 32-bar form, verse–chorus form, ternary form, strophic form, and ...
are an elaborate third verse, an extended chorus, two more verses after the bridge, an
outro, and the absence of the male backing vocals, replaced with Swift's own backing vocals.
Critical reception
"All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" was met with universal critical acclaim,
often hailed as the standout track on ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' and a career highlight for Swift. ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' music critic
Rob Sheffield
Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author.
He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Ble ...
lauded the 10-minute version for evoking even more intense emotions than the already sentimental five-minute song: "
tsums up Swift at her absolute best."
Helen Brown of ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'' stated the song is a more feminist proposition with its new lyrics.
''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' Hannah Mylrea wrote, at its full intended length, "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" confirms its place as an "epic", exhibiting proficient storytelling, vocal performance and instrumentation.
Beth Kirkbride, writing for ''
Clash'', said the "epic" song "will go down in history as one of the best breakup songs ever written."
Kate Solomon of ''
i'' wrote the pain "feels raw" in Swift's voice.
''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' Chris Willman dubbed the song as Swift's "
holy grail
The Holy Grail (french: Saint Graal, br, Graal Santel, cy, Greal Sanctaidd, kw, Gral) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miracu ...
", and felt glad the singer did not discard the original lyrics, which turn the song into "a stream-of-consciousness epic ballad", filled with more references and specifics of the song's storyline. Reviewing for ''
The Line of Best Fit
''The Line of Best Fit'' is an independent online magazine based in London, concentrating on new music.
It publishes independent music reviews, features, interview, and media. Founded by Richard Thane in February 2007 and currently edited by P ...
'', Paul Bridgewater opined the 10 minute version is "as disarming as it is fascinating"—"an artefact of
wift'ssongwriting and recording process." He asserted that the song magnifies the truncated version's drama and emotion.
''
Slant Magazine'' critic Jonathan Keefe stated, while the 5-minute version solely focuses on catharsis from a painful relationship, the 10-minute version "more openly implicates the ex who's responsible for causing that pain", and changes the overall tone of "All Too Well" with its new verses and song structure.
Bobby Olivier of
''Spin'' praised the song as "Swift's single finest piece of songwriting".
Melissa Reguieri, in her ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'' review, said the song "lopes through encyclopedic lyrics that both bite and wound in their honesty and pain."
Sputnikmusic staff critic wrote "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" is "not a flashy
pop song or an endearingly rural slice of
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
" but simply a raw depiction of Swift's emotions, and concluded that the "towering breakup ballad" represents Swift's habit of "expressing these commonplace emotions in uniquely uncommon ways" in her writing.
Lydia Burgham of ''
The New Zealand Herald
''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation of all newspaper ...
'' said the lyrics "paint a vivid picture of an ill-fated romance that cuts deep and captures the universal language of heartbreak."
In the words of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' critic Lindsay Zoladz, the song is "quite poignantly, about a young woman's attempt to find retroactive equilibrium in a relationship that was based on a power imbalance that she was not at first able to perceive."
''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' writer Laura Snapes also dubbed the song an epic track, "one that eviscerates her slick ex in a series of ever-more climactic verses that never resolve to a chorus, just a shuddered realisation of how vividly she recalls his disregard." Snapes associated the lyric "soldier who's returning half her weight" with Swift's
eating disorder, and interpreted it as a nod to the physical manifestations of heartache.
Spencer Kornhaber of ''
The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'' wrote that "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" contains more specificity in its lyrics, exuding "both warm nostalgia and cooling disdain", which "mesmerizes as Swift's cadence slips and slides against the steadily pounding beat", rather than cluttering the song as one would expect. Kornhaber also admired its
outro and
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
shift. In a less complimentary review, Olivia Horn from ''Pitchfork'' felt the song was too long and sprawling, undermining the emotional climax of "All Too Well" (2012).
In agreement, Lindsay Zoladz preferred the five-minute version, but appreciated the 10-minute version for its "unapologetic messiness" with nuanced messages about female emotions and societal relationships.
''
GQ'' ranked "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" as the best single of Swift's career, in October 2022. ''
Alternative Press
Alternative press may refer to:
Individual publications
* ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine
Alternative journalism
* Alternative media
** Alternative media (U.S. political left)
** Alternative media (U.S. political ri ...
'' ranked it as the most
emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
track in Swift's catalog. The song appeared on several year-end rankings of the best songs of 2021.
