Meaning of “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]” by Taylor Swift

Republic Records has thus far re-released three of the six albums Taylor Swift originally dropped under Big Machine Records. Said re-releases, which have also been re-recorded, have been dubbed “Taylor’s Version” of the originals. Along with them come a number of “From the Vault” bonus tracks, which not only grants Swift the means to make previously-unreleased songs public, but they can also potentially act as singles.

And so it appears with “I Can See You”. This song came out on 7 July 2023, with the rest of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)”. But unlike its other “From the Vault” tracks (thus far), this one also came complete with its own music video, which Swift likewise premiered on July 7^th while on tour in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Furthermore, the clip features a few notable names, including Hollywood stars Joey King and Taylor Lautner, the latter of whom actually dated Swift back in the late aughts. So it looks as if “I Can See You” is getting the singles’ treatment, even though it hasn’t been officially announced as one (as of this writing).

THE NEXT TAYLOR’S VERSION?

Thus far, there have been three re-recorded Taylor Swift albums – 

• “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” (2021)
• “Red (Taylor’s Version)” (2021)
• “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” (2023)

That means that she still has “Taylor Swift” (2006), “1989” (2014) and “Reputation” (2017) to re-record and re-release. And there are what have been interpreted as clues on the music video to “I Can See You” which Swifties believes points to either 1989 or “Reputation” (though most likely the former) being next on the list.

THE COMPOSERS OF “I CAN SEE YOU”

Taylor Swift gets complete writing credit for this song, and she co-produced it with Jack Antonoff.  Antonoff is a musician Swift seriously began working with during the 1989 days, and since then he has been involved in all of her studio albums as well as the “Taylor’s Version” projects.

THE LYRICS OF “I CAN SEE YOU”

Perhaps the easiest way of describing this piece is as a song of sexual longing. The lyrics read more or less like your standard tale of lusty, pent-up anticipation, with the bridge later on indicating that the vocalist and addressee do proceed to at least share a hot kiss somewhere along the line. But from a certain angle, it can be argued that what’s not being said is more interesting than what is.

For instance, the listener is able to piece together that the two main parties involved are co-workers or at least associates in some type of setting where professionalism is in order. That’s another way of saying that even though Taylor wants dude to straight up jump her and is seemingly presuming he feels the same, she knows that such is not possible, at least not openly like that. 

Or put more precisely, the lyrics give the impression that their relationship is somehow illicit or forbidden or that at least it would be in the eyes of their colleagues. It may even be something like a student/teacher sort of thing going on here, since a certain “hallway” plays a major role in this narrative, and that type of terminology is usually reserved for the likes of educational institutions. 

But more to the ultimate point wouldn’t be the type of professional relationship they share but rather it putting the lovers in a position where they are close proximity, exchanging pheromones and all but cannot actually touch each other.

“‘Cause I can see you waitin’ down the hall from me
And I could see you up against the wall with me
And what would you do? Baby, if you only knew
That I can see you”