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)

Thursday 22 October

By Voice0fReason

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I saw John Mayer at the Crossroads guitar festival and he is a good musician. He was on stage with Eric Clapton, BB King, and many more and he held his own. So there.

By Alan

to those people that obviously believe everything the freevibe/abovetheinfluence commercials say (i.e. the same idiots calling everyone who smokes pot "potheads") your opinions are completely invalid. you just love to stereotype when you dont know a thing about pot, you just believe what the media says. get it straight once and for all. pot is way less dangerous than cigarettes and alcohol for one thing...and since when have you heard anyone die from a marijuana overdose? Exactly, never. And God forbid someone is sitting on the couch just playing video games or whatever. They might as well be going out and killing people! And not everyone that smokes pot is that way, so stop generalizing, stop stereotyping and for once in your life think before you speak.

By Peter

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Question for happygrnfrog24 - Why do you smoke it? Just curious actually.

Coming from the old school of live and let live I figure I don't have the right to tell anyone else how to live there life. Never smoked pot but have plenty of friends who do.

It has always seemed to me that smoking pot is similar to drinking alcohol - people use it to alter their mood. I alter mine by hiking , working, reading, listening to music, etc.

Like almost any other substance, used in moderation it probably causes little real harm. For people with addictive personalities I have this feeling that pot, like alcohol, can ruin lives.

Once more not my call if people want to ruin their own lives.

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By Greg

Pot is harmless, and it should be at least decriminalized -- the laws are FAR more dangerous than is the drug, and that shouldn't be the case.

But that is not the subject, but yet in a way it is. Maybe instead of looking at references to "getting stoned" as a "bad influence", it could be looked at as a mechanism to get the laws changed.

I would have liked to have seen Olympic multi-gold medal winner Michael Phelps proudly admitting to smoking pot regularly and saying that it helped his diving! LOL This instead of running for the proverbial high ground of the hills, and saying that it was a mistake, yadayada. Total BS. He had to lie to protect his multi-million dollar endoursement contracts. I sure as hell would have lied! LOL Who wouldn't? Maybe he can undo some of the "damage" by contributing money to NORMAL! LOL

Greg

By grace

After viewing the video, I think it's kind of sad if it depicts his lifestyle in New York City. It's all phoney, and as he says, pretending to make love for an hour or so. Seems he's partying with phoney friends and then picking up the tab. Sad - no wonder he wants to go home and get stoned.

Tuesday 03 November

By nvraine

Pot is still illegal. Until it is legalized there is no reason to advertise with comedy of breaking the law. If medicinal marijuana is so important why do they refer to the different brands as Blue Sky and Happy Thoughts? Shouldn't it be called Eases Pain, and Settles Stomach? Everyone cries about the benefits but then glorifies the qualities of getting HIGH.
WE should not be teaching our children to break the law. You can't have it both ways.

Monday 02 August

By Pojo

His music is pretty damn boring and uninspiring, so maybe this will help.

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