Back to December

Background and release

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".

Composition

"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.

Critical reception

"Back to December" received widespread critical acclaim. Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone gave it a positive review commenting, "Swift's voice is unaffected enough to mask how masterful she has become as a singer; she lowers her voice for the payoff lines in the classic mode of a shy girl trying to talk tough." Jonathan Keefe from Slant Magazine complimented Swift's ability "to write an indelible melody" and praised the production of the song, writing "[the song] showcase(s) Swift's unique knack for matching the overall tone of a melody to the broader themes of a song". He added that "it isn't easy to make a melancholy song like "Back to December" sound catchy at the same time, but that's what Swift does, and it's an impressive trick."

Rudy Klapper from Sputnikmusic described the song as a "regret-filled apology". In The Washington Post, Allison Stewart picked it as one of the album's "great" songs. Dan DeLuca, writing for The Philadelphia Inquirer, considered "Back to December" the Speak Now track that most showcased Swift's maturing songwriting, thanks to the lyrics depicting her acknowledgements of her own shortcomings without blaming others. Steven Hyden, in a review for The A.V. Club, was less enthusiastic, deeming "Back to December" a generic ballad and saying that it is not as effective as other album tracks where Swift criticizes those who had wronged her, such as "Innocent", "Better than Revenge", or "Mean".

Retrospectively, Johnston selected "Back to December" as one of the most memorable tracks on the album, deeming it a wistful song and praising the emotional sentiments: "Swift's lyrics slip between in-the-moment narration and getting lost in her head in an utterly relatable way." James Rettig, in a 10-year anniversary review of Speak Now for Stereogum, found it to represent Swift "at her best" for portraying universal feelings about "lost love and youthful regret" despite taking inspiration from her own personal life. Clash editors included the single in their list of the 15 best songs by Swift, with Sahar Ghadirian specifically lauding the bridge. On a less complimentary side, Alexis Petridis of The Guardian ranked "Back to December" 39th in his 2019 ranking of Swift's 44 singles; while saying that the song is "beautifully produced", he remarked that it "never quite sets your pulse racing".

Commercial performance

Upon its digital release, "Back to December" debuted and peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 with first-week digital sales of 242,000 downloads. On the Hot Country Songs chart, the single peaked at number three. On other airplay charts by Billboard, "Back to December" peaked at number 11 on Pop Songs, number 11 on Adult Pop Songs, and number 14 on Adult Contemporary. According to the Billboard Year-End Charts of 2011, "Back to December" ranked at number 38 on the year-end Hot Country Songs and number 74 on the year-end Hot 100 chart. As of November 2017, "Back to December" had sold two million digital copies in the United States. Elsewhere, the single peaked at number seven on the Canadian Hot 100, number 26 on the Australian ARIA Charts, and number 24 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.

Music video

Development and concept

The music video for "Back to December" was directed by Yoann Lemoine, and was filmed in late December 2010 before Christmas Day. In an interview with Country Music Television, Lemoine explained that he developed the idea for the video after being inspired from the 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. He also told MTV News that he wanted it to be simple yet metaphorical, adding, "I wanted to work on the coldness of feelings in a very visual way, playing with the snow, the distance and sadness." He wanted to focus on Swift's look in the video so that she would come off as accessible, saying "I wanted her to perform a very natural way, to make her look very European. This was the main challenge to me. All of Taylor's world is very far away from my culture, but I saw something in her that could be very rough and heartbreaking; far from the princess glittery outfits and glam that she often goes for." Lemoine was allowed to take control of the whole production of the video, although it was Swift's idea to have her character leave the letter for her beloved. Swift's love interest in the video was played by the model Guntars Asmanis. Lemoine commented that Asmanis was the perfect fit for Swift's love interest, saying "I wanted a boy that was fragile and beautiful. I didn't want to go for a hunk or a perfect cheesy boy that would have killed the sincerity of the video." The outdoor scenes were filmed in Binghamton, New York (including footage of the school and stadium at MacArthur Park) and neighboring Vestal, New York, while scenes with Swift were shot in an old country mansion outside of Nashville.

