Artist: John Mayer Album: Room For Squares {2001}

"Welcome to the real world," she said to me condescendingly
Take a seat, take your life
Plot it out in black and white
Well, I never lived the dream of the prom kings and the drama queens
I'd like to think the best of me
Is still hiding up my sleeve

They love to tell you stay inside the lines
But something's better on the other side
I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing as the real world
Just a lie you've got to rise above

So the good boys and girls take the so called right track
Faded white hats, grabbing credits and maybe transfers
They read all the books but they can't find the answers
And all of our parents, they're getting older
I wonder if they've wished for anything better
While in their memories - tiny tragedies

They love to tell you stay inside the lines
But something's better on the other side
I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing as the real world
Just a lie you've got to rise above

I am invincible, I am invincible
I am invincible as long as I'm alive

I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing as the real world
Just a lie you've got to rise above

I just can't wait till my ten year reunion
I'm gonna bust down the double doors
And when I stand on these tables before you
You will know what all this time was for

I am driving up 85 in the kind of morning that lasts all afternoon
Just stuck inside the gloom
Four more exits to my apartment but I am tempted to keep the car in drive
And leave it all behind

Cos I wonder sometimes about the outcome
Of a still verdictless life
Am I living it right
Am I living it right
Am I living it right
Why, why, Georgia, why

I rent a room and I fill the spaces with
Wood in places to make it feel like home
But all I feel's alone
It might be a quarter life crisis
Or just the stirring in my soul

Either way I wonder sometimes about the outcome
Of a still verdictless life
Am I living it right
Am I living it right
Am I living it right
Why, why, Georgia, why

So what, so I've got a smile on
But it's hiding the quiet superstitions in my head
Don't believe me, don't believe me
When I say I've got it down

Everybody is just a stranger but
That's the danger in going my own way
I guess it's the price I have to pay

Still everything happens for a reason
Is no reason not to ask myself
If I am living it right
Am I living it right
Am I living it right
Why, tell me why
Why, why, Georgia, why

My stupid mouth has got me in trouble
I said too much again to a date over dinner yesterday
And I could see she was offended, she said, "Well anyway."
Just dying for a subject change

Oh, it's another social casualty
Score one more for me
How could I forget
Mama said, "Think before speaking."
No filter in my head
Oh, what's a boy to do
I guess he better find one soon, yeah

We bit our lips, she looked out the window
Rolling tiny balls of napkin paper
I played a quick game of chess with the salt and pepper shaker
And I could see clearly an indelible line was drawn
Between what was good, what just slipped out and what went wrong

Oh, the way she feels about me has changed
Thanks for playing, try again
How could I forget
Mama said, "Think before speaking."
No filter in my head
Oh, what's a boy to do
I guess he better find one 

I'm never speaking up again, it only hurts me
I'd rather be a mystery than she desert me
Oh, I'm never speaking up again starting now
Starting now

One more thing, why is it my fault
So maybe I try too hard, but it's all because of this desire
I just wanna be liked, just wanna be funny
Looks like the jokes on me - so call me captain backfire

I'm never speaking up again, it only hurts me
I'd rather be a mystery than she desert me
Oh, I'm never speaking up again
I'm never speaking up again
I'm never speaking up again starting now
Starting now

We got the afternoon
You got this room for two
One thing I've left to do
Discover me discovering you

One mile to every inch of
Your skin like porcelain
One pair of candy lips and
Your bubblegum tongue

And if you want love we'll make it
Swimming a deep sea of blankets
Take all your big plans and break 'em
This is bound to be a while

Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonder, I'll use my hands
Your body is a wonderland

Something bout the way your hair falls in your face
I love the shape you take when crawling towards the pillowcase
You tell me where to go and though I might leave to find it
I'll never let your head hit the bed without my hand behind it

You want love, we'll make it
Swimming a deep sea of blankets
Take all your big plans and break 'em
This is bound to be a while

Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonder, I'll use my hands
Your body is a wonderland

I'm never speaking up again, I'll use my hands

Damn baby, you frustrate me
I know you're mine all mine all mine
But you look so good it hurts sometimes

Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonder, I'll use my hands
Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonderland

When sky blue gets dark enough
To see the colors of the city lights
A trail of ruby red and diamond white
Hits her like a sunrise
She comes and goes and comes and goes like no one can

