John Mayer Offers First Listen to "Battle Studies" Single "Who Says"

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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Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

More Song Stories entries »

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