White Horse is the fifth track of the standard edition of Taylor's second album Fearless. It was released on November 11, 2008. It became a single on December 7, 2008.
Meaning and Background
"I actually wasn't going to put this song on the album. I was going to wait for the third album because I really felt like we had the "sadness" represented on this record. Then my agency out in LA set up a meeting with executive producers Betsy Beers and Shonda Rhimes at Grey's Anatomy because that's my favorite show. It would just be a dream come true to have a song on it. So, I played them "White Horse." It was just me and my guitar and they freaked out. They loved it. They said, "We'll get back to you as soon as possible." For a while, we didn't know if we were going to put it on the record because if it wasn't going to be on the show, then we weren't going to put it on the album. Then they called and said they were very interested in the song. We recorded it right away, sent it off to them, and they put it in! To me, "White Horse" is about what, in my opinion, is the most heart-breaking part of a break-up – that moment when you realize that all the dreams you had, all those visions you had of being with this person, all that disappears. Everything after that moment is moving on.. But that initial moment of "Wow, it's over" is what I wrote "White Horse" about."
- Taylor about White Horse[1]
The song was inspired by the same guy from Love Story and is a continuation of the song; the narrator realizes that it isn't going to work out between her and the guy. It was written in about 45 minutes[2].
Trivia
- Taylor won her first ever Grammy award for this song. It won the category 'Best Female Country Vocal Performance' at the 2010 Grammy Awards. The song also won 'Best Country Song'.
Music Video
The music video was released February 7, 2009. It was directed by Trey Fanjoy. Taylor's love interest is played by Stephen Colletti.
Storyline
The video starts out with Taylor on the phone with her (ex-)boyfriend. He tells her "All I want is you. Do you love me?". Taylor tells him she does. He then asks her "Can you give me another chance?". Taylor hesitates. Next, Taylor is seen sitting on the floor in a dark living room. She thinks about the good times she had with her boyfriend: listening to music, playing cards, cuddling. Next, Taylor is in a restaurant with a friend. She tells her: "I never thought I'd meet anybody like him. I feel like he's everything I've ever wanted." The friend tells her that there's something she should know about him. She reveals that her boyfriend has been unfaithful. She walks the streets in the dark and sees her boyfriend carrying groceries to a house. They look shocked to see each other. A woman comes out of the house he was about to enter, and Taylor realizes that her friend told her the truth. She runs away. The video transitions back to Taylor and her boyfriend talking on the phone. She tells him she won't give him another chance, hangs up and starts crying.
Lyrics
[Verse 1] |
Awards & Nominations
| Year | Organization | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | BMI Country Awards | BMI Award | Won |
| Grammy Awards | Best Female Country Vocal Performance | Won | |
| Best Country Song | Won |
Videos
References
- ↑ http://www.taylorswift.com/music#/fearless/white_horse
- ↑ Story Behind the Song - Country Weekly