John Mayer Defends Getting 'Stoned'

By Dan Reilly Posted Oct 21st 2009 04:30PM

In an age when the slightest misstep or misunderstanding can cause controversy -- see Harry Connick Jr.'s recent blackface troubles -- John Mayer isn't playing it safe. In fact, his new single, 'Who Says,' boldly begins with the line "Who says I can't get stoned?"

"It's not a dirty word. It's not a curse word," Mayer tells PopEater of the first single from his upcoming album, 'Battle Studies.' "It's a presentation of an idea that makes people think a little harder about what they're listening to, which I don't think is the worst thing in the world."

But surely he had to worry a little bit about angering some of his fans, or possibly their parents, right? "If you ask me now, I would say I have apprehension but if you played me the song I'd say 'Oh. No,'" he says. "I think the song is its own explanation of why it's not an abuse of a word. I think it's pretty innocuous but I understand it's a different situation once you release any idea you have. I don't think it's not as exploitative of the word as you originally might think, like, 'Oh, is he trying to tell me that he gets stoned?' By the end of the tune a couple [listens] in, the reaction becomes 'I get the song. I'm not turned off by this idea.'"

Still, Mayer understands that not everyone is going to get the message of the song. "I understand that," he says. "That's why I'm happy no one song of mine will be the current single forever. Will it live forever on the radio or will it sort of come and go as the first song off a record? I don't know."

He also denies that the song is about his relationship with the media. At times, he's been unhappy with the press, including a recent incident where he called a New York Magazine reporter a "moron" and threatened to "forcefully sodomize" her editor. "I don't know if ['Who Says'] even branches out that far," Mayer says. "I don't think the berth of the song large enough to touch on that but it touches on the origins of that, which is the internal permission to exist. If you don't put your foot down and remind yourself that you have the permission to exist in this world, then you start second guessing everything and before long, you begin playing a role in taking yourself down."

As for his comments to New York, Mayer simply says, "I got no side of the story. All is said and done. I love the idea that you want my side of the story about a story. 'What do you have to say about that thing you had to say?'" he continues, laughing.

And in an effort to make sure he's never misquoted, he adds, "I'm going to walk around with a little tape recorder from now on. It won't have any batteries or anything in it. I'm just going to walk around with it. You can get away with more."

Tags: john mayer, JohnMayer

Comments

(48)

Wednesday 21 October

By justlegalizeit09

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John.... you are not alone! love it or hate it, marijuana is here to stay.... lets make good use of this plant... it does a hell of a lot more than just get people high....

By l

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I guess that commment coming from a pothead.

By yods

what is going on with this country of ours? you can't go naked on your own kitchen, you can't freely sing your own expression of a certain song? Is this a country where we fought for freedom? Are we all getting to be morons?

By gossipoly

God, he' become incredibly unhip since all that lame tv sit-com star cougar dating. Not that he ever was hip - but now, he's just, close to being Clay Aiken-ish, who I actually think is hipper. Aniston totally sucked all youth right out of him. I don't associate him with my demo any longer. He's like for my Mom's crowd, maybe my grandmoms.

By Di

Musicians need not "defend" their music. You don't have to listen if you don't like it.

By Ex Related Shit

Pot is pot and is still illegal and it should not be glorified in musice.

It is ridiculous that someone is supposed to look beyond Mayer's obvious meaning of the word and the obvious message in the song to think other things are going on besides him wanting to 'get stoned.' Don't insult our intelligence Mr. Mayer...

When this country admits that pot is a drug and should not be glorified or made legal, the country will be better off. I know a lot of potheads and they are nothing but couch potatoes who stopped living their life long ago - drugs are drugs, even if they come from the garden.

By vinny

alcoholics are better?i have done both,alcohol is so much worse than pot in every way.what about someone who is really drunk.I don think they will be able to do to much either.at least pot heads don't kill with there car.with pot you can concentrate.your refelaxes are not impared like being drunk.lets not even get into the health effects.

Thursday 22 October

By David

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Vinny you can't type at all, you have good points but made yourself look like an idiot. Anyways I don't smoke/drink right now but I can easily say alcohol is worse in most situations.

As for the song, it doesn't HAVE to be about smoking marijuana. Stoned can be used for any drug, including alcohol. If you watch the video it shows him running around the city drinking, that could be what he meant. Personally I think he is saying everyone deserves their time alone to relax and recharge. Haven't you ever sat on the couch after a LONG day, started watching tv, and felt "stoned" ??? I know I have.

By nehu

The president just said it was ok to use pot so he is doing just that.

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You should tell that to the president.

By J

"Who says I can't get stoned?"

The law, you d-bag.

