In Your Atmosphere

My ex lived in a town about 20 minutes away from me. After we ended, I knew I couldn't go back there for a long time. I'd die if I saw him, and then again I'd die if I didn't see him there. That's what JM is talking about.

JM is known to improv lyrics at shows, so I could be "correcting" lyrics that are actually correct of a different version of the song. However, the lines that stand out to me the most are my favorite ones in the whole song: "I dont think I'm gonna go to LA anymore I get lost on the boulevard at night Without your voice to tell me 'I love you, take a right.' The ten and the two is a lonely sight." Those lines mean that when he used to go to LA, he and the girl he loved would drive along the boulevard at night and since it wasn't his town, she would have to tell him when to turn right/left. The next part is my absolute favorite. He says that "the ten and the two is a lonely sight," which means that both of his hands are on the wheel now (@ 10 and 2) whereas when he and the girl were together, they were probably holding hands as he drove. I know exactly what he means. I think lol. That's what this songs mean to me, anyway :)

to me, it represents a situation in which you love someone, you want to go see that person and be together again, because you must have ended the relationship due to something really silli that doesn't seem to make sense anymore.

you want to go there, but then you think about what that person will think about you, and if she is involved in another relationship and many things go to your head, so you don't know if you want to see that person any more. "i dont think i'm gonna go to LA ANYMORE" the anymore as in you wanted to go, but after thinking about it youre not so sure.

"I'm not sure that I really ever could Hold on to the hotel key Bedroom made (mumble) We sleep walk in Hollywood" even the thought of going is sad to him because the city holds so much memories of them, that it will be really hard for him to go there.

"Cus I'd die if I saw you I'd die if I didn't see you there" he knows that each scenario will be hard, and he will not know what to do on each of the situations, so you dont go, and avoid ever going there, because you know that even do you want to be with her, its not going to work out on any way.

"I think I'm gonna stay All the street lights say nevermind All the canyon lines say nevermind Sunset since we see it all the time, nevermind" everything is telling him nevermind, that he shouldn't go yo LA because no good thing can turn out, everything will hurt and each posible scenario is also going to be bad for him, so he stays right where he is

And the lyrics are: "Hold on to your hotel key, in a bedroom neighbourhood"

"Cus I'd die if I saw you I'd die if I didn't see you there"

best line & describes things perfectly

This song is clear as day if this has ever happened to you. I joined the military and soon after broke up with the girl I loved. The first time I took leave back to our home town I was so confused. This is exactly how I felt. In this song JM talks about being in love with a girl and they parted so now he doesnt want to go back to LA. When he says, I'm not sure that I really ever could hold on to a hotel key in your bedroom neighborhood, he simply means it would be so hard to be so near her and have to stay in a hotel when he just wants to stay with her in her bedroom like he used to. He says he will burn up in her atmosphere, meaning it would drive him nuts to be around her and not be able to be with her. My favorite line is, Cause I'd die if I saw you, I'd die if I didn't see you, meaning if he went back to L.A and saw her it would hurt him so bad and if he didn't see her it would kill him that she is so close and they are not together.

easily one of my favourite JM songs. Incredible guitar playing and vocals, which in combination is an amazing thing to replay consistently in live concerts.

Thought I might weigh in on the "10 and 2" interpretations. I thought that this reference was to the steering wheel hand positions with the clue in the rest of the lyric i.e. "The 10 and 2 is the loneliest sight". Given the consistent grammar correctness in his songs thus far, I would think the use of "is the" rather than "are the" signifies the reference to the sight than the 2 highways.

Either way, the interpretations here are clever, and all the more amazing on JM's part to create that dual vision, both relating to a loneliness we can all relate to.

cheers

I think the lyrics are actually "I doubt if I didn't see you there." John Mayer kicks major ass!! Just a question but he was going out with Jennifer Love Hewitt for a while so does the Hollywood things pertain to her? Anyway, I love this song.

To me this is just about how you both want and don't want to see this girl again. You love her and you hate her. Well maybe not hate but at least dislike

Awesome song by John. The lines "I'm gonna steer clear Cus I'd die if I saw you I'd die if I didn't see you there" is so true when you really want to see someone but sight of that person hurts you everytime.

great song about jlh. the rest is pretty obvious. the possibility of seeing an ex on their own 'turf' is scary, because with it comes the possiblilty of stirring up old feelings that are still painful.