I hate to write about someone I’ve already written about because I really like including a variety of artists on this blog, but as soon as I heard this song I knew I had to write about it. As we know, Taylor has had a huge influence on me as both a person and a writer, and I know 8-year-old me would have adored this song just as much as 19-year-old me does. “Mr. Perfectly Fine” is one of six bonus, “from the Vault” tracks on Swift’s re-recorded Fearless album. She released the song on April 7th, just two days before releasing the entirely re-recorded album.

On the first listen, you’d fully believe the song was straight off the 2009 album if weren’t for Swift’s matured vocals. The song’s subject matter deals with a boyfriend who promises to stay with Taylor but leaves her as soon as he gets bored. The upbeat drums paired with the subtle guitars and synths give the song a rock-inspired feel that is characteristic of the Fearless era. Naive love and heartbreak are a staple of this era of Taylor Swift music, as well as the slightly bitter outlook on an ex-relationship that is common among teenagers. The track is the perfect material to dance around your bedroom to, especially with the key change in the final chorus.

If you couldn’t already tell the song is from Taylor’s time in country music, the lyrical choices will definitely make that clear. Country artists have a habit of describing experiences through the actual setting of the situation, and Taylor is no stranger to that technique. Lines like “so dignified in your well-pressed suit / so strategized, all the eyes on you” are a prime example of this. Taylor describes his physical appearance, but there is more to it than that. By describing his suit as “dignified” and his movements as “strategized”, she builds this character of the guy who thinks he’s better than everyone else and plans his movements to keep that “cool guy” image up. She even goes as far as to say he thinks his seat is “the best seat, in the best room”, which further characterizes him. This technique accompanied by the repetition of “Mr.” makes for an insanely catchy song.

When I heard this song, I questioned why it hadn’t made it onto the album originally. Was it Taylor’s choice? The label’s? Either way, I know it would have been a hit if it had been released back then and it only makes me more excited to hear more songs “from the Vault”. If a song this catchy and this well written, especially for the time but for the present day as well, didn’t make it, imagine all of the songs from other albums that we missed out on hearing. Needless to say, I’m very excited about Taylor’s upcoming re-records and I’m especially excited to remove all of the old versions from my Spotify and replace them with Taylor’s versions.