In front of a relatively small crowd compared to these days, opening for Lady Antebellum, on May 23, 2008, Taylor Swift live debuted one of her most endearing hits, "Love Story."
Just 18 years-old at the time, Taylor played a half dozen songs at the 2008 Jubilee CityFest at the Riverwalk Amphitheater in Montgomery, Alabama.
Also on the bill were Huey Lewis & The News, Erykah Badu, Morris Day and The Time, Three Days Grace, Angie Stone, and Lynam.
"Love Story" would appear on her second LP, Fearless, and would be the only tune from that album she'd play for the crowd.
The other five songs were all off her self titled debut.
The only video that seems to exist from the show was the song she played after "Love Story," the sassy "Should've Said No."
But there is video of Swift two weeks later performing an impromptu mini-set during the CMA Music Festival.
There she played "Love Story" for the second time, according to our records, although she told the crowd outside the Ryman Auditorium that it was the first.
"I was hoping it was ok if I played a new song for you guys," teen Taylor told the huge crowd that had filled the Nashville streets.
"I've never played this before," she fibbed (or forgot). "I hope you like it. It's called 'Love Story.'"
And on the steps of the legendary theater where icons like Hank Williams Sr., Elvis, and Johnny Cash played, Taylor busted out the song that would be her first crossover hit.
Before you Swifties get uptight, if you have video of the Riverwalk show and can prove Taylor did not perform "Love Story" there, upload it on Twitter and tag @setlistfm. No one wants beef with that army.
One reason the song was able to chart so well across several genres was her label remixed the song to appease different radio station in the US and internationally.
They did it by lowering the levels of the banjo and fiddle on the "Pop Mix" version which they sent to pop radio stations. Just listening to the opening measures you can hear the lack of familiar banjo.
It sure worked.
When "Love Story" was released in September, 2008, it reached #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs, and also topped the Pop Songs chart (the first country song to pull that off), and also was #1 on the Adult Contemporary and Australia's ARIA chart.
It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100; hit #3 on Adult Pop Songs, Ireland, New Zealand, and Japan's Hot 100; landed at #2 in the UK; reached #4 in the Czech Republic; #7 in Norway; and #10 in Sweden and on the European Hot 100.
In her official music video, above, you can hear the banjo intro the song.
The remix was apropos to what Taylor was doing with the lyrics. Here she changes the tragedy of Romeo & Juliet where the two teens die in the end (spoiler) to her version where they get engaged. La-la-la.
But let's get back to this somewhat unbelievable fact that three other songs outsold the hopelessly romantic "Love Story" sung by a beautiful blonde country starlet.
What were the three songs that were miraculously more popular than Tay's banger?
Could they be worthy?
On January 19, 2009, when "Love Story" was peaking, there were three monster hits above her:
"Just Dance" – Lady Gaga
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" – Beyoncé
"Heartless" – Kanye West
Yeah, ok, they're worthy.
As you may have noticed, Taylor is taking a breather from her record-breaking Eras Tour.
However both Lady Gaga and Beyoncé are packing stadiums and setting records of their own.
Go see the Cowboy Carter tour by going to Beyoncé's website for tickets. And check out the Mayhem Ball whose tix can be found on Lady Gaga's site.
