I can't help but respond to this and while many of you won't be shocked I still must do it. John Mayer's new single, "Who Says." There are two things to address first while I may think John Mayer is a creative guru I don't by any means think he is perfect. Secondly in that same light I do question his motives at certain times.
First we all must come to the fact that no matter who we like in this life they will let us down. I was truly hoping this single was just a joke. I listened to it and sure I liked the way it sounded but questioned the lyrics. Friends let me say this. I once was in the place to deny that lyrics affected me but now I find myself frustrated when an artist I like compromises things I believe. I know it sounds weird but if I like the sound or artist I want to listen to the song and not feel guilty. I don't want to listen to a song and cringe every time I hear the lyrics. While I like this song and normally a John Mayer single would repeat on my ipod this one has moved into the mass of songs just hidden away. I wait patiently for the new album listening to snippets of "War of my Life." I have so much to say about that song but that is a side note and I will wait for the real version. We do come to a choice to agree with an artist and their songs or to disagree and turn away.
"Who Says," first came out with the idea that when he said, "Stoned....he meant playing the guitar naked in his home." I knew there is no way he could say this word and then not mean what that said. There are many words that have duel meanings in our lives but stoned means one thing only. It was funny to watch people argue it and claim listen to what the author sasys. I mean I thought about the different conversations I had with people discussing Creed. The argument always was Scott does not mean to talk about God even if it is obvious. True we must listen to what the author meant and we speak that about scripture. But what happens when the author says a word and then says it has a different meaning than the common one.
I think that is odd but we cannot deny the fact of what that word means. The only other meaning for stoned is scripturely and has more to do with dying than freedom. Finally John after a week came out with the true meaning that it was to think why have we not legalized certain drugs. Regardless of all this banter my thing is in a song like this all about who says I can't do this or that it is easy for us as Christians. We know "who says" and it is God. If you ask me why well it is for your own good. See that is the beauty of Christianity many of our deepest questions our answered because our Author doesn't change meanings he does what He Says. And what He says is for our own God not to hold back freedom.
I will still appreciate John but he is flawed so am I. Yet while this post was written a long time ago and just finished up lately I could not let this song go by without saying something. I think this is important we don't just pass on moments like this to talk about how the world is flawed no matter how much we enjoy certain things in this life. And that my friends makes me thankful for heaven when all of this is redeemed. The album is out now and I found many songs I do enjoy without lyrics that compromise what I believe.