The music video premiered on January 13, 2011, on Country Music Television and Great American Country. It begins with a young man seen walking alone in a small town to the snowy football field in a winter morning. The video cuts to Swift inside a house wearing a comfy sweater draped over one shoulder. She is brooding and singing about her lost love while wandering morosely around her house. She is also seen sitting in the bathtub, missing her boyfriend who she didn't treat well when they were together. About halfway through the video, it starts to snow inside the spacious house. A montage of Swift writing a letter is shown alternately with scenes of her boyfriend strolling around the town. It is then revealed that the whole situation is the aftermath of a break-up between Swift and her boyfriend. It is also shown that Swift slips the letter that she has written in his coat pocket before he leaves. The final scene shows her ex-boyfriend sitting in the bleachers of the snowy football field, reading her apology letter.

Reception

Critical receptions towards the music video were generally positive. Jillian Mapes of Billboard believed that the video was "appropriately understated" considering the fact that the song is all about making an apology. Kyle Anderson from MTV argued that it puts Swift in a "pantheon of modern classics" with regards to its "almost haunting visual sense" which makes up for the inadequate narrative. Leah Collins of Dose called the music video "dreamy and moody". Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly similarly deemed it "kind of lovely", which corresponds with the melancholic yet regretful mood of the song. Joycelyn Vena from MTV said that the video was "darker" and "somber", something that is not synonymous with Swift. The Oxonian Review considered Swift's "listlessness, the bare trees, and snowy indoors" in the music video attuned to the tenor of the song, achieved by "mixing wide shots, medium close ups, and cut-ins of Ms. Swift and her ex, matching their gazes across frames, and blurring focus tastefully."

The Improper Bostonian said that the video has "the look and feel of a Hallmark movie and is almost as maudlin". Amos Barshad of New York described it as "terrible", and Tamar Anitai from MTV regarded it as "a bummer", writing, "it isn't just about a girl with her calendar permanently stuck on the twelfth month of the year. It's not just about feeling like a Lady Antebellum song. It's about getting stuck in a place of romantic regret."

Awards and nominations

Live performances

Swift first performed "Back to December" in Paris at a showcase at the Salle Wagram theater, on October 18, 2010, to promote Speak Now a week before its release. Swift also performed the song on Speak Now: Taylor Swift Live From New York City, a special programme which was streamed live on CMT.com, MTV.com, VH1.com and other MTV websites in Europe, Asia, Australia and Latin America to celebrate the release of the album.

Swift also performed "Back to December" on several other occasions. On November 10, 2010, she performed the song live at the 44th annual Country Music Association Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Her performance of the song during that event was graded as a "B+" in the Los Angeles Times, noting she "kept it simple" and "rose to the occasion". On November 21, 2010, Swift mashed "Back to December" with OneRepublic's "Apologize" at the 38th American Music Awards. Her rendition in the event was graded as a "B−" in the Los Angeles Times, noting that the mashup "seemed unnecessary".

Swift performed "Back to December" on November 24, 2010, during Thanksgiving night, on NBC. She later performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on December 2, 2010. On January 31, 2011, she sang the song in JetBlue's Terminal 5 in New York City as part of the JetBlue's Live at Terminal 5 concert series. She included the song on her Speak Now World Tour, performing it in a medley with "Apologize" and her song "You're Not Sorry". The performance was recorded and released as part of Swift's live album Speak Now: World Tour Live. On the July 15, 2023, concert in Denver, as part of the Eras Tour, Swift sang "Back to December" as a "surprise song".

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

"Back to December (Taylor's Version)"

• Blackbird Studio (Nashville)
• Kitty Committee Studio (London)
• The EBC (London)
• Prime Recording (Nashville)
• Christopher Rowe

After signing a new contract with Republic Records, Swift began re-recording her first six studio albums in November 2020. The decision came after the public 2019 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. By re-recording her catalog, Swift had full ownership of the new masters, including the copyright licensing of her songs, devaluing the Big Machine-owned masters. Her first two re-recordings, Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version), were released in April and November 2021, respectively.

On May 5, 2023, at the first Nashville show of the Eras Tour, Swift announced Speak Now (Taylor's Version) as her next re-recorded album, slated for release on July 7, with "Back to December (Taylor's Version)" as the third track of the record. On June 29, a snippet of "Back to December (Taylor's Version)" was featured in the trailer to the second season of the Prime Video original series, The Summer I Turned Pretty. The re-recording was recorded in Nashville at Prime Recording Studios and Blackbird Studio, and in London at the Kitty Committee Studio and The EBC Studios.