Short film
On November 5, 2021, Swift posted a teaser of a self-directed
short film
A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
for the 10-minute version, titled ''All Too Well: The Short Film'', based on the premise of the song, and stars
Sadie Sink
Sadie Elizabeth Sink (born April 16, 2002) is an American actress. She began acting at age seven in local theater productions, and played the title role in '' Annie'' (2012–14) and young Queen Elizabeth II in '' The Audience'' (2015) on Broad ...
and
Dylan O'Brien
Dylan Rhodes O'Brien (born August 26, 1991) is an American actor. His first major role was Stiles Stilinski on the MTV supernatural drama ''Teen Wolf'' (2011–2017), where he was a series regular during all six seasons. He achieved further pr ...
as a couple in a romantic relationship that ultimately falls apart; Swift also makes a brief appearance. It was released on November 12, 2021, to critical acclaim. The version of the song used in ''All Too Well: The Short Film'' was made available to streaming platforms on June 11, 2022, the same day Swift made an appearance at the
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. Tribeca was f ...
to discuss her approach to making the short film.
Accolades
Commercial performance
"All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" debuted at number one on the
Australian ARIA Singles Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian record chart, music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA beca ...
the same week ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' topped the Australian ARIA Albums Chart, earning Swift a fourth "Chart Double". It also helped Swift score a "Chart Double" in Ireland, her second number-one song in the country after "
Look What You Made Me Do
"Look What You Made Me Do" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on August 24, 2017, by Big Machine Records, as the lead single from her sixth studio album, '' Reputation'' (2017). Swift wrote and produ ...
" (2017). The song was Swift's eighth number-one on the
Canadian Hot 100,
and entered the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
at number three, the longest song to reach the top three in the UK chart history.
On the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100, "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" marked Swift's eighth number-one song. It topped the chart with 54.4 million streams, 57,800
downloads
In computer networks, download means to ''receive'' data from a remote system, typically a server such as a web server, an FTP server, an email server, or other similar system. This contrasts with uploading, where data is ''sent to'' a remote ...
sold, and negligible airplay. The song became the longest number-one song in chart history, surpassing
Don McLean
Donald McLean III (born October 2, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1971 hit song " American Pie", an eight-and-a-half-minute folk rock "cultural touchstone" about the loss of innocence of the early ...
's 1972 song "
American Pie", a feat recognized in the ''
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
''.
Topping the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 the same week ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' topped the
''Billboard'' 200, it marked Swift's record-extending third time to debut atop both charts the same week. As Swift's 30th top-ten entry, it made her the sixth artist to reach the milestone. It was her fifth song to top ''Billboard''
Streaming Songs
The Streaming Songs chart is released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists each week's top streamed radio songs, on-demand songs and videos on leading online music services in the United States. The chart represents one of the three component ...
and 23rd to top ''Billboard''
Digital Song Sales
The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally starte ...
charts, extending her record as the female musician with the most chart toppers on both. "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" is Swift's ninth number-one song on ''Billboard''
Hot Country Songs chart,
18th number-one song on ''Billboard''
Country Digital Song Sales
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
chart, and sixth number-one song on ''Billboard''
Country Streaming Songs chart, confirming her status as the artist with the most number-one songs on the latter two. In addition, the song is the first by a solo female artist to enter the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts at the summit simultaneously.
Don McLean, when asked about his record broken by Swift in a ''
Billboard'' interview, said "there is something to be said for a great song that has staying power. 'American Pie' remained on top for 50 years and now Taylor Swift has unseated such a historic piece of artistry. Let's face it, nobody ever wants to lose that No. 1 spot, but if I had to lose it to somebody, I sure am glad it was another great singer/songwriter such as Taylor."
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
Live performances
On January 26, 2014, Swift performed "All Too Well" at the
56th Annual Grammy Awards
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid comp ...
in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, where ''
Red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
'' was nominated for
Album of the Year and
Best Country Album
The Grammy Award for Best Country Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the country music genre. Honors ...
. Wearing a dramatic beaded gown with sequin detailing and a long train streaming out behind her,
she sang while playing piano on a low lit stage, before being joined by a live band midway through the performance. Her performance was praised and received a standing ovation. Swift's
headbanging
Headbanging is the action of violently shaking one's head in rhythm with music. It is common in the contemporary rock, punk and heavy metal music genres, where headbanging is often used by musicians on stage. Headbanging is also common in tradi ...
at the song's climax gained significant media coverage.
Sean Thomas of ''The Slanted'' called it the "performance of the night," and Amy Sciarretto of ''
Pop Crush'' hailed it as "unforgettable."
Swift also performed the song live throughout her
Red Tour
The Red Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in support of her fourth studio album, ''Red'' (2012). The tour started on March 13, 2013, at CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska and concluded on June 12, 2 ...
, while playing the piano. On August 21, 2015, Swift performed the song in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
at the
Staples Center, the only time on
The 1989 World Tour
The 1989 World Tour was the fourth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in support of her fifth studio album, ''1989'' (2014). Swift announced the tour's first dates in North America, Europe, Japan, and Oceania in November an ...
