You Are in Love

Last updated

"You Are in Love"
Promotional single by Taylor Swift
from the album 1989
ReleasedFebruary 24, 2015 (2015-02-24)
Studio Jungle City (New York)
Length4:27
Label Big Machine
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Taylor Swift
  • Jack Antonoff
"You Are in Love (Taylor's Version)"
Song by Taylor Swift
from the album 1989 (Taylor's Version)
ReleasedOctober 27, 2023
Studio
Length4:27
Label Republic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Taylor Swift
  • Jack Antonoff
Lyric video
"You Are in Love (Taylor's Version)" on YouTube

"You Are in Love" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from the deluxe edition of her fifth studio album, 1989 (2014). Big Machine Records released the track as an iTunes Store-exclusive download on February 24, 2015. Swift wrote and produced the song with Jack Antonoff, whose relationship with the writer-actress Lena Dunham influenced its lyrical content. Some critics applauded the song's portrayal of love with simple lyrics and production, although a few others deemed the track insubstantial.

Contents

The song was the inspiration for the music video of Swift's 2019 single "Lover". Following a dispute over her masters with her former label, Big Machine Records, Swift re-recorded the song as "You Are in Love (Taylor's Version)", as part of her fourth re-recorded album, 1989 (Taylor's Version) (2023).

Background and writing

Taylor Swift had identified as a country musician until her fourth studio album, Red , which was released on October 22, 2012. [1] [2] Red incorporates eclectic pop and rock styles beyond the country stylings of Swift's past albums, which led to critics questioning her country-music identity. [3] [4] Swift finalized her fifth studio album in mid-2014, during the Asian leg of the Red Tour. [5] Inspired by 1980s synth-pop, she named the album 1989 after her birth year to signify an artistic reinvention: she described it as her first "official pop album". [6] On 1989, Swift worked with new producers including Jack Antonoff, who produced three tracks, including "You Are in Love". [7] Antonoff first sent Swift the instrumental track of "You Are in Love", with Swift later writing the lyrics to it. [8]

Music and lyrics

"You Are in Love" is a ballad [9] [10] instrumented by a recurring synth riff [11] that critics thought to evoke the music of Bruce Springsteen; David Greenwalt of The Oregonian thought that it "[echoes] the synth tones" of "Streets of Philadelphia" (1993), [12] while Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine picked "Secret Garden" (1995) as a possible influence. [11] The lyrics, narrated from an outside woman's perspective, [8] [12] present imagery of various phases and experiences in a fruitful relationship ("small talk", "coffee at midnight", "kisses on sidewalk"), [11] with the words being set to a four-note motif that forms the melody of the verses. [9] According to Swift, the inspiration was the relationship of Antonoff and the writer-actress Lena Dunham, both of whom were close friends of hers. [13] Dunham dubbed it as her "someday wedding song". [14]

When interviewed about writing "You Are in Love", Swift said she found it difficult and boring at times. The song also describes love as something that does not need to be perfect. Swift also said that she wrote it as a commentary of Antonoff and Dunham's relationship, saying that she's actually going through everything that happened in it. [15] The song is also the inspiration for the music video of the title track of her seventh studio album, "Lover". [16]

Release and commercial performance

Swift performing "You Are in Love" on acoustic guitar during the 1989 World Tour Taylor tokyo 20150506 (cropped 2).jpg
Swift performing "You Are in Love" on acoustic guitar during the 1989 World Tour

"You Are in Love" was originally included as one of the three bonus cuts on the deluxe package of 1989, which was released exclusively at Target in the United States. On February 17, 2015, Swift announced that she would make all the bonus tracks available to US iTunes Stores as promotional singles one at a time. [17] The song was released on February 24, 2015, by Big Machine Records. [18]

"You Are in Love" debuted on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100, with peaks of number 83 [19] and number 99, [20] respectively. The track was featured in the setlist of the 1989 World Tour (2015), where Swift would sing it on acoustic guitar. [21] On August 4, 2023, she sang the song with a piano during the Los Angeles stop as part of her Eras Tour (2023–2024) and included it on the extended cut of the tour's associated concert film. [22] [23] [24] In January 2024, the song received a gold certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for selling over 35,000 units. [25]

After signing a new contract with Republic Records, Swift began re-recording her first six studio albums in November 2020. [26] The decision came after a 2019 public dispute between Swift and the talent manager Scooter Braun, who acquired Big Machine Records, including the masters of Swift's albums the label had released. [27] [28] By re-recording them, Swift had full ownership of the new masters, including the copyright licensing of her songs, devaluing the Big Machine-owned masters. [29] The re-recording of "You Are in Love", subtitled "Taylor's Version", was released as part of Swift's fourth re-recorded album, 1989 (Taylor's Version), on October 27, 2023. [30] It debuted and peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Global 200 [31] and reached the countries of New Zealand (38), [32] Canada (42), [20] and the US (43). [33]

Critical reception

Hannah Yasharoff and David Oliver, writing for USA Today , commended two lines from "You Are in Love": "You understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars / And why I've spent my whole life trying to put it in words", further elaborating that it "[puts] specific and universal feelings into words", something Swift "does best". [34] Billboard 's Ashley Iasimone compared the song to "The Lakes", elaborating that both songs portray "love that's as pretty as a picture, the kind that has no place for the noise from the outside world". [35] Alex Berry of Clash applauded the song for being an "ethereal, delicate [ballad]", [10] while Grace Wehniainen of Bustle commended it for being a "hidden gem among gems", further elaborating that it "isn't just a gorgeous song, but a handy time capsule for Swift's personal and professional life". [15] Vulture's Nate Jones complimented its simplicity demonstrated by the "appropriately restrained" vocals and production, [36] and Variety's Chris Willman deemed the track "a sweet testament to being aspirational about love through the proxy passions of friends". [37] Amara Sorosiak of American Songwriter ranked it eighth in a 2024 list of "Taylor Swift's Top 10 Love Songs", praising "her stripped-back, atmospheric pop prowess". [38]