Personnel

Adapted from Speak Now (Taylor's Version) digital album inline notes

Production

• Taylor Swift – producer
• Christopher Rowe – producer, vocal engineer
• David Payne – recording engineer
• Lowell Reynolds – assistant recording engineer, editor
• Derek Garten – engineer, editor, programming
• Serban Ghenea – mixing
• Bryce Bordone – mix engineer
• Randy Merrill – mastering

Musicians

• Taylor Swift – vocals, background vocals, songwriter
• Amos Heller – bass guitar
• Paul Sidoti – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Mike Meadows – acoustic guitar, Hammond B-3, mandolin, background vocals
• Max Bernstein – electric guitar, synth pads
• Jeremy Murphy – string recording
• London Contemporary Orchestra – strings
  • Galya Bisengalieva, Zahra Benyounes, Natalie Kloudak, Charlotte Reid, Anna Ovsyanikova, Antonia Kesel, Eloisa-Fleur Thom, Anna de Bruin, Charis Jenson, Guy Button, Nicole Crespo O'Donoghue, Nicole Stokes – violin
  • Zoe Matthews, Clifton Harrison, Matthew Kettle, Stephanie Edmundson – viola
  • Oliver Coates, Jonny Byers, Max Ruisi – cello
  • Dave Brown – double bass

