Photo: Mazur/WireImage
John Mayer premiered the first single off his new album
Battle Studies, “Who Says,” on his
official Website, alerting fans to his new song with
a tweet that reads, “From my heart to yours.” The sweet little acoustic folk ballad starts off innocently, reminding fans of
Continuum favorites like “Stop This Train” and “Heart of Life.” And as Mayer tells
Rolling Stone in our new issue, the song’s opening line — “Who says I can’t get stoned?” — is equally innocent.
“When I sing it, I do not think about marijuana — I think about walking around your house naked with a guitar,” Mayer says. “It’s about being in control of the pleasure in your life.”
Musically, “Who Says” accomplishes what Mayer says he set out to do on his follow-up to 2006’s soulful and introspective
Continuum: Make a pop album, or “a record where you could sing any of the songs in an
American Idol audition,” as Mayer tells
RS.
Battle Studies also features “Heartbreak Warfare,” a pop-soul tune that may or may not be about Mayer’s tabloid-fixture relationship with actress Jennifer Aniston. Taylor Swift will also make an appearance on the album, singing a Fleetwood Mac-esque duet with Mayer called “Half of My Heart.” For much more on
Battle Studies, due out November 17th, be sure to check out the new issue of
Rolling Stone, and to read up on over 40 of the biggest albums dropping this autumn, be sure to check out our
Fall Music Preview.
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John Mayer Offers First Listen to ?Battle Studies? Single ?Who Says?
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