Sparks Fly (song)
"Sparks Fly" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Taylor Swift | ||||
from the album Speak Now | ||||
Written | 2006 | |||
Released | July 18, 2011 | |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 4:22 | |||
Label | Big Machine | |||
Songwriter(s) | Taylor Swift | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Taylor Swift singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Sparks Fly" on YouTube |
"Sparks Fly" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter
The song was released to US country radio on July 18, 2011, by Big Machine Records, as the fifth single from Speak Now. A music video featuring footage of the Speak Now World Tour was released on August 10, 2011, accompanied by a limited-edition CD single released on Swift's official website. In contemporary reviews, most music critics praised the uptempo production, but some deemed the track forgettable. The single won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Music – Country Song.
Following the release of Speak Now, "Sparks Fly" debuted at number 17 on the US
Background and release
The American singer-songwriter
"Sparks Fly" was sent to US
Music and lyrics
"Sparks Fly" was written by Swift, who produced it with
In the lyrics, which feature fairy-tale imagery,[18] the narrator talks about her obsession with a green-eyed boy, wanting to kiss him in the rain and waiting for him to lead her to private spaces.[19][20] In the refrain, the narrator begs her love interest to "Drop everything now" and meet her in the pouring rain;[20] Jonathan Keefe in Country Universe deemed this part the track's hook.[13] The lyrics mentioning love under the rain recall many of Swift's previous songs from her second album Fearless (2008), including the title track, "Hey Stephen", and "Forever & Always".[21]
The second
Critical reception
In a Speak Now album review for Rolling Stone, Rob Sheffield selected "Sparks Fly" as an example where Swift improved as a singer.[23] Country Universe's Jonathan Keefe was unimpressed with Swift's vocals, which he deemed technically weak and limited, but lauded the song for its production and simplicity. Though Keefe remarked that the lyrical imagery was generic, the song "proves how evocative those turns-of-phrase can be in the right context". Keefe gave the track an A rating.[13]
Bobby Peacock of Roughstock and Amanda Hensel of Taste of Country both gave "Sparks Fly" a three-and-a-half rating out of five. Peacock welcomed the lyrical revisions from the original version and said that although the refrain is catchy, the song begins to trail off by the second half.[4] Hensel similarly commended the catchy production but felt that it lacked the originality of Speak Now's previous single "Mean".[8] On a more negative side, Erin Thompson of Seattle Weekly commented the rain imagery on "Sparks Fly" represented Swift's lack of repertoire in her songwriting.[21] John J. Moser from The Morning Call and Mikael Wood from Spin considered it one of the album's weakest tracks.[24][25]
In a retrospective review, NME's Hannah Mylrea lauded the "euphoric" production and described the song as a "toe-tapping head-banging anthem".[5][26] Sheffield picked it as an example where Swift "shows off her uncanny power to make a moment sound gauchely private and messily public at the same time".[20] In Consequence, Mary Siroky opined that "Sparks Fly", which "fervidly showcased Swift's maturing approaches to songwriting and romance", should have been Speak Now's lead single replacing the "safe and reflective" "Mine".[27] Finley Liu, in a South China Morning Post ranking of Swift's discography, picked "Sparks Fly" as one of the album's underrated songs.[28]
Accolades
At the
Commercial performance
After Speak Now was released, "Sparks Fly" debuted at number 17 (which also became its peak) on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart dated November 4, 2010.[33][34] It was one of the ten Speak Now tracks that debuted on the Hot 100 the same week, making Swift the first act to have ten new Hot 100 entries at the same time.[35] After its single release, it re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 84 on the week ending August 27, 2011.[36] "Sparks Fly" spent a total of 20 weeks on the Hot 100.[34]
On Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, which monitored US country airplay, the song peaked at number one on the chart dated November 26, 2011; it spent 21 weeks in total on the chart.[37] It was Swift's fifth Hot Country Songs number-one single and her first since "You Belong with Me" (2009).[38] "Sparks Fly" ranked at number 37 on the 2011 Hot Country Songs year-end chart.[39] The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for surpassing one million units and, as of November 2017, had sold 1.1 million digital copies in the United States.[40]
In Canada, "Sparks Fly" debuted and peaked at number 28 on the
Live performances
Swift performed "Sparks Fly" as an unreleased song during a few live shows in 2007.[4] She performed "Sparks Fly" for an NBC Speak Now Thanksgiving Special, which broadcast on November 25, 2010.[45] The television special showcased the making of the album along with live performances on a rooftop in New York City.[46] On the Speak Now World Tour (2011–2012), Swift included it as the opening song to the concerts.[47] She sang the song wearing a gold dress and tall black boots as fireworks dashed through a three-staircase stage.[48][49] The performance was recorded and released on Swift's live album, Speak Now World Tour – Live (2011).[50]
On January 11, 2011, Swift performed "Sparks Fly" as part of an exclusive concert for the
Music video
The music video for "Sparks Fly", directed by Christian Lamb, was released on August 10, 2011.
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[65] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[66] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
United States | July 18, 2011[9] | Country radio | Big Machine Records |
August 10, 2011[10] | Limited edition CD single |
"Sparks Fly (Taylor's Version)"
"Sparks Fly (Taylor's Version)" | |
---|---|
Song by Taylor Swift | |
from the album Speak Now (Taylor's Version) | |
Released | July 7, 2023 |
Genre | Pop rock |
Length | 4:21 |
Label | Republic |
Songwriter(s) | Taylor Swift |
Producer(s) |
|
Lyric video | |
"Sparks Fly (Taylor's Version)" on YouTube |
After signing a new contract with Republic Records, Swift began re-recording her first six studio albums in November 2020.[67] The decision came after the public 2019 dispute between Swift and the music executive Scooter Braun, who acquired Big Machine Records, including the masters of Swift's albums the label had released.[68][69] 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.[70]
A re-recorded version of "Sparks Fly", titled "Sparks Fly (Taylor's Version)", was released on July 7, 2023, via Republic Records as part of Speak Now (Taylor's Version), Swift's third re-recorded album.[71] The album was officially announced on May 5, 2023 at the Eras Tour in Nashville; after the announcement, Swift performed "Sparks Fly" on acoustic guitar as one of her "surprise songs".[57] "Sparks Fly" (Taylor's Version) was revealed to be the second song on the album when the tracklist was officially released on June 5.[72]
Personnel
Adapted from Speak Now (Taylor's Version) digital album inline notes[73]
- Taylor Swift – vocals, background vocals, songwriter, 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
- Matt Billingslea – drums, percussion
- Amos Heller – bass guitar
- Paul Sidoti – electric guitar
- Mike Meadows – acoustic guitar, Hammond B-3, mandolin, background vocals
- Max Bernstein – electric guitar
- Jonathan Yudkin – fiddle
- David Cook – piano
Charts
Chart (2023) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[74] | 17 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[75] | 25 |
Global 200 (Billboard)[76] | 20 |
Greece International (IFPI)[77] | 80 |
Ireland (Billboard)[78] | 22 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[79] | 20 |
Philippines (Billboard)[80] | 3 |
Singapore (RIAS)[81] | 9 |
South Korea Download (Circle)[82] | 179 |
40 | |
US Billboard Hot 100[84] | 22 |
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[85] | 8 |
See also
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