Swift has said she wrote the song during math class in high school. The song, she says, is about her and her boyfriend, when he was moving away to go to college, and they would eventually have to break up. Taylor goes on to say, "I started thinking of all the things that reminded me of him."
Tim McGraw
Taylor Swift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put those Georgia stars to shame that night
I said, "That's a lie"
Just a boy in a Chevy truck
That had a tendency of gettin' stuck
On backroads at night
And I was right there beside him all summer long
And then the time we woke up to find that summer gone
But when you think Tim McGraw
I hope you think my favorite song
The one we danced to all night long
The moon like a spotlight on the lake
When you think happiness
I hope you think that little black dress
Think of my head on your chest
And my old faded blue jeans
When you think Tim McGraw
I hope you think of me
September saw a month of tears
And thanking God that you weren't here
To see me like that
But in a box beneath my bed
Is a letter that you never read
From three summers back
It's hard not to find it all a little bittersweet
And lookin' back on all of that, it's nice to believe
When you think Tim McGraw
I hope you think my favorite song
The one we danced to all night long
The moon like a spotlight on the lake
When you think happiness
I hope you think that little black dress
Think of my head on your chest
And my old faded blue jeans
When you think Tim McGraw
I hope you think of me
And I'm back for the first time since then
I'm standing on your street
And there's a letter left on your doorstep
And the first thing that you'll read
Is when you think Tim McGraw
I hope you think my favorite song
Someday you'll turn your radio on
I hope it takes you back to that place
When you think happiness
I hope you think that little black dress
Think of my head on your chest
And my old faded blue jeans
When you think Tim McGraw
I hope you think of me
Oh, think of me
Mmm
He said the way my blue eyes shined
Put those Georgia stars to shame that night
I said, "That's a lie"
In "Tim McGraw," Taylor Swift reflects on a past love and the memories associated with it. The song begins with a conversation between Swift and her former lover, who comments on the shine of her blue eyes one evening, likening it to the stars in Georgia. Swift disagrees, dismissing his compliment as a lie and describing him as a young man in a Chevy truck who often got stuck on backroads at night. However, they spent the entire summer together, waking up one day to find that it had quickly passed. Swift hopes that when he thinks of Tim McGraw, he thinks of her favorite song, which they danced to all night long, with the moon casting a spotlight on the lake. She hopes he thinks of her little black dress, of her head on his chest, and of her old faded blue jeans when he remembers her.
The song then transitions to a montage of memories, reflecting on a September filled with tears, and Swift being glad that her lover wasn't around to see her like that. She has a letter from three summers ago, which he never read and which she keeps under her bed. With a twinge of nostalgia, Swift sees the past as bittersweet and looks back with fondness on the relationship. The song ends with Swift standing in front of her former lover's house, leaving a letter at his doorstep, hoping that someday when he hears Tim McGraw's music on the radio, he will think of her, her little black dress, her head on his chest, and her old faded blue jeans.
Interesting facts about the song "Tim McGraw":
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
He said the way my blue eyes shined
He complimented me by saying my blue eyes shone remarkably bright that night.
Put those Georgia stars to shame that night
Even the bright stars in Georgia couldn't compete with the shine in my eyes that night.
I said, "That's a lie"
I dismissed his compliment, thinking he was just saying it to flatter me.
Just a boy in a Chevy truck
He was just an ordinary guy in a Chevy truck.
That had a tendency of gettin' stuck
His truck had a tendency of getting stuck on backroads at night.
On backroads at night
He often drove on isolated country roads at night.
And I was right there beside him all summer long
I spent the whole summer next to him, supporting him and being by his side.
And then the time we woke up to find that summer gone
We woke up one morning to realize that summer had ended and our time together was over.
But when you think Tim McGraw
Whenever you hear the name Tim McGraw,
I hope you think my favorite song
I hope you remember my favorite song, which we danced to all night long.
The moon like a spotlight on the lake
The moon was shining so bright that night, it illuminated the entire lake like a spotlight.
When you think happiness
Whenever you think of being truly happy,
I hope you think that little black dress
I hope you remember the little black dress I wore that night.
Think of my head on your chest
Think of the times when my head was resting on your chest.
And my old faded blue jeans
Remember the old faded blue jeans I wore back then.
September saw a month of tears
The month of September was filled with tears and sadness for me.
