The Best Day (Taylor Swift song)
"The Best Day" | |
---|---|
Song by Taylor Swift | |
from the album Fearless | |
Written | 2008 |
Released | November 11, 2008 |
Genre | Country rock |
Length | 4:05 |
Label | Big Machine |
Songwriter(s) | Taylor Swift |
Producer(s) |
|
Music video | |
"The Best Day" on YouTube |
"The Best Day (Taylor's Version)" | |
---|---|
Song by Taylor Swift | |
from the album Fearless (Taylor's Version) | |
Released | April 9, 2021 |
Length | 4:05 |
Label | Republic |
Songwriter(s) | Taylor Swift |
Producer(s) |
|
Music video | |
"The Best Day (Taylor's Version)" on YouTube |
"The Best Day" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her second studio album, Fearless (2008). Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "The Best Day" is an understated song rooted in country rock, with lyrics dedicated to Swift's parents, most of the verses being to her mother. A music video containing home footage edited by Swift was released on May 1, 2009, as part of a special Mother's Day promotion through Big Machine Records.
Music critics praised "The Best Day" for its understated production and tender sentiments. The song peaked at number three on the
Swift released a re-recorded version, "The Best Day (Taylor's Version)", as part of her re-recorded album Fearless (Taylor's Version), on April 9, 2021. A new music video for "The Best Day (Taylor's Version)", was uploaded onto YouTube on the album's release date. The re-recorded version also charted on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts, and won Best Family Feature at the 2021 CMT Music Awards.
Background and writing
Taylor Swift released her second studio album, Fearless, on November 11, 2008, through Big Machine Records.[1] Swift wrote or co-wrote all tracks and co-produced the album with Nathan Chapman.[2][3] Although much of Fearless is primarily about the challenges of love from a teenage girl's perspectives, a few songs are about life lessons and family love.[4][5]
Swift wrote "The Best Day" for Fearless while she was touring in summer 2008 and recorded it in secret.[6] She dedicated the track to her family for their support of her music career, the emphasis being her mother.[6][7] For the lyrics, she revisited her childhood memories and imagined what language she would use as a child, incorporating the same language into the songwriting.[8] Swift recorded "The Best Day" and edited an accompanying home video without telling her mother Andrea so as to surprise her on Christmas.[6] Swift's mother recalled that when her daughter showed her the song and the video on Christmas Eve, "that's when I lost it. And [...] I've lost it pretty much every time I've heard that song since."[9] The track, as appeared on Fearless, was produced by Swift and Chapman.[10]
Release
"The Best Day" is track number 12 on Fearless, released on November 11, 2008.[11] Swift released her self-edited video for "The Best Day" on May 1, 2009,[12] in celebration of Mother's Day and as part of a special promotion through Big Machine Records.[6] The video features footage of Swift's family and childhood, featuring her parents and brother Austin.[13]
After signing a new contract with Republic Records, Swift began re-recording her first six studio albums in November 2020.[14] The decision came after a 2019 public dispute between Swift and talent manager Scooter Braun, who acquired Big Machine Records, including the masters of Swift's albums the label had released.[15][16] 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.[17]
The re-recording of "The Best Day", subtitled "Taylor's Version", was released as part of Fearless's re-recording,
Music and lyrics
"The Best Day" is an understated track.
Swift wrote "The Best Day" as a tribute to her parents over the years; the focus of the song is her mother, and her father is mentioned in the
According to
Reception
Perone remarked that "The Best Day" is a Fearless track that demonstrated Swift's talent as "an introspective, real emotion-driven singer-songwriter", contrary to other album tracks that feature a market-oriented production.[25] In The Village Voice, Josh Love picked it as one of the album's great songs that display "preternatural wisdom and inclusiveness".[33] James Reed of The Boston Globe called "The Best Day" the best song on Fearless, opining that the understated production highlighting the emotional sentiments makes the track a refreshing listen "after an entire album of wide-open choruses". Reed wrote, "If the melody doesn't stick in your mind, the message at least speaks to the heart."[22]
In a Billboard 2017 retrospective of Fearless, Jennifer Keishin Armstrong wrote that although Swift wrote "The Best Day" when she was 18, the track displayed her songwriting maturity beyond her years, "with the nostalgia, wisdom and sap of a 40-year-old".[28] Paste's Jane Song wrote: "It's so unfair that people accuse Taylor of only writing songs about boys when one of her most affecting love songs is about her mom."[34] Slant Magazine's Jonathan Keefe called "The Best Day" one of the most charming songs on Fearless, comparing it to George Strait's 2000 song of the same name.[35] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone described it as a "weapons-grade tearjerker and not to be trifled with in a public place".[36]
After Fearless was released in 2008, "The Best Day" peaked at number three on the
Live performances
Swift included "The Best Day" to the set list of her concerts in
Personnel
"The Best Day" (2008)[10]
- Taylor Swift – writer, producer
- Nathan Chapman – producer
- Drew Bollman – assistant mixer
- Chad Carlson – recording engineer
- Justin Niebank – mixer
"The Best Day (Taylor's Version)" (2021)[45]
- Taylor Swift – writer, producer, lead vocals
- Christopher Rowe – vocal recording, producer
- Matt Billingslea – drums
- Derek Garten – additional engineer
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
- John Hanes – engineer
- Amos Heller – bass guitar
- Mike Meadows – acoustic guitar
- David Payne – recording
- Lowell Reynolds – assistant recording engineer
Charts
"The Best Day"
|
"The Best Day (Taylor's Version)"
|
Certification
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[39] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Note
References
- ^ Spencer 2010, p. 58.
