anonymous November 17th, 2008 09:03PM  
I read this in an interview of hers. One of her favorite plays was Romeo and Juliet. She sang the song about them and gave them the happy ending they deserved. (WHen he asks her to marry him at the end)

anonymous November 18th, 2008 06:21PM  
I think its like romeo and Juliet obviously but that she is having a flashback of her former life because in the music video its modern and then it goes to her in a old fashioned dress.

anonymous February 1st, 2009 02:08PM  
I think this is a song about what Taylor hopes for herself. As someone said before, one of her favorite plays was Romeo&Juliet and she would want that happily ever after for herself. Thats why in the music video it keeps on having flashback to present time, because thats her "dream".

anonymous March 26th, 2009 12:01PM  
I tend to agree with those who say the scarlet letter means she was pregnant. The narrative of the song has them meet at a party in the first verse. The second verse where she has snuck out to the garden to see him "We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew" seems to imply that something is going on. In the very next bridge she refers to herself as a scarlet letter, which could easily imply that she's pregnant. When they finally meet on the outskirts of town and he tells her that he has spoken to her father, and he has apparently consented to the marriage. One good reason for this quick turnaround may be to save the shame of a baby out of wedlock. If this is the case though, there is a very ironic suggestion to "pick out a white dress." Though perhaps that is intentional to keep up her image virginity. This has the potential to be a very ironic representation of a girls infatuation with a guy, which leads to an unfortunate marriage of necessity. Also it is perhaps a satire of how people always seem to believe that their own romances are worthy of Romeo and Juliet (which we all know does not end that well) and are always blinded by their position within their own relationships. If this is the case the song writer may just be having a quite laugh at the thousands of couples who have probably already chosen this as "their song." Because overall it is a very pleasant sounding song, and has amazing depth if any of these hints and ironies are intended. If it is intended to be taken at face value as a "love song" then it has some serious flaws with its writing, and poorly placed, possibly unnecessary references. Still like the song though.

Jarryd Lee, New Zealand

dwiizie March 26th, 2009 03:05PM  
Well Romeo and Juliet is a good metaphor for "forbidden love" I think Romeo got her into unwed pregnant teen status and her dad was furious and told him to get away from them, maybe even planning to "take care of" the family's new problem. She, wanting to keep the baby AND romeo, freaks out and runs away, and dad goes to find Romeo to get to her, and Romeos like what? I stayed away like you told me... Then they realize they both love and worry about the young impregnated girl, dad tells Romeo to go find her and make an honest woman of her. He obviously doesn't know whats going on or what they're doing, hes just trying to do the right thing "I love you and thats all I really know" I think it is a nice love story, I do hate the scarlet letter reference but I think, in my interpretation of it all, it serves its purpose. And we were both young when I first saw you shows how much they've been forced to grow up over a short period of time. Maybe even the repeat of this at the end shows that they're still together 40 years from now.

Corny March 31st, 2009 03:24PM  
The pronouns change in the last verse; from "You were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles..." to "He knelt to the ground...You'll never have to be alone..." With reference to confusion, being told what to feel and feeling alone in between.

Although the idea of equating a scarlett letter with single momhood/pregnancy in our society intrigues me, I think the reference to the scarlett letter means that she either gave in and married or at least promised herself to the guy that her dad picked out for her; but she's still in love with Romeo (at least in the idea of Romeo).

Its a song that can be interpreted in many ways, it's unrequited love or a happy ending, or maybe both. Which is what we all want out of Romeo and Juliet!