. On February 4, 2017, Swift performed the song as part of the Super Saturday Night show in
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
.
Swift performed an acoustic version of the song on the first show of her
Reputation Stadium Tour
The Reputation Stadium Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in support of her sixth studio album ''Reputation'' (2017). The all- stadium tour began on May 8, 2018, in Glendale, Arizona, and concluded on ...
in
Glendale, Arizona on May 8, 2018, the fifth show in
Pasadena, California on May 19, 2018, and the last show of the U.S. leg of the tour in
Arlington, Texas on October 6, 2018, the latter of which appeared in her
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
concert film of the same name. On September 10, 2019, Swift performed the song as part of the ''
City of Lover
:
City of Lover was a one-off concert by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was held at the Olympia (Paris), Olympia theater in Paris, France, on September 9, 2019, slightly over two weeks after the release of Swift's seventh studi ...
'' concert. On October 11, 2019, she performed the song at a
Tiny Desk Concert
Tiny Desk Concerts is a video series of live concerts hosted by NPR Music at the desk of ''All Songs Considered'' host Bob Boilen in Washington, D.C.
The first Tiny Desk Concert came about in 2008 after Boilen and NPR Music editor Stephen Thomp ...
for
NPR Music.
She performed the 10-minute song after the screening of ''All Too Well: The Short Film'' at its film premiere, and on ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. ...
'' the following night. ''
Hits'' dubbed the ''SNL'' performance "one of the most riveting musical moments of the year." She also performed the song at the 2022
Nashville Songwriter Awards.
Impact and legacy
Often dubbed as Swift's
magnum opus
A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
, "All Too Well" is hailed by music critics, fans and journalists as the best song in Swift's discography, citing the vivid songwriting that evokes deep emotional engagement.
Sheffield commented, "No other song does such a stellar job of showing off her ability to blow up a trivial little detail into a legendary heartache."
Listicles
The song featured on many publications' lists of the best songs from the 2010s decade, including ''Rolling Stone'' (5th), ''Uproxx'' (10th), ''Stereogum'' (24th),
and ''Pitchfork'' (57th).
It featured in unranked 2010s-decade-end lists by ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'' and ''
Parade'', and at number 13 on NPR's readers' poll for the best songs of the same decade. Sheffield ranked "All Too Well" first on his 2010s-decade-end list. ''Rolling Stone'' placed "All Too Well" at number 29 of its 2018 list of the 100 Greatest Songs of the Century So Far, and 69 on its list 2020 revision of the
500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...
.
In 2021, Sheffield placed the song at number one on his ranking of 206 Taylor Swift songs. In a list titled "The 25 Musical Moments That Defined the First Quarter of the 2020s", ''Billboard'' described "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" as the "crown jewel" of ''Red (Taylor’s Version)'' and one of 2021's "biggest cultural hits". In 2022, ''Billboard'' named "All Too Well (10-Minute Version)" the best breakup song of all time.
Recognition
Critics often regard "All Too Well" as Swift's best song. ''Billboard'' stated "All Too Well" is the song that "proved to skeptics who might've thoughtlessly dismissed Swift as a frivolous pop star—in an era when such artists still weren't given nearly as much credit or attention by critics and older music fans as they are now—that she was in fact a truly formidable singer-songwriter." Bruce Warren, assistant general manager for programming for Philadelphia public radio station
WXPN
WXPN (88.5 FM) is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that broadcasts an adult album alternative (AAA) radio format, along with many other format shows ...
, stated that "All Too Well" foreshadowed Swift's music direction for 2020. He said "In 2014 or 2015, you wouldn't have been able to say, '
aylor Swift
Aylor may refer to:
* Aylor, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community
* Mark Aylor
Mark Aylor (born January 11, 1978 in Santa Clara, California) is a former American rugby union flanker. He was a member of the United States nation ...
is working with Justin Vernon,' right?
All Too Well'foreshadowed the place she's in now... 'All Too Well' showed the potential of how great a songwriter she would be, and how she would evolve as a songwriter. And
Folklore_
Folklore_is_shared_by_a_particular_group_of_people;_it_encompasses_the_traditions_common_to_that_culture,_subculture_or_group._This_includes__oral_traditions_such_as__tales,_legends,_proverbs_and__jokes._They_include__material_culture,_ranging__...
''_and_''Evermore_(Taylor_Swift_album).html" ;"title="Folklore_(Taylor_Swift_album).html" "title="'Folklore (Taylor Swift album)">Folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...
"All Too Well" is a fan-favorite. Over time, the song achieved a
within Swift's fanbase, as with the critics and other artists as well.
Despite not being a single, "All Too Well" is one of Swift's most widely recognized, requested, and
songs.
