Back to December cover Shannon King

LYRICS

I'm so glad you made time to see me

How's life? Tell me how's your family

I haven't seen them in a while

You've been good, busier than ever

We small talk, work and the weather

Your guard is up, and I know why

Because the last time you saw me

Is still burned in the back of your mind

You gave me roses, and I left them there to die

So this is me swallowing my pride

Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night

And I go back to December all the time

It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you

Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine

I'd go back to December, turn around and make it all right

I go back to December all the time

These days, I haven't been sleeping

Staying up, playing back myself leavin'

When your birthday passed, and I didn't call

And I think about summer, all the beautiful times

I watched you laughing from the passenger side

And realized I loved you in the fall

And then the cold came

The dark days when fear crept into my mind

You gave me all your love

And all I gave you was "Goodbye"

So this is me swallowing my pride

Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night

And I go back to December all the time

It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you

Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine

I'd go back to December, turn around and change my own mind

I go back to December all the time

I miss your tanned skin, your sweet smile

So good to me, so right

And how you held me in your arms that September night

The first time you ever saw me cry

Maybe this is wishful thinking

Probably mindless dreaming

But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right

I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't

So if the chain is on your door, I understand

But this is me swallowing my pride

Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night

And I go back to December

It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you

Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine

I'd go back to December, turn around and make it all right

I'd go back to December, turn around and change my own mind

I go back to December all the time

All the time

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Taylor Swift

Back to December lyrics © Sony/atv Tree Publishing, Taylor Swift Music

About the song: ""Back to December" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album Speak Now (2010). The song was sent to country radio in the United States on November 15, 2010, as the second single from Speak Now. According to Swift, "Back to December" is the first time she ever apologizes to someone in a song. Critics speculate that the song is about Taylor Lautner, Swift's ex-boyfriend, which was later acknowledged by Lautner. "Back to December" is considered an orchestral country pop ballad and its lyrics are a remorseful plea for forgiveness for breaking up with a former lover.

"Back to December" received acclaim reviews from critics, who regarded it as one of the highlights of Speak Now. Critics have praised the song for its lyrics, melody, and vocals. The song enjoyed commercial success, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, and at number seven in Canada. It also peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The song received moderate success internationally, peaking at number 24 in New Zealand, and number 26 in Australia.

The song's accompanying music video, directed by Yoann Lemoine, laments the aftermath of a break-up between Swift and her boyfriend. The music video garnered mixed to positive reviews from critics; some praised the spectacular visual sense in portraying the somber mood while others criticized its inadequate narrative. Swift has performed "Back to December" in several live appearances, notably at the 44th annual Country Music Association Awards and at the 38th American Music Awards.

According to Swift, "Back to December" is an apology to a past lover in the form of a song, something that she has never done before.[2][3] She continued, "I've never felt the need to apologize in a song before. But in the last two years I've experienced a lot, [including] a lot of different kinds of learning lessons. And sometimes you learn a lesson too late and at that point you need to apologize because you were careless."[3] Critics have speculated that the song is Swift's apology to her ex-boyfriend, The Twilight Saga actor Taylor Lautner,[2][4] due, in part, to the lyrics "your tan skin, your sweet smile", as well as the hidden lyrics in the booklet, which spelled out "TAY." Lautner confirmed these rumors while promoting the TV series Scream Queens in 2016.[5] "Back to December" was first released as a promotional single from Speak Now on October 12, 2010, as a part of the exclusive campaign by the iTunes Store leading up to the album's release.[6] On November 15, 2010, the song was released as the second single from Speak Now.[7]

"Back to December" is a country pop song with a length of four minutes and 55 seconds.[8] Stephen M. Deusner from Engine 145 called the song "an elegant ballad full of orchestral swells, solemn guitars, and pleading lyrics".[9] It is set in common time and has a ballad tempo of 72 beats per minute. It is written in the key of D major, and Swift's vocals span more than one octave, from the note of F♯3 to A4.[10] It follows the chord progression of D–Bm7–G-D.[10] Randy Lewis from Los Angeles Times commented that "Back to December" is one of two songs where Swift has first incorporated an orchestra on record (the other being "Haunted").[11]

