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"Teardrops On My Guitar" is the third track from American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's self-titled debut studio album, Taylor Swift, released on October 24, 2006, through Big Machine Records. The song became the second single from the album on February 13, 2007.

Hidden message[]

Hidden message: He will never know.

This song mentions the name Drew. Drew Hardwick is the full name of the subject of the song. This hidden message is sarcastic, because it would be very obvious to Drew that the song was written about him, because his name is the first word in the song.

Music video[]

The video for "Teardrops On My Guitar" was directed by Trey Fanjoy. It was filmed at Hume-Fogg High School in downtown Nashville. In the video Taylor has fallen in love with her friend Drew (played by Tyler Hilton), but he is in love with somebody else. The video begins with Swift and Drew at their lockers when Drew starts telling Swift about a girl he met and then walks away. Later it shows the two in the library laughing and then being told by the librarian to be quiet. Another scene shows Swift in science class, doing what appears to be mixing chemicals. Drew surprises her, causing her to mess up and add too much powder to her beaker, making it overflow. Later in the music video, Swift is walking down the hallway and she sees Drew coming towards her. He passes her and walks over to his girlfriend and they kiss. When Swift sees this, she is heartbroken and stares at them, then walks away. Throughout the video are scenes of Swift wearing a green dress in what appears to be a bedroom, at first lying on the bed holding a guitar, and then standing up next to a fireplace. The pop mix of the video is played on VH1; however they often play the original version. The video was also nominated for the Best New Artist award at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, but lost to Tokio Hotel's song "Ready, Set, Go!"

Audio[]

Lyrics[]

[Verse 1]
Drew looks at me
I fake a smile so he won't see
That I want and I'm needing
Everything that we should be

[Pre-Chorus 1]
I'll bet she's beautiful, that girl he talks about
And she's got everything that I have to live without

[Verse 2]
Drew talks to me
I laugh, 'cause it’s so damn funny
That I can't even see
Anyone when he's with me

[Pre-Chorus 2]
He says he's so in love, he's finally got it right
I wonder if he knows he's all I think about at night

[Chorus]
He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar
The only thing that keeps me wishin' on a wishin' star
He's the song in the car I keep singing, don't know why I do

[Verse 3]
Drew walks by me
Can't he tell that I can't breathe?
And there he goes, so perfectly
The kind of flawless I wish I could be

[Pre-Chorus 3]
She'd better hold him tight, give him all her love
Look in those beautiful eyes and know she's lucky, 'cause

[Chorus]
He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar
The only thing that keeps me wishin' on a wishin' star
He's the song in the car I keep singing, don't know why I do

[Bridge]
So I drive home alone
As I turn out the light
I'll put his picture down and maybe
Get some sleep tonight

[Chorus]
Because he's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar
The only one who's got enough of me to break my heart
He's the song in the car I keep singing, don't know why I do

[Outro]
He's the time taken up, but there's never enough
And he's all that I need to fall into
Drew looks at me
I fake a smile so he won't see

Taymoji pack[]

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Critical reception[]

Critics have queried the song's classification as country music, with those in agreement (such as Grady Smith of Rolling Stone) citing the themes and narrative style as country-influenced and those opposed (such as Roger Holland of Popmatters) indicating the pop music production and instrumentation lack traditional country elements.

Critics received the track generally positively, complimenting Swift's vocal delivery and songwriting style. The song is considered to be Swift's breakthrough single, as it spread her popularity throughout the United States. "Teardrops On My Guitar" became commercially successful, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the best-charting single from Taylor Swift on the chart, and being Swift's debut entry on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 charts. The single was also certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Its music video was directed by Trey Fanjoy and features Swift as she sees her love interest develop a relationship with another female.

In the UK, the song was released as the second single from her first album in that country, Fearless, in June 2009.

Chart performance[]

The song debuted at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 18, 2007.[1] The song eventually went on to become her first of thirty-eight top twenty hits, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A new remix of the song, with a drum loop added, the banjo removed, and the line "I laugh, 'cause it's so damn funny" changed to "I laugh, 'cause it's just so funny" was released to Top 40 and Adult Contemporary radio in October 2007 and began charting in both formats soon after. The song has reached a new peak on the Pop 100 at number 11. The song re-entered the Hot 100 at 44.

Awards and nominations[]

“Teardrops On My Guitar” received three awards from four nominations.

Year Organization Award Result
2008 BMI Country Awards Song of the Year Won
MTV Video Music Awards Best New Artist Nominated
SESAC Nashville Music Awards Recurrent Country Performance Activity Awards Won
2009 BMI Pop Awards Award-Winning Songs Won

Live performances[]

Swift performed "Teardrops On My Guitar" from April 23, 2009, in Evansville, Indiana, to July 10, 2010, in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, on the Fearless Tour, as the fourth song on the setlist.

During the Red Tour, the song was performed as a surprise song twice: in San Antonio, Texas, on May 22, 2013; and in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on June 22, 2013.

The song was also performed twice as a surprise song on the Eras Tour: once in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 5, 2023; and once in Melbourne, Australia, on February 18, 2024.

References[]

  1. Katie Hasty, "Fergie Gets 'Glamorous' Atop Hot 100", Billboard.com, March 15, 2007.
Taylor Swift
"Tim McGraw" • "Picture to Burn" • "Teardrops On My Guitar" • "A Place in This World" • "Cold as You" • "The Outside" • "Tied Together with a Smile" • "Stay Beautiful" • "Should've Said No" • "Mary's Song (Oh My My My)" • "Our Song"
Deluxe Edition
"I'm Only Me When I'm With You" • "Invisible" • "A Perfectly Good Heart" • "Teardrops On My Guitar" (Pop remix)
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