What Does ‘We Fell in Love in October’ Mean? Why Girl in Red’s Song Goes Viral Every October

Girl in red‘s “we fell in love in october” is taking over social media again as the calendar turns to fall.
The song has become an annual October favorite, with fans using it in TikTok videos and other posts celebrating girlfriends, relationships and the start of the season.
But what is “we fell in love in october” actually about, and why does it come back every year?
What Does “We Fell in Love in October” Mean?
The song is much more personal than a generic fall love song.
Girl in red, whose real name is Marie Ulven, revealed that she originally wrote the song in 2015 about the first relationship she had with a girl.
“I wrote it in 2015, and it’s basically the first song I wrote about a girl in the first relationship I had with a girl,” she told The FADER in 2018.
She explained that she had previously been dating a boy before entering the relationship and that the song represented her openly embracing her feelings after struggling with them.
“It’s just me declaring my love for this girl,” she said.
The chorus repeatedly refers to “my girl,” turning the song into a direct declaration of love rather than simply a song about autumn.
Why Does “We Fell in Love in October” Trend Every October?
The song has developed an unusual annual life of its own.
Marie has acknowledged that the track resurfaces on the charts each fall.
“It starts charting every year,” she told The Line of Best Fit, explaining that the yearly phenomenon eventually inspired her to revisit the story behind the song.
She has also said that she was encouraged every fall to make TikToks and Instagram posts promoting the song again, though she initially resisted because she no longer felt emotionally connected to it in the same way.
“I’m not in the same place as I was when I wrote the song, emotionally or artistically, so pretending to be so felt boring and uninteresting,” she admitted in a statement years later after releasing her follow-up, “October Passed Me By.”
The song’s title and references to falling in love in October have naturally made it a seasonal favorite as fall begins.
Why Is October 1 Connected to the Song?
In recent years, October 1 has also become associated with a social media trend in which users post their girlfriends or romantic partners to the song, helping give the track another yearly boost as the month begins.
The trend has a particularly strong connection with queer women and the WLW community, reflecting the meaning behind the original song, although its annual October resurgence now reaches a broader audience as well.
When Did “We Fell in Love in October” Come Out?
Girl in red officially released “we fell in love in october” on November 21, 2018, alongside the song “forget her.”
The track was written, recorded and produced by Marie herself.
Interestingly, that means the song was released after October, despite eventually becoming so closely associated with the month.
Is There a Sequel to “We Fell in Love in October”?
Yes.
In October 2022, girl in red released “October Passed Me By,” a follow-up to the original song that was produced with Aaron Dessner.
Marie said the song “is where I’m at today, emotionally and musically.”
“Grateful for what has been, and full of love for a very special person that made a huge impact on me as a person.”
“I thought it was way cooler to expand the we fell in love in October universe artistically, rather than making some uninspired videos that will disappear into the black hole of content that is TikTok,” she added.
You can listen to “we fell in love in october” below.
Listen to girl in red’s “we fell in love in october”
Read the Lyrics to girl in red’s “we fell in love in october”
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