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“I Knew You Were Trouble (Taylor’s Version)“ is the fourth track of Taylor’s second re-recorded album “Red (Taylor’s Version)“ that was produced by Taylor herself, Shellback and Christopher Rowe.
The song, lyrically, talks about falling in love with somebody while knowing that he is not good for you. Many of Taylor’s fans assume that the song is about John Mayer, Taylor’s ex who dated her when she was at the age of 19. She also wrote about him in the song “Dear John”. Others assume that the song was written about Harry Styles, one of the members in One Direction.
When Taylor asked about the song, after performing it in the Brit Awards in 2012, she said:
“It’s not hard… when the person the song is directed at is standing by the side of the stage.
You’re balancing the analytical side of your brain which is telling you where to go and how to go there, with the other side of your brain, which is saying “Feel everything you’re singing, and show it on your face”.“
This quote made Taylor’s fans think that the song was inspired by Harry Styles, that also appeared in the Brit Awards the same night – but, it is not possible, because Taylor wrote the song before she met him. It could be about Jake Gyllenhaal since a majority of Red has been linked to him, or John Mayer, who many of the lyrics of the song point at.
“I Knew You Were Trouble” was an idea that I got almost six months before I was scheduled to write with Max Martin, and I e-mailed him and said, “I just got this idea, I can’t wait to bring it to you. I know that we’re not writing for a few months, but I just need you to know I thought of this thing. I can’t wait for you to hear it.” I have never written a song like that, where it’s like, “It’s not shame on you you broke my heart, it’s shame on me you broke my heart. I saw the red flags from the first second.” You feel so stupid… But it’s got that chaotic sound in it, it’s got that really bold edge to it, where the song sounds like what that feeling felt.“
— Swift via a Red (Track by Track) YouTube video
Swift told MTV:
“It’s a song about kind of being frustrated with yourself because you have your heart broken and you knew when you first saw that person you saw all these red flags and you just went for it anyway. So, shame on me.“
The song debuted at #46 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the week ending November 26, 2021. The original version of the song peaked at number two in 2013.
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