John Mayer Makes Confession About Song That’s Rumored to Be About Taylor Swift

John Mayer is opening up about his song “Paper Dolls.” Amid long-standing rumors that the song is about Taylor Swift, the singer made some surprising comments about the tune during an April 8 concert at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, confessing that he doesn’t like how the song comes off.

Mayer’s confession was revealed in a video shared to TikTok, which showed the singer, 45, strumming the opening chords of the 2013 track on his guitar as he wondered aloud, “I wonder if people don’t like it because it sounds a little pissed off.” Mayer admitted that he doesn’t “really like ‘pissed off’ as a song. I think it was more hurt,” before admitting “there’s something about it that’s a little b-y.” Mayer added, “I try not to give b-iness in the song, and that happens sometimes. I guess I don’t do it very well, sarcastic b-.”

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John Mayer reflecting on his Paper Doll lyrics #johnmayer #johnmayersolotour #taylorswift #couldveshouldvewouldve #dearjohn #paperdoll

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Mayer stopped short of revealing who the song may be about, though it has long been believed that Swift inspired the song. Swift, 33, and Mayer are believed to have dated around 2009 when she was 19 and he was 32. “Paper Dolls” was released as the lead single for his sixth studio album Paradise Valley, with Mayer singing in the chorus, “Cause you’re like 22 girls in one / And none of them know what they’re runnin’ from.”

Swift, meanwhile, is known to write songs about her past relationships, and it is believed that her 2010 track “Dear John,” from her third studio album Speak Now, is about Mayer. In that song, Swift sings, “And you’ll add my name to your long list of traitors who don’t understand / And I’ll look back and regret how I ignored when they said ‘run as fast as you can.’”

Swifties also believe that a more recent track, “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” from Midnights, could be about Mayer. In that song, from the 3am tracks, Swift sings, “I damn sure would’ve never danced with the devil at 19,” which would have been the age she was during her rumored relationship with Mayer. The lyrics also include, “Now that I’m grown, I’m scared of ghosts / Memories feel like weapons. And if I was some paint, did it splatter on a promising grown man?/ And if I was a child did it matter if you got to wash your hands? Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first.” Swift, however, has never divulged the subjects behind the songs.