Taylor Swift's Speak Now (Taylor's Version): A Deep Dive into the Anti-John Mayer Era

 Exploring Taylor Swift's Latest Release: Speak Now (Taylor's Version)

With the highly anticipated release of Speak Now (Taylor's Version), dedicated fans of Taylor Swift find themselves transported back to the era of her well-documented disdain for John Mayer, or perhaps they never truly moved on from it.

For those who may not be familiar with Taylor Swift's extensive discography, or for those who still find themselves passionately cursing Jake Gyllenhaal's name while belting out the epic "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)," it is widely believed that the heart-wrenching breakup ballad "Dear John" from the Speak Now album was directed at none other than the renowned "Gravity" singer himself. John Mayer and Swift were romantically involved from 2009 to 2010, during a period when Mayer was 31 and Swift was only 19.

If the updated lyrics in "All Too Well," specifically the line, "You said if we had been closer in age maybe it would have been fine. And that made me want to die," prompted Swifties to flood Gyllenhaal's Instagram comments section in November 2021, one can only imagine their reaction upon being reminded of the chorus from "Dear John":

"Dear John, I see it all now that you're gone

Don't you think I was too young to be messed with?

The girl in the dress cried the whole way home

I see it all now that you're gone

Don't you think I was too young to be messed with?

The girl in the dress wrote you a song

You should've known."

It comes as no surprise that Swift herself referred to this particular song as the "most scathing" track she has ever written, and even her former flame, Taylor Lautner, jokingly expressed his concern for John Mayer ahead of the re-release. Undoubtedly, one can imagine that Mayer may have some apprehensions regarding this renewed spotlight on their past relationship, and recent events seem to confirm this suspicion.

During his recent concert in Boulder, Colorado, Mayer made no direct reference to his ex, but he did send out a message in bright purple lights illuminated in the sky, reading "Please Be Kind." Interestingly enough, purple happens to be the color associated with Swift's Speak Now era. This photo can be found in the final slide of Mayer's most recent Instagram slideshow, posted on July 6.

As expected, the comments section of Mayer's post is flooded with unimpressed Swift fans, who are inadvertently defying their favorite artist's wishes. In June, Taylor Swift herself called for "kindness" and "gentleness" from her fanbase, specifically on the same night she surprised her audience with a performance of "Dear John" during the Eras Tour in Minneapolis.

During the show, Swift was recorded saying, "I was hoping to ask you, that as we lead up to this album coming out, I would love for that kindness and that gentleness to extend onto our internet activities. So what I’m trying to say is, I’m putting this album out because I want to own my music and I believe that any artist who has the desire to own their music should be able to. That’s why I’m putting out this album."

She went on to say, "I’m 33 years old, I don’t care about anything that happened to me when I was 19 except the songs I wrote and the memories we made together. So what I’m trying to tell you is that I am not putting this album out so you should feel the need to defend me on the internet against someone you think I wrote a song about 14 million years ago when I was 19."

Unfortunately, it seems that neither celebrity is receiving the response they had hoped for. One user commented on Mayer's post, stating, "It’s over for you, John Mayonnaise 💜🥱 speak never 💜." Another user outright rejected the requests of both artists, writing, "We're not gonna be kind."

The Speak Now (Taylor's Version) release has undeniably reignited the public's interest in the storied past between Taylor Swift and John Mayer, serving as a reminder of the profound impact that music and relationships can have on an artist's journey. As the album continues to captivate audiences, it remains to be seen how the narrative surrounding these two artists will unfold.