In 2003, he won the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the 2002 single "Your Body Is a Wonderland" from the album Room for Squares.
In February 2005, he was awarded the Song of the Year Grammy for his song Daughters, which he composed while in the shower, from the album Heavier Things. In winning the award, he beat out such contenders as Alicia Keys, and Kanye West. He dedicated this award to his grandmother, Annie Hoffman, who died in May 2004. He also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, for which Elvis Costello, Prince and Seal were also nominated. In 2007, John won 2 Grammys, one for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, for the song "Waiting On The World To Change," and also Best Pop Vocal Album for his album Continuum.
To date, Mayer has toured with many groups, including Maroon 5, Guster, Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, Teitur, Ben Folds, and Sheryl Crow.
In 2004, Mayer worked with hip hop artist and producer Kanye West, appearing both on Go and Kanye West's Bittersweet (released in the summer of 2007 as an iTunes pre-order bonus track to the album Graduation) and received praise from rap heavyweights like Jay-Z and Nelly. When asked about his ubiquitous presence in the hip hop community, he said, "It's not music out there right now. That's why, to me, hip-hop is where rock used to be."
It was around this time that he began hinting at a change in his musical interests, announcing that he was "closing up shop on acoustic sensitivity." In 2005, he began a string of collaborations with various blues artists, including Buddy Guy, BB King, Eric Clapton and jazz artist John Scofield. He also toured with the legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, which included a show at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
Although Mayer has maintained a reputation for being a sensitive singer-songwriter, he is also an accomplished guitarist influenced by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Freddie King and B.B. King. In this regard, he has released an album with his band The John Mayer Trio Try!, which features a blues-rock style reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix.
In September 2006, Mayer released his third studio album, Continuum. The album, written and produced exclusively by Mayer (with the help of Steve Jordan from the John Mayer Trio) is a culmination of Mayer's growth as an artist and continues with the blues-rock style that he began to flirt with on Try!.
Also notable is John Mayer's various adaptations in style. He always maintained a blues tone, he introduced a rockier edge. However, in Continuum, he adopts a calmer genre, returning to his previous styles.
On November 17, 2009, Mayer's fourth studio album, Battle Studies, was released and debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart. The album consists of 11 tracks with a total time of 45 minutes. The first single from the album, "Who Says", was released on September 24, 2009 in advance of album, and was followed on October 19 by the single "Heartbreak Warfare" and the single "Half of My Heart" released on June 21, 2010. Despite the album's commercial success, critics were mixed with their praise; while some reviews were glowing, calling it his "most adventurous", others called the album "safe" and noted that "Mayer the singer-songwriter and Mayer the man about town sometimes seem disconnected, like they don't even belong in the same body.
Following his recovery from vocal surgery, Mayer returned to the studio. On June 18, 2013, Mayer announced from his Facebook page that his sixth album, Paradise Valley, would be released on August 13, 2013. On the same day, he released a lyric video for the new album's first single, "Paper Doll", on his YouTube page. The release date was later changed to August 20, 2013. "Who You Love" featuring Katy Perry followed as the album's third single and a music video was released on December 17, 2013 for the song. The album, which also includes a collaboration with Frank Ocean, was met with positive reviews from music critics. Mayer embarked on a tour, his first in three years, in support of Born and Raised and Paradise Valley. The American leg of the tour ran from July to December 2013 with Interscope recording artist Phillip Phillips serving as support act. The tour will visit Australia in April 2014.
1983
John Mayer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Home where it used to be
And everything is as it was
Frozen in front of me
Here I stand 6 feet small
Romanticizing years ago
But it's a bitter sweet feeling hearing
And these days
I wish I was 6 again
Oh make me a red cape
I wanna be Superman
Oh, if only my life was more like 1983
All these things would be more like
They were at the start of me
Had it made in 83
Thinking bout my brother Ben
I miss him every day
He looks just like his brother John
But on an 18 month delay
Here I stand 6 feet small
And smiling cause I'm scared as hell
Kind of like my life is like a sequel to a movie
Where the actor's names have changed, oh well
Well these days
I wish I was 6 again
Oh make me a red cape
I wanna be Superman
Oh, if only my life was more like 1983
All these things would be more like
They were at the start of me
If my life was more like 1983
Plot a course to the source of the purest little part of me
And most of my memories
Have escaped me or confused themselves with dreams
If heaven's all we want it to be
Send your prayers to me, care of 1983
You can paint that house a rainbow of colors
Rip out the floorboards replace the shutters
But that's my plastic in the dirt
Whatever happened to my, whatever happened to my
Whatever happened to my lunch box
When came the day that it got thrown away
And don't you think I should have had some say in that decision
If only my life, if only my life
If only my life, if only my life
If only my life, if only my life
If only my life, if only my life
John Mayer's song "1983" tells the story of a man who has nostalgic dreams of walking home to his old neighborhood where everything is frozen in time. He romanticizes the days of his childhood, wishing he was 6 years old again when life was simpler, and he could be Superman with a red cape. The song is a reflection on how life has changed, and the memories that have faded away or become confused with dreams.
