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Mr. Perfectly Fine (From The Vault)

Promotional Single | Fearless (Taylor's Version) [2021]

“Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]” is a song from Taylor’s re-recorded album Fearless (Taylor’s Version) [2021]. It was released as one of the six “From the Vault” tracks that were written for the original Fearless (2008), but scrapped before its release.

Background and Release

Following the dispute regarding her masters, Taylor announced the first of her re-recorded albums, Fearless (Taylor’s Version), a re-recording of her 2008 album Fearless, on February 11, 2021. Alongside the announcement, she revealed she would release six songs, all dubbed “From the Vault” that did not make the 2008 album. Taylor explained several reasons for the scrapping of the vault tracks, including not wanting too many breakup or down-tempo songs on the album, and the limitations of how many songs could fit on CDs in 2008. In her announcement of the album, Taylor wrote “I’ve decided I want you to have the whole story. See the entire vivid picture, and let you into the entire dreamscape that is my Fearless album.”

On April 6, 2021, Taylor announced that one of the scrapped songs, titled “Mr. Perfectly Fine”would be released the next day on April 7 as the third single from Fearless (Taylor’s Version). She wrote: “Me in 2020: life is chill, writing songs based in fiction to avoid drama, feeling pretty grown up. My 2008 music from the vault, in a goblin voice: ‘REELEEEEEEASE MR PERFECTLY FIIIIIIINE'”

Lyrical Theme and Production

“Mr. Perfectly Fine” was written solely by Taylor in 2009 and was recorded sometime from November 2020 to January 2021, with production from Taylor and Jack Antonoff. Mikey and Evan from Jack’s band Bleachers also contributed to some of the backing instruments. Lyrically, “Mr. Perfectly Fine” is a kiss-off track describing the tumultuous feelings experienced by the narrator after a derailed romantic relationship, using extensive wordplay. Taylor told Amazon Music in April, 2021:

«'Mr. Perfectly Fine' is a song that I wrote alone. It was definitely an early indicator of me creeping towards a pop sensibility. I've always listened to every type of music and even though 'Fearless' is a country album there were always these pop melodies creeping in. But I love this song, I love the bridge, I think the lyrics are just wonderfully scathing and full of the teen angst that you would hope to hear on an album that I wrote when I was 17 or 18, or on that cusp.»

Taylor Swift

Musically, the song sounds like a classic Fearless-era Taylor tale of romantic woe. It is an upbeat country pop tune incorporating elements of rock and instrumented by energetic guitars and bass.

Live Performance

“Mr. Perfectly Fine” received its first live performance acoustically on guitar on June 16, 2023, in Pittsburgh during one of Taylor’s shows on “The Eras Tour“. Before playing the song, Taylor said:

«On Fearless, there is a 'From The Vault' track that I honestly don't know why it didn't make the album. I still can't remember because I loved it so much! And I still love it now, and so I have decided to play it tonight.»

Taylor Swift

Critical Reception

“Mr. Perfectly Fine” received critical acclaim. Vulture‘s Zoey Haylock wrote that the song brings back memories of “your high-school heartbreak”, boasting a “classic T-Swift bridge and a final, soaring chorus”. Haylock dubbed the song “a 2008 time capsule” and praising the “magic and curiosity” reminiscent of the original Fearless. Similarly, Madeline Crone of American Songwriter applauded the collaboration with Jack Antonoff as “breath[ing] life into a new classic” and recalled the “age-old feelings” its country-pop production provokes. Writing for Rolling Stone, Claire Shaffer noted Taylor’s “clever wordplay”, and described its sound as “a classic Swift mix of country and pop with an added rock edge.”

Commercial Performance

“Mr. Perfectly Fine” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart dated April 17, 2021, marking Taylor’s 17th No. 1 entry on the chart. It replaced her own “You All Over Me” from the top spot. Upon the release of Fearless (Taylor’s Version), “Mr. Perfectly Fine” skyrocketed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart from its debut at twenty, scoring Taylor her 26th top-10 entry on the chart. On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, “Mr. Perfectly Fine” rose to No. 30 from its debut of No. 90, becoming Taylor’s 80th entry inside the top 40 of the chart, extending her record for the most top-40 entries among women.

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Mr. “Perfect face”
Mr. “Here to stay”
Mr. “Look me in the eye and told me you would never go away”
Everything was right
Mr. “I’ve been waiting for you all my life”
Mr. “Every single day until the end, I will be by your side”

[Pre-Chorus 1]
But that was when I got to know Mr. “Change of heart”
Mr. “Leaves me all alone”
I fall apart
It takes everything in me just to get up each day
But it’s wonderful to see that you’re okay

[Chorus 1]
Hello Mr. “Perfectly fine”
How’s your heart after breaking mine?
Mr. “Always at the right place at the right time,” baby
Hello Mr. “Casually cruel”
Mr. “Everything revolves around you”
I’ve been Miss “Misery” since you said goodbye
And you’re Mr. “Perfectly fine”

[Verse 2]
Mr. “Never told you why”
Mr. “Never had to see me cry”
Mr. “Insincere apology so he doesn’t look like the bad guy”
He goes about his day
Forgets he ever even heard my name
Well, I thought you might be different than the rest
I guess you’re all the same

[Pre-Chorus 2]
‘Cause I hear he’s got his arm ’round a brand new girl
I’ve been picking up my heart
He’s been picking up her
And I never got past what you put me through
But it’s wonderful to see that it never fazed you

[Bridge]
So dignified in your well-pressed suit
So strategized
All the eyes on you
Sashay away to the best seat
It’s the best seat
In the best room
Oh, he’s so smug
Mr. “Always wins”
So far above me in every sense
So far above being anything
And it’s really such a shame
It’s such a shame
‘Cause I was Miss “Here to stay”
Now I’m Miss “Gonna be alright someday”
And someday maybe you’ll miss me
But by then you”ll be Mr. “Too late”

[Chorus 2]
Goodbye Mr. “Perfectly fine”
How’s your heart after breaking mine?
Mr. “Always at the right place at the right time,” baby
Goodbye Mr. “Casually cruel”
Mr. “Everything revolves around you”
I’ve been Miss “Misery” for the last time
And you’re Mr. “Perfectly fine”
You’re perfectly fine

[Outro]
Mr. “Look me in the eye and told me you would never go”
You said you’d never go away