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.
Why Georgia
John Mayer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kind of morning that lasts all afternoon
I'm just stuck inside the gloom
4 more exits to my apartment but
I am tempted to keep the car in drive
And leave it all behind
'Cause I wonder sometimes
Of a still verdictless life
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why, why Georgia, why?
I rent a room and I fill the spaces with
Wood in places to make it feel like home
But all I feel's alone
It might be a quarter life crisis
Or just the stirring in my soul
Either way I wonder sometimes
About the outcome
Of a still verdictless life
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why, why Georgia, why?
So what, so I've got a smile on
But it's hiding the quiet superstitions in my head
Don't believe me
Don't believe me
When I say I've got it down
Everybody is just a stranger but
That's the danger in going my own way
I guess it's the price I have to pay
Still "everything happens for a reason"
Is no reason not to ask myself if I
Am living it right?
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why, tell me why,
Why, why Georgia, why?
John Mayer's song "Why Georgia" opens with the singer driving up Interstate 85 on a morning that feels like it will last all day. He is tempted to keep driving past his apartment, leaving everything behind. The singer wonders about the outcome of a "still verdict-less life" and asks himself if he is living it right. He repeatedly asks why Georgia, which appears to be a metaphor for his search for purpose and direction in life.
The singer feels alone despite filling his apartment with things to make it feel like home. He thinks about how he might be going through a quarter-life crisis or experiencing a stirring in his soul. He wonders if he is living his life in the right way, and if everything that happens to him truly happens for a reason.
The lines "everyone is just a stranger, but that's the danger in going my own way" suggest that the singer is taking an unconventional path that might lead him away from familiar faces and relationships. The song ends with him still searching for answers to his questions.
Line by Line Meaning
I am driving up 85 in the
I am currently driving on 85, which is a highway in Georgia.
Kind of morning that lasts all afternoon
It is a dreary morning that seems to drag on for the entire day.
I'm just stuck inside the gloom
I feel trapped and unable to escape the negative emotions I am experiencing.
4 more exits to my apartment but
I am almost home, but something is holding me back.
I am tempted to keep the car in drive
I am considering continuing to drive instead of going home.
And leave it all behind
I am contemplating leaving my current situation in hopes of finding something better.
'Cause I wonder sometimes
I frequently question and doubt myself and my choices.
About the outcome
I am uncertain of what the future holds for me.
Of a still verdictless life
I have not yet received any answers or clarity in my life's journey.
Am I living it right?
I question whether or not I am making the right choices in my life.
Why, why Georgia, why?
I direct my frustration and confusion towards Georgia, possibly because it is where I currently reside.
I rent a room and I fill the spaces with
I occupy myself by decorating and filling my living space with objects to make it feel like home.
Wood in places to make it feel like home
I use wood as a way to enhance and warm up my living space.
But all I feel's alone
Despite my efforts to make my home feel cozy, I still feel lonely and isolated.
It might be a quarter life crisis
I am experiencing a period of uncertainty and self-doubt that is typical of individuals in their mid-20s.
Or just the stirring in my soul
My emotions are in turmoil, and I am struggling to make sense of my feelings.
Either way I wonder sometimes
Regardless of the cause, I am still questioning and unsure of myself.
About the outcome
I am uncertain of what the future holds for me.
Of a still verdictless life
I have not yet received any answers or clarity in my life's journey.
Am I living it right?
I question whether or not I am making the right choices in my life.
Why, why Georgia, why?
I direct my frustration and confusion towards Georgia, possibly because it is where I currently reside.
So what, so I've got a smile on
Even though I appear happy on the surface, my inner thoughts and feelings are much more complex.
But it's hiding the quiet superstitions in my head
My positive exterior is a facade that conceals the irrational thoughts and fears in my mind.
Don't believe me
Others cannot trust my outward appearance, as it does not reflect my true emotions.
Don't believe me
Others cannot trust my outward appearance, as it does not reflect my true emotions.
When I say I've got it down
Despite my claim that I am in control, I am actually struggling to keep my emotions in check.
Everybody is just a stranger but
I feel disconnected and isolated from people around me, as if nobody truly understands me.
That's the danger in going my own way
Although I am following my own path in life, it comes with the risk of feeling isolated and alone.
I guess it's the price I have to pay
I accept that my choices may involve certain difficulties and drawbacks.
Still "everything happens for a reason"
Despite my hardships, I still believe in the concept of fate and that things will work out in the end.
Is no reason not to ask myself if I
However, I still question if I am making the right choices.
Am living it right?
I continue to doubt my choices and wonder if there is another path I should be taking.
Am I living it right?
I continue to doubt my choices and wonder if there is another path I should be taking.
Am I living it right?
I continue to doubt my choices and wonder if there is another path I should be taking.
Why, tell me why,
My frustration persists, and I demand answers and clarity to my situations.
Why, why Georgia, why?
I continue to express my dissatisfaction with Georgia, possibly seeking answers and understanding from the state itself.
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: John Clayton Mayer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SoccerKozi93
this is the type of song you grow up listening to, then, years later you hear it again, recognizing the truth and beauty of its words.
Music
And why it so?
JooSon2
Then you realize he stole the vocal melody
MaxZap
@JooSon2 from ?
dearjohnray
Man, crazy yet nice to see how everyone’s just enjoying the music and experience without holding phones up
Dina K.
No kidding! There was none of that then. There were only lighters aflame during most of the concerts I went to, on my own @12 in later 80s, & into some of the 2000s. The phones are SO Distracting, ppl trying to tape things & whatnot, they get in the way of actually seeing the stage. It's like, Just watch the show, for everyone's sake!
DJ GREEDER
I wish they would ban phones at concerts like some artists do. I think Don Henley is one of them. I always say live in the moment, enjoy it! Cheers!!
Bryan Richardson
This concert was in 2003.... before the 1st Iphone. Phones have killed the concert experience of being in the moment.
Victor Carvalho
Something that makes me like John is even after so many awards and story to tell , he's still the same guy with the same simplicity when all started and unlike many artists , he did not sell himself , and continues to make music with feeling and not music of moment as many other artists.
Taytay
+Victor Carvalho Yeah, He's way too intelligent and self aware too do that. He has a higher level set of personal challenges to navigate very different than most of his peers. He's a rare phenomenon.