Charts

Certifications

References

References

1. Conger, Bill. (October 11, 2010). "Taylor Swift Talks About Her New Album ''Speak Now'', And Her Songwriting".
2. (November 23, 2010). "VIDEO: Taylor Swift Explains Apology Song 'Back to December'".
3. Jennifer Still. (October 13, 2010). "Swift: 'Back To December is an apology'".
4. (October 24, 2010). "Life after the Fairy Tale: Pop princess Taylor Swift on staying grounded while living her dream".
5. Swift, Taylor. (2010). "Speak Now". [[Big Machine Records]].
6. (September 27, 2010). "''Speak Now'' 3-week iTunes countdown!". Taylor Swift Official Store.
7. (November 15, 2010). "R&R :: Going For Adds :: CHR/Country". [[Radio & Records]].
8. Collins, Leah. (October 25, 2010). "Swift won't change her tune".
9. Patch, Nick. (October 25, 2010). "Lautner, Kanye, Mayer, oh my: Swift doesn't mind speculation about her songs".
10. Kickham, Dylan. (August 9, 2016). "Taylor Lautner confirms Taylor Swift's 'Back to December' is about him".
11. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "''Speak Now'' – Overview". [[AllMusic]].
12. Rodgers, Larry. (October 26, 2010). "Swift's evolving as singer-writer".
13. (March 16, 2023). "The 100 Best Taylor Swift Songs: Staff Picks".
14. Collins, Leah. (October 13, 2010). "Swift apologizes in new song".
15. Dickinson, Chrissie. (October 21, 2010). "Taylor Swift's intuition: Star says she writes what she feels".
16. Vick, Megan. (January 8, 2011). "Singles Review: 'Back to December'".
17. Randy Lewis. (October 24, 2010). "Taylor Swift: the next chapter". [[Los Angeles Times]].
18. Johnston, Maura. (November 10, 2017). "''Speak Now'' Is a Peek Into Taylor Swift's Future".
19. (January 2, 2022). "15 Best Taylor Swift Songs".
20. (October 22, 2020). "Taylor Swift's ''Speak Now'' Turns 10: ''Billboard'' Staff Goes Track-By-Track On Their Favorite Songs".
21. Bierly, Mandi. (October 12, 2010). "Taylor Swift apologizes (to Taylor Lautner?) in 'Back to December'".
22. Greenblett. (October 25, 2010). "Taylor Swift's ''Speak Now'': The 10 best lines from her new album".
23. Sheffield, Rob. (October 26, 2010). "Taylor Swift Speak Now (2010)".
24. Keefe. (October 25, 2010). "Taylor Swift, ''Speak Now''".
25. Klapper, Rudy. (October 25, 2010). "Taylor Swift Speak Now (staf review)".
26. Stewart, Allison. (October 26, 2010). "Album review: Taylor Swift, ''Speak Now''". [[The Washington Post]].
27. DeLuca, Dan. (October 26, 2010). "Take that: On her enjoyable and mature ''Speak Now'', Taylor Swift has words (and music) for the celebs that done her wrong".
28. Hyden, Steven. (November 2, 2010). "Taylor Swift: ''Speak Now''".
29. Rettig, James. (October 23, 2020). "Taylor Swift's 'Speak Now' Turns 10".
30. Petridis, Alexis. (April 26, 2019). "Taylor Swift's singles – ranked!".
31. (October 21, 2010). "Chart Moves: Lil Wayne, David Archuleta, Taylor Swift, Kanye West".
32. (2011). "Best of 2011: Country Songs". [[Prometheus Global Media]].
33. (2011). "Best of 2011: Hot 100 Songs". [[Prometheus Global Media]].
34. Trust, Gary. (November 26, 2017). "Ask ''Billboard'': Taylor Swift's Career Album & Song Sales".
35. (October 30, 2010). "Taylor Swift Album & Song Chart History". [[Billboard Hot 100]].
36. Vena, Jocelyn. (January 13, 2011). "Taylor Swift Breaks A Heart In Her 'Back To December' Video". [[MTV]].
37. Bonaguro, Alison. (January 14, 2011). "OFFSTAGE: E.T. Inspires Taylor Swift's "Back to December"". [[CMT (American TV channel).
38. Vena, Jocelyn. (January 18, 2011). "Taylor Swift's 'Back To December' Video Director Explains Clip". [[MTV]].
39. L. Betts, Stephen. (January 21, 2011). "Taylor Swift's 'Back to December' Video Dissected". The Boot.
40. Vena, Jocelyn. (January 13, 2011). "Who Is Taylor Swift's 'Back To December' Video Co-Star, Guntars Asmanis?". [[MTV]].
41. (January 13, 2011). "Taylor Swift's 'Back to December' Video: Who is the Mystery Man?". [[News Corporation (1980–2013).
42. (April 2012). "New Taylor Swift video partially shot at Binghamton's MacArthur Park". [[Press & Sun-Bulletin]].
43. (February 2, 2023). "Vestal House Featured in Taylor Swift Music Video To Be Torn Down". [[WHWK]].
44. "Taylor Swift: Back to December". [[Country Music Television.
45. Mease, Jason. (January 13, 2011). "Watch the World Premiere of Taylor's Swift's Video for "Back To December"". [[Great American Country]].
46. Willis, Jackie. (January 13, 2011). "WATCH: Taylor Swift Goes 'Back to December'". [[Entertainment Tonight]].
47. Mapes, Jillian. (January 13, 2011). "Taylor Swift Braves Breakup in 'Back To December' Video".
48. Anderson, Kyle. (January 13, 2011). "Taylor Swift's 'Back To December' Video: The Key Scene". [[MTV]].
49. Collins, Leah. (January 13, 2011). "Video: Go Back to December with Taylor Swift (But Not Taylor Lautner)". [[Dose (magazine).
50. Greenblatt, Leah. (January 13, 2011). "Taylor Swift's new 'Back to December' video: So cold, so very cold".
