“Untouchable (Taylor’s Version)” is a hauntingly beautiful reimagining of a song originally performed by the rock band Luna Halo. Featured on Fearless (Taylor’s Version), released on April 9, 2021, this ethereal ballad showcases Taylor Swift‘s ability to take someone else’s composition and transform it into something deeply personal. With dreamy vocals and atmospheric production, the track explores the ache of loving someone who feels just out of reach — an untouchable figure who burns brighter than the sun. As one of the Platinum Edition bonus tracks re-recorded for Taylor’s Version, this song holds a special place in the hearts of longtime Swifties.
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About Untouchable (Taylor’s Version)
“Untouchable” stands apart in Taylor Swift’s catalog as one of the rare covers she has recorded. The song was originally written by Cary Barlowe, Tommy Lee James, and Nathan Barlowe and performed by the rock band Luna Halo in 2007. Taylor discovered the song and completely reimagined it, transforming it from an upbeat alt-rock track into a slow-burning, dreamlike country-pop ballad. Her version first appeared as a bonus track on the Platinum Edition of the original Fearless album in 2008.
When Taylor Swift embarked on her ambitious project of re-recording her first six studio albums, “Untouchable” was among the tracks she reclaimed for Fearless (Taylor’s Version), released on April 9, 2021. The re-recording effort was born out of the highly publicized masters dispute with Scooter Braun, whose Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Records — and with it, the master recordings of Taylor’s first six albums — in June 2019. Unable to purchase her own masters, Taylor made the bold decision to re-record every song, ensuring she would own the new versions outright.
The Taylor’s Version of “Untouchable” features a more polished and mature vocal performance compared to the 2008 original. The production, handled by Taylor Swift and Christopher Rowe, is cleaner and more atmospheric, with layered harmonies that create an even more immersive listening experience. At 5 minutes and 15 seconds, the song is one of the longer tracks on the album, allowing the emotion to build gradually from a gentle whisper to an overwhelming wave of longing. The re-recorded version captures both the innocence of the original and the seasoned artistry Taylor has developed over more than a decade of songwriting and performing.
Untouchable (Taylor’s Version) Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Untouchable like a distant diamond sky
I’m reaching out and I just can’t tell you why
I’m caught up in you, I’m caught up in you
[Verse 2]
Untouchable, burning brighter than the sun
And when you’re close, I feel like coming undone
[Pre-Chorus]
In the middle of the night when I’m in this dream
It’s like a million little stars spelling out your name
You got to come on, come on, say that we’ll be together
Come on, come on, little taste of heaven
[Verse 3]
It’s half full and I won’t wait here all day
I know you’re saying that you’d be here anyway
[Verse 4]
But you’re untouchable, burning brighter than the sun
And now that you’re close, I feel like coming undone
[Chorus]
In the middle of the night when I’m in this dream
It’s like a million little stars spelling out your name
You got to come on, come on, say that we’ll be together
Come on, come on, oh
In the middle of the night waking from this dream
I want to feel you by my side, standing next to me
You got to come on, come on, say that we’ll be together
Come on, come on, little taste of heaven
[Bridge]
I’m caught up in you
Oh-oh, oh, oh-oh
But you’re untouchable, burning brighter than the sun
Now that you’re close, I feel like coming undone
[Chorus]
In the middle of the night when I’m in this dream
It’s like a million little stars spelling out your name
You got to come on, come on, say that we’ll be together
Come on, come on, oh
In the middle of the night when I’m in this dream
It’s like a million little stars spelling out your name
You got to come on, come on, say that we’ll be together
Come on, come on, come on
In the middle of the night waking from this dream
I want to feel you by my side, standing next to me
You got to come on, come on, say that we’ll be together
Come on, come on, little taste of heaven
And in the middle of the night when I’m in this dream
It’s like a million little stars spelling out your name
You got to come on, come on, oh, come on, come on
Come on, come on, oh, oh, oh
[Outro]
It’s like a million little stars spelling out your name
They’re spelling out your name, oh
Meaning and Analysis
“Untouchable (Taylor’s Version)” is a meditation on the agony and beauty of unrequited longing. The central metaphor — comparing a loved one to a “distant diamond sky” and someone “burning brighter than the sun” — paints a picture of admiration for someone so luminous that they feel impossible to reach. It is a love that lives in dreams and fantasies rather than in reality, and the lyrics capture that bittersweet space between hope and resignation.
The recurring imagery of “the middle of the night” and “a million little stars spelling out your name” reinforces the dreamy, almost surreal quality of the narrator’s feelings. This love exists most vividly when the world is quiet and dark — in the stillness of night, when imagination takes over. The repeated plea of “come on, come on, say that we’ll be together” reveals a desperate hope that the object of affection might bridge the gap, even though the narrator seems to know that possibility is remote.
What makes Taylor Swift’s interpretation so compelling is the way she slowed the original Luna Halo version down, stripping away the rock intensity and replacing it with vulnerability. Where the original felt urgent and electric, Taylor’s version feels like gazing at the stars — beautiful, vast, and tinged with sadness. Her vocal choices, especially the breathy delivery in the verses and the soaring quality of the choruses, perfectly mirror the emotional arc of reaching for something just beyond your grasp.
In the context of the re-recording project, the song takes on an additional layer of meaning. Taylor herself was in a position of fighting to reclaim something that felt untouchable — her own master recordings. The act of re-recording and owning this version is, in itself, a resolution to the song’s central tension: the untouchable has been touched, the unreachable has been reached. It transforms the narrative from one of longing into one of triumph.
FAQs
Who originally wrote and performed Untouchable before Taylor Swift?
“Untouchable” was originally written by Cary Barlowe, Tommy Lee James, and Nathan Barlowe. It was first performed by the rock band Luna Halo in 2007 as an alt-rock track. Taylor Swift reimagined it as a slow country-pop ballad for the Platinum Edition of her Fearless album in 2008 and later re-recorded it for Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in 2021.
Why did Taylor Swift re-record Untouchable for Taylor’s Version?
Taylor re-recorded “Untouchable” as part of her effort to reclaim ownership of her music catalog. After Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings purchased Big Machine Records in 2019, acquiring the master recordings of Taylor’s first six albums, she chose to re-record all of those albums so she could own the new master recordings outright.
What album is Untouchable (Taylor’s Version) on and when was it released?
“Untouchable (Taylor’s Version)” appears on Fearless (Taylor’s Version), which was released on April 9, 2021. It is track 15 on the album and was originally a Platinum Edition bonus track on the original Fearless album.
How does Taylor Swift’s version of Untouchable differ from Luna Halo’s original?
Taylor Swift dramatically transformed the song by slowing the tempo, changing the genre from alt-rock to country-pop and dream pop, and adding atmospheric production with layered harmonies. While Luna Halo’s version is energetic and guitar-driven, Taylor’s interpretation is a slow-burning, dreamy ballad that emphasizes emotional vulnerability and yearning.
