Diane Warren declares ‘Say Don’t Go’ with Taylor Swift was ‘worth the wait’

Diane Warren shared her excitement about co-writing the heartfelt ballad Say Don’t Go with Taylor Swift and her admiration for Swift’s meticulous approach to songwriting.

A decade in the making, the collaboration between legendary songwriter Diane Warren and global superstar Taylor Swift has finally seen the light of day. The duo co-wrote Say Don’t Go, a poignant breakup ballad, which was released as part of Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” album on Friday.

In a recent interview with The Rolling Stone, Warren, known for her iconic compositions like I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing and If I Could Turn Back Time, discussed her creative process with Swift. 

Warren expressed her initial wonder at why Say Don’t Go didn’t make it onto the original 1989 tracklist. However, the songwriter believes that  “Everything has its time, you know? It took a while to see the light of day, but I’m glad it finally did. It was worth the wait.”

She praised Swift’s attention to detail, sayings, “She’s deeply aware of how her fans want to hear something. I can’t explain it, but that’s probably why she’s the biggest star in the world.” 

Say Don’t Go was born at the end of 2013 when Swift and Warren recorded a demo on New Year’s Day in 2014, showcasing their commitment to their craft. Warren was impressed by Swift’s work ethic, as she was willing to collaborate even on a holiday.

The song’s release was a surprise to Warren, who was informed of it just the night before. She was immediately captivated by the “awesome” record version of the song, hailing it as a “hit” in the making.

“1989 (Taylor’s Version)” is Swift’s fourth re-recording and comes after the successful re-releases of Fearless and Red. The singer celebrated the album’s release on Instagram, expressing her deep connection to it.