Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey

I really wish I wasn't able to relate to this song.

This is my favorite song from his current album.

I think it perfectly captures the grown up John Mayer that we seem to have found in Born & Raised. He's a little worn down, he's a little more realistic, but in his soul he's still looking for something more.

Well, at least that's how the song strikes me, and that's how I can relate to it.

My favorite lines are: It's just a phase, it's not forever, it's just a phase, but I still might have a ways to go.

This song kinda captures the moments in life when those who find (or once found) solace in the party scene, start to somehow reel away in it's essence of emptiness.

"It's"(the song and such moments in life) (are) both melancholic yet therapeutic simultaneously.

I've thought nearly every thought and phase Mayer represented in this song, and it seems to help to me deal with the unknowingness of meaningless and the hopeful search for purpose that drapes the existence of those who live into their 30's.

It is likely the best song on Mayer's most recent album, and let's hope he gets back to expressing himself about the darks of life further on his next album(which he masterfully does on all his projects). Because, the powers that be, know, I need it...;)

I feel like John is showing us the transition he may be going through in his life at this point in time.

"It's just a phase...It's not forever...but I still might have a ways to go."

On the surface, this song allows us to believe that he sees alcohol as a way to numb the pain of his uncomfortable transition through life. I also think he's trying to say that he has more to learn as things change. He's stumbling over the transitional problems he's facing, just as a drunk person (who has had a little too much whiskey, whiskey, whiskey) might stumble over obstacles that seem so simple to overcome.

This is definitely one of his deeper songs and I think it can apply to anyone who may be going through an uncomfortably awkward stage in their life.

Corrections:

We pick up in New York City I try to find the man I never got to be But when I push down on the pavement I find the whole thing so much harder than it seems

The only deal I ever signed No* devil drew a dotted line The stage was set, the words were mine I'm not complaining

Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Water, water, water Sleep Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Wake up, shake it off And repeat

It's just a phase It's not forever It's just a phase But* I still might have a ways to go

Every night around this time My friends and I we treat it like a race But when I really start to break it down I wouldn't trust a girl who knew about this place

Walking home with no one left Speak softly underneath my breath Hey world you ain't seen nothing yet Great now it's raining

Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Water, water, water Sleep Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Wake up, shake it off And repeat

It's just a phase It's not forever It's just a phase But I still might have a ways...yeah

Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Water, water, water Sleep Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Wake up, shake it off And repeat it, repeat it, repeat after me

(First of alI, sorry for my bad english.)

I think it's related to the period where he recorded the Born&Raised album.

"We pick up in New York City. I'm tryin' to find the man I never got to be. But when I push down on the pavement, find the whole thing so much harder than it seems."

• He recorded it at Electric Lady Studios, which is at NY. It's about his mind-changing after that media boom about him. He decided to be a new person through his music. Or, as he said on some interviews, he only wanted to be a singer and songwriter. Well, I think every Mayer fan knows what he was been through. And, yeah... not easy to change or even throw away some beliefs. Old habits can die hard.

"The only deal I ever signed, no devil drew a dotted line. The stage was set, the words were mine, I'm not complaining"

• The record deal he signed gave him complete control on his content. He was free. Whether it's good or bad words (and consequences of it), it's all about him.

"Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey, water, water, water, sleep. Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey, wake up, shake it off and repeat. It's just a phase, it's not forever, it's just a phase but I still might have a ways to go..."

• He developed this habit of drinking whiskey. Plenty of it. It could help him on keeping sad thoughts away, I guess. And he knows it's an issue if mantained for long time, but he hopes he can quit it.

"Every night around this time, my friends and I we treat it like a race. But when I really start to break it down, I wouldn't trust a girl who knew about this place"

• Or a man, either. It's numb for me, but I think it's about drinking with friends, relaxing a little, and even having a "race", a competition with the glasses. But anyone who literally knew the best places for drink or figuratively have reached the “place” of alcoholism already has some issues going on.

"Walking on with no one left, speak softly underneath my breath: 'Hey world you ain't seen nothing yet!'. -Great, now it's raining"

• I didn't get the raining part, but about the rest, while no one was around (Mayer asked the sound engineer to cut off his (engineer) headphone volume, and the man would say "ok, do your thing, text me when you're done") he was walking around the studio, which was nice and quiet, saying "Just watch. I’m gonna redeem myself and show the world that I am a better person".

"Dreamed somebody missed me... wake up, shake it off and repeat it, repeat it, repeat after me"

• Now I don't know if it's exactly his thought, but I guess it's again about escaping the world, kind of making the people forget about him (and making himself forget about overthinking what other people think about him).

"...Cuttin' me off and pour me in the street"

• Would this be about his routine? It's in the same place of "Wake up, shake it off and repeat". I'm not sure.

Well, there it is, it's my interpretation of this great song. It's my favourite album, also.

I think sinshereinsong got most of the corrections right, but this is how I think the lyrics are:

We pick up in New York City I'm tryna to find the man I never got to be But when I pushed down on the pavement I found the whole thing so much harder than it seemed

The only deal I ever signed No devil drew a dotted line The stage was set, the words were mine I'm not complaining

Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Water, water, water Sleep Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Wake up, shake it off And repeat

It's just a phase It's not forever It's just a phase But I still might have a ways To go

Every night around this time My friends and I, we treat it like a race But when I really start to break it down I wouldn't trust a girl who knew about this place

Walking on/home with no one left Speak softly underneath my breath Hey world, you ain't seen nothing yet Great, now it's raining

Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Water, water, water Sleep Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Wake up, shake it off And repeat

It's just a phase It's not forever It's just a phase But I still might have a ways

Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Water, water, water Sleep Dream somebody missed me Wake up, shake it off And repeat it, repeat it, repeat after me

Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Water, water, water Sleep Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Cut me off and pour me in the Street

Whiskey, whiskey, whiskey Water, water, water Sleep

I think BobTheRhino's nailed the first verse, but I think there's a bit more to the second verse. I don't think the song's a comment about his own life so much as a comment about the GLOBAL alcoholism epidemic fueled by distillers (in particular) focusing on and exploiting "new" drinkers -- did you know that the French even have their own word for "binge drinking" now?

I'd offer the following slight changes for the second verse:

Every night around this time My friends and I, we'd treat it like a race (<<=as in, most of them got smarter) But when I really start to break it down I wouldn't trust a girl who knew about this place

Walking home when no one's left (<<=as in, last to leave the bar) Speak softly underneath my breath Hey world, you ain't seen nothing yet Great, now it's raining (are these 2 lines the most desperate lyrics ever??)

I think it's a sensational song, easily one of his best (and I happen to think he's done some great stuff, too) ... but now I'm off to see if I can find him actually credited anywhere as the lyricist.