Come Back To Bed
Words and music by John Mayer
Album: Heavier Things
Transcribed by: Gabe
Email: Supraslick15_14@Juno.com
AIM: IbanezProne
I watched him play this song on a live performance...he did
and improv solo on the performance, so I had to tab it the way
it sounds on the album...
Tuning: Standard
Key:
p -Pull off
h -Hammer On
b -Bend
/ -Slide up
\ -Slide Down
~ -Let ring
T -Thumb (He uses his thumb in almost all of his songs)
x -Mute string
Intro (Bridge and Middle pickups)
e----------------------------
b-----9---10--7-----9--------
g----9----9---7----9---------
d---9-----11--7---9----------
a-9h11----9---5--9h11--------
E---------x---x--------------
Play this intro riff twice
Lead into verse
e--(0)~----------------
b---5~-----------------
g---6~-----------------
d---7~-----------------
a---x~-----------------
E---5~-----------------
T
Verse 1&2
e-----------------------------------------------
b--5-5-5----3-3-3---10--(0)---------------------
g--6-6-6----4-4-4---11---2----------------------
d--7-7-7----5-5-5---12---3----------------------
a--x-x-x----x-x-x---x----x----------------------
E--5-5-5----3-3-3---10---3----------------------
T T T T T T T T
("Still is the life"....)
Pre-Chorus is just the intro...play intro
("You can be mad in the morning"....)
e------------------------------------------------------
b--9-----10--5---7-------------------------------------
g--9-----9---4---7---13~-------------------------------
d--9-----11--6---7---14~-------------------------------
a--9h11--9---4---5---11~-------------------------------
E--0-----x---x---x-------------------------------------
("Just dont leave me alone here".....)
Chorus
e----------(0)----------------
b--5-----5--3-----------------
g--6(h7)-5--2-----------------
d--7-----7--0-----------------
a--0-----0--0-----------------
E--5-----5--2-----------------
T T T
Solo (Neck and Middle Pickups)
e---------------------------------------------------7~~-------
b--12b14--------12b14---------12b14----7---12b14--------------
g------------------------9~~----------------------------------
d--------7h9~~--------7--------------7-----------7------------
a-------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------
Gradual bend 12 to 14
e--7----5-----0---------------------
b--9h10-7h8-3-----------------------
g--9----7---2-----------------------
d-----------0-----------------------
a-----------------------------------
E-----------------------------------
Play each of these about 6 times
e-----------------------------------------
b-------------------14~------------14b15--
g--------------14-----------14------------
d---------/16-----16----/16----16---------
a-----------------------------------------
e-----------------------------------------
e--------------------------------------------------------------
b------------14-------------------------------------14---------
g------14-------16-14h16p14-------14-16--16b18-14------16~-14--
d--/16----16----------------16p14-----------------16-----------
a--------------------------------------------------------------
e--------------------------------------------------------------
e---------------------------------
b-------14-17---------------------
g-16b18-------16b18r16----14h16~--
d----------------------16---------
a---------------------------------
e---------------------------------
Play Intro after this
Outro
e---0-----0------
b---5-----3------
g---6h7---2------
d---7-----0------
a---0-----x------
e---5-----2------
T T
("Dont hold your love"...)
e--------------------
b--5--5--5--5--5--5--
g--6--6--4--6--4--6--
d--7--4--4--4--4--4--
a--x--5--5--x--x--5--
e--5--------5--5-----
T T T
("Dont hold your love over"....)
This is the whole thing....it took a long time to tab it the way he
plays it but its all here....enjoy!
