Taylor Swift - Mean: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Mean" on your guitar with our detailed chord guide and lyrics. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

Learn Mean Guitar Chords and Lyrics by Taylor Swift

This section will guide you through each part of the song, providing the guitar chords placed directly above the lyrics for easy playing. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, these elements will help you perform "Mean" smoothly on your guitar.

For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.

C#m             B                      A
You, with your words like knives and swords
                     A
And weapons that you use against me
C#m         B                A
You, have knocked me off my feet again
        A
Got me feelin' like a nothin'
C#m             B                      A
You, with your voice like nails on a chalk board
           A
Callin' me out when I'm wounded
C#m   B                     A     A
You, pickin' on the weaker man

B
  Well you can take me down
E                A       B
  With just one single blow
     A
But you don't know, what you don't know.

Chorus:
 E      B        C#m                A
Someday I'll be livin in a big ol' city
    E          B                 A
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
 E      B       C#m                      A
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
    E          B                 A
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
  A                E
Why you gotta be so mean?

E   D E   E

C#m              B
You, with your switching sides
          A                      A
And your wildfire lies and your humiliation
C#m       B               A
You have pointed out my flaws again
         A
As if I don't already see them
C#m            B
  I walk with my head down,
            A
Trying to block you out
             A
'Cause I'll never impress you
C#m     B           A         A
I just wanna feel okay again

B
  I bet you got pushed around
E           A         B
  Somebody made you cold
              B
But the cycle ends right now
        A                 A
'Cause you can't lead me down that road
     A                   A
And you don't know what you don't know

Chorus:
 E      B        C#m                A
Someday I'll be livin in a big ol' city
    E          B                 A
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
 E      B       C#m                      A
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
    E          B                 A
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
  A                E
Why you gotta be so mean?

E   D E   E
A   B A   A

             B
And I can't see you years from now in a bar
E                A        B
 Talkin' over a football game
                    B
With that same big loud opinion
   E          A    B
But no one's listening
               B
Washed up and ranting about the
C#m       B       A     A
Same old bitter things
  B                              C#m B     A
Drunk and grumblin' all about how I can't sing
                  E     B   C#m   A
But all you are is mean
                E          B          C#m
All you are is mean and a liar and pathetic
      A                E
And alone in life and mean,
     B         C#m       A
And mean, and mean, and mean

     E      B        C#m                A
But someday I'll be livin in a big ol' city
     E         B                 A     A
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah

 E       B        C#m                     A
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
    E          B                 A
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
  A
Why you gotta be so
 E       B        C#m                 A
Someday, I'll be living in a big old city
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
    E          B                 A
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
  A
Why you gotta be so
 E       B        C#m                     A
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
    E          B                 A
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
  A                E
Why you gotta be so mean?


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A

Guitar chord A

C#m

Guitar chord C#m

D

Guitar chord D

E

Guitar chord E

B

Guitar chord B

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "Mean" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Mean" by Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift Song List