Taylor Swift is aware of there’s no higher music inspiration than relationships — and he or she’s seemingly written a number of tunes about her whirlwind romance with John Mayer.
Sparks flew between the 2 after collaborating on Mayer’s 2009 single “Half of My Coronary heart.” Nevertheless, their relationship sparked some controversy for his or her giant age hole as Mayer was 32 and Swift was 19 on the time.
Their age distinction is one thing Swift not-so-subtly referred to as out in her 2010 breakup observe “Pricey John” off her album Converse Now, singing, “Pricey John, I see all of it now, it was mistaken / Don’t you assume 19’s too younger to be performed by your darkish, twisted video games once I cherished you so? / I ought to’ve recognized.”
Swift beforehand tried to play coy when requested about penning the observe about Mayer. “How presumptuous!” she informed Glamour in October 2012. “I by no means disclose who my songs are about.”
In 2019, the “Shake It Off” songstress introduced she could be rerecording her first six albums — Converse Now included — after dropping management of her masters to music supervisor Scooter Braun. Forward of the July 2023 launch of Converse Now (Taylor’s Model), Swift inspired followers to unfold kindness on-line as an alternative of hate. “I’m not placing this album out in order that you must go and really feel the necessity to defend me on the Web towards somebody you assume I might need written the music about 14 million years in the past,” she stated throughout a June 2023 cease on The Eras Tour earlier than performing “Pricey John.”
The night time earlier than the rerecorded album’s launch, Mayer added gas to the rumor hearth by sharing a cryptic message by way of Instagram. In a slideshow of pics, he posted a snap of the phrases “Please Be Variety” written within the sky at one in all his live shows.
Maintain scrolling for each music Swift has reportedly penned about her and Mayer’s relationship:
‘Pricey John,’ Converse Now (2010)
“Pricey John” is probably Swift’s most notable music about Mayer, from the tune’s title to its scathing lyrics about their 13-year-age hole to the ache she skilled following their 2010 cut up. Followers have even famous that the observe’s smooth guitar sound is much like that of Mayer’s personal music.
Launched eight months after their February 2010 cut up, Swift sings, “And also you’ll add my title to your lengthy record of traitors who don’t perceive / And I’ll look again and remorse how I ignored after they stated ‘run as quick as you possibly can.’” Previous to his romance with Swift, Mayer was linked to Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jessica Simpson, Minka Kelly and Jennifer Aniston.
Mayer later stated in a June 2012 interview with Rolling Stone that the music “humiliated him” and made him “really feel horrible.” He continued: “I didn’t deserve it. I’m fairly good at taking accountability now, and I by no means did something to deserve that. It was a extremely awful factor for her to do.”
The next 12 months, he launched the music “Paper Doll,” supposedly about his relationship with Swift. “And if these angel wings don’t fly, somebody’s gonna paint you one other sky,” he sings, seemingly referring to the “Pricey John” lyrics “You paint me a blue sky and return and switch it to rain.”
‘The Story of Us,’ Converse Now (2010)
Swift beforehand informed USA At present that her muses for “The Story of Us” and “Pricey John” have been the identical individual. “’The Story of Us’ is about operating into somebody I had been in a relationship with at an awards present, and we have been seated a number of seats away from one another,” she defined. “I simply wished to say to him, ‘Is that this killing you? As a result of it’s killing me.’ However I didn’t. As a result of I couldn’t. As a result of we each had these silent shields up.”
The music seemingly particulars the aftermath of their awkward encounter on the 2010 CMT Awards in June 2010. “Now I’m standing alone in a crowded room and we’re not talking / And I’m dying to know, is it killing you prefer it’s killing me yeah,” the lyrics state.
Swift goes on to match their reunion to “a contest of who can act like they care much less,” although she sings that she “preferred it higher while you have been on my aspect.”
‘Ours,’ Converse Now (2010)
Not like a few of her different tracks seemingly about Mayer, “Ours” sheds a happier look on their relationship because it tells the story of a pair whose love persists regardless of different individuals’s objections. Whereas the tune could possibly be about Swift’s different romantic connections featured on Converse Now — akin to Taylor Lautner or Joe Jonas — the music’s lyrics function an outline paying homage to Mayer’s look.
“’Trigger I like the hole between the enamel,” Swift sings along with mentioning the man within the music has tattoos. Not solely does Mayer have a spot between his two backside entrance enamel but additionally a sleeve of tattoos on his left arm.
‘Superman,’ Converse Now (2010)
Very similar to “Ours,” lyrics from the Converse Now deluxe version observe “Superman” function an outline many imagine could possibly be Mayer. “Tall, darkish and delightful,” Swift sings within the music, seemingly describing the looks of the tune’s titular superhero.
The lyrics additionally state, “He’s not all unhealthy like his fame.” The identical 12 months as Converse Now’s launch, Mayer was closely criticized after utilizing the N-word and making misogynistic feedback in interviews with Playboy and Rolling Stone.
‘I Knew You Had been Bother,’ Pink (2012)
Swift continued to jot down about her previous with Mayer on her fourth studio album, Pink. Whereas speaking in regards to the observe “IKYWT” on Good Morning America, Swift described the music as about “type of being pissed off with your self as a result of you’ve gotten your coronary heart damaged and also you knew while you first noticed that individual you noticed all these pink flags and also you simply went for it anyway.”
Within the music’s refrain, she remembers that she knew somebody — presumably Mayer — was hassle from early on of their relationship, and that she is ashamed for not recognizing it sooner.
‘Would’ve, Might’ve, Ought to’ve,’ Midnights (2022)
Greater than a decade after the discharge of “Converse Now” Swift dropped one in all her most scathing songs about Mayer on her tenth studio album, Midnights. “And I rattling certain would’ve by no means danced with the satan / At 19, and the God’s sincere fact is that the ache was heaven / And now that I’m grown, I’m petrified of ghosts,” she sings within the tune’s refrain, referring to the age she was throughout their romance. “Recollections really feel like weapons / And now that I do know, I want you left me questioning.”
Maybe the music’s most gut-wrenching lyric comes within the bridge as Swift sings, “If readability’s in demise, then why gained’t this die? / Years of tearing down our banners, you and I / Dwelling for the joys of hitting you the place it hurts / Give me again my girlhood, it was mine first.”
All through the music, the Grammy winner additionally states that her fling with Mayer is one thing she regrets “on a regular basis.”
‘Silly One,’ Converse Now (Taylor’s Model) (2023)
Although “Silly One” didn’t make the observe record of the unique Converse Now album, Swift launched the observe as one in all many vault songs on the album’s July 2023 rerecording. Very similar to “Pricey John,” Swift continues to recall how she missed the pink flags in her and Mayer’s relationship. “And I’ll look again and remorse how I ignored after they stated / ‘Run as quick as you possibly can,’” she sings.
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The lyrics additionally share perception into Swift’s feelings following their breakup and the way she longed for reconciliation on Mayer’s half. “Silly one / Cease checkin’ your mailbox for confessions of affection / That ain’t by no means gonna come / You’ll take the good distance, you’ll take the good distance down,” she says within the music.