“Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor’s Version)” is a sparkling, feel-good love song from Fearless (Taylor’s Version), released on April 9, 2021. Written by Taylor Swift, this enchanting track was originally recorded for the 2010 romantic comedy film Valentine’s Day, in which Taylor also starred alongside an ensemble cast. The song captures the giddy, breathless joy of a perfect date — the kind of day where time slows down, every moment sparkles, and you feel like you’re living inside a storybook. Re-recorded as part of Taylor’s Version, this beloved track returns with a refreshed vocal performance and the added significance of artistic ownership.
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About Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor’s Version)
“Today Was a Fairytale” was written by Taylor Swift in 2009 and originally released on January 19, 2010, as a single from the Valentine’s Day movie soundtrack. The film, directed by Garry Marshall, featured an ensemble cast that included Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner, Julia Roberts, and many more. Taylor played the role of Felicia, and the song became one of the musical highlights associated with the film. Upon its release, “Today Was a Fairytale” debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of the highest-debuting singles of Taylor’s early career.
Because the song was written during the same creative period as the Fearless album and was originally released by Big Machine Records, Taylor included it on Fearless (Taylor’s Version) when she re-recorded the album in 2021. The re-recording project was driven by the masters dispute that began in June 2019, when Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings purchased Big Machine Records, acquiring the master recordings of Taylor’s first six studio albums. Taylor was not given the chance to buy her masters on her own terms and publicly shared her frustration and heartbreak over losing ownership of the music she had created since she was fourteen years old.
Rather than accept this situation, Taylor announced she would re-record each album, producing new master recordings that she would own outright. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) was the first album released as part of this effort, arriving on April 9, 2021. The new version of “Today Was a Fairytale” was produced by Taylor Swift and Christopher Rowe, featuring a warm, polished production that updates the original’s sound while preserving its youthful charm. Taylor’s matured voice adds a layer of nostalgic reflection to the performance — she’s no longer the girl living the fairytale in real time, but a woman looking back on that magic with fondness and gratitude. The vocal warmth and control she brings to this version make the song feel both timeless and freshly enchanting.
Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor’s Version) Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Today was a fairytale, you were the prince
I used to be a damsel in distress
You took me by the hand and you picked me up at six
Today was a fairytale
Today was a fairytale
[Verse 2]
Today was a fairytale, I wore a dress
You wore a dark gray t-shirt
You told me I was pretty when I looked like a mess
Today was a fairytale
[Pre-Chorus]
Time slows down
Whenever you’re around
[Chorus]
Can you feel this magic in the air?
It must have been the way you kissed me
Fell in love when I saw you standing there
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
[Verse 3]
Today was a fairytale, you’ve got a smile
That takes me to another planet
Every move you make, everything you say is right
Today was a fairytale
Today was a fairytale
[Verse 4]
All that I can say
Is now it’s getting so much clearer
Nothing made sense ’til the time I saw your face
Today was a fairytale
[Pre-Chorus]
Time slows down
Whenever you’re around, yeah
[Chorus]
But can you feel this magic in the air?
It must have been the way you kissed me
Fell in love when I saw you standing there
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
[Bridge]
Time slows down
Whenever you’re around
I can feel my heart
It’s beating in my chest
Did you feel it?
I can’t put this down
[Chorus]
But can you feel this magic in the air?
It must have been the way you kissed me
Fell in love when I saw you standing there
It must have been the way
[Final Chorus]
But can you feel this magic in the air?
It must have been the way you kissed me
Fell in love when I saw you standing there
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale
[Outro]
Oh, oh, yeah, oh-oh
Today was a fairytale
Meaning and Analysis
“Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor’s Version)” is one of the most purely joyful songs in Taylor Swift’s discography. Unlike many of her tracks that explore heartbreak, longing, or complicated emotions, this song is a straightforward celebration of a perfect romantic moment — the kind of day where everything aligns, the other person makes you feel special, and the world seems to shimmer with possibility. It is Taylor’s version of a love story with no twist, no catch, and no bitter ending — just unfiltered happiness.
The fairytale metaphor runs through every verse, but Taylor grounds it in specific, relatable details that prevent it from feeling generic. “You took me by the hand and you picked me up at six” and “you wore a dark gray t-shirt” are the kind of small, precise observations that make a moment feel real. The line “you told me I was pretty when I looked like a mess” is particularly effective — it captures the feeling of being truly seen and appreciated by someone, not for a polished performance but for who you actually are in your most unguarded moments.
The pre-chorus — “time slows down whenever you’re around” — is the emotional center of the song. It articulates that phenomenon familiar to anyone who has been in love: the way the presence of someone special can alter your perception of time itself, making every second feel fuller, more vivid, more worth savoring. The chorus builds on this with the imagery of “magic in the air,” connecting the experience of falling in love to something otherworldly and enchanted.
The bridge introduces a physical dimension to the emotion: “I can feel my heart, it’s beating in my chest. Did you feel it?” There is a vulnerability in asking someone whether they feel what you feel — an acknowledgment that even in the most perfect moments, there’s a risk that the magic is one-sided. But the question is asked with wonder rather than anxiety, suggesting that the narrator is too caught up in the joy to worry about the answer.
In the context of its origin as a movie soundtrack single, the song feels purpose-built — a pop confection designed to capture the spirit of Valentine’s Day romance. But in the context of Fearless (Taylor’s Version), it takes on a different resonance. When Taylor re-recorded this song in 2021, she was reclaiming not just the music but the memories and emotions attached to it. The fairytale is no longer just about a boy picking her up at six — it is about an artist taking back the story she wrote, on her own terms, with her own voice, more powerful and self-possessed than ever before.
FAQs
What movie was Today Was a Fairytale originally recorded for?
“Today Was a Fairytale” was originally recorded for the 2010 romantic comedy film Valentine’s Day, directed by Garry Marshall. Taylor Swift also starred in the film alongside an ensemble cast including Taylor Lautner, Julia Roberts, and many others. The song was released as a single from the movie soundtrack on January 19, 2010.
Why is Today Was a Fairytale on Fearless (Taylor’s Version)?
Although “Today Was a Fairytale” was released as a movie soundtrack single rather than an album track, it was written during the same creative period as the Fearless album and was originally released by Big Machine Records. Because Taylor’s re-recording project aimed to reclaim all of her Big Machine-era recordings, the song was included on Fearless (Taylor’s Version), released April 9, 2021.
Who wrote and produced Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor’s Version)?
“Today Was a Fairytale” was written solely by Taylor Swift. The Taylor’s Version was produced by Taylor Swift and Christopher Rowe, featuring a warm, polished production that updates the original sound while preserving the youthful charm of the 2010 recording. Background vocals on the re-recorded version were provided by Christopher Rowe.
How did Today Was a Fairytale perform on the charts when it was first released?
When “Today Was a Fairytale” was originally released on January 19, 2010, it debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the highest-debuting singles of Taylor Swift’s early career. The song’s commercial success was boosted by its connection to the Valentine’s Day film and its release during the peak of Taylor’s Fearless era.
