Full Analysis: “Mr Perfectly Fine” Meaning (& Who it’s About)
Taylor Swift’s Fearless vault track Mr Perfectly Fine is an anthem to a horrible ex. On the surface, it’s an angry and bitter letter to a boy who broke her heart, but deep down, there’s so much more to it than that.
In this vault track, Taylor is playing with themes of duality, betrayal, promises, and the fragility of personas.
Here’s my full English teacher analysis of Taylor’s Mr Perfectly Fine meaning, line by line.
![Cover image for Swiftly Sung Stories' post analyzing the meaning of Taylor Swift's "Mr Perfectly Fine". A gold glitter background features the title text: "Analysing Mr Perfectly Fine (Taylor's Version)[From the Vault] with Swiftly Sung Stories branding at the bottom.](https://swiftlysungstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/taylor-swift-mr-perfectly-fine-meaning-cover-image-1024x1024.jpg)
Mr Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] by Taylor Swift
- Title: Mr Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version)[From the Vault]
- Track: 22, Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
- Written By: Taylor Swift
- Pen: Glitter Gel Pen
- Lyrics via Genius
Mr Perfectly Fine Narrative Analysis
- Setting: After a confusing breakup, writing an angry message to her ex.
- Characters: Narrator (Taylor, “Miss Misery”), Subject (Mr Perfectly Fine, ex-boyfriend)
- Mood: Bitter, angry, vengeful.
- Conflict: A two-faced liar broke Taylor’s heart.
- Inciting Incident: A breakup, and possibly cheating.
- Quest: Let him know how much he hurt her, and let everyone else know what kind of guy he really is.
- Theme: Telling the truth about a man’s toxic behavior.
Who is Mr Perfectly Fine About?
It’s widely believed to be about Joe Jonas, who infamously broke up with Taylor over the phone. This was her most widely-publicized breakup in the Fearless era.
Taylor has never confirmed the rumor that the song is about the Jonas brother, but some of the details fit in perfectly with what we know about their relationship and how it ended.
Why is Ms Perfectly Fine Track 22?
We know that 22 plays an important role in the Taylorverse. This number is, of course, its own song off the Red album. That song is about growing up, learning lessons, and being a bit carefree.
Putting Mr Perfectly Fine at track 22 on Taylor’s Version is a little wink to her audience, tying it into the larger scope of the lessons she learned at this point in her life.
Mr Perfectly Fine Meaning: Line by Line
![Annotated portions of Taylor Swift's "Mr Perfectly Fine" (Taylor's Version)[From the Vault] on a glittering gold background. English teachers' red pen translates the song's meaning, line by line.
The first verse lyrics read: "Mr. "Perfect face," Mr. "Here to stay"
Mr. "Looked me in the eye and told me you would never go away"
Everything was right, Mr. "I've been waitin' for you all my life"
Mr. "Every single day until the end, I will be by your side"](https://swiftlysungstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/mr-perfectly-fine-taylor-swift-meaning-annotated-verse-1-1024x1024.jpg)
From the outset, there’s an angry and bitter tone to the otherwise upbeat song.
“Mr. “Perfect face,” Mr. “Here to stay”,” she says in the first verse, “Mr. “Looked me in the eye and told me you would never go away.” On the surface, these seem like positive nicknames that could be used to describe a Prince Charming.
But she’s not saying that at all: she’s personifying the lying and cheating by giving him satirical nicknames. She’s playing with caricatures and stereotypes, which all serve to insult and demean him in the way he did to her.
“Everything was right,” she says of their early days, “Mr. “I’ve been waitin’ for you all my life.” In the beginning, he love-bombed her, making her feel like everything was right on track. This could be the one, she thought, because he told her so.
“Mr. “Every single day until the end, I will be by your side” told her that he would stick around, but – as we can tell by the tone of the song – it was all a lie.
From the very first verse, we can see how he love-bombed her right from the start. He showered her with huge promises, none of which he kept.
We can see some parallels here with other breakups on the Fearless album, notably Forever & Always, You’re Not Sorry, and Tell Me Why. This track could potentially be about the same relationship, but we can’t be sure.
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Pre-Chorus: “Mr Change of Heart”
![Annotated portions of Taylor Swift's "Mr Perfectly Fine" (Taylor's Version)[From the Vault] on a glittering gold background. English teachers' red pen translates the song's meaning, line by line.
The first pre-chorus lyrics read: "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"](https://swiftlysungstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/mr-perfectly-fine-meaning-annotated-pre-chorus-1-1024x1024.jpg)
“But that was when I got to know Mr. “Change of heart”,” she says of the time when the shine wore off. The love bombing stopped, and she got to know the real person underneath.
He promised her forever, then had a “change of heart.” She’s portraying him as a two-faced, Jekyll & Hyde-type character, who says one thing and does another, just like the subject of Tell Me Why.
