That's When
by Taylor Swift (featuring Keith Urban)

Album: Fearless (Taylor's Version) (2021)
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Songfacts®:

  • "That's When" is a previously unreleased song Taylor Swift wrote for her sophomore album, Fearless. After her former record label boss sold the rights to her tracks without Swift's permission, she re-recorded the album along with several others. Swift also redid "That's When," along with five other songs that didn't make the original record.
  • Swift recruited Keith Urban for the new version. The country star also sings harmonies on another of the new tracks, "We Were Happy." Urban is an apt duet partner as Swift was his opening act during a 2009 tour and his music has long been a source of inspiration for her.
  • Swift set the song in the aftermath of a breakup. It starts with Swift, who was the one who walked out on the relationship, working through what happened and hoping for a reconciliation. Urban sings lead on the second verse, during which, touched by Swift's tears on the phone, he expresses a willingness to take her back. The song ends with the couple reunited.
  • Swift wrote the song back in 2004 with the Nashville songwriters Brad and Brett Warren. She was just 14 at the time. When Swift pulled the song off the shelf after 17 years and recorded it with Urban, she called the Warrens to let them know. Their reaction: "That's the longest hold we've ever had."

    The Warren Brothers also wrote the 2013 Tim McGraw song "Highway Don't Care," which features Swift on harmony vocals.
  • Swift and Urban have appeared together on wax before. Back in 2013 Swift added harmony vocals, and Urban some guitar licks, to Tim McGraw's "Highway Don't Care" track. That song won Musical Event of the Year and Video of the Year at the 2013 CMA Awards.
  • Urban tweeted that when Swift's producers, Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, asked him if he'd join their band, he responded, "hell yes!!"

    Urban added: "They said you're gonna love our lead singer - she's fearless. We got to sing together and were so happy, and I said that's magic when stars align like that!"
  • Swift and her longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff co-produced the track. Antonoff co-produced four of the six previously unreleased songs on Fearless (Taylor's Version).

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