"Holy Ground" is the eleventh track from American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's fourth studio album, Red, released on October 22, 2012, through Big Machine Records. It is also the eleventh track from her second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version), released on November 12, 2021, through Republic Records.
Hidden message[]
Hidden message: When you came to the show in SD.
Swift played an October 20, 2011, date in San Diego on The Speak Now World Tour. The arm lyrics that she did on tour (to show how she was feeling at the time) became happier and cheerful during and after this show. [1] Some speculate that this song and the happy arm lyrics were a result of mending old broken bridges with Joe Jonas at the show -- though, only as friends.
This is supported by the lyric parallel between the song and "Last Kiss", another song about Joe Jonas: I'm not much for dancing but for you I did / but I don't want to dance if I'm not dancing with you. [2]
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
I was reminiscing just the other day
While having coffee all alone and Lord, it took me away
Back to a first-glance feeling on New York time
Back when you fit in my poems like a perfect rhyme
Took off faster than a green light, go
Yeah, you skip the conversation when you already know
I left a note on the door with a joke we’d made
And that was the first day
[Chorus]
And darling, it was good
Never looking down
And right there where we stood
Was holy ground
[Verse 2]
Spinning like a girl in a brand new dress
We had this big wide city all to ourselves
We blocked the noise with the sound of, "I need you"
And for the first time, I had something to lose
And I guess we fell apart in the usual way
And the story’s got dust on every page
But sometimes, I wonder how you think about it now
And I see your face in every crowd
[Chorus]
'Cause darling, it was good
Never looking down
And right there where we stood
Was holy ground
[Bridge]
Tonight, I’m gonna dance
For all that we’ve been through
But I don’t wanna dance
If I’m not dancing with you
Tonight, I’m gonna dance
Like you were in this room
But I don’t wanna dance
If I’m not dancing with you
[Chorus]
It was good
Never looking down
And right there where we stood
Was holy ground
[Outro]
Tonight, I’m gonna dance
For all that we’ve been through
But I don’t wanna dance
If I’m not dancing with you
Tonight, I’m gonna dance
Like you were in this room
But I don’t wanna dance
If I’m not dancing with you
Song preview[]
Live performances[]
"Holy Ground" was a part of the main setlist on the Red Tour. It was also performed during The 1989 World Tour as a surprise song in Dublin, and performed on the Reputation Stadium Tour as a surprise song in Seattle. The song was also performed several times as a surprise song on The Eras Tour, in East Rutherford on May 27, 2023, in Tokyo on February 7, 2024, in Amsterdam on July 6th, 2024, mashed up with Sweeter Than Fiction, and in Indianapolis on November 1st, 2024, mashed up with The Albatross.
References[]
| RED | ||
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| "State Of Grace" • "Red" • "Treacherous" • "I Knew You Were Trouble" • "All Too Well" • "22" • "I Almost Do" • "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" • "Stay Stay Stay" • "The Last Time" • "Holy Ground" • "Sad Beautiful Tragic" • "The Lucky One" • "Everything Has Changed" • "Starlight" • "Begin Again" | ||
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