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
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Mike Average |
#1 by Mike Murphy at Sep 26, 2007 at 8:52 PM EST |
| Back to you is an anthem, or so it seems, for those of us who are completely in love with our best friends. You just can't seem to get away from them...and you really don't want to. You just want them to love you back. | |
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Matt Average |
#2 by Matt Vautour at Sep 26, 2007 at 8:56 PM EST |
| this song, like all of his, is absolutely amazing, i think we all can relate | |
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Dylan Average |
#3 by Dylan Rolfe at Sep 26, 2007 at 10:53 PM EST |
| This song is amazing. | |
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Dan Average |
#4 by Dan T at Sep 27, 2007 at 7:20 AM EST |
| This was the first song that John wrote. It was the song that made him quit his day job and become a full time musician. | |
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Benjamin Average |
#5 by Benjamin Nield at Sep 27, 2007 at 11:44 AM EST |
| does he have a song for every emoition i feel. between him, alkaline trio, and dashboard confessional. | |
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RTBM Professional |
#6 by RTBM at Sep 27, 2007 at 6:40 PM EST |
| over you i'm never really over over you ......these are lyrics that hit me a lot. its hard to forget all those smiling times. | |
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Denniej Average |
#7 by Denniej de Visser at Sep 27, 2007 at 11:47 PM EST |
| John Mayer is my favorite artist, and this is a great song. | |
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Ryan Rhythm Player |
#8 by Ryan Ruegemer at Sep 28, 2007 at 3:31 AM EST |
| Why the hell are there only two comments on this? This song is so romantic and realistic. I love it. It's actually staggering in its power. The lyrics are very clear, I think, and need no explanation. I love "Don't hold your love over my head.." | |
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luke Wanna Be |
#9 by luke chaffey at Sep 28, 2007 at 6:06 AM EST |
| wow this song is the story of my life..describes me and my best friend perfectly! once again..john's wwwonderful | |
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JJ Average |
#10 by JJ at Sep 28, 2007 at 4:18 PM EST |
| "i survive on the breath you are finished with" is so powerful to me | |
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robert Average |
#11 by robert liedberg at Sep 29, 2007 at 1:06 AM EST |
| I love this song because i AM going through it. everytime i hear her voice, anytime anyone says her name, my heart feels as much pain as ever it felt at any one moment of my life. John Mayer almost reads my mind of the imposibility involved in forgetting love. | |
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jake Wanna Be |
#12 by jake fugate at Sep 29, 2007 at 4:23 AM EST |
| I don't like this song. Yes I'm a guy, but I know some women don't like him either. John Mayer womanizes a bit too much like in this song, and I'm not a fan of the acoustic mushiness of some of his songs like Daughters and this one. I would forgive him, except that his fans go a bit too far and think that men should live up to their expectations and be more like John Mayer. Because he's mushy premably, but I can tell from his interviews that he is posturing. For one, he does not talk like he sings in that "smoky voice," which is really just a ruse that his female fan base loves. Also, he does try awfully hard to project that "perfect date" personality in every answer he says, as well as the songs he writes. People who talk and write like that are usually womanizing, they don't act like that, and the acoustic smoky voice with mushy lyrics are a bit much. I got news for you, his mushy songs really are sexual more than anything else and... gosh I'll stop now because I'm coming off a bit strong and I do like many of his other songs, but I'm trying to make a point here. I guess I'm saying, stop the idolizing of him please... | |
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John Average |
#13 by John at Sep 29, 2007 at 10:28 AM EST |
| One of my favorite songs and definitely shows John's great guitar playing. CBTB is self-explanatory, so I won't go into it. just a great song with great lyrics. love it. | |
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Jarrett Lead Player |
#14 by Jarrett Sandlin at Sep 29, 2007 at 5:13 PM EST |
| i really love this song, even though its not my favorite. but does anyone under stand the quote "98.6 degrees of separation from you baby" i never understood it | |
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J Rhythm Player |
#15 by J Stew at Sep 29, 2007 at 9:47 PM EST |
| my ex bf and i are currently really close friends... we can always turn to eachother if we need to. we've described ourselves as better than friends. he was the first person i was ever attracted to when i moved here, and even though i started to like other people before and after dating him, i always come back to him. i hope he's always in my life, cuz i'll never be able to get over him. | |
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Angus Rhythm Player |
#16 by Angus Young at Sep 29, 2007 at 10:05 PM EST |
| this has to be one fo my favorite john mayer songs (although i'm sure i say that about all of them). It may not be his best lyrically, but the raw emotion he conveys, especially in this live version, is amazing. and the guitar solos in the live version blow me away everytime i hear it, damn. | |
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stone Average |
#17 by stone sucks, at Sep 30, 2007 at 1:50 AM EST |
| Maybe not his most well known song, but definitely one of my favorites. I'd forgive John Mayer if he sang this to me ... it's so sweet, and it melts me just hearing it on my radio. | |
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I am who am Rhythm Player |
#18 by I am who am "SAF" at Sep 30, 2007 at 1:12 PM EST |
| "Don't hold your love over my head." That is the BEST quote ever. To me... I don't even know what to say. I just picture someone holding a string over a kitten's head... and making the kitten jump to get it. The girl is holding her love over his head... just like that . =) | |
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Josh Average |
