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When Emma Falls in Love

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"When Emma Falls in Love"
SongbyTaylor Swift
from the albumSpeak Now (Taylor's Version)
ReleasedJuly 7, 2023(2023-07-07)
Length4:12
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)Taylor Swift
Producer(s)
Lyric video
"When Emma Falls in Love"onYouTube

"When Emma Falls in Love"[a]is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriterTaylor Swift.Originally intended for but left out of the track listing of her 2010 studio albumSpeak Now,the song was included inSpeak Now (Taylor's Version),the 2023re-recordingof the album. Produced by Swift andAaron Dessner,the song is about the narrator's experience of watching a friend fall in and out of love and her admiration for that friend.

Incorporatingcrossoverelements betweencountryandpop,it begins as a gentleballadbefore building up to its chorus. Some critics deemed "When Emma Falls in Love" a highlight ofSpeak Now (Taylor's Version).The song peaked at number 36 on theBillboardGlobal 200and entered the charts in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.

Background[edit]

Further information:Taylor Swift masters dispute

After signing a new contract withRepublic Records,the singer-songwriterTaylor Swiftbegan re-recording her first six studio albums in November 2020.[2]The decision followed apublic 2019 disputebetween Swift and the talent managerScooter Braun,who acquiredBig Machine Records,including themastersof Swift's albums which the label had released.[3][4]By re-recording the albums, Swift had full ownership of the new masters, which enabled her to control the licensing of her songs forcommercial useand therefore substituted the Big Machine–owned masters.[5]In 2021, Swift released two re-recorded albums of her earlier releases:Fearless (Taylor's Version)andRed (Taylor's Version);each album also featured several unreleased "From the Vault" tracks that she had written but left out of the original albums' track listings.[6]

On May 5, 2023, at the firstNashvilledate of her sixth concert tour,the Eras Tour,Swift announcedSpeak Now (Taylor's Version)as her third re-recorded album; it is the re-recording of her third studio album,Speak Now(2010).[7]She shared on social media that the original album was "a tale of growing up, flailing, flying and crashing [...] and living to speak about it" that covered "brutal honesty, unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness".[8][9]On June 5, 2023, Swift announced the track-list ofSpeak Now (Taylor's Version),which consists six "From the Vault" songs were intended for but left out ofSpeak Now's 2010 track listing.[10]One of them is "When Emma Falls in Love".[11][12]

Music and lyrics[edit]

"When Emma Falls in Love" is four minutes and twelve seconds long.[13]Swift wrote the track and produced it withAaron Dessner,who plays instruments including acoustic,bass,electric guitars, piano, andsynthesizer.Other musicians on the song includeBenjamin Lanz(synthesizer),James Krivchenia(drums,percussion), James McAlister (synthesizer, drums, percussion), andJosh Kaufman(electric guitar,banjo,organ).Christopher Roweand Mike Meadows provide background vocals, and Roweengineeredthe vocals. Dessner and Jonathan Low engineered the track, with assistance from Lans, McAlister, Bella Blasko, andThomas Bartlett.Lowmixedthe song andRandy Merrillmasteredit.[14]

"When Emma Falls in Love" begins as a gentleballadalongside a "lilting piano that lends the song a childlike spirit". It builds up to an "explosive chorus".[15][16]The song has a "classic Nashvillepop-countrybacking "andcrossoverelements betweencountryandpop,including the use of the banjo and a piano melody.[17][15]The lyrics detail the narrator's experience of watching a friend fall in and out of love.[18][17]The happy ending of the song, in which the friend and a boy begin a relationship, has been compared to that of "Love Story"(2008).[16]In the last verse, the narrator sings how she has learned from her friend's experiences with love and laments "To tell you the truth, sometimes I wish I was her".[18]Journalists observed that "When Emma Falls in Love" underscores the narrator's admiration for her friend.[18][15]Elle Australiadescribed it as "a friendship song showing all her friend's best qualities".[1]

Release and reception[edit]

Speak Now (Taylor's Version)was released on July 7, 2023, byRepublic Records;"When Emma Falls in Love" sits at number 18 on the track-list.[19]On the same day, Swift performed the track as a "surprise song" atArrowhead StadiuminKansas City,as part of the Eras Tour.[20]Commercially, the song debuted on the USHot Country Songsand the overallBillboardHot 100,with peaks of number 15 and number 34 respectively.[21][22]Elsewhere, it reached the countries of New Zealand (37),[23]Canada (40),[24]and Australia (43),[25]and peaked at number 36 on theBillboardGlobal 200.[26]

USA Todaypicked "When Emma Falls in Love" as the best "From the Vault" track from the album.[15]Will HodgkinsonofThe Timesgave the song four out of five stars, describing it as "catchy and uplifting".[17]Jonathan Keefe fromSlant Magazinecalled the song "spectacular" and said it brings "some much-needed outside perspectives" to the album.[27]Kate Solomon of theiconsidered the track "cloying" and said that she would never listen to it again.[28]

Personnel[edit]

Credits are adapted from the album'sliner notes[14]

  • Taylor Swift – vocals, songwriting, production
  • Aaron Dessner– production, engineering, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, piano, synthesizer
  • Benjamin Lanz– synthesizer, additional engineering
  • James Krivchenia– drums, percussion
  • James McAlister – synthesizer, drums, percussion, additional engineering
  • Josh Kaufman– electric guitar, banjo, organ
  • Christopher Rowe– background vocals, vocal engineering
  • Mike Meadows – background vocals
  • Jonathan Low – mi xing, engineering
  • Randy Merrill– mastering
  • Bella Blasko – additional engineering
  • Thomas Bartlett– additional engineering