And thanking God that you weren't here
A part of me was grateful that he wasn't around to see me sad and vulnerable.
To see me like that
To see me in such an emotional state.
But in a box beneath my bed
I kept a box of memories from the past beneath my bed.
Is a letter that you never read
In that box is a letter I wrote to him three summers ago, which he never got to read.
From three summers back
The letter was from three summers ago, when we were together.
It's hard not to find it all a little bittersweet
Looking back at all those memories, it's hard not to have mixed emotions.
And lookin' back on all of that, it's nice to believe
Despite the bittersweet feelings, it's comforting to look back and reminisce on those memories.
And I'm back for the first time since then
For the first time since those memories were made, I'm back to where they happened.
I'm standing on your street
I'm standing on the street where he used to live.
And there's a letter left on your doorstep
I left a letter at his doorstep before leaving his street.
And the first thing that you'll read
The first thing he'll read in that letter is...
Is when you think Tim McGraw
Is a reminder whenever he hears the name Tim McGraw.
I hope you think my favorite song
I hope he remembers my favorite song, which he and I shared during those summers.
Someday you'll turn your radio on
One day he'll turn on his radio and hear the song playing.
I hope it takes you back to that place
And I hope that song will take him back to that special place we once shared together.
Oh, think of me
Think of me during that moment and remember the good times we had together.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Anthem Entertainment
Written by: Liz Rose, Taylor Swift
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sarah Gee
So glad you've found her OG Gems 💎✨
🪩✨🌈🦋🍀
You are one of the lucky ones who get to enjoy the whole Mirrorball not just one side.
I love every facet and every genre she touches. Im so glad that new fans can enjoy her OG days just as much as OG fans.
I'm so glad you're here and get to hear how amazing she has always been since day one.
Sarah Gee
Swifties🫶 So proud that in 6months you got this to 50Mil!!! WOW 😲
Do you think we can get this to 100Mil before her Taylor's Version of this is released??? Double it in another 6months??
I love getting to listen to this with y'all 💗😻🫶🫠
What a time to exist
🌬️☄️🍀🦋🪩✨🌈🖼️💌
The same time as Taylor Swift 🥰
Sarah Gee
I love every era Taylor has ever had. I was right there beside her all summer long and she has always made me feel like I had somewhere I belonged. It's like I'm Only Me When I'm With You.
I do love watching her shattered edges glisten, not because she has been broken but how beautifully she was able to get back up again and shine like fireworks 🎆 and Make The Whole Place SHIMMER 🪩 her incandescent glow is and has always been enchanting.
That person probably had it right, her eyes probably did put those Georgia stars to shame that night, like she's made of Starlight, Starlight. I hope it's the same person who Tis the Dan Season and cardigan is about. They drew Stars around her scars. Can't help to find it all a little bitter sweet.
Now that her name is up in lights, there really are a million little stars spelling out her name and shes shining brighter than the sun 🌞 In her Eras ERA something to love about her on every Delicate shimmering edge. It's really a Gorgeous evolution she's gone through and it has been a privilege to see her find her place in this world, Stay Beautiful inside and The Outside, from Invisible to Invisible String. For the younger swifties, I'm hope you find your way to her first albums and discover it shines just as bright as any other era.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Warda Rose
When you think Taylor swift
I hope you think of that clumsy first kiss
Behind Springfield school
When you hear Taylor swift
Do you ever seen to miss
those undocumented afternoons?
When you hear her autumn hits
I hope you think of Gell streets mist
Your breath admonishing all the blues
When you hear the summer tunes
Does it take you back to finding my hair
all over you
That random June
When you think of Taylor swift
Remember how I loved you
Peekaboo, It's Eroo!
Petition for Tim McGraw to write a song called "Taylor Swift"
Dypsy's Gaming
bruh
2009 man, it been a long time that Taylor did music
Elijah Hartman
*2006
Meadow Steele
I’ll sign It
aezra moral
lol yessss!
Kamy Bailey
Yesssssssssssss
CaptainAyaAya28
Something about Taylor, the women who wrote folklore and evermore, first song starting with the poetic lines “he said the way my blue eyes shine, put those Georgia stars ashamed that night, I said that’s a lie” feels so right. Even at 16 she was an amazing songwriter
M.A.
*woman
*to shame that night
K.A. Brown
Ashamed??
Andreea Clopot
Exactly. We coul feel her essence from the very first start. This makes me so emotional...