On a less positive side, Jane Song of Paste ranked "You Are in Love" 66th out of 158 in a 2020 ranking of Swift's songs, considering it "sweet", but also noting that the romantic rumors of Antonoff blemished its message. [39] Courteney Larocca of Business Insider regarded the song as one of the 17 worst Taylor Swift songs, criticizing it for being "boring" and commenting that "It's just disappointing that a song about realizing you're fully in love is about a relationship that ultimately didn't work out—and wasn't even one from Swift's own life". [16] Reviewing the re-recording, "You Are in Love (Taylor's Version)", Hugh G. Puddles argued that it declines in quality due to Antonoff's "overstating his ascending synth arpeggios in the chorus, walking headlong into the '80s kitsch" that overshadows Swift's understated vocals as in the original. [40]

Credits and personnel

"You Are in Love" (2014) [41]

"You Are in Love (Taylor's Version)" (2023) [42]

Charts

"You Are in Love" (2014)

Chart performance for "You Are in Love"
Chart (2014)Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [20] 99
US Billboard Hot 100 [19] 83

"You Are in Love (Taylor's Version)" (2023)

Chart performance for "You Are in Love (Taylor's Version)"
Chart (2023)Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [43] 42
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [31] 38
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [32] 38
US Billboard Hot 100 [33] 43

Certification

Certification for "You Are in Love"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [25] Gold35,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Antonoff</span> American musician (born 1984)

Jack Michael Antonoff is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Antonoff is the lead vocalist of rock band Bleachers. He was previously the guitarist and drummer for the pop rock band fun and the lead vocalist for the indie rock band Steel Train. Aside from his work with the three groups, Antonoff has been prolific in songwriting and production for various music industry acts, including Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Sara Bareilles, the 1975, Lorde, St. Vincent, Florence and the Machine, Lana Del Rey, Fifth Harmony, Kevin Abstract, Carly Rae Jepsen, the Chicks, Tegan and Sara, and Clairo. Antonoff is credited with impact on the sound of contemporary popular music throughout the 2010s and 2020s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweeter than Fiction</span> 2013 song by Taylor Swift

"Sweeter than Fiction" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who wrote and produced it with Jack Antonoff for the soundtrack to the 2013 film One Chance. It was released by Big Machine Records for digital download on October 21, 2013. An incorporation of bubblegum pop, synth-pop, and electropop, "Sweeter than Fiction" features elements of 1980s new wave. The track peaked in the top 40 on the singles charts of Canada, Ireland, Scotland, and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Out of the Woods</span> 2016 single by Taylor Swift

"Out of the Woods" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her fifth studio album, 1989 (2014). Swift wrote and produced the song with Jack Antonoff. With lyrics inspired by a failed relationship and the ensuing anxieties that Swift experienced, "Out of the Woods" is a synth-pop song with elements of Eurodance and indietronica and features heavy synthesizers, looping drums, and layered background vocals.

"This Love" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fifth studio album, 1989 (2014). Swift produced the song with Nathan Chapman. An atmospheric ballad, "This Love" combines soft rock and synth-pop. Its lyrics use oceanic imagery to describe the revival of a faded romance.

"Enchanted" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, the song is a power ballad combining pop, rock, and country. The production incorporates gentle acoustic guitars and crescendos after each refrain, leading to dynamic electric guitars, a steady drum beat, and a vocal harmony-layered coda. In the lyrics, a narrator is infatuated with someone after meeting them for the first time, and she worries about whether the initial feeling will be reciprocated.

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<i>Fearless (Taylors Version)</i> 2021 re-recorded album by Taylor Swift

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<i>Red (Taylors Version)</i> 2021 re-recorded album by Taylor Swift

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Question...?</span> 2022 song by Taylor Swift

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<i>1989 (Taylors Version)</i> 2023 re-recorded album by Taylor Swift

1989 (Taylor's Version) is the fourth re-recorded album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It is a re-recording of Swift's fifth studio album, 1989 (2014), and was released on October 27, 2023, by Republic Records. The album is part of Swift's ongoing response to a 2019 dispute regarding the masters of her back catalog. It was announced at the final Los Angeles show of the Eras Tour on August 9, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">"Slut!"</span> 2023 single by Taylor Swift

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"Is It Over Now?" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Written by Swift and Jack Antonoff, the song was intended for but ultimately left out of Swift's fifth studio album, 1989 (2014), but was released as part of the 2023 re-recording, 1989 . "Is It Over Now?" is an electropop power ballad composed of dense reverb, synthesizers, and an echoing drum machine. Republic Records released the song to US contemporary hit radio on October 31, 2023.

"Now That We Don't Talk" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was written by Swift for her 2014 studio album, 1989, but did not make the final track-list. She re-recorded the song and produced it with Jack Antonoff for her 2023 re-recorded album, 1989 . A synth-pop and disco song, "Now That We Don't Talk" features disco grooves, falsetto vocals, and thrumming synths. The lyrics are about contempt for an estranged ex-lover.

"Suburban Legends" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who wrote and produced it with Jack Antonoff. The track was originally intended for her 2014 studio album, 1989, but was included in its 2023 re-recording, 1989 . A midtempo synth-pop ballad, "Suburban Legends" features 1980s-inspired synthesizers, a disco groove, and a gentle pulse. The lyrics contain imagery of fantasy and nostalgia: Swift's character reflects on a failed small-town romance and details the thrilling parts of the relationship and its dissolution.

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