51. Prabhakar, Rahul. (January 14, 2011). "Taylor Swift Is Cold". [[The Oxonian Review]].
52. (January 13, 2011). "Taylor Swift Melancholy in Back to December Video". [[The Improper Bostonian]].
53. Barshad, Amos. (January 13, 2011). "Taylor Swift Makes a Boring Breakup Video Featuring Magic Snow". [[New York (magazine).
54. Anitai, Tamar. (January 13, 2011). "Video Premiere: Taylor Swift, 'Back To December'". [[MTV]].
55. (December 5, 2011). "2011 American Country Awards Winners – Full List".
56. (November 9, 2011). "Bobby Braddock, Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson, Sony/ATV & More Honored at 2011 BMI Country Awards". [[Broadcast Music, Inc.]].
57. (August 8, 2011). "Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez Win at Teen Choice Awards".
58. (October 20, 2010). "Taylor Swift Performs In Paris, France". Disney Dreaming.
59. Todd, C.M.T Staff. (October 25, 2010). "Taylor Swift Meets Her Friends Live From New York City". [[CMT (American TV channel).
60. Ziegbe, Mawuse. (November 10, 2010). "Taylor Swift Performs 'Back To December' At CMA Awards". [[MTV]].
61. Todd, Martens. (November 10, 2010). "CMA Awards 2010 live: All the performances as they happen". [[Los Angeles Times]].
62. Ward, Kate. (November 21, 2010). "AMAs: Taylor Swift covers OneRepublic. Who was she singing to?".
63. Vena, Jocelyn. (November 21, 2010). "Taylor Swift Goes 'Back To December' With Snowy AMA Performance". [[MTV]].
64. Todd, Martens. (November 21, 2010). "American Music Awards 2010: Rihanna, Katy Perry, Santana, Ke$ha and all the performances, graded". [[Los Angeles Times]].
65. Eastman, Marc. (November 23, 2010). "NBC Kicks Off The Holidays With Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade And More – Previews Included".
66. "Watch Taylor Swift Perform – On Ellen's Music Page".
67. Wyland, Sarah. (January 31, 2011). "Taylor Swift Performs "Back To December" Live From T5". [[Great American Country]].
68. Coffey, Kevin. (May 28, 2011). "Taylor Swift shimmers in Omaha". [[Omaha World-Herald]].
69. Herrero, Javier. (March 19, 2011). "Taylor Swift encandila a unos 4.000 madrileños con su country edulcorado". [[Grupo Vocento]].
70. Sträter, Andreas. (March 13, 2011). "Blaue Augen, süße Songs: Taylor Swift in Oberhausen". [[:de:Soester Anzeiger.
71. Vaughan, Andrew. ["Speak Now World Tour Live CD/DVD]: Taylor Swift: Music". [[Amazon (company).
72. Iasimone, Ashley. (July 15, 2023). "All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on The Eras Tour (So Far)".
73. "Japan Hot 100 Chart".
74. "Japan Adult Contemporary Airplay Chart".
75. "Taylor Swift – Back to December – Single". [[Apple Music]].
76. (November 8, 2010). "Country Aircheck Chart Info". Country Aircheck.
77. "Available for Airplay". [[FMQB]].
78. "Back To December (2011)".
79. Melas, Chloe. (November 16, 2020). "Taylor Swift Speaks Out about Sale of Her Masters". [[CTV News]].
80. (August 22, 2019). "Taylor Swift Wants to Re-record Her Old Hits". [[BBC News]].
81. Finnis, Alex. (November 17, 2020). "Taylor Swift Masters: The Controversy around Scooter Braun Selling the Rights to Her Old Music Explained". [[i (British newspaper).
82. Shah, Neil. (April 9, 2021). "Taylor Swift Releases New ''Fearless'' Album, Reclaiming Her Back Catalog". [[The Wall Street Journal]].
83. Willman, Chris. (April 20, 2021). "Taylor Swift's 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)' Debuts Huge: What It Means for Replicating Oldies, Weaponizing Fans".
84. Caulfield, Keith. (November 21, 2021). "Taylor Swift Scores 10th No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Red (Taylor's Version)'".
85. (May 5, 2023). "Taylor Swift Announces 'Speak Now' as Next Re-Recorded Album at Nashville Concert".
86. Strauss, Matthew. (June 5, 2023). "Taylor Swift Reveals Hayley Williams and Fall Out Boy Features on New Speak Now (Taylor's Version) Tracklist".
87. Atkinson, Katie. (June 29, 2023). "Taylor Swift Debuts 'Back to December (Taylor's Version)' in New 'Summer I Turned Pretty' Trailer".
88. (2023). "[[Speak Now (Taylor's Version)]]". [[Republic Records]].
89. (July 17, 2023). "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". [[Australian Recording Industry Association]].
90. "IFPI Charts".
91. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Ireland Songs)".
92. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Malaysia Songs)".
93. (July 22, 2023). "TOP 20 Most Streamed International Singles In Malaysia Week 28 (07/07/2023-13/07/2023)". [[Recording Industry Association of Malaysia.
94. (July 17, 2023). "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". [[Recorded Music NZ]].
95. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Philippines Songs)".
96. "RIAS Top Charts Week 28 (7 - 13 Jul 2023)". [[Recording Industry Association Singapore.
97. "Official Streaming Chart Top 100". [[Official Charts Company]].
98. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Billboard Vietnam Hot 100)".