Love Story Taylor Swift
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Music

Taylor Swift Ties Dolly Parton's Record as New Version of 'Love Story' Debuts at No. 1

By |

With the new recording of her hit song "Love Story," Taylor Swift ties a record held by country legend Dolly Parton. "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, making Swift the first artist since Parton to have two versions of one song reach No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart. Parton scored a No. 1 with "I Will Always Love You"  in 1974 and again with another version in 1982.

Videos by Wide Open Country

'Love Story (Taylor's Version)," an update of her 2008 single, marks the first time Swift has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Swift made the decision to re-record all her old music after a lengthy battle for her masters recordings with her old label Big Machine and Scooter Braun. A re-recorded version of her sophomore album Fearless will be released this spring. 

The Story Behind 'Love Story'

Originally, Swift wrote the song for her second studio album Fearless. It was inspired by a past love interest that didn't necessarily make it to official boyfriend status. When she introduced him to her family and friends they were not fans so the relationship didn't work out. Swift felt like she could definitely relate to the William Shakespeare story about Romeo and Juliet so she used inspiration from the timeless tragic tale for her song. Granted, Swift's "Love Story" has a happy ending for the characters in the song as well as the superstar herself. The song hit number one on the country Billboard charts as well as the Mainstream Top 40 and Adult Contemporary charts. She also went on to win Music Video of the Year at the CMT and CMA Awards with her clever video, which showcased more inspiration from Shakespearean times. 

But we get a whole new experience with the song from the snippet used in the Match commercial. Created by the Ryan Reynolds' company Maximum Effort, the hilarious commercial follows Satan as he falls in love with a girl named "2020" and enjoys a courtship during the year of COVID, joking they don't want this horrible year to end. Diehard Swift fans also picked up on a slight change in the new version of the song. Instead of saying "It's a love story, baby, just say, 'Yes,'" Swift has tweaked the lyrics to "It's a love story, baby, just said, 'Yes.'" So now fans are wondering if this is a hidden clue hinting at an engagement with the singer's longtime love, British actor Joe Alwyn. Only time will tell, but we're feeling pretty good about it! Why else would she change the one word?

Read More: Taylor Swift & Joe Alwyn: Inside Their Notoriously Private Love Story

In a Good Morning America interview, Swift explained that she's been enjoying the process of recording her old country music.

"So far, of the ones I've recorded, I think it's been the most fun doing 'Love Story' because the older music, my voice was so teenaged and I sometimes, when I hear my older music and my older young teenage voice, it makes me feel like I'm a different singer now. So it's been the most fun to re-record ones that I feel like I could actually possibly improve upon the song."

We can't wait to hear the new versions of all the old classic Taylor Swift country songs!

[sweeps="https://bit.ly/3pGvtZl"]

Now Watch: 'Me and Bobby McGee': The Story Behind the Song

https://rumble.com/embed/u7gve.v8z6gz