“Mr. “Leaves me all alone,” I fall apart,” she says of his abandonment. This feels like he ghosted her, or left without an explanation. He was supposed to be her partner, but now she’s been left alone and confused.
“It takes everything in me just to get up each day,” she says of herself post-breakup, “But it’s wonderful to see that you’re okay.” She’s entirely broken and depressed, torn apart by this unforeseen heartbreak.
It’s not, in fact, “wonderful to see that you’re okay.” It’s incredibly painful to see that he’s totally unaffected by their breakup. He’s moving on, while she can barely get out of bed.
Chorus: “How’s Your Heart After Breakin’ Mine?”
![Annotated portions of Taylor Swift's "Mr Perfectly Fine" (Taylor's Version)[From the Vault] on a glittering gold background. English teachers' red pen translates the song's meaning, line by line.
The first chorus lyrics read: "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 Miss Misery since your goodbye
And you're Mr. "Perfectly fine"](https://swiftlysungstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/mr-perfectly-fine-lyrics-meaning-chorus-annotations-1024x1024.jpg)
“Hello, Mr. “Perfectly fine,” she greets him in the chorus, “How’s your heart after breakin’ mine?” This is a subtle nod to him: ‘hey, remember me? The girl who you abandoned?’
She’s not actually asking how his heart is, because she knows exactly how it is: cold, or non-existent.
“Mr. “Always at the right place at the right time,” baby,” she says of his miraculous ability to take advantage of situations. But this is also a subtle suggestion he cheated. He just “happened” to fall into the lap of another woman.
“Hello, Mr. “Casually cruel,” she says, pulling in a phrase from All Too Well, “Mr. “Everything revolves around you.” His cruelty was subtle and purposeful, and he’s shallow and self-obsessed.
“I’ve been Miss Misery since your goodbye,” she says of her current state of mind, “And you’re Mr. “Perfectly fine.” She’s the stereotypical heartbroken girl, and he’s totally unbothered.
Verse 2: “Mr Insincere Apology”
![Annotated portions of Taylor Swift's "Mr Perfectly Fine" (Taylor's Version)[From the Vault] on a glittering gold background. English teachers' red pen translates the song's meaning, line by line.
The second verse lyrics read: "Mr. "Never told me 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"](https://swiftlysungstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/mr-perfectly-fine-lyrical-analysis-verse-2-annotations-1024x1024.jpg)
“Mr. “Never told me why,” she says in the second verse, “Mr. “Never had to see me cry.” He never explained why he broke up with her; he just ghosted. He left, so he never had to deal with the consequences of his actions. He never had to see her get hurt, because he wasn’t there.
“Mr. “Insincere apology, so he doesn’t look like the bad guy” describes his two-faced nature. He pretends to be sorry, or apologizes publicly, so that his image won’t be tainted. But it’s all a ruse.
“He goes about his day, forgets he ever even heard my name,” she says, imagining he has completely erased her from his heart and mind.
But here she’s changed from 2nd person “you”, directed toward him, to 3rd person “he”. This either points toward his two-faced nature (like “you” and “he” act like two different people), or suggests the universal nature of dating a narcissistic jerk.
“Well, I thought you might be different than the rest,” she says of her past relationships, and then shrugs, “I guess you’re all the same.” She has been hurt like this before, and she thought this person would be different. But now, she assumes, all guys are terrible.
Pre-Chorus: “Pickin’ up My Heart/Pickin’ up Her”
![Annotated portions of Taylor Swift's "Mr Perfectly Fine" (Taylor's Version)[From the Vault] on a glittering gold background. English teachers' red pen translates the song's meaning, line by line.
The 2nd pre-chorus lyrics read: "Because 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 phased you"](https://swiftlysungstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/taylor-swift-mr-perfectly-fine-meaning-pre-chorus-2-annotations-1024x1024.jpg)
No sooner has he broken up with her than he’s going out with someone else.
“Because I hear he’s got his arm ’round a brand-new girl,” she says in the second pre-chorus. He’s got a new victim in his clutches.
“I’ve been pickin’ up my heart,” she says, collecting the pieces of her broken self, while “he’s been pickin’ up her.” He moved on in an instant, “picking up” another girl the second he’s ghosted Taylor. He jumps from woman to woman, not caring about his path of destruction.
“And I never got past what you put me through,” she says, “But it’s wonderful to see that it never phased you.” She’s still not over this heartbreak, and she sarcastically jabs at his ability to compartmentalize his life and relationships.
Bridge: “You’ll Be Mr Too Late”
![Annotated portions of Taylor Swift's "Mr Perfectly Fine" (Taylor's Version)[From the Vault] on a glittering gold background. English teachers' red pen translates the song's meaning, line by line.
The bridge lyrics read: "So dignified in your well-pressed suit
So strategized, all the eyes on you
Sashay your way to your 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 feelin' 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"](https://swiftlysungstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/mr-perfectly-fine-song-meaning-annotated-bridge-lyrics-1024x1024.jpg)
The bridge is the first time we get a physical description of the notorious ex: “so dignified in your well-pressed suit.” He’s pompous, and full of himself.
