The Ten Best John Mayer Songs Ever Written Ever of All Time
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The last time I went to a concert in downtownSan Jose
After 12 years, I’m going back to HP Pavilion (that’s what they call the Arena now) to see and hear John Mayer. If I was excited as a little schoolgirl for Yanni, it’s safe to say that I am as excited as a very large, heavyset, obese schoolgirl for this concert. What I mean is: John Mayer>Yanni (that’s math, by the way).
So to mark this great occasion, I present the 10 best John Mayer songs ever. The only criteria are that each song must have a high VORS ("value over replacement song", meaning that no other song could take its place) and the music and lyrics must both be strong.
#. Song, Album
10. Who Did You Think I Was, Try!
This is one of the few John Mayer songs that can fight its way into my Workout playlist. It’s kind of a throwback to me musically, which is the case with a lot of the John Mayer Trio stuff, and it’s about being a “New You” of sorts, so it’s motivating that way.
9. Bigger Than My Body, Heavier Things
If I remember correctly, this was Mayer’s first single on electric guitar, and when I first heard it I thought—as I do now—that it was pretty exciting. The song’s a little arrogant, sure, but a lot of us can relate to the main idea of the song.
8. Waiting on the World to Change, Continuum
Despite what I said about “Bigger Than My Body,” I don’t immediately like most John Mayer songs the first time I listen to them (including 3 of the top 4 songs on this list). The first time I heard “Waiting on the World to Change” I felt like I already knew where it fit into the rotation of my life, like when you get a new pair of pants and you think: “Yes, I will wear these pants now and I will wear them often.” But then you turn 13 and realize it’s not cool for guys to wear white sweatpants. Wait, what? The point is that every version I’ve heard of this song—the album version, the Village Sessions version with Ben Harper, and the Tribute to John Mayer instrumental version—all make me think happy thoughts.
7. Stitched Up w/Herbie Hancock, Possibilities
If I have one issue with Mayer’s sound, it’s that his voice is not particularly enjoyable all the time. He’s in tune, but sometimes you are reminded that he is what he is because of his songwriting and guitar. If you’ve ever felt that way, give the studio version of “Stitched Up” a listen. It’s a groovy song that builds and builds to the end, and Mayer’s voice is as clear as Crystal Pepsi. How DID they make that cola beverage clear anyway? (My guess? Science.)
6a. Stop This Train, Continuum
6b. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Continuum
I know it’s cheating to put two songs in one slot. I don’t really care, I'll give you your money back. Remember earlier when I gave you a math lesson, the one in which Mayer>Yanni? Here’s another one. Slow Dancing x Stop This Train = #6 (I AM SO CLEVER.) I really do like both songs individually, but I’m not sure if I would have put either song at number 6 by itself. They are back to back on Continuum and the moods of both songs are unique but they also do the same general thing, which is “punch me in the chest,” so listening to them together really heightens the feeling of both songs. There’s more sympathetic emotion in those 8 minutes than in my entire Gilmore Girls DVD Box Set.
5. 83, Room for Squares
The answer to “Stop This Train” even though it came out 5 years earlier: life is not going to slow down, but it’s been fun so stop complaining. At least that’s what I’m taking from it.
4. In Repair, Continuum
Mayer describes some of the lyrics of "In Repair" as expressing the idea of "sad hope" and that sounds about right to me. I saw a video about how this song was completely written in a day, which I think is pretty neat, but that is not--in itself--the reason why you should listen to this song. I think this is one of the few songs in which I liked it BEFORE I even heard it because of the lyrics.
3. Neon, Room for Squares
I drove up to Davis in early January 2002 and crawled straight into my bed, still feeling like a sack of potatoes because of some virus I contracted in Egypt a few days earlier. Dan came over to have us listen to some new guy named "John Myer" and I stayed in bed while he went up to Brian's room to play the album. All I could hear was the bass through Brian's floor/my ceiling, and it sounded good. I went upstairs to say hi and get the name of this song, but had to go back to bed because I was about to barf. I was spoiled and didn't even know it; just a few years later, when Brett and Criss moved into Brian's room, I had to listen to the bass line of Clay Aiken's "Invisible" about 40 times a day, and I think I have PTSD now.
2. Vultures, Continuum
When I was first heard Continuum (and Heavier Things, too), I was so disappointed. "Vultures" was one of the first songs I listened to, and I remember thinking: "Why would someone with so much talent play such a simple song?" The problem here was that I was expecting something. When I learned to just listen, "Vultures" became one of those songs that I can listen to at any time, one of those songs that you can turn way up or way down; something you can blast on the freeway because you want to sing falsetto (and it's dark outside so no one will see you), a song you can relax to at home, or the music you can play at some dinner party if you are so inclined. It's the Swiss Army Knife of songs.
1. Clarity, Heavier Things
Again, when I first put in this album the day it came out, I was...whatever the opposite of "blown away" is. Vacuumed? The second time I listened to it, though...it was like someone put eyeglasses on my ears so I could hear correctly (I could have used a hearing aid analogy there but all I thought of was "eyeglasses on my ears"). That's a weird phenomenon, right? When you hear a song or watch a movie or eat at a restaurant the second time, and it's just a kajillion times better then the first experience. So much for first impressions. Like with "Vultures," I feel that the second time is often way better than the first with something that you really like, but just don't know it yet, so you don't enjoy on first glance, but you revise your thoughts the second time because of you are familiar and ready now. That's my Second Encounter Revision Theory.
As for "Clarity", I still had to wait about a quarter of the way into the song on second listen when it all comes together before I said: "oh, I get it."
I hope John Mayer comes out in all white from behind some fog tonight!
