I believe the main theme of the song is that there is a certain hollowness to the high school experience and in order to escape it, one must step out of society. Mayer believes that the "real world" is simply a bunch of lies and that in order to find true happiness/knowledge, one must get off the conveyor belt of life (straight A's, prestigious college, grad school, marriage, ect.).
In the song, Mayer writes, "Well I never lived the the dreams of prom kings/And the drama queens/I'd like to think the best of me/Is still hiding/Up my sleeve." In those lyrics, Mayer sets himself up as someone didn't participate in the stereotypical high school experience. And he even ends by saying that despite not being in the high school bubble, he still has the potential; suggesting that high school can't measure a person's chances of success.
Another set of lyrics that embody the theme are, "They love to tell you/Stay inside the lines/But something's better/On the other side." At this point in the song, Mayer wants students to break out from the systematic way of life and experience something completely different. By stepping out of society, Mayer suggests that one will be able to find a life richer than the one lived within society.
The theme is also repeated in the chorus, saying, "I just found out there's no such thing as the real world/Just a lie you've got to rise above." In this lyric, Mayer claims that the real world is simply a bunch of lies and societal expectations, and that at the end of it all, one should chose the life path that is best for them.
In the song, Mayer writes, "Well I never lived the the dreams of prom kings/And the drama queens/I'd like to think the best of me/Is still hiding/Up my sleeve." In those lyrics, Mayer sets himself up as someone didn't participate in the stereotypical high school experience. And he even ends by saying that despite not being in the high school bubble, he still has the potential; suggesting that high school can't measure a person's chances of success.
Another set of lyrics that embody the theme are, "They love to tell you/Stay inside the lines/But something's better/On the other side." At this point in the song, Mayer wants students to break out from the systematic way of life and experience something completely different. By stepping out of society, Mayer suggests that one will be able to find a life richer than the one lived within society.
The theme is also repeated in the chorus, saying, "I just found out there's no such thing as the real world/Just a lie you've got to rise above." In this lyric, Mayer claims that the real world is simply a bunch of lies and societal expectations, and that at the end of it all, one should chose the life path that is best for them.
I love that you chose to write about John Mayer. I feel like a lot of people discount him as a good music artist, but by analyzing his lyrics as poetry, you've convinced me to give him a second chance.
ReplyDeleteI love your analysis! I think that the way John Mayer writes his songs is always very poetic, and I think the way that you looked at this song is really great. I feel like he is one of those singers that sometimes it can seem really easy to understand the meaning of the song, but once you look into it more deeply, there's an even better meaning.
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