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.
Inner City Blues
John Mayer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Rockets, moon shots
Spend it on the have nots
Money, we make it
Oh, make you wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
This ain't livin', this ain't livin'
No, no baby, this ain't livin'
No, no, no
Inflation no chance
To increase finance
Bills pile up sky high
Send that boy off to die
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Hang ups, let downs
Bad breaks, set backs
Natural fact is
I can't pay my taxes
Oh, make me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Yea, it makes me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Crime is increasing
Trigger happy policing
Panic is spreading
God know where we're heading
Oh, make me wanna holler
They don't understand
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Mother, mother
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Who are they to judge us
Simply cause we wear our hair long
John Mayer's song Inner City Blues is a cover of the original song by Marvin Gaye that talks about the social and economic injustices happening in the world. The song portrays the struggles faced by people living in the inner city, dealing with issues such as poverty, crime, and police brutality. The opening line, "rockets, moon shots," suggests that while the government focuses on expensive space exploration, they are neglecting the needs of the people living in poverty. The phrase "spend it on the have nots" highlights the disparity in wealth distribution.
The lyrics go on to address the frustration of working hard just to have the government take away the fruits of one's labor. The line "fore we see it you take it" suggests that the government is taxing people before they even have a chance to use their earnings. The phrase "make me wanna holler" is repeated throughout the song to emphasize the anger and frustration felt by those struggling in the inner city. The lyrics also mention the issue of inflation and how it makes it nearly impossible for people to increase their financial standing. The line "send that boy off to die" references the Vietnam War and how poor communities were disproportionately impacted by the draft.
The song also touches on the issue of police brutality, with the line "trigger happy policing" suggesting that officers are quick to use excessive force. The phrase "God knows where we're heading" implies an overall feeling of hopelessness and uncertainty about the future. The closing lines of the song, "everybody thinks we're wrong, who are they to judge us simply cause we wear our hair long," suggest that even small aspects of personal expression are judged by society.
Line by Line Meaning
Dah, dah, dah, dah
Instrumental intro
Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah
Instrumental intro
Dah, dah, dah, dah
Instrumental intro
Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah
Instrumental intro
Dah, dah, dah
Instrumental intro
Rockets, moon shots
Reference to US space exploration and technology
Spend it on the have nots
The rich spend on the poor
Money, we make it
We earn money
Fore we see it you take it
Before we get to enjoy it, it's taxed or taken away
Oh, make you wanna holler
Frustration, disappointment and anger
The way they do my life
The conditions I live in due to social and economic policies
Make me wanna holler
Repetition of chorus
The way they do my life
Repetition of chorus
This ain't livin', this ain't livin'
Life is harsh and barely worth living
No, no baby, this ain't livin'
Reinforcement that the current situation is not acceptable
No, no, no
Reinforcement that the current situation is not acceptable
Inflation no chance
With inflation rising, we cannot save money
To increase finance
We cannot generate more income
Bills pile up sky high
Expenses keep increasing
Send that boy off to die
Being drafted into the military and going to war
Hang ups, let downs
Unresolved issues and personal failures
Bad breaks, set backs
Unexpected negative situations
Natural fact is
It's the way things are
I can't pay my taxes
Financial struggles
Oh, make me wanna holler
Repetition of chorus
And throw up both my hands
Giving up or feeling helpless
Yea, it makes me wanna holler
Repetition of chorus
Crime is increasing
Rising crime rates
Trigger happy policing
Police using excessive force
Panic is spreading
Fear and anxiety are spreading
God know where we're heading
Uncertainty for the future
Oh, make me wanna holler
Repetition of chorus
They don't understand
Those in power don't understand the struggles of the lower classes
Mother, mother
Referring to Motown song "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Society views those who are different as wrong
Who are they to judge us
Challenging social norms and expectations
Simply cause we wear our hair long
Hair as a symbol of self-expression and identity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Marvin Gaye, James Nyx
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MitchPhillips
Oh man, imagine JM, Pino and Steve Jordan ripping into this as a trio jam live. Soooo good!
@brendan4309
They do
@handsolo1546
One day the Trio will roll again! I will be front row
@rcnewman51.
@Fender Solo I’m still holding out hope for that!
@pietrojun1604
https://youtu.be/pxVKiA2FoRk
@thisisfrankie
This song has been on repeat everyday since I found it! I'm speechless!
@p0rsch997
that solo at the ending is just amazingly good!!
@pawelzabicki7785
That solo - Clapton/SRV sweet combination.
@skatelanding
where in the world did u find this!!!! Why is this not on a CD???? Too good not to be shared with the rest of the world!!!
@bahaanaldo
John always has that one song he enjoys covering. Sounds great! I like the cover he did live with DJ Logic.