What Does “That’s When” Really Mean? Analyzing Taylor’s Lyrics

Taylor Swift’s That’s When is a gorgeous duet, and one of the most mature vault tracks from Fearless (Taylor’s Version). 

In the song, the protagonists recall a rough patch in their relationship, and narrate how they came back together to make their love last. 

What’s really going on in this song, when exactly is “that’s when,” and how does this track fit in the larger context of Fearless (Taylor’s Version)?

Here’s my full English teacher analysis of Taylor’s That’s When meaning, line by line. 

Cover image for Swiftly Sung Stories' post explaining Taylor Swift's That's When meaning. A gold shimmer background features the title text.

That’s When (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] by Taylor Swift

  • Title: That’s When ft. Keith Urban (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault)
  • Track: 24, Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
  • Written By: Taylor Swift, Brad Warren, Brett Warren 
  • Pen: Fountain

That’s When Song Meaning: Narrative Summary

  • Setting: Looking back on a past relationship break and reconciliation. 
  • Characters: Narrators (Taylor Swift & Keith Urban)
  • Theme: Unconditional love & forgiveness.  
  • Mood: Forgiving, understanding, grateful. 
  • Conflict: She needs some time away to figure things out, but she’s worried he’ll never take her back. 
  • Inciting Incident: Female narrator says “I need some time, need some space.” 
  • Quest: Find yourself without losing your partner. 
  • Metaphors & Deeper Meanings: “I know,” “watched me go,” “harder to ever take back,” “when I wake up in the morning,” “sunny or storming”, “laughing” or “crying”, “waiting at the front gate,” “when I see your face,” “let you in,” “put you through all of this”, “all your tears,” “leave those all in our past,” 
  • Imagery: “when I wake up in the morning,” “when it’s sunny or stormin’,” “laughin’ when I’m crying,” “I’ll be waiting at the front gate,” “when I see your face I’ll let you in,” “Then through the phone / Came all your tears.” 

What is That’s When About? 

That’s When narrates two protagonists going through a rough patch in their relationship.

The female narrator (sung by Taylor Swift) needs some time to figure out what she wants, and the male narrator (sung by Keith Urban) accepts her needs, and says he will always take her back, no matter what. 

The narrative ends happily, with the two lovers reuniting and starting fresh. 

Who is That’s When About? 

Taylor has never revealed who That’s When may have been inspired by, but it’s a lovely reflection on what it really means to love someone. 

It’s a unique song in her catalog about unconditional love and acceptance, and being truly known and respected for your needs and desires.

If Taylor really wrote this vault track during her Fearless era, it’s a very mature perspective for a teenager. 

That’s When Lyrics Meaning: Line by Line

Annotated lyrics of Taylor Swift & Keith Urban's "That's When." Red pen in the margins denotes the songwriters' use of literary devices, translates tricky phrases, and helps the reader understand the song's central messages.
The first verse begins: "You said, "I know"

When I said, "I need some time, need some space

To think about all of this"

And you watched me go

And I knew my words were hard to hear

And harder to ever take back

[Pre-Chorus: Taylor Swift]

And I said, "When can I come back?""

The first verse begins with Taylor as our narrator. 

“You said, ‘I know’,” she states to her partner, “When I said, ‘I need some time, need some space / To think about all of this’.” She needs a break from their romance to pause and reflect, and he accepts her desires without hesitation. 

“And you watched me go,” she says, “And I knew my words were hard to hear / And harder to ever take back.” He sadly watches her leave, taking a break from their relationship, but doesn’t try to run after her or convince her otherwise. 

She knows that this break may end up being a breakup, and she worries that he won’t take her back after she’s done some personal reflection. 

“And I said, ‘When can I come back?’,” she asks him, worried that he might not take her back at all. But Taylor quickly answers her own question in the chorus. 

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Chorus: “When it’s Sunny or Stormin’” 

Annotated lyrics of Taylor Swift & Keith Urban's "That's When." Red pen in the margins denotes the songwriters' use of literary devices, translates tricky phrases, and helps the reader understand the song's central messages.
The first chorus reads: "And you said, "That's when

When I wake up in the morning

That's when, when it's sunny or stormin'

Laughin', when I'm cryin'

And that's when

I'll be waitin' at the front gate

That's when, when I see your face

I'll let you in and, baby, that's when"

“And you said, ‘That’s when’,” she narrates her partner’s response in the first chorus. Throughout the context of the lyrics, “that’s when” will come to mean ‘anytime, anywhere, no matter what.’ 

“When I wake up in the morning,” he said to her, “That’s when, when it’s sunny or stormin’.” No matter the circumstances, he’ll take her back anytime. 

To “wake up in the morning” symbolizes rebirth and revelation, and their fresh start. “Sunny or storming” symbolizes their emotional states, which he says don’t matter: he’ll love and accept her no matter what. 

