I first heard of John Mayer through my daughter’s.
My experience with their taste in music included: the Hanson Brothers (they’re the best dad!), The Backstreet Boys (they’re the best dad!), and some guy named Jason Mraz (he’s the best dad!).
Kids!
Another artist my girls forced me to listen to is John Mayer. Today I have to admit he does have a few songs that I do like.
One of those songs is Waiting on the World to Change.
Waiting on the World to Change is a heartfelt lament about the state of the world. The song worked its way into my brain on several levels.
It has a deceptively catchy chorus, the title of the song, and I have often found myself singing along.
But after listening to the song for about a year, I listened to the lyrics and realized that I shouldn’t be singing along.
I realized that I had fallen into the trap. I had become complacent and, like John Mayer, was feeling like I didn’t have the means to change the world.
When you stop and think about the state of the planet, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the problems - not a single problem, but many problems.
From the depletion of fish populations, the changing pH of the oceans, climate change, the quality of the air we breath, pipelines, food shortages, homelessness and Stephen Harper.
It really is overwhelming.
But, for me, Mayer’s song now serves as an important reminder.
It has allowed me a second chance, and I hope John Mayer seizes his second chance, and understands he does have a voice, he can teach many children, he can get them to imagine, to believe they can make a difference.
Why not record cover versions of the top four songs in this list, and rewrite his song and call it Can’t Wait on the World to Change, then he won’t have to wait on the world to change.
He will be a part of that change.
Mayer’s song is the one song on my list of favourites that I hope will break with tradition.
Imagine.
I hope I’m no the only one.
- Percy N. Hébert/Interior News