Mr. Perfectly Fine (From The Vault)
Promotional Single | Fearless (Taylor's Version) [2021]
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' 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.»
Critical Reception
Commercial Performance
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]
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]
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 Ms. “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]
‘Cause I hear he’s got his arm ’round a brand new girl
I’ve been pickin’ up my heart, he’s been pickin’ up her
And I never got past what you put me through
But it’s wonderful to see that it never fazed you
[Chorus]
Hello Mr. “Perfectly fine”
How’s your heart after breakin’ mine?
Mr. “Always at the right place at the right time,” baby
Hello Mr. “Casually cruel”
Mr. “Everything revolves around you”
I’ve been Ms. “Misery” since you said goodbye
And you’re Mr. “Perfectly fine”
[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]
Hello Mr. “Perfectly fine”
How’s your heart after breakin’ mine?
Mr. “Always at the right place at the right time,” baby
Hello Mr. “Casually cruel”
Mr. “Everything revolves around you”
I’ve been Ms. “Misery” since you said goodbye
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
Album | Fearless (Taylor’s Version) | |||
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Released | April 7, 2021 | |||
Recorded | November 2020–February 2021 | |||
Written | 2009 | |||
Genre | Country Pop | |||
Length | 4:37 | |||
Label | Republic Records | |||
Songwriter | Taylor Swift | |||
Producers | Jack Antonoff Taylor Swift | |||
FEARLESS CHRONOLOGY | ||||
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