“Laughin’, when I’m cryin’,” really means ‘if I’m laughing or if I’m crying’. He’ll weather any emotional storm with her, and wants her no matter what she makes him feel. 

“And that’s when,” he said to her, “I’ll be waitin’ at the front gate.” The front gate symbolizes their home and heart, which he’ll welcome her back to at any given moment. 

“That’s when, when I see your face,” he said, “I’ll let you in and, baby, that’s when”. Anytime she wants to come back, he’ll be waiting for her, eager to welcome her into his heart once again. 

Verse 2: “Through the Phone Came All Your Tears”

Annotated lyrics of Taylor Swift & Keith Urban's "That's When." Red pen in the margins denotes the songwriters' use of literary devices, translates tricky phrases, and helps the reader understand the song's central messages.
The second verse reads: "I said, "I know"

When you said, "I did you wrong, made mistakes

And put you through all of this" (Through all of this)

Then through the phone

Came all your tears

And I said, "Leave those all in our past"

And you said, "When can I come back?""

In the second verse, Keith Urban enters the chat as our second narrator. 

“I said, ‘I know’,” he replied to her, “When you said, ‘I did you wrong, made mistakes / And put you through all of this’.” She admits that she messed up, and he accepts her with all of her faults. 

He doesn’t fight, or protest, or cry, or start a fight. He simply says, “I know.” It’s really the most mature, reasonable response he could have, and something all of us wish we could experience in our relationships. 

“Then through the phone,” he recalls, “Came all your tears / And I said, ‘Leave those all in our past’.” This moment is so touching: the imagery of tears through the phone, his reconciliation, and his wish to start over and leave the tears behind. 

“And you said, ‘When can I come back?’,” he recalls of this conversation. She’s asking whether he’ll take her back, and his reply will come in the next chorus, repeating the ‘anytime’ response of the first chorus. 

Bridge: “Did You Ever Think of Me?” 

Annotated lyrics of Taylor Swift & Keith Urban's "That's When." Red pen in the margins denotes the songwriters' use of literary devices, translates tricky phrases, and helps the reader understand the song's central messages.
The bridge and final chorus read: "And you said, "Honestly

When you were gone

Did you ever think of me?"

And I said, "That's when

When I woke up in the morning

That's when it was sunny or stormin'

Laughin', when I was cryin'

And that's when

You were waitin' at the front gate

That's when, when I saw your face

You let me in, and baby, that's when""

“And you said, ‘Honestly’,” Taylor recalls of his question in the bridge, “When you were gone / Did you ever think of me?” He asked her if, while she was away on her soul journey, he ever crossed her mind. 

“And I said, “That’s when,” she replies, “When I woke up in the morning.” She repeats the same sentiment of the chorus: she thought of him all the time. She thought of him in the morning, in the sunshine and in the rain, when she was laughing and when she was crying. 

“And that’s when,” she recalls of their reconciliation, “You were waitin’ at the front gate.” She took some time, reflected, and then returned to him. He was right there waiting with open arms. 

“That’s when, when I saw your face,” she says of this happy reunion, “You let me in, and baby, that’s when”. He let her back into his home and his heart, and that’s when she knew they would last, and they could really make this work. 

Outro: “That’s When I Love You”

Annotated lyrics of Taylor Swift & Keith Urban's "That's When." Red pen in the margins denotes the songwriters' use of literary devices, translates tricky phrases, and helps the reader understand the song's central messages.
The outro reads: "(That's when)

(When I woke up in the morning) Yeah

(That's when it was sunny or stormin')

When I'm laughin', when I'm cryin'

(That's when I'll be waitin' at the front gate)

That's when I miss you, that's when I want you

(That's when, when I see your face)

That's when I love you, that's when"

The outro sees both of them reflecting on this rough patch, and what it meant for their bond. 

This time, “that’s when” means ‘forever, from here on out.’ They’ll always be with each other, and accept one another, no matter what. During happy times or sad, night or day, long distance or close together, they’ll always prioritize each other. 

“That’s when I love you, that’s when,” they close out the track, signaling that they’ll always love each other, no matter what happens in the future. 

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That’s When Meaning: Final Thoughts 

This is such an endearing and emotionally mature track about a relationship, and that’s something Taylor hadn’t really written about yet (and won’t write about for quite some time, because she was still a teenager during Fearless). 

Most of the other love songs on Fearless TV are either about new love (like Fearless, Today Was a Fairytale), unrequited love (like Hey Stephen, You Belong With Me, or Jump Then Fall), or breakups (White Horse, You’re Not Sorry, We Were Happy). This song is completely different, with a very different tone.

It makes me wonder if this was a partial vault track, with maybe some roughly sketched lyrics and ideas, but formed through the lens of mature Taylor. Is this a true “vault” track, or was it written by a more mature and adult songwriter? 

Either way, it’s one of her most solid tracks depicting the hard work of emotional give and take, where you fully love and accept your partner, no matter what they’re going through. 

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