The song's narrative is in first person, and depicts Swift apologizing to a young man whose heart she broke. Mandi Bierly from Entertainment Weekly describes the song as "a melancholy mea culpa with the kind of driving chorus and age-appropriate yet universal honesty",[4] adding that "in the tune [...] she says she’s sorry for the last time he saw her ('You gave me roses, and I left them there to die') and that she wishes she realized what she had ('I’d go back to December, turn around, and change my own mind/I go back to December all the time').[4]

Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly ranked these couplets from the song; ("Your guard is up and I know why, because the last time you saw me is still burned in the back of your mind / You gave me roses and I left them there to die"), at number two out of ten best couplets from Speak Now sheet.[12]

The song has received critical acclaim. Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone gave the song a positive review commenting, "Swift's voice is unaffected enough to mask how masterful she has become as a singer; she lowers her voice for the payoff lines in the classic mode of a shy girl trying to talk tough."[13] Jonathan Keefe from Slant Magazine complimented Swift's ability "to write an indelible melody" and praised the production of the song, writing "[the song] showcase(s) Swift's unique knack for matching the overall tone of a melody to the broader themes of a song". He added that "it isn't easy to make a melancholy song like "Back to December" sound catchy at the same time, but that's what Swift does, and it's an impressive trick."[14] Bobby Peacock from Roughstock gave the song four stars out of five and praised Swift's vocal, saying that "it's her best vocal since "Tim McGraw"". He concluded that "[the song] feels a little more focused, a little more mature and a little better-sung than her previous material."[15] The Oxonian Review considers it the centerpiece of the melancholic album, noting how "equating regret with December is a mainstream American musical tradition" and this song is "the congruence of her singing and songwriting at its finest."[16]

Ryan Brockington from New York Post lauded the song, writing "it’s a very surprising, and somewhat brilliant, apology track where Taylor sings about wishing to fix a relationship she wished she wouldn't have ruined in the first place."[17] His point was echoed by Rudy Klapper from Sputnikmusic, who described the song as a "regret-filled apology".[18] Stephen M. Deusner from Engine 145 gave the song a thumbs-up and praised Swift as "an expressive singer", calling the song "a dark fantasy of apology and reconciliation" which is "a true heartbreaker".[9] Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe graded the production of the song as "B", complimenting the lyrics in particular, by writing "it’s always a good sign when there’s a line as memorable as that one, the kind that lingers around in your head more than the song itself." He also added that he "appreciate(s) the restrained vocal, though a more varied melody would’ve made the chorus quite a bit more distinctive."[19]

"Back to December" is one of 14 songs on the standard edition of Speak Now which has charted within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.[23] Upon its release as a promotional single, "Back to December" debuted at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 with sales of 242,000 digital downloads (approximately), on October 12, 2010.[24] Following its single release, the song re-entered Billboard Hot 100 at number 74 on the week ending November 27, 2010.[25] It reached a position of number 18. It also peaked at number one on Hot Digital Songs,[26] number 11 on Pop Songs[27] and at number 12 on the Adult Pop Songs.[28] "Back to December" also became Swift's fifth song to have failed to reach the top spot on the Hot Country Songs, instead peaked at the top three (the previous songs were "Teardrops on My Guitar" at number two, "Picture to Burn" at number three, and both of "White Horse" and "Mine" at number two) and her ninth overall song to reach the top ten, but failed to reach the top spot (the previous songs were "Tim McGraw" at number six, "Fifteen" at number seven, "Fearless" at number ten, and four Top five songs previously mentioned.)[29] The song was number 38 on the year-end chart of Hot Country Songs[30] and number 74 on the year-end chart of Hot 100. It is the only song from Speak Now that charted on the Hot 100 year-end chart in 2011.[31] As of November 2017, "Back to December" has sold 2 million copies in the United States.[32]

Internationally, "Back to December" had moderate success. The song entered in Canada and peaked at number seven on the week ending October 30, 2010.[33] In Australia, the song entered at number 26 on the week ending October 31, 2010.[34] On the week ending October 18, 2010, the song debuted at number 24 in New Zealand.[35]" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_December).