He’s “So strategized,” with the goal of always having “all the eyes on you.” Everything he does is purposeful and intentional (just like Taylor), but his motives are vain.
He will “Sashay your way to your seat,” she says of his strut across the room, where he’ll be at “the best seat in the best room.” He’s pompous, and thinks very highly of himself. But this song tears him down, bit by bit.
“Oh, he’s so smug, Mr. “Always wins,” she says. At this point we have to question if they’re at some kind of award show: is this the first time she’s seen him since the breakup, and this is her inner monologue, watching him win an award he doesn’t deserve?
He’s “So far above me in every sense,” she says, feeling like she’s “beneath” him. But, as she characterizes him in this song, it’s all a facade of superiority.
It’s also ironic, because today, Taylor soars high above every other person on the planet. She’s the most famous and successful artist in the world, but he made her feel like she was trash.
He’s “So far above feelin’ anything,” she says of his cold heart and pompous demeanor. He’s acting like everything is fine, and Taylor can’t pretend she doesn’t feel anything. She’s broken.
“And it’s really such a shame,” she says, “’Cause I was Miss “Here to stay.” She would have stayed with him forever, but it’s (satirically) a “shame” that he showed his true colors.
“Now I’m Miss “Gonna be alright someday,” she says of her hope that she’ll recover from this breakup. Time will heal, she just doesn’t know how quickly.
“And someday, maybe you’ll miss me,” she imagines his future regret, “But by then, you’ll be Mr. “Too late.” Once he finally comes around, or if he comes around, it’ll be too late, because Taylor will have forgotten all about him.
By then, it’ll be too late for this narcissist to realize what he missed. It already is.
Final Chorus & Outro: “You’re Perfectly Fine”
![Annotated portions of Taylor Swift's "Mr Perfectly Fine." English teacher's red pen translates hidden meanings and helps the reader understand the central message of the song.
The final chorus and outro lyrics read: "Goodbye, Mr. "Perfectly fine"
How's your heart after breakin' 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"
[Outro]
You're perfectly fine
Mr. "Looked me in the eye and told me you would never go away"
You said you'd never go away"](https://swiftlysungstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mr-perfectly-fine-meaning-final-chorus-and-outro-lyrical-annotations-1024x1024.jpg)
The final chorus changes from “hello” to “goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Mr. “Perfectly fine,” she says, emotionally moving on from him, and leaving him in the dust.
“How’s your heart after breakin’ mine?” she asks rhetorically once again. By this point, we’ve learned that he doesn’t even have a heart.
“Goodbye, Mr. “Casually cruel,” she says, “I’ve been Miss Misery for the last time.” She’ll never again tolerate this type of behavior, from him, or from anyone.
“And you’re Mr. “Perfectly fine,” she says, closing out the track, “You’re perfectly fine.” He’s no longer “Mr” perfectly fine – he’s simply “perfectly fine.”
This is Taylor’s final dig. He was “fine” – nothing special or spectacular. He said he’d never leave, but he did. And now he’s leaving her heart for one last time, and she’s the one who is – actually – “perfectly fine” without him.
“Mr. “Looked me in the eye and told me you would never go away,” she says one last time, remembering all the painful lies he told.
“You said you’d never go away,” she tells him directly in the final line. But now that he’s shown his true colors, she wants him to go away. ‘Get out of my life,’ she seems to day, ‘and never, ever come back.’
⭐️ How well do you know Fearless? Take the Fearless TV Lyrics Quiz ⭐️
Mr Perfectly Fine Meaning: Final Thoughts
This is an absolutely brutal song, and in popular culture, everyone assumes we know who it’s about. If it is, good luck to him, especially with recent events.
It may have been best that she kept this one in the vault for the perfect time, as the media would have dragged her even further for writing about her ex-boyfriends.
But now? She’s invincible. And that little band called the Jonas Brothers? They seem very, very small in the rearview mirror. They’re “perfectly fine,” while Taylor Swift is the most powerful and popular artist on the planet.
More Songs from Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
- Fearless & Fearless TV Prologues
- Fearless
- Fifteen
- Love Story
- Hey Stephen
- White Horse
- You Belong With Me
- Breathe
- Tell Me Why
- You’re Not Sorry
- The Way I Loved You
- Forever & Always
- The Best Day
- Change
- Jump Then Fall
- Untouchable
- Come in With the Rain
- Superstar
- The Other Side of the Door
- Today Was a Fairytale
- You All Over Me [From the Vault]
- Mr Perfectly Fine [From the Vault]
- We Were Happy [From the Vault]
- That’s When (ft. Keith Urban) [From the Vault]
- Don’t You [From the Vault]
- Bye Bye Baby [From the Vault]