John mayer waiting on the world to change lyrics meaning

Alright, after last week’s oddly titled, obscure song, I decided to go with one that you are bound to have heard before — “Waiting On the World to Change.” Most people who are not avid John Mayer fans have likely heard this one before considering it was one of the most popular songs of the late 2000s. John Mayer is known for making a statement within the guitar playing and lyrics of his songs, and “Waiting On the World to Change” is no exception (not to mention this song won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance!)

Mayer usually does not get political in his songs, but this one certainly crosses the line. Mayer sings, “Now we see everything that’s going wrong with the world and those who lead it” and “we just feel like we don’t have the means to rise above and beat it,” arguing that governments across the world are in complete and total control over global affairs; he implies they are not representing what the people want, and instead are promoting violence and war over peace and pacifism. One of my favorite parts of the song is when he sings about bringing neighbors home from war; he shines a light o

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“Waiting On The World To Change” By: John Mayer

Me and all my friends
We’re all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There’s no way we ever could

Now we see everything that’s going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don’t have the means
To rise above and beat it

So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

It’s hard to beat the system
When we’re standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change

Now if we had the power
To bring our neighbors home from war
They would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on their door
And when you trust your television
What you get is what you got
Cause when they own the information, oh
They can bend it all they want

That’s why we’re waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

It’s not that we don’t care,
We just know that the fight ain’t fair
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

And we’re still waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on



Waiting on the World to Change


John Mayer, 2006















According to John Mayer, "Waiting On the World to Change" was an attempt to voice what he felt was his generation's feeling of helplessness. What was going on in the world when the song was written in 2006 that might have made Mayer and his peers feel helpless?







Based on the lyrics, what do you think Mayer wants to see changed in the world?







The song has been criticized as promoting political apathy. Do you think the song does this?







Compare this song to Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready" and Macklemore's "Same Love." Why do you think John Mayer and Macklemore based "Waiting On the World to Change" and "Same Love" on Mayfield's song about the Civil Rights Movement?









"Waiting on the World to Change" performed by John Mayer on Continuum, © 2006. Available on YouTube (official video), iTunes, and Spotify.

For more information about John Mayer, visit his official website.





Rights have not been secured to reprint the words for this song. Please consult the following online resource for lyrics:

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/johnmayer/
waitingontheworldtochange.html









Bor

Waiting on the World To Change



BB:
We're having a debate in this room before you came in—and you may not want to answer this—which song are you just tired of playing?


JM:
Um, I'm tired of playing "Waiting on the World to Change."


BB:
Boom! What did I say?!


Amy:
Pay up!


JM:
What, that I would have one or that it would be that one?


BB:
That it would be that one.


JM:
Really? Yeah.


BB:
Why do you think it is? I have a whole different reason. Why do you think it is. I have a reason I'm tired of hearing it. Why do you think?


JM:
Oh that's funny, let's go, let’s boogie. Here we go, I’m leaning into this one.


BB:
Why are you tired of playing it?


JM:
It's—honest to god—it's just a tactile thing. It's just after a while like—by the way you're gonna be like “oh, well I hated the message”, I was like “I just didn't like the way it felt in my hand.” It's right outside of my range. Like when I had a vocal surgery then I had a procedure and like it cost me like two or three notes and I needed those notes for "Waiting on the World to Change." So I kind of had to sneak around it, so it's not exactly the most comfortable thing. So weirdly enough like all the songs