The last time I went to a concert in downtown
After 12 years, I’m going back to HP Pavilion (that’s what they call the Arena now) to see and hear John Mayer. If I was excited as a little schoolgirl for Yanni, it’s safe to say that I am as excited as a very large, heavyset, obese schoolgirl for this concert. What I mean is: John Mayer>Yanni (that’s math, by the way).
So to mark this great occasion, I present the 10 best John Mayer songs ever. The only criteria are that each song must have a high VORS ("value over replacement song", meaning that no other song could take its place) and the music and lyrics must both be strong.
#. Song, Album
10. Who Did You Think I Was, Try!
This is one of the few John Mayer songs that can fight its way into my Workout playlist. It’s kind of a throwback to me musically, which is the case with a lot of the John Mayer Trio stuff, and it’s about being a “New You” of sorts, so it’s motivating that way.
9. Bigger Than My Body, Heavier Things
If I remember correctly, this was Mayer’s first single on electric guitar, and when I first heard it I thought—as I do now—that it was pretty exciting. The song’s a little arrogant, sure, but a lot of us can relate to the main idea of the song.
8. Waiting on the World to Change, Continuum
Despite what I said about “Bigger Than My Body,” I don’t immediately like most John Mayer songs the first time I listen to them (including 3 of the top 4 songs on this list). The first time I heard “Waiting on the World to Change” I felt like I already knew where it fit into the rotation of my life, like when you get a new pair of pants and you think: “Yes, I will wear these pants now and I will wear them often.” But then you turn 13 and realize it’s not cool for guys to wear white sweatpants. Wait, what? The point is that every version I’ve heard of this song—the album version, the Village Sessions version with Ben Harper, and the Tribute to John Mayer instrumental version—all make me think happy thoughts.
7. Stitched Up w/Herbie Hancock, Possibilities
If I have one issue with Mayer’s sound, it’s that his voice is not particularly enjoyable all the time. He’s in tune, but sometimes you are reminded that he is what he is because of his songwriting and guitar. If you’ve ever felt that way, give the studio version of “Stitched Up” a listen. It’s a groovy song that builds and builds to the end, and Mayer’s voice is as clear as Crystal Pepsi. How DID they make that cola beverage clear anyway? (My guess? Science.)
6a. Stop This Train, Continuum
6b. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Continuum
I know it’s cheating to put two songs in one slot. I don’t really care, I'll give you your money back. Remember earlier when I gave you a math lesson, the one in which Mayer>Yanni? Here’s another one. Slow Dancing x Stop This Train = #6 (I AM SO CLEVER.) I really do like both songs individually, but I’m not sure if I would have put either song at number 6 by itself. They are back to back on Continuum and the moods of both songs are unique but they also do the same general thing, which is “punch me in the chest,” so listening to them together really heightens the feeling of both songs. There’s more sympathetic emotion in those 8 minutes than in my entire Gilmore Girls DVD Box Set.
5. 83, Room for Squares
The answer to “Stop This Train” even though it came out 5 years earlier: life is not going to slow down, but it’s been fun so stop complaining. At least that’s what I’m taking from it.
4. In Repair, Continuum
Mayer describes some of the lyrics of "In Repair" as expressing the idea of "sad hope" and that sounds about right to me. I saw a video about how this song was completely written in a day, which I think is pretty neat, but that is not--in itself--the reason why you should listen to this song. I think this is one of the few songs in which I liked it BEFORE I even heard it because of the lyrics.
3. Neon, Room for Squares
I drove up to Davis in early January 2002 and crawled straight into my bed, still feeling like a sack of potatoes because of some virus I contracted in Egypt a few days earlier. Dan came over to have us listen to some new guy named "John Myer" and I stayed in bed while he went up to Brian's room to play the album. All I could hear was the bass through Brian's floor/my ceiling, and it sounded good. I went upstairs to say hi and get the name of this song, but had to go back to bed because I was about to barf. I was spoiled and didn't even know it; just a few years later, when Brett and Criss moved into Brian's room, I had to listen to the bass line of Clay Aiken's "Invisible" about 40 times a day, and I think I have PTSD now.
2. Vultures, Continuum
When I was first heard Continuum (and Heavier Things, too), I was so disappointed. "Vultures" was one of the first songs I listened to, and I remember thinking: "Why would someone with so much talent play such a simple song?" The problem here was that I was expecting something. When I learned to just listen, "Vultures" became one of those songs that I can listen to at any time, one of those songs that you can turn way up or way down; something you can blast on the freeway because you want to sing falsetto (and it's dark outside so no one will see you), a song you can relax to at home, or the music you can play at some dinner party if you are so inclined. It's the Swiss Army Knife of songs.
1. Clarity, Heavier Things
Again, when I first put in this album the day it came out, I was...whatever the opposite of "blown away" is. Vacuumed? The second time I listened to it, though...it was like someone put eyeglasses on my ears so I could hear correctly (I could have used a hearing aid analogy there but all I thought of was "eyeglasses on my ears"). That's a weird phenomenon, right? When you hear a song or watch a movie or eat at a restaurant the second time, and it's just a kajillion times better then the first experience. So much for first impressions. Like with "Vultures," I feel that the second time is often way better than the first with something that you really like, but just don't know it yet, so you don't enjoy on first glance, but you revise your thoughts the second time because of you are familiar and ready now. That's my Second Encounter Revision Theory.
As for "Clarity", I still had to wait about a quarter of the way into the song on second listen when it all comes together before I said: "oh, I get it."
I hope John Mayer comes out in all white from behind some fog tonight!
Labels: music
posted by Andrew at
6:36 PM
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