Tonight she's out to lose herself
And find a high on Peachtree Street
From mixed drinks to techno beats it's always
Heavy into everything
She comes and goes and comes and goes like no one can
She comes and goes and no one knows she's slipping through my hands

She's always buzzing just like neon, neon, neon, neon
Who knows how long, how long, how long
She can go before she burns away

I can't be her angel now
You know it's not my place to hold her down
And it's hard for me to take a stand
When I would take her anyway I can
She comes and she goes like no one can
She comes and she goes, she's slipping through my hands

She's always buzzing just like neon, neon, neon, neon
Who knows how long, how long, how long
She can go before she burns away, away

She comes and she goes like no one can
She comes and she goes, she's slipping through my hands

She's always buzzing just like neon, neon, neon, neon
Who knows how long, how long, how long
She can go before she burns away

I never liked this apple much
It always seemed too big to touch
I can't remember how I found
My way before she came around 

I tell everyone I smile just because
I've got a city love, I found it in Lydia
And I can't remember life before her name

She keeps a toothbrush at my place
As if I had the extra space
She steals my clothes to wear to work
I know - her hairs are on my shirts

I tell everyone I smile just because
I've got a city love, I found it in Lydia
And I can't remember life before the day

She called up and came to me
Covered in rain and dinnertime shadowing
And as her clothes spun, we spooned
And I knew I was through
When I said, "I love you." 

Friday evening, we've been drinking
2 AM, I swear I might propose
But we close a tab, split a cab
Call each other up when we get home
Falling asleep to the sound of sirens 

I've got a city love, I found it in Lydia
From the battery to the gallery
It's the kind of thing you only see
In scented, glossy magazines 
And I can't remember life before her name

I've these dreams I'm walking home
Home when it used to be
And everything is as it was
Frozen in front of me 

Here I stand, six feet small
Romanticizing years ago
But it's a bitter sweet feeling hearing
Wrapped Around Your Finger on the radio 

And these days I wish I was six again
Oh, make me a red cape, I wanna be Superman 
Oh, if only my life was more like 1983
All these things would be more like they were at the start of me
Had it made in '83 

Thinking bout my brother Ben
I miss him every day
He looks just like his brother John
But on an 18 month delay 

Here I stand, six feet small
And smiling cos I'm scared as hell
Kind of like my life is like a sequel to a movie
Where the actor's names have changed, oh well 

Well, these days I wish I was six again
Oh, make me a red cape, I wanna be Superman 
Oh, if only my life was more like 1983
All these things would be more like they were at the start of me
If my life was more like 1983
I'd plot a course to the source of the purest little part of me

And most my memories have escaped me
Or confused themselves with dreams
If heaven's all we want it to be
Send your prayers to me care of 1983 

You can paint that house a rainbow of colors
Rip out the floorboards, replace the shutters but
That's my plastic in the dirt
Whatever happened to my, whatever happened to my
Whatever happened to my lunchbox
When came the day that it got thrown away
And don't you think I should have had some say in that decision
If only my life, if only my life
If only my life, if only my life
If only my life, if only my life
If only my life, if only my life

I'm writing you to catch you up on places I've been
And you held this letter, probably got excited
But there's nothing else inside it 

Didn't have a camera by my side this time
Hoping I would see the world through both my eyes
Maybe I will tell you all about it when
I'm in the mood to lose my way with words 

Today skies are painted colors of a cowboy cliche
And strange how clouds that look like mountains in the sky
Are next to mountains anyway 

Didn't have a camera by my side this time
Hoping I would see the world through both my eyes
Maybe I will tell you all about it when
I'm in the mood to lose my way, but let me say 

You should have seen that sunrise with your own eyes
It brought me back to life
You'll be with me next time I go outside
No more three by fives

Guess you had to be there
I guess you had to be with me 

Oh, today I finally overcame
Tryin' to fit the world inside a picture frame
Maybe I will tell you all about it when
I'm in the mood to lose my way, but let me say

You should have seen that sunrise with your own eyes
It brought me back to life
You'll be with me next time I go outside
No more three by fives
Just no more three by fives

Staying home alone on a Friday
Flat on the floor looking back
On old love or lack thereof
After all the crushes are faded
And all my wishful thinking was wrong
I'm jaded, I hate it

I'm tired of being alone
So hurry up and get here
I'm so tired of being alone
So hurry up and get here, get here

Been searching all my days just to find you
I'm not sure who I'm looking for
I'll know it when I see you
Until then I'll hide in my bedroom
Just staying up all night just to write
A love song for no one

