You Belong with Me

"You Belong with Me"
Song

"You Belong with Me" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country artist Taylor Swift. It is the third single from her second album, Fearless. The song was originally released as a digital single, peaking at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 based on downloads. In April 2009, it was officially released to radio, debuting at #32 on the Hot Country Songs charts on the chart week of May 2, 2009. The song is Swift's eighth Top 10 country hit. After the official full release, the song re-entered the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #2 so far, becoming her highest charting single. "You Belong With Me" was the first song to be in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs chart simultaneously since Faith Hill's "Breathe" over nine years previously.

Content

"You Belong with Me" is a song in which the singer loves a boy, but they are just friends, and he is with someone else. Swift commented about the song's background: "I came into the writing session with Liz Rose and said….I’ve got this idea. I had overheard a friend of mine talking to his girlfriend and he was completely on the defensive saying, 'No, baby...I had to get off the phone really quickly...I tried to call you right back...Of course I love you. More than anything! Baby, I’m so sorry.' She was just yelling at him! I felt so bad for him at that moment. So I came up with the first line 'You’re on the phone with your girlfriend, she’s upset, going off about something that you said', and I ran that into the story line that I’m in love with him and he should be with me instead of her. It just became this whole picture. It was really fun for us to write the line, 'She wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts, She's cheer captain, and I'm on the bleachers'".

Critical reception

Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave the song a mostly favorable review. Although he said that its production was "not remotely country" except for a prominent banjo line, he still called it a "well-written teen-centric lyric that any girl who isn’t 'the pretty one' will absolutely relate to." Dan Milliken of Country Universe similarly said that the song was not suitable for country radio. Nonetheless, he gave it an A- rating, saying that its melody was "perhaps her catchiest yet" and that Swift gave a credible vocal performance.

Tracklist

Promo CD

1. "You Belong with Me" (Album Version) - 3:52
2. "You Belong with Me" (Instrumental Version) - 3:52

Australian CD Single

1. "You Belong with Me" (Album Version) - 3:52
2. "Love Story" (Stripped) - 3:40

Australian Digital Single

1. "You Belong with Me" (Radio Mix) - 3:51

Music video

Swift plays the nerdy neighbor of a high school football star (Lucas Till), having presumably grown up together communicating through their bedroom windows that are across from each other. "

File:Youbelongwithmevideoscreenshot2.PNG

Swift at her Cinderella moment.

"They communicate through writing messages on a note pad and showing the message through the window to the other. At the very beginning Swift writes, "I love you." and attempted to show him, but he has already closed the curtains. Later they are at a street bench talking when the boy's popular girlfriend (Swift in a brown wig) pulls up and kisses then pushes him, showing their unpleasant relationship. At a football game Swift watches as he wins the game and he walks to his girlfriend as she is flirting with his teammate saying "You were awesome." At the end of the video it shows a school dance where Swift's nerdy character has a Cinderella moment and her neighbor picks her over his girlfriend, Swift pulling out the "I love you." note from the start and her neighbor pulling out another "I Love You." note. They end the scene with a kiss between the two of them.

"You Belong with Me" debuted at #13 on CMT's Top Twenty Countdown for the week of May 8, 2009, and has peaked at #1.

Chart performance

"You Belong with Me" first charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and Pop 100 charts in 2008 based on downloads after its release as a digital single. Upon the song's release to country radio in April 2009, it debuted at #32 on the Hot Country Songs chart dated for May 2, 2009. It re-entered the Hot 100 at #87 on the chart week of May 16. As of August 12, 2009 it has reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, her highest charting single. On the chart week of August 22, 2009, it became her fourth Number One country hit in the U.S. (and fifth overall). It has also become the highest charting country single on the Hot 100 since Lonestar's "Amazed" and Faith Hill's "Breathe" reached #1 and #2, respectively, in 2000. In the UK, "You Belong with Me" first appeared in the top 100 singles at #99, over a period of five weeks it has since climbed to #52.

Chart (2008-2009)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	5
Canadian Radio & Records Country Singles	1
Canadian Hot 100	5
Irish Singles Chart	42
New Zealand Singles Chart	5
UK Singles Chart	52
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	2
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	14
U.S. Billboard Pop Songs	3