General Information

Release Date: November 11, 2008 (standard edition); October 26, 2009 (platinum edition)
Recorded: 2007 – 2008
Label: Big Machine and Universal Music Group
Producers: Scott Borchetta, Nathan Chapman, and Taylor Swift.

Notes

• 11 of the 13 songs on the standard edition of the album have spent time on the Hot 100 charts.
• The top selling album of 2009 in the U.S.
• Certified 5 times platinum by the RIAA.
  

Track Listing

1. Fearless (written by Taylor, Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey)
2. Fifteen (written by Taylor)
3. Love Story (written by Taylor)
4. Hey Stephen (written by Taylor)
5. White Horse (written by Taylor and Liz Rose)
6. You Belong With Me (written by Taylor and Liz Rose)
7. Breathe (written by Taylor and Colbie Caillat)
8. Tell Me Why (written by Taylor and Liz Rose)
9. You’re Not Sorry (written by Taylor)
10. The Way I Loved You (written by Taylor and John Rich)
11. Forever & Always (written by Taylor)
12. The Best Day (written by Taylor)
13. Change (written by Taylor)

The platinum album includes the songs above as well as:

• Come in with the Rain (written by Taylor and Liz Rose)
• Forever & Always (piano version) (written by Taylor)
• Jump Then Fall (written by Taylor)
• SuperStar (written by Taylor and Liz Rose)
• The Other Side of the Door (written by Taylor)
• Untouchable (written by Taylor, Cary Barlowe, Nathan Barlowe, and Tommy Lee James)

Singles

• Love Story (released: September 16, 2008)
• White Horse (released: December 9, 2008)
• You Belong With Me (released: April 21, 2009)
• Fifteen (released: September 1, 2009)
• Fearless (released: January 4, 2010)

Quotes

“This album is called “FEARLESS,” and I guess I’d like to clarify why we chose that as the title. To me, “FEARLESS” is not the absence of fear. It’s not being completely unafraid. To me, FEARLESS, is having fears. FEARLESS is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, FEARLESS is living in spite of those things that scare you to death. FEARLESS is falling madly in love again, even though you’ve been hurt before. FEARLESS is walking into your freshmen year of high school at fifteen. FEARLESS is getting back up and fighting for what you want over and over again… even though every time you’ve tried before, you’ve lost. It’s FEARLESS to have faith that someday things will change. FEARLESS is having the courage to say goodbye to someone who only hurts you, even if you can’t breathe without them. I think it’s FEARLESS to fall for your best friend, even though he’s in love with someone else. And when someone apologizes to you enough times for things they’ll never stop doing, I think it’s FEARLESS to stop believing them. It’s FEARLESS to say “you’re NOT sorry,” and walk away. I think loving someone despite what people think is FEARLESS. I think allowing yourself to cry on the bathroom floor is FEARLESS. Letting go if FEARLESS. Then, moving on and being alright… That’s FEARLESS too. But no matter what love throws at you, you have to believe in it. You have to believe in love stories and prince charmings and happily ever after. That’s why I write these songs. Because I think love is FEARLESS.”

Gallery

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Song Information

Breathe

• Colbie Caillat provides background vocals.

Change

• On the compilation cd AT&T TEAM USA Soundtrack.
• She wrote the song the day after she won the CMA’s Horizon Awards.

Fifteen

“I just decided I really wanted to tell that story about our [Taylor and Abigail's] first year of high school because I felt in my freshman year, I grew up more than any year in my life so far.”

• The lyrics mention her best friend Abigail, who also appears in the music video.

Jump Then Fall

“This song is about jumping then falling into the most magical summer love imaginable.”

Love Story

“”Love Story” I wrote on my bedroom floor in about 20 minutes.”

“”Love Story” is actually about a guy that I almost dated. But when I introduced him to my family and my friends, they all said they didn’t like him. All of them! For the first time, I could relate to that Romeo-and-Juliet situation where the only people who wanted them to be together were them. That’s the most romantic song I’ve written, and it’s not even about a person I really dated.”

• Her first international single.
• Is the most downloaded country song in history as well as the best-selling country song.
• Is the first country crossover song to be number 1 on the Top 40.
• On the compilation cd Now That’s What I Call Country Volume 2. Featured in the video game Band Hero.

White Horse

“In the song “White Horse”, you put everything you have into love and you get your heart broken.”

• Was featured in an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy”.
• Was the first video to debut at  number 1 on CMT’s Top Twenty Countdown.

You Belong With Me

“I came into the writing session with Liz Rose and said… “I’ve got this idea. I had overheard a friend of mine talking to his girlfriend and he was completely on the defensive saying, ‘No, baby… I had to get off the phone really quickly… I tried to call you right back… Of course I love you. More than anything! Baby, I’m so sorry.’ She was just yelling at him! I felt so bad for him at that moment. So I came up with the first line ‘You’re on the phone with your girlfriend, she’s upset, going off about something that you said’, and I ran that into the story line that I’m in love with him and he should be with me instead of her. It just became this whole picture. It was really fun for us to write the line, ‘She wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts, She’s cheer captain, and I’m on the bleachers’.”

“This song is basically about wanting someone who is with this girl who doesn’t appreciate him at all. Basically like ‘girl-next-door-itis.’ You like this guy who you have known for your whole life, and you know him better than she does but somehow the popular girl gets the guy every time.”

• Initially released as a digital single.

You’re Not Sorry

• A re-mixed version appears in the episode of “CSI” she guest starred in.

Reviews

“Taylor Swift’s second album, Fearless, is a superb sophomore effort jam-packed from beginning to end with potential hit singles.”
Sean Dooley || About.com || [ Read full review ]

“Her writing — and she had a hand in penning all 13 tracks here, with six of them bearing her solitary credit — is sharply, subtly crafted and the music is softly assured, never pushing its hooks too hard and settling into a warm bed of guitars and keyboards. Swift’s gentle touch is as enduring as her songcraft, and this musical maturity may not quite jibe with her age but it does help make Fearless one of the best mainstream pop albums of 2008. ”
Stephen Thomas Erlewine || Allmusic || [ Read full review ]