The lyrics are a poignant reminder of how often we long for a simpler time when life wasn't so complicated. The reference to "Wrapped around your finger" by The Police playing on the radio is a nod to the fact that music has the power to transport us back to a specific time and place. The line "And most of my memories have escaped me or confused themselves with dreams" shows how easily our memories can be lost or altered over time, and how we are left with a sense of longing for the past.
Line by Line Meaning
I've these dreams of walking home
I frequently dream of returning to my childhood home
Home where it used to be
The place where my family lived when I was a child
And everything is as it was
I envision the house exactly as it was during my childhood
Frozen in front of me
The memories feel vivid and seem to last forever
Here I stand 6 feet small
Even as an adult, I feel small and insignificant in comparison to my childhood memories
Romanticizing years ago
I look back on my childhood with a sense of nostalgia and idealization
But it's a bitter sweet feeling hearing
I feel both happy and sad when I hear songs from my past
Wrapped around your finger on the radio
The song reminds me of a particular person or time in my past
And these days
Nowadays
I wish I was 6 again
I long to relive the innocence, simplicity, and carefree life of childhood
Oh make me a red cape
I feel the need to be an invincible superhero
I wanna be Superman
I wish I could be the most powerful superhero in the world
Oh, if only my life was more like 1983
I wish my current life was as simple and innocent as it was in 1983
All these things would be more like
Everything would feel more familiar and comfortable
They were at the start of me
Life was simpler and more innocent when I was a child
Had it made in 83
I was fortunate to have a happy, carefree childhood in 1983
Thinking bout my brother Ben
I often think about my brother Ben
I miss him every day
I feel sadness and longing for my brother every day
He looks just like his brother John
My brother Ben resembles me a lot
But on an 18 month delay
My brother is 18 months younger than me
And smiling cause I'm scared as hell
I'm putting on a brave face while feeling incredibly scared
Kind of like my life is like a sequel to a movie
My current life feels like a continuation of my childhood, with some differences
Where the actor's names have changed, oh well
While some things have changed, I accept this fact and try to move on
Well these days
Nowadays
I wish I was 6 again
I long to relive the innocence, simplicity, and carefree life of childhood
Oh make me a red cape
I feel the need to be an invincible superhero
I wanna be Superman
I wish I could be the most powerful superhero in the world
If only my life was more like 1983
I wish my current life was as simple and innocent as it was in 1983
All these things would be more like
Everything would feel more familiar and comfortable
They were at the start of me
Life was simpler and more innocent when I was a child
If my life was more like 1983
I want to experience the same happiness and simplicity from my childhood
Plot a course to the source of the purest little part of me
I'm searching for the most innocent, carefree part of myself that I have lost
And most of my memories
A majority of my memories
Have escaped me or confused themselves with dreams
A lot of my memories are either unclear or mixed up with my dreams
If heaven's all we want it to be
If heaven is exactly like we imagine it
Send your prayers to me, care of 1983
Send your prayers to the time of my childhood when I was happiest
You can paint that house a rainbow of colors
You can change the appearance of my childhood home
Rip out the floorboards replace the shutters
You can renovate the house any way you like
But that's my plastic in the dirt
The dirt and plastic parts of the house hold significant memories for me
Whatever happened to my, whatever happened to my
What became of my, what became of my
Whatever happened to my lunch box
What happened to the lunch box I used to have
When came the day that it got thrown away
When did the day come when it was thrown out
And don't you think I should have had some say in that decision
I should have been consulted before the decision was made to throw it away
If only my life, if only my life
I wish my life was different
If only my life, if only my life
I wish my life was different
If only my life, if only my life
I wish my life was different
If only my life, if only my life
I wish my life was different
Contributed by Peyton K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@teachervy
I've these dreams I'm
Walking home
Home when it used to be
And everything is
As it was
Frozen in front of me
Here I stand
Six feet small
Romanticizing years ago
It's a bitter sweet feeling hearing "Wrapped Around Your Finger" on the
Radio
And these days
I wish I was 6 again
Oh make me a red cape
I wanna be Superman
Oh, if only my life was more like
1983
All these things would be more like they were at the
Start of me