- ^ Breen, Joe (March 9, 2009). "Roots". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
- ^ Wood, Mikael (April 8, 2021). "Review: A Principled Stand, a Bonanza for Swifties and a Shrug from Us: Taylor Swift's Made-over Fearless". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
- ^ Perone 2017, p. 20.
- ^ Yahr, Emily (November 1, 2017). "If you think Taylor Swift sings only about her exes, then you don't get Taylor Swift". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Spencer 2010, p. 74.
- Taste of Country. Archivedfrom the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- CMT News. Archived from the originalon October 20, 2012. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
- ^ Kotb, Hoda (June 1, 2009). "On Tour with Taylor Swift". NBC News. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ a b Fearless (CD liner notes). Taylor Swift. Big Machine Records. 2008.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Vena, Jocelyn (November 11, 2008). "Taylor Swift Says She 'Owed It' to Her Fans to Be Open About Joe Jonas Breakup". MTV News. Archived from the original on March 12, 2010. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
- CMT. Archived from the originalon May 4, 2009.
- ^ Strecker, Erin (January 8, 2015). "Taylor Swift Makes Us Cry with 'The Best Day' Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ Melas, Chloe (November 16, 2020). "Taylor Swift Speaks Out about Sale of Her Masters". CNN. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
- ^ "Taylor Swift Wants to Re-record Her Old Hits". BBC News. August 22, 2019. Archived from the original on August 22, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ Finnis, Alex (November 17, 2020). "Taylor Swift Masters: The Controversy around Scooter Braun Selling the Rights to Her Old Music Explained". i. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
- ^ Shah, Neil (April 9, 2021). "Taylor Swift Releases New Fearless Album, Reclaiming Her Back Catalog". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
- ^ Lipshutz, Jason (February 11, 2021). "Taylor Swift Announces Re-Recorded Fearless Album: Updated 'Love Story' Out Tonight". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ "Credits / Fearless (Taylor's Version) / Taylor Swift". Tidal. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ Star, Regina (April 30, 2021). "Taylor Swift's Mom Appears In Video For 'The Best Day (Taylor's Version)'". iHeartMedia. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ Chan, Anna (June 9, 2021). "Taylor Swift Gives Her Mom the Sweetest Shoutout After Winning 2021 CMT Music Award For Best Family Feature". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
- ^ a b Reed, James (November 11, 2008). "Young country star's 'Fearless' proves she's just that, and more". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ Bonaguro, Alison (November 10, 2008). "Taylor Swift shows her fearless side". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 11, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
- ^ O'Connor, Roisin (August 23, 2019). "Taylor Swift: Her 100 Album Tracks – Ranked". The Independent. Archived from the original on December 3, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ a b c Perone 2017, p. 23.
- ^ Jones, Nate. "All 126 Taylor Swift Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best". Vulture. Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ Strecker, Erin (October 24, 2014). "Taylor Swift's 13 Best Liner Note Secret Messages – So Far". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ a b c Armstrong, Jennifer Keishin (November 7, 2017). "Why Taylor Swift's Fearless Is Her Best Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
- ^ Walthall, Catherine (August 30, 2022). "7 of the Best Taylor Swift Songs To Cozy Up To". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on November 7, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
- ^ Rosen, Jody (November 13, 2008). "Fearless". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2011.
- ^ Klosterman, Chuck (October 15, 2015). "Taylor Swift on 'Bad Blood,' Kanye West, and How People Interpret Her Lyrics". GQ. Archived from the original on October 18, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ Cills, Hazel (August 19, 2019). "Taylor Swift: Fearless". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- ^ Love, Josh (November 19, 2008). "Taylor Swift's Teenage Country-Star Tales, Spiked With Actual Wisdom". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- ^ Song, Jane (February 11, 2020). "All 158 Taylor Swift Songs, Ranked". Paste. Archived from the original on April 13, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
- ^ Keefe, Jonathan (November 16, 2008). "Review: Taylor Swift, Fearless". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ Sheffield, Rob (October 26, 2021). "'The Best Day' (2008)". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Taylor Swift Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ a b "American single certifications – Taylor Swift – The Best Day". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ^ "Taylor Swift opens solo tour". Country Standard Time. April 24, 2009. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ Burke, David (May 9, 2010). "Taylor goes over the top". Quad-City Times. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ Zaleski, Annie (April 26, 2013). "Concert Review and Slideshow: Taylor Swift at Quicken Loans Arena". Cleveland Scene. Archived from the original on April 28, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
- ^ Iasimone, Ashley (May 13, 2018). "Taylor Swift Dedicates 'The Best Day' to Her Mom & Camila Cabello's Mom at Reputation Tour Show". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- ^ Mier, Tomás (May 16, 2023). "Taylor Swift Reflects on 'Most Magical' Hometown Eras Tour Shows". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
- ^ Fearless (Taylor's Version) (CD liner notes). Taylor Swift. Republic Records. 2021.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sources
- Perone, James E. (2017). The Words and Music of Taylor Swift. The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection. ISBN 978-1440852947.
- Spencer, Liv (2010). Taylor Swift: Every Day Is a Fairytale – The Unofficial Story. ISBN 978-1550229318.