No one cares, anyway; John Mayer is more famous as a joke punchline these days than he is for his music, and he's just trying to get attention and sound "edgy."

why does everyone refer to someone who smokes pot as a "pothead"? how about we start referring to people that drink alcohol as "drunks" you people think that just because someone smokes pot that it means they are high all the time and thats not the case at all. as far as it being illegal... so is speeding but a lot of people do that.... and speeding is much more dangerous than smoking a flower that cannot kill you or cause any detrimental health concerns. and no folks, it does not cause cancer...do your research. there has never been a case of cancer caused by smoking cannabis....never been a study linking it either.

plus almost anything you can make with crude oil, you can make with cannabis.... anything you can make with trees, you can make with cannabis.... anything you can make with cotton(which its growth and manufacturing is highly polluting), you can make with cannabis.... all while being cheaper, better quality and A LOT less pollution.

its time to wake up people.... people are going to smoke pot wheather its legal or not and whatever social costs you think there are from it... we are already paying them. if anyone wants to debate the issue, send me an e-mail

By taxitandmaxit

Alcohol was illegal as well. Where did that lead? Made criminal enterprises have OLD MONEY. When government realized it was stupid and futile, they benefited with huge tax revenues. Why can't they do the same with this is beyond me. People that want to do drugs, get it and do it with no tax revenue to us. I think we could actually pay off our deficit in a few quarters. Let's get some level heads in office.

By Debbie

You said, pot is the only drug that grows naturally in the ground. i've never heard of anyone killing another on pot. The government really should take a look at the profits that marijuana could make. I am all for the MARIJUANA REFORM - too bad it won't be in my lifetime!

By MsDawnDawn

I have the same feeling about this song as all his others. I don't like John Mayer's music personally. I do like freedom of speech - he can sing what he likes & people can support his music with a purchase. I, for one, will not be supporting his lifestyle with my $$. The answer to his question: who/what says you can't? The law. But then again the law or reality doesn't apply to celebrities.

Debate – it wouldn’t be fair to debate a person in an altered state & who brain cells are being diminished as I type. Pot is not addictive, but the effects of using it are. What is so bad about your life that you feel the need to escape it? The bottom line – Almost every person today who is addicted to heroin, cocaine, meth, etc. started with harmless pot – until pot wasn’t enough to escape their crappy life.

By AP

George Carlin once said "Mother's milk leads to heroin"...I think some of you are taking the lyrics to this song far too seriously and reading way too much into it. If you don't like the song, don't listen to it. I'm not a huge John Mayer fan but I admire him for at least challenging some people to actually think about what the song may mean, whether or not you get it...and from what I'm seeing here, a lot of you aren't even close. Just like the people who love to get drunk and then get behind the wheel and then condemn pot smokers...BIG double standard right there!

By happygrnfrog24

MsDawnDawn, you're the idiot, just like all the others. Keep believing all the BS the government feeds you and the commercials on pot. You and your comments are laughable. Brain cells being diminished, pot makes you lazy, it's a gateway drug. I'll debate you. I scored a 1480 on my SAT's in HS, what did you score. I have a college degree in engineering. I am currently a network engineer and hold two of the highest certifications in my industry.

Pot makes you lazy....hmmm. I work out six or seven days a week depending. On back-to-back days I swim 2400 meters, if you cant do the math on that, that is exactly a mile and a half, when's the last time you did that. I cycle two days a week, usually over 40 miles each time and weight train at least two days a week. Anytime you want to try and hang with me let me know, would be glad to take you on a ride, lmao while you're in the MC'D's drive-thru. I dont eat fast food and hardly ever drink except for on social occassions. Have also competed in 5 triathalon's this year....how many have you done??

Gateway drug huh....funny, I don't do anything else. And I don't do it to escape my life or anything else, I love my life. I have many friends that smoke pot and every one of them makes more than 75,000/yr. A few that make well over 100,000/yr and are very respectable people. You and a lot of other people need to WTF up. Stereotypes are stereotypes, pot doesn't make you anything, a person makes themselves who and what they want to be.

From a dedicated pothead for 17yrs and counting...LEGALIZE IT and wipe out our countrys trillion dollar deficit

By Chris

You obviously have know idea what you are talking about. You have not done any research! If you did you would find all the positive effects it has on people who are sick. Have you ever tried it? Probly not! And that is cool, just don't judge those who use it.
People who get into harder drugs were going to do it if they smoked pot first or not. I have been smoking for 12 years, including 5 years in the Marines. Not so much during those days but a little. The last 5 years I have smoked everyday
I start my day at 0500 and dont hit the sack until after 2200. I smoke all day long from 0500-2200 I am self employed and weight train and MMA training and running 4 miles a day. Pot only gives people an excuse to be lazy. MIND OVER MATTER
Did I mention that I have Crohns Disease. I have pain that morphine can't touch. But pot helps alot.
I don't drink. I don't smoke ciggs. And I have NEVER done any other drugs! I also have an awsome wife of 10 years and two great kids and I own my home. My life is really crappy.(said with alot of sarcasm ).

By ben

that is simply NOT true...they have done study after study and pot is NOT a gateway drug...do your research...almost 75% of the people that TRIED pot in the 60s never smoked it again...now..if its so bad why didnt they get hooked? same comparison...75% of the people that tried a beer drink to this day? hmm....i wonder what is worse?!?!

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