"Dark Blue Tennessee" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriters Peyton List and Taylor Swift. It is their third collaboration. The song was initially written by Swift in 2000, with List adding two new verses to the song. The song was later included on The Blues.
Background and release[]
Taylor Swift wrote the song in the early 2000s and included it on a demo CD which hasn't been released to the public. The original song can be found on various websites but it was never officially released.
In 2022, Swift shared the song with List, who had previously listened to the original version and had "loved it to death", and was asked to do her own recording of the song. List agreed and urged Swift to do the song as a duet with her. The song was recorded just a few weeks later and was released two months after that.
Critical reception[]
"Dark Blue Tennessee" was widely acclaimed by critics, many of whom praised List's and Swift's songwriting and touching vocals. Pitchfork noted that the story Swift painted was "heartbreaking" and called it a "beautiful duet".
Music video[]
The music video features List and Swift in their bedroom. The bedroom is dimly lit with the only source of light being the moonlight coming through a small window between List's bed and Taylor's bed. She sings the song, holding the boy's suicide note which is drenched in her tears, with mascara running down her face.
Commercial performance[]
In the week ending October 28, 2022, just a few hours after an early release, “Dark Blue Tennessee” shot to number one on iTunes. The song debuted at number one on Billboard Hot Digital Songs selling 140,000 digital copies in it's first week, which became List's third number one on that chart. As a result, the song debuted at number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song rose to number one on its second week and has charted in Billboard Hot 100 for a total of fifty-six weeks. It held the number one position for twelve of those fifty-six weeks. It was List's second number one single in 2022.
In Billboard Hot Country Songs, the song debuted at number six. The song jumped at its peak at number one on its second week on the chart. The song attained moderate success worldwide. it became List's fourth top five hit in Canada, debuting on its peak at number three. It debuted in Australia at number fifteen. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number thirty and peaked at number seven.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1, Peyton List]
He said, "I got me a nice new apartment
In a city, wouldn't you have hated that?
I'm getting by with a broken heart you left me with"
He hangs up the phone and she whispers back
[Chorus, Taylor Swift]
Missing you like this is such sweet sorrow
Won't you come back to me?
I'll be here, today and here tomorrow
In dark blue Tennessee
[Verse 2, Peyton List]
He was lying when he said he moved to L.A
He's just hiding out on the other side of town
With his head in his hands and she's just seven miles away
He's staring out the window and puts her picture down saying
[Chorus, Peyton List]
Missing you like this is such sweet sorrow
Won't you come back to me?
I'll be here, today and here tomorrow
In dark blue Tennessee
[Verse 3, Peyton List]
I wish you were here by my side
Be my everything, my everything
I fear we're running out of time
Baby, you're my fucking king, fucking king
She almost called him on the night that he wrote
These simple words on his goodbye note
[Outro, Peyton List and Taylor Swift]
Missing you like this is such sweet sorrow
I want to know if you still love me
I won't be here, today nor here tomorrow
In dark blue Tennessee, In dark blue Tennessee