John Mayer's Request for Kindness Appears Ahead of Release of 'Speak Now (Taylor's Version)'

 John Mayer's Request for Kindness Appears Ahead of Release of 'Speak Now (Taylor's Version)'

John Mayer's Request for Kindness Appears Ahead of Release of 'Speak Now (Taylor's Version)'

In light of Taylor Swift's re-release of her 2010 album, Speak Now, John Mayer is witnessing the attention surrounding it.

Shortly before the release of Speak Now (Taylor's Version) on Friday, July 7, the 45-year-old musician took to Instagram to convey a subtle message to his fans. 

Mayer shared a series of photos from his recent concerts with Dead & Company in Colorado, and the last image caught the attention of Swift's devoted followers.

Captioning the carousel of pictures on Thursday, July 6, Mayer wrote, "The afterglow is still shining bright." 

Among the snapshots was one taken from the audience, featuring the phrase "Please Be Kind" illuminated in purple lights in the sky.

Swift's fans quickly noticed the timing of Mayer's upload. One social media user commented, "Speak not💜💜💜 stream speak now (taylor’s version)," while another playfully remarked, "You should have disabled the comments section💜."

One fan humorously noted that it might not have been the best timing to use the color purple, considering its association with Swift's Speak Now era.

At the time of their brief romance, Swift, who is now 33, had collaborated with Mayer on his 2009 track "Half of My Heart." 

However, their relationship faced criticism due to the significant age gap between them. Swift was 19 years old while Mayer was 32 when they were romantically linked.

After their breakup, when Swift released the original version of "Dear John," it became evident to fans that Mayer was the subject of the song. 

In the lyrics, Swift sings, "Don't you think I was too young to be messed with?

In a 2012 interview with Rolling Stone, Mayer strongly criticized Swift's breakup anthem, expressing that it made him feel deeply upset. 

He stated that he did not deserve to be the target of Swift's songwriting, and he believed it was a hurtful and unjust act on her part. 

Mayer acknowledged his own growth in taking responsibility for his actions and insisted that he had never done anything to warrant such treatment.

Ironically, despite his condemnation of Swift's approach to writing songs about past relationships, Mayer himself wrote a cryptic track on his 2013 album, Paradise Valley, which seemed to be a response to "Dear John." 

In "Paper Doll," he sings enigmatically, "You're like twenty-two girls in one, and none of them know what they're runnin' from," appearing to reference Swift's song "22" released in 2012. 

Interestingly, Mayer also includes a mention of a red scarf, which fans speculate to be an allusion to Swift's ballad "All Too Well" from her album Red.

Earlier this year, during a concert in Sacramento, California, Mayer took the opportunity to revisit "Paper Doll." 

While on stage in April, he shared his musings about the song, wondering if its reception was unfavorable due to its slightly resentful tone. 

He openly expressed his dislike for songs that exuded anger, describing it as having a somewhat "bitchy" quality.

Just a month later, Swift made an official announcement that she would be releasing Speak Now (Taylor's Version), as part of her ongoing endeavor to regain control of her masters by re-recording her earlier music. 

In June, during a stop on her Eras Tour in Minnesota, she performed "Dear John" for the first time since 2012. 

Before singing the song, she encouraged her fans to take action, adding an empowering call to action.

"I have the incredible privilege of standing on this stage every single night of this tour and witnessing the most beautiful moments," Swift began during the acoustic segment of her performance. 

"I see all of you forming connections, making friends, and forging bonds... As we approach the release of [Speak Now], I kindly ask you to let that same kindness and compassion extend to our online interactions."

Swift proceeded to explain the rationale behind her re-releases, emphasizing that "any artist who desires to own their music should have that opportunity." 

Before performing the surprise song, she made it clear to the concert attendees that her intention in updating her old tracks was not to initiate any form of drama.

"At 33 years old, I truly don't care about anything that happened to me when I was 19, except for the songs I wrote," she expressed. 

"I am not releasing this album to encourage anyone to feel obligated to defend me on the internet against someone whom they believe I might have written a song about ages ago."

Her statement followed the release of the song "Would've, Could've, Should've" from her 2022 album, Midnights, which fans also speculate to be about her tumultuous relationship with Mayer.

Mayer is not the sole famous ex-partner of Swift to serve as inspiration for songs on Speak Now, as Joe Jonas, Taylor Lautner, and others were also sources of inspiration for the 2010 record. 

Lautner, the subject of Swift's song "Back to December," previously hinted that Mayer should brace himself in anticipation of the re-release.

"In my opinion, it's a fantastic album. Yeah, I feel secure," he jokingly remarked during a May interview, followed by a lighthearted statement, "Praying for John."