The Real Meaning Behind 'Love Story' By Taylor Swift

"Love Story" is clearly Taylor Swift's ode to a forbidden romance. Just prior to her headlining 2009 Fearless tour, Swift took some time to answer a few fan questions via TIME, many of which understandably circled around her massive hit of that time. One fan from Illinois wanted to know the story behind "Love Story." Apparently, per Swift's answer, it was based on a guy she desired but never actually dated because of the familial disapproval factor. "When I introduced him to my family and my friends, they all said they didn't like him. All of them," Swift revealed. "For the first time, I could relate to that Romeo-and-Juliet situation where the only people who wanted them to be together were them," noting that "Love Story" was "the most romantic song I've written, and it's not even about a person I really dated."

Another fan asked Swift about the usual length of time it takes her to write one song, and the answer was not unexpected for the prolific writer. She replied that for most songs, they "end up being finished in 30 minutes or less," adding that "'Love Story" took even less. Swift shared that the mid-tempo bop was knocked out in "about 20 minutes" and that "when I get on a roll with something, it's really hard for me to put it down unfinished." We are sure all writers can understand, if not relate to, this sentiment!