Taylor's New Tune

Since her relatively rapid rise to fame began Taylor Swift has penned plenty of love songs about boyfriends, friends and even some strangers. She has also, however, been the inspiration behind more than one song herself.

After her very public breakup with Joe Jonas in 2008 and the release of her song about the failed relationship (Forever and Always), Joe quickly responded with Jonas brothers song Much Better.

Taylor also released the song Hey Stephen in 2008, written about Stephen Barker Liles of Love and Theft. He had also written a song about Swift called Try and Make it Anyway that was not included on the duo's second album but the band has performed it live.

YouTube star Tyler Ward recorded a song about his love for Tay titled Tyler Swift declaring his love for our favorite country crooner.

Adam Young of Owl City re-recorded Swift's own song Enchanted, with some lyrical modifications, and released on Valentine's day 2011.

Parachute singer Will Anderson released the song White Dress on the band's 2011 album (also including a song called Forever and Always, coincidence?) saying it was written for a "good friend" who was also a "famous singer" after it had been speculated that the two were dating.

There has also been rumors that John Mayer may have responded to Dear John on his latest album in a song called Shadow Days (it also includes a song called Speak For Me, a bit reminiscent of Tay's title for Speak Now.)

Most recently Swift has inspired The Ready Set to write the song For The Better inspired by Tay's tumultuous love life. Including a plethora of references to Taylor's most recent exploits referencing everything from little interruptions (Kanye) to recent heartbreak (Harry.)
Listen to it here

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

Stephen Barker Liles' "Try And Make It Anyway" Lyrics

The curly hair and the cowboy boots
How could anyone get over you
They must have really been a big ol' fool baby
Cause I can't help it when I look at you
Every piece of me comes undo
Tell me girl that you feel it too
Oh tell me, won't you tell me

Cause this could be the real thing baby
If we let it go, we'll just regret it and we'll be sorry,
if we don't lay it on the line, we'll be wasting time, and
everything inside of me is telling me yes, that it's you and me honey,
it's our chance, this world is going crazy, so baby
what do you say, we'll try to make it anyway

We'll take a walk to the river baby
Bring our guitars and let the music play
I don't care if it rains all day baby
Cause we can go where we wanna go
Like New York honey, it's our show
And we won't listen if they tell us no, no way

Cause this could be the real thing baby
If we let it go, we'll just regret it and we'll be sorry,
if we don't lay it on the line, we'll be wasting time, and
everything inside of me is telling me yes, that it's you and me honey,
it's our chance, this world is going crazy, so baby
what do you say, we'll try to make it anyway la la la la la la

This could be the real thing baby if we let it go,
we'll just regret it and we'll be sorry, if we don't lay it on the line,
we'll be wasting time, and everything inside of me is telling me yes,
that it's you and me honey, it's our chance, this world
is going crazy, but baby what do you say, we try to make it anyway

Your curly hair and your cowboy boots
How could anyone get over you
He must have really been a big ol' fool baby

Stephen Barker Liles

Early 2008 (Hey Stephen)

Stephen - half of the duo Love & Theft - and Taylor became close friends while on tour in 2008, just in time for her to write and add Hey Stephen to her 2008 album Fearless. Despite a six year age difference, the two talked often and spent much time together. Turns out, feelings might have been mutual as Stephen wrote Try to Make it Anyway about Taylor, which was not included on Love & Theft’s second album but received huge internet popularity. Though nothing ever happened between them, we got two great songs out of it.

Sources: 1, 2

Hey Stephen (Fearless)

Hidden Message: Love and Theft

Taylor Swift’s tendency to include names in her songs is prevalent in Hey Stephen, written for a guy she never admitted she liked. “It’s totally flattering to have somebody write a song like that for you,” gushes Stephen Barker Liles of Swift’s self-proclaimed favorite band Love and Theft. Liles and Swift never dated – in fact they only talked a few times. Swift describes her relationship with Liles as strictly platonic, saying, “sometimes all it takes to write a song about someone is thinking that they’re cute.” “When my album came out,” Swift explains, “I sent him a text message: ‘Hey, Track 5.’ It was so funny. He sent me back a long email saying, “Oh, my God!” Liles perpetuates the sweet talk and describes Swift as “a total sweetheart.” “Anyone would be lucky to go out with her,” he continues.

Sources: 1, 2, 3