Taylor Swift, who was once considered America’s sweetheart, just beat a record held by “American Pie.” The nearly nine-minute Don McLean song was the longest #1 hit for almost 50 years, but Swift’s ten-minute version of “All Too Well” just claimed the title.
“There is something to be said for a great song that has staying power,” McLean says in a press release. “American Pie’ remained on the top for 50 years and now Taylor Swift has unseated such a historic piece of artistry. Let’s face it, nobody ever wants to lose that #1 spot, but if I had to lose it to somebody, I sure am glad it was another great singer/songwriter such as Taylor.”
The extended track is from Taylor’s version of Red, which saw nearly instant success when it came out on Nov. 12. The song is suspected to be about the singer’s past relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal, and her pain in how “You kept me like a secret / but I kept you like an oath.” Swift also shared a short film for the track starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien, who capture the complicated feelings (and the age gap) discussed in the song.
On Red (Taylor’s Version), she also works with artists such as Phoebe Bridgers on the unreleased track “Nothing New.” Fans continue to praise her versions of old songs, unreleased tracks and the variety of sounds for each track.