The song I have decided to analyze is “Dear John” by Taylor Swift. The genre of this song is pop country, and it is allegedly written about Swift’s relationship with John Mayer. A Dear John letter is a letter that an individual writes to their romantic parter to inform them that they are ending the relationship. While Swift hasn’t confirmed that this song is about John Mayer, this cleaver title along with John Mayer’s offended response are convincing.
“Dear John” communicates the confusion that Taylor Swift experienced while dating an older man. She writes about how she was a naive 19-year-old who was easily taken advantage of, but that she caught on and stopped answering his calls. Thus, this song is her Dear John letter to communicate to her now ex-boyfriends why she is leaving him. (Note, John Mayer was 32 when he dated 19-year-old Taylor Swift…strengthening the argument that this song is about him)
In retaliation, John Mayer released a song titled “Paper Doll” that provides his perspective on their relationship. Mayer shares that he treated Swift well, but she wasn’t strong enough to withstand their relationship. In this song he quotes “You’re like 22 girls in one; And none of them know what they’re runnin’ from,” making it seem like Taylor Swift didn’t know what she was running from. For someone who hasn’t listened to “Dear John,” this may paint Swift as the problem on this relationship. While Swift very well may have fault, she wrote Dear John to express why it is that she left him.