The Moment I Knew

Today's Taylor Swift song is the meaning of "The Moment I Knew" from the Target deluxe edition of "Red".

This is one of my favorite songs from the Target edition. It really expresses the feeling of a longing for someone that you love and care about, but isn't there for you. I knew right away when I heard this song who it was about. Any guesses?

Christmas 2010 was a very sad one for Taylor. In an interview with Vogue in February 2012 she said, " 'I really have this great life right now, and I’m not sad and I’m not crying this Christmas, so I am really stoked about that.' Were you crying last Christmas? 'I am not gonna go into it! It’s a sad story'."

The sad story is expressed in this song.

In an interview with Yahoo music Taylor says, " 'The Moment I Knew' "was a song about my 21st birthday party, which was the worst experience ever."

"The Moment I Knew" is about a party around Christmas time, her birthday party "Christmas lights glisten/And it was like slow motion/standing there in my party dress, in red lipstick, with no-one to impress/and they’re all sitting around me singing ‘Happy Birthday To You’." For her birthday party in 2010 she had a Christmas themed party. In an interview with People magazine she says "I definitely want a winter-themed birthday -- Christmas-themed, And I'd really like to have it in my condo. I think that would be wonderful."

She didn't really enjoy it though, the whole nights she "got my eye on the door, just waiting for you to walk in, but the time is ticking/standing there in my party dress, in red lipstick, with no-one to impress," She was waiting for someone that "said you’d be here." There was definitely "one thing missing", someone missing. The person later "called me later and said ‘I’m sorry I didn't make it,’ and I said, ‘I’m sorry too.’/And that was the moment I knew…"

Click here for lyrics to the song, "The Moment I Knew".

Who was missing at the party?

It was Jake Gyllenhaal. She knew when he didn't show up, when she stood there waiting the whole night that something wasn't right, that the magic was over, "That magic's not here no more" ("All Too Well"). Instead of coming he supposedly bought her a very expensive bracelet and coffee. Money doesn't buy love Jake. They broke up soon after that and Taylor was crying on Christmas. They tried to salvage what they had, but it didn't work out and they are "Never Ever Getting Back Together".

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The Moment I Knew Lyrics

The Moment I Knew Lyrics (Red Album)

Written by Taylor Swift

You should've been there.
Should've burst through the door
With that "baby I'm right here" smile
And it would've felt like
A million little shining stars had just aligned
And I would've been so happy.

Christmas lights glisten
I've got my eye on the door
Just waiting for you to walk in
But the time is ticking
People ask me how I've been
As I comb back through my memory
How you said you'd be here
You said you'd be here..

And it was like slow motion.
Standing there in my party dress
In red lipstick, with no one to impress
And they're all laughing
As I'm looking around the room
But there was one thing missing
And that was the moment I knew

 And the hours pass by.
Now I just want to be alone
But your close friends always seem to know
When there's something really wrong
So they follow me down the hall
And there in the bathroom
I try not to fall apart
And the sinking feeling starts
As I say hopelessly
He said he'd be here..

And it was like slow motion.
Standing there in my party dress
In red lipstick, with no one to impress
And they're all laughing
And asking me about you
But there was one thing missing
And that was the moment I knew

What do you say when tears are streaming down your face
In front of everyone you know
And what do you do when the one who means the most to you
Is the one who didn't show..

You should've been here
And I would've been so.. happy

And it was like slow motion.
Standing there in my party dress
In red lipstick, with no one to impress
And they're all standing around me singing
Happy birthday to you
But there was one thing missing
And that was the moment I knew

You called me later
And said "I'm sorry I didn't make it"
And I said "I'm sorry too."
And that was the moment I knew.

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