Had it made in 83
Thinking bout my brother Ben
I miss him every day
He looks just like his brother John
But on an 18 month delay
Here I stand
6 feet small
And smiling cause I'm scared as hell
Kind of like my life is like a sequel to a movie
Where the actor's names have changed
Well, well these days
I wish I was six again
Oh make me a red cape
I wanna be Superman
Oh, if only my life was more like
1983
All these things would be more like they were at the
Start of me
If my life was more like
1983
I'd plot a course to the source of the purest little part of me
And most my memories
Have escaped me
Or confused themselves with dreams
If heaven's all we want it to be
Send your prayers to me
Care of 1983
You can paint that house a rainbow of colors
Rip out the floorboards
Replace the shutters but
That's my plastic in the dirt
Whatever happened to my
Whatever happened to my
Whatever happened to my lunchbox
When came the day that it got
Thrown away and don't you think I should have had some say
In that decision
If only my life
If only my life
If only my life
If only my life
If only my life
If only my life
If only my life
If only my life
@foxjumper
John Mayer – vocals; guitars; Korg Triton synthesizer on tracks 1, 4, 7, 10 and 11; omnichord on track 1, 5, 10 and 12; toy piano and vibraphone on track 4; vibraslap on track 7; piano on track 8; percussion on track 11
David LaBruyere – bass on all tracks
Nir Z – drums on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 14, loops on tracks 2 and 5, percussion on track 6
Brandon Bush – Hammond organ on tracks 1, 2, 3, 7, 9 and 14; Wurlitzer electric piano on tracks 1, 4 and 9; Rhodes piano on tracks 5 and 14; mellotron on tracks 12 and 14
John Alagia – percussion on track 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9; guitar on tracks 5 and 9; Hammond organ on track 4 and 6; Wurlitzer electric piano on track 6; jingle bells on "St. Patrick's Day"; production; mixing on tracks 2, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 14; engineering
@foxjumper
1. "No Such Thing"
2. "Why Georgia"
3. "My Stupid Mouth"
4. "Your Body Is a Wonderland"
5. "Neon"
6. "City Love"
7. "83"
8. "3×5"
9. "Love Song for No One"
10. "Back to You"
11. "Great Indoors"
12. "Not Myself"
14. "St. Patrick's Day"
@robotennis61
"83"
I've these dreams I'm
Walking home
Home when it used to be
And everything is
As it was
Frozen in front of me
Here I stand
6 feet small
romanticizing years ago
it's a bitter sweet feeling hearing "Wrapped Around Your Finger" on the
radio
and these days
I wish I was 6 again
Oh make me a red cape
I wanna be Superman
Oh, if only my life was more like
1983
all these things would be more like they were at the
start of me
had it made in 83
thinking bout my brother Ben
I miss him every day
He looks just like his brother John
But on an 18 month delay
Here I stand
6 feet small
and smiling cause I'm scared as hell
kind of like my life is like a sequel to a movie
where the actor's names have changed
oh well
well these days
I wish I was 6 again
Oh make me a red cape
I wanna be Superman
Oh, if only my life was more like
1983
all these things would be more like they were at the
start of me
If my life was more like
1983
I'd plot a course to the source of the purest little part of me
and most my memories
have escaped me
or confused themselves with dreams
if heaven's all we want it to be
send your prayers to me
care of 1983
you can paint that house a rainbow of colors
rip out the floorboards
replace the shutters but
that's my plastic in the dirt
whatever happened to my
whatever happened to my
whatever happened to my lunchbox
when came the day that it got
thrown away and don't you think I should have had some say
in that decision
@samanthamccallum13
I don't think people really believe it but this ENTIRE album is GREAT. Just give it a chance.
@jay12027
Album is absolutely awesome!
@Ac0ustics0ul
Why not? It won a grammy.. maybe some people are just late to the party. I remember trying to convince my friends how great he was back then, but was written off the 'body is a wonderland, bubblegum guy'' Nowadays, it seems everyone got the memo
@derekcarter5409
Errrrrey song on this album IS.
@Curteezy
100% facts. It's a classic
@paulmosman6468
For sure! used to listen to this whole album on my kitchen speakers growin up.
@SimoneOwens77
This song has always made me think of the innocence and nostalgia of my childhood, but after losing my older sister it is bittersweet to look back at those good old days. My sister was born in 1983 and died this year. My perception of this song will forever be changed because I will think about my sister, and the memories we once shared and will never get to reminisce about together again. Although "83" now reminds me of loss, it will keep my sister's memory alive because it will be impossible to not think of her and the memories we created when I hear it.
@SHACROW
rest in peace to her <3
@BURNTsquid
With his music, John Mayer takes me to a place that no other musician has been able to bring me to.
@Moxxuren
tears?