Dear John
Jean Shepard & Ferlin Husky Lyrics
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Dear John, I must let you know tonight
That my love for you has died away like grass upon the lawn
And tonight I wed another dear John
I was overseas in battle when the postman came to me
And he handed me a letter I was just as happy as I could be
For the fighting was all over and the battle have been won
Dear John, oh, how I hate to write
Dear John, I must let you know tonight
That my love for you has died away like grass upon the lawn
And tonight I wed another dear John
Will you please send back my picture, my husband wants it now
And when I tell you who I'm wedding I know you won't care, dear anyhow
Now the ceremony has just started and tonight I'll wed your brother Don
Will you please wish us happiness forever, dear John?
The song "A Dear John Letter" by Jean Shepard is a heartbreaking story of a woman seeking to end her relationship with John through a letter. The song opens with the lines "Dear John, oh, how I hate to write, Dear John, I must let you know tonight," conveying the emotion and difficulty that the woman feels when writing the letter. From the lyrics, it is revealed that the woman was overseas in battle when she received a letter from John, and in it was a photo of himself. This leads her to write the letter, stating that her love for him has died away like grass upon the lawn and that tonight she will wed another.
The revelation that she is marrying John's brother, Don, adds to the emotional weight of the song. She asks John to send her picture back and wishes him happiness, assuming that he will not be too hurt since she is marrying his own brother. The lyrics are heart-wrenching, and the idea of not only breaking up with your partner but also marrying their sibling is quite shocking. The emotional significance of the song lies in the power of the written word and the emotions that letters can convey.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear John, oh, how I hate to write
I feel terrible telling you this, but I need to talk to you
Dear John, I must let you know tonight
There's no easy way to say this, but I have to tell you now
That my love for you has died away like grass upon the lawn
I don't love you anymore, my feelings for you have faded
And tonight I wed another dear John
I'm getting married tonight, to someone else named John
I was overseas in battle when the postman came to me
I was far away fighting a war when I received your letter
And he handed me a letter I was just as happy as I could be
I was excited to receive a letter from you
For the fighting was all over and the battle have been won
The war was finally over and the fighting had stopped
Then I opened up the letter and that started, dear John
When I opened the letter, I realized it was from you
Will you please send back my picture, my husband wants it now
Can you please return the picture I gave you, as my new husband wants it
And when I tell you who I'm wedding I know you won't care, dear anyhow
I know you won't be happy to hear that I'm marrying someone else, but it doesn't matter
Now the ceremony has just started and tonight I'll wed your brother Don
The wedding is happening now, and I'm marrying your brother Don
Will you please wish us happiness forever, dear John?
Can you please wish me and your brother a lifetime of happiness together
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY BARTON, CHARLES FUZZY OWENS, LEWIS A. TALLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@scottyg.4199
I've heard this beautiful song a thousand times, but them singing it at their age was emotional for me, especially when Ferlin first started. Jean's voice sounded like she did when I first heard it.
@THERTOGAL
I remember singing with my parents around the house. Such memories
@ninjabluewings
As of 2023 this song is a whopping 71 years old! recorded back in 1952, this is quite an old performance due to the fact Ferlin passed away back in 2011 so this must be way before that so around 15 years ago approximately so even back then it was 56 years after the original recording and this is just a testament to how good Ferlin & Jean were as singers as this sounds virtually the same as the original
@peterlester8830
Still making good music , sounds good , I came across this so many years ago and it still makes for good listening.
@louisethomas4608
I just look so forward to seeing your shows...it's awesome! Please keep it going!❤️
@debbieminaker3829
This is what country music is unlike today's so called country music
@sherryheil8490
Beautiful song I love it. Real country music
@foltoncalhoun1538
They did so good on this
@mollysnider9109
❤This Song sung by Ferlin Husky & Jean Shepherd!!
@elizabethhjenkins6172
Love the song and the singers.