The 'American Pie' singer held the record for nearly 50 years.
Taylor Swift is acknowledging a long-time record holder. Following the release of Red (Taylor's Version), Swift's 10-minute version of her beloved track, "All Too Well," became the longest song to ever reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100's U.S. chart, a record that was held by Don McLean's "American Pie" for nearly 50 years.
After Swift's song, which is 10 minutes and 13 seconds long, topped McLean's, which runs for eight minutes and 37 seconds, the "All Too Well" singer sent the "American Pie" crooner flowers and a handwritten note.
"Don, I will never forget that I'm standing on the shoulders of giants," Swift's note reads, according to a pic McLean shared on Instagram. "Your music has been so important to me. Sending love one writer of LONG SONGS to another. Your fan, Taylor."
McLean was touched by the gesture, calling Swift "a class act," and writing, "Thank you Taylor Swift for the flowers and note."
Swift previously reacted to becoming a new record-holder on Twitter, joking that she let out a "FERAL SCREECH" upon hearing the news.
"I’m so proud of this song and the memories I have with you guys because of it. You truly chose this one and now you did THIS?! I’m floored. A ten minute song is at the top of the Hot 100," she wrote. "THANK YOU to the team that made All Too Well (the 10 min): The ultimate craftsman of songs that sound epic @jackantonoff, bad ass @Sharp_Stick, @rowedizzle and @lizrose06! Love you all."
Along with the 10-minute version of "All Too Well," Swift directed and wrote a short film featuring the track. When ET spoke to Swift at the premiere of All Too Well: The Short Film, she gushed over turning "one of my favorite songs I've ever written" into a short film.
"That's all the fans' doing," she said. "I just wanted to think about what could I do over the course of one week that would make them as happy or try to make them as happy as they've made me."
Red (Taylor's Version) is out now.
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