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for "When Emma Falls in Love"
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[25] 43
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[24] 40
Global 200(Billboard)[26] 36
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] 37
UK Streaming(OCC)[29] 70
USBillboardHot 100[21] 34
USHot Country Songs(Billboard)[22] 15

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Officially titled "When Emma Falls in Love (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)"[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^abGreen, Cassandra (July 7, 2023)."Speak Now (Taylor's Version)Release Proves That Swifties Know The Value Of A Good Meme ".Elle Australia.Archivedfrom the original on July 7, 2023.RetrievedJuly 7,2023.
  2. ^Melas, Chloe (November 16, 2020)."Taylor Swift Speaks Out about Sale of Her Masters".CNN.Archivedfrom the original on November 18, 2020.RetrievedNovember 19,2020.
  3. ^"Taylor Swift Wants to Re-Record Her Old Hits".BBC News.August 22, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on August 22, 2019.RetrievedAugust 22,2019.
  4. ^Finnis, Alex (November 17, 2020)."Taylor Swift Masters: The Controversy around Scooter Braun Selling the Rights to Her Old Music Explained".i.Archivedfrom the original on February 12, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 13,2021.
  5. ^Shah, Neil (April 9, 2021)."Taylor Swift Releases NewFearlessAlbum, Reclaiming Her Back Catalog ".The Wall Street Journal.Archivedfrom the original on October 8, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 25,2022.
  6. ^Espada, Mariah (July 6, 2023)."Taylor Swift Is Halfway Through Her Rerecording Project. It's Paid Off Big Time".Time.Archivedfrom the original on October 27, 2023.RetrievedNovember 6,2023.
  7. ^Lipshutz, Jason; Aniftos, Rania (May 5, 2023)."Taylor Swift AnnouncesSpeak Nowas Next Re-Recorded Album at Nashville Concert ".Billboard.Archivedfrom the original on May 6, 2023.RetrievedMay 6,2023.
  8. ^Hussey, Allison (May 5, 2023)."Taylor Swift Announces New Re-Recorded AlbumSpeak Now (Taylor's Version)".Pitchfork.Archivedfrom the original on May 6, 2023.RetrievedMay 6,2023.
  9. ^Avila, Daniela (May 5, 2023)."Taylor Swift AnnouncesSpeak Now (Taylor's Version)at Nashville Show: 'I Love to Surprise You'".People.Archivedfrom the original on May 6, 2023.RetrievedMay 6,2023.
  10. ^Strauss, Matthew (June 5, 2023)."Taylor Swift Reveals Hayley Williams and Fall Out Boy Features on NewSpeak Now (Taylor's Version)Tracklist ".Pitchfork.Archivedfrom the original on June 10, 2023.RetrievedJune 5,2023.
  11. ^Gibson, Kelsie (July 10, 2023)."Who Are Taylor Swift'sSpeak NowSongs About? What She Has Said About the Inspirations ".People.RetrievedDecember 26,2023.
  12. ^Strauss, Matthew (June 5, 2023)."Taylor Swift Reveals Hayley Williams and Fall Out Boy Features on NewSpeak Now (Taylor's Version)Tracklist ".Pitchfork.Archivedfrom the original on June 10, 2023.RetrievedJune 5,2023.
  13. ^Swift, Taylor(July 7, 2023)."Speak Now (Taylor's Version)".Apple Music(US).RetrievedAugust 4,2023.
  14. ^abSpeak Now (Taylor's Version)(CD liner notes).Taylor Swift.Republic Records.2023.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^abcdRuggieri, Melissa (July 7, 2023)."Taylor Swift'sSpeak Now:This is the song you must hear on new version of her album ".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on July 8, 2023.RetrievedJuly 7,2023.
  16. ^abWillman, Chris (July 7, 2023)."Taylor SwiftSpeak Now (Taylor's Version)Vault Tracks Review: Key Co-Stars Include Hayley Williams, Fall Out Boy and… Grandmother Marjorie ".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on July 7, 2023.RetrievedJuly 7,2023.
  17. ^abcHodgkinson, Will(July 7, 2023)."When Emma Falls in Love by Taylor Swift review — a classic comes out of the archive".The Times.Archivedfrom the original on July 7, 2023.RetrievedJuly 7,2023.
  18. ^abcHuff, Lauren (July 7, 2023)."Taylor Swift's new song 'When Emma Falls in Love' is (probably) about Emma Stone".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedJuly 7,2023.
  19. ^Sager, Jessica (July 7, 2023)."Speak Now (Taylor's Version)Lyrics, Easter Eggs and Song Meanings ".Parade.RetrievedJuly 22,2023.
  20. ^Ruggieri, Melissa (July 8, 2023)."Taylor Swift is adding surprise songs to every Eras tour stop. See the list so far".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on July 5, 2023.RetrievedJuly 8,2023.
  21. ^ab"Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)".Billboard.Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  22. ^ab"Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot Country Songs)".Billboard.Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  23. ^ab"NZ Top 40 Singles Chart".Recorded Music NZ.July 17, 2023.RetrievedJuly 15,2023.
  24. ^ab"Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)".Billboard.Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  25. ^ab"ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart".Australian Recording Industry Association.July 17, 2023.RetrievedJuly 14,2023.
  26. ^ab"Taylor Swift Chart History (Global 200)".Billboard.Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  27. ^Keefe, Jonathan (July 8, 2023)."Taylor SwiftSpeak Now (Taylor's Version)Review ".Slant Magazine.RetrievedJuly 9,2023.
  28. ^Solomon, Kate (July 7, 2023)."Speak Now (Taylor's Version)gives Taylor Swift's most underrated album a new lease of life ".i.RetrievedJuly 11,2023.
  29. ^"Official Streaming Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.RetrievedJuly 15,2023.
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