I'm tired of being alone
So hurry up and get here
I'm so tired of being alone
So hurry up and get here

I could have met you in a sandbox
I could have passed you on the sidewalk
Could I have missed my chance
And watched you walk away
Oh, no way

I could have met you in a sandbox
I could have passed you on the sidewalk
Could I have missed my chance
And watched you walk away

I'm tired of being alone
So hurry up and get here
I'm so tired of being alone
So hurry up and get here, oh yeah

I'm tired of being alone
So hurry up and get here
I'm so tired of being alone
So hurry up and get here
You'll be so good
You'll be so good for me

Back to you
It always comes around back to you
I tried to forget you
I tried to stay away
But it's too late

Over you
I'm never over, over you
There's something about you
It's just the way you move
The way you move me

Yeah, I'm so good at forgetting
And I quit ever game I play
But forgive me, love, I can't turn and walk away this way

Back to you
It always comes around back to you
I walk with your shadow
I'm sleeping in my bed
With your silhouette

Yeah, should have smiled in that picture
If it's the last that I'll see of you
It's the least that you could not do

Leave the light on, I'll never give up on you
Leave the light on for me too, for me too, for me too, yeah

Back to me
I know that it comes back to me
Doesn't it scare you
Your will is not as strong
As it used to be

Check your pulse it's proof that you're not listening to
The call your life's been issuing you
The rhythm of a line of idle days 

Scared of a world outside you should go explore
Pull all the shades and wander the great indoors
The great indoors 

Lamplight makes the shadows play
And posters take the walls away
The TV is your window pane, the view won't let you down
So put your faith in a late night show
I bet you didn't even know
Depends on how far out you go, the channel numbers change 

Scared of a world outside you should go explore
Pull all the shades and wander the great indoors

Though lately I can't blame you
I have seen the world
And sometimes wish your room had room for two

So go unlock the door
And find what you are here for
Leave the great indoors
Leave the great indoors

Check your pulse it's proof that you're not listening to
The call your life's been issuing you
The rhythm of a line of idle days, of idle days

Suppose I said I am on my best behavior
And there are times I lose my worried mind
Would you want me when I'm not myself
Wait it out while I am someone else

Suppose I said colors change for no good reason
And words will go from poetry to prose
Would you want me when I'm not myself
Wait it out while I am someone else

And I, in time, will come around
I always do for you

Suppose I said you're my saving grace
My grace, myself
Not myself, when I'm someone else
When I'm someone else, when I'm someone else
When I'm not myself

Here comes the cold
Break out the winter clothes
And find a love to call your own
You, enter you
Your cheeks a shade of pink
And the rest of you in powder blue

Who knows what will be
But I'll make you this guarantee, see

No way November will see our goodbye
When it comes to December, it's obvious why
No one wants to be alone at Christmas time

In the dark, on the phone
You tell me the names of your brothers
And your favorite colors, I'm learning you
And when it snows again
We'll take a walk outside
And search the sky like children do, I'll say to you

No way November will see our goodbye
When it comes to December, it's obvious why
No one wants to be alone at Christmas time

And come January we're frozen inside
Making new resolutions a hundred times
February, won't you be my valentine
And we'll both be safe till St. Patrick's Day

We should take a ride tonight around the town 
And look around at all the beautiful houses
Something in the way that blue lights on a black night 
Can make you feel more
Everybody, it seems to me, just wants to be
Just like you and me

No one wants to be alone at Christmas time
Come January we're frozen inside
Making new resolutions a hundred times
February, won't you be my valentine

And if our always is all that we gave
And we someday take that away
I'll be alright if it was just till St. Patrick's Day

INSTRUMENTAL

After all the jacks are in their boxes
And the clowns have all gone to bed
You can hear happiness starin' on down the street
Footprints dressed in red

A broom is drearily sweeping
The broken peices of yesterday's life
Somewhere a queen is weeping
Somewhere a king has no wife
And the wind cries Mary

The traffic lights, they turn blue tomorrow
And they shine emptiness down, down, down on my bed
A tiny island sags on down the stream
Cos the life it lives is dead
And the wind cries Mary
And the wind cries Mary

Will the wind ever remember
The names it has blown in the past
And with it's crutch, it's old age and it's wisdom
It whispers, "No, this won't be the last."
And the wind cries Mary
And the wind cries Mary


Thank you