:
Upon announcement of the release of the original, 10-minute version of "All Too Well" as part of Swift's second re-recorded album, ''
'', the extended version became the most anticipated song from the album.
release of the album, the 10-minute song, and ''All Too Well: The Short Film'' has been described as one of the biggest
moments of 2021.
"All Too Well" opens with the lines "I walked through the door with you / the air was cold / but something about it felt like home somehow / and I left my scarf there at your sister's house / and you've still got it in your drawer even now", and contains the lines "But you keep my old scarf from that very first week / 'Cause it reminds you of innocence / And it smells like me / You can't get rid of it / 'Cause you remember it all too well" in its final verse.
Over the years, the whereabouts of the scarf referenced in the lyrics have become a subject of media attention and speculation.
According to media outlets, the scarf mentioned in the lyrics was originally lost at the residence of American actress
.
chic" dark blue scarf with red and gray stripes.
as the scarf's brand and that Swift was wearing the scarf when she was taking a stroll in London with both Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, as seen in multiple photographs by
.
whose reappearance in the final verse is thoughtful and "brutal". He explained the missing scarf quickly became a "fantastic
mystery" that has created much online buzz.
, Maggie Gyllenhaal stated she has no idea where the scarf is, and did not understand why people asked her about it until an interviewer explained the lyrics to her.
The scarf's existence or its lyrical use as just as a metaphor has been a topic of debate among fans, music critics and pop culture commentators, who "agree it's more than a simple piece of
According to Sheffield, both the song and the scarf are so significant to Swift's discography that it "should be in the
The scarf has become a symbol in Swift's fandom, inspiring jokes, memes, and interview questions. It has even inspired numerous fan-fictions in other fandoms. Writer Kaitlyn Tiffany of ''
" and "a source of cultural curiosity".
in an inanimate object". ''
'' said the scarf "re-entered the pop culture conversation" after ''All Too Well: The Short Film''. Kate Leaver of ''
'' wrote only Swift "could make a decade-old item of clothing a universal symbol for heartbreak."
'' named the song one of "the most debated lyric mysteries ever".
In 2021, following the release of the film and ''Red (Taylor's Version)'', the Google searches for "Taylor Swift red scarf meaning" spiked by 1,400 percent. The scarf has been depicted as a plain red scarf in ''All Too Well: Short Film'' and the music video for the country single "
"; in the film, Swift is seen hanging the scarf over a banister, whereas in the latter, she gifts the scarf to a bride, leaving the groom confused.
Replicas of this scarf—named "The All Too Well Knit Scarf"—were sold on Swift's website.
Many celebrities have commented on the scarf; American singer and television host
'' that the scarf should be returned to Swift. Canadian actor
said the same in an interview and stated he is looking for the scarf. Speaking to ''
said Swift does not need the scarf and that she has many better ones. American actor
tweeted the scarf is in his possession; the authenticity of his claim has not been verified.
, Swift described the red scarf as a metaphor, and that she made it a red-colored scarf to agree with the album's theme.
* LeAnn "Goddess" Bennet – production coordinator
* Drew Bollman – assistant mixer
* Jason Campbell – production coordinator
* Mike "Frog" Griffith – production coordinator
* Brian David Willis – assistant engineer
* Hank Williams –
"All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" (2021)
* Taylor Swift – lead vocals, songwriter, producer
* Liz Rose – songwriter
*
– producer, vocal engineer
* David Payne – recording engineer
* Dan Burns – additional engineer
* Austin Brown – assistant engineer, assistant editor
* Bryce Bordone – engineer
* Derek Garten – engineer
*
– mixer
* Mike Meadows – acoustic guitar, background vocals
* Amos Heller – bass guitar, synth bass
* Matt Billingslea – drums
* Paul Sidoti – electric guitar
* David Cook – piano
* Max Bernstein – synthesizers
"All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (from the Vault)" (2021)
* Taylor Swift – lead vocals, songwriter, producer
* Liz Rose – songwriter
*
– producer, recording engineer, engineer, acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, keyboards,
, slide guitar, drums, percussion
* Lauren Marquez – assistant recording engineer
* John Rooney – assistant recording engineer
* Jon Sher – assistant recording engineer
* David Hart – engineer, recording engineer:
electric piano
* Mikey Freedom Hart – engineer, celesta, Hammond B3, piano, reed organ, baritone guitar, Wurlitzer electric piano
* Sean Hutchinson – engineer, drums, percussion, recording engineer (percussion, drums)
* Jon Gautier – engineer, recording engineer (strings)
* Christopher Rowe – vocal engineer
* Laura Sisk – engineer, recording engineer
* Evan Smith – flutes, saxophone, synthesizers, recording engineer (flutes, saxophone, synthesizers)
* Bryce Bordone – engineer
* Michael Riddleberger – engineer, percussion
* John Rooney – engineer
*