#19 by Josh Sanchez at Oct 1, 2007 at 1:32 AM EST |
| its like when you fall in love with a guy..and you try to stay away, because the more you hang out with them the more you start to like them. But you always come back to them. it describes me totally | |
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JAY Average |
#20 by JAY at Oct 1, 2007 at 7:27 AM EST |
| i love love LOVE this song! it's so beautiful an passionate... as for "98.6 degrees of separation from you baby" ...98.6 is the normal body temperature, so he wants her to "come back to bed" and bring that 98.6 degrees back to him, and it's also kind of a play on the "6 degrees of separation" thing | |
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maurizio Average |
#21 by maurizio becerril gonzalez at Oct 1, 2007 at 9:48 AM EST |
| this girl wont sleep with me so i cry when i hear this song. | |
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fasterdisco Average |
#22 by fasterdisco at Oct 1, 2007 at 10:54 AM EST |
| oh I will leave the light on I'll never give up on you leave the light on for me too Wow... that line says it all. There will always be that one person that you will always be quick to let back into your life. You never stop loving them, even if it kills you that they don't love you back the way you love them. You'll always leave the light on for them, like an invitation back into your life. | |
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Link Average |
#23 by Link at Oct 1, 2007 at 12:08 PM EST |
| This kid is amazing, just like this song. It just reminds me of my ex boyfriend who I'm still really close with. John Mayer knows what hes talking about in all his songs. over you I'm never over over you Thats the best part of the song, only because its the most truthful statement. You're never over the one person you'll love forever. As much as you want to be, and as much as you want to hate him for all the hurtfull things, that one person is the one that will always have some effect on you...forever. | |
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Travis Average |
#24 by Travis Nichols at Oct 1, 2007 at 12:47 PM EST |
| this is john's greatest true love song | |
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Raimundo Average |
#25 by Raimundo Mchoo at Oct 1, 2007 at 11:39 PM EST |
| Great song but the best lyric of the song is "i survive on the breath you are finished with"! He is the best writer out today! | |
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beast Average |
#26 by beast at Oct 2, 2007 at 1:03 AM EST |
| How come there's always that person you go back to? No matter how many people you like or care for, always that one that you love more than anyone else. You may not even know what it is, but you love them so much. | |
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bob Rhythm Player |
#27 by bob at Oct 2, 2007 at 2:26 AM EST |
| Back to you is an anthem, or so it seems, for those of us who are completely in love with our best friends. You just can't seem to get away from them...and you really don't want to. You just want them to love you back. | |
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Dane Rhythm Player |
#28 by Dane n||n at Oct 2, 2007 at 5:05 AM EST |
| for the record, the correct way of pronouncing 98.6 IS "98 and 6", so its fine to put that as the lyric. | |
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Harley Wanna Be |
#29 by Harley Mckenzie at Oct 2, 2007 at 5:15 AM EST |
| One of the most underrated John Mayer songs, and one of my personal favorites. I liked John Mayer's music and appreciated him as an artist but I did not realize that he was a competent guitar player until this song. This song was the spark that aroused my interest and curiosity into Mr. Mayer. THis is his first legitimate blues song. What is fascinating is how he was able to incorporate his pop lyrics into a blues song that I found out later was also a tribute to one of his idols, Buddy Guy. Yes, the lyrics are wonderful and carry a lot of meaning behind them. But John Mayer knows that his lyrics are golden and does not believe himself completely. These lyrics are about John admitting that he is not stronger than the woman he is with when it comes to holding off. He is not able to deal with his partner's cold shoulder and ignorance. He is also identifying with a man's physical craving of sex; the idea that fights can be fixed by screwing your brains out hours later and then falling asleep only to wake up and fight again. He realizes this, and he is not fighting it. He's not asking for his lady to be happy again. He's just asking her to stay long enouigh so he can know that she's there for him to touch and thus reassure himself that he hasn't ruined everything completely just yet. There are two ways to look at this song as it is very deeply layered. It is a very sad song, a song that takes place right before a break up, righit before the shit hits the fan. But it also a song about a man who knows his weaknesses, and even though he knows what he must improve on, he isn't willing to try. He's only begging for a temporary treatment that will make him feel better for a while. "Don't hold your love over my head" is a beautiful ending, and probably one of the best moments in the album. Such a sad and brutally honest song. Listen to it live. Austin City Limits with Buddy Guy is incredible. Guitar solo at the end is John Mayer's truly honest version of it. After he's done begging (don't hold your love), he does what every man does...gets extremely pissed off and gets over it. Hence, a very intense guitar solo. Thank you, John Mayer. | |
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Hey Retard Wanna Be |
#30 by Hey Retard at Oct 2, 2007 at 7:04 AM EST |
| I walk with your shadow I'm sleeping in my bed with your silhouette Yeah... John's great. I remember the feeling of having something missing in my life after my last relationship. I managed to have several rebounds afterwards but nothing ever came close to the first. I've had the willpower not to try to turn around and run back to the arms that are open to me because I know, just cause you go back to someone over and over doesn't mean that it's meant to be... | |
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Devin Average |
#31 by Devin Moreno at Oct 2, 2007 at 8:30 PM EST |
| John Mayer's lyrics are so powerful and have such emotion in them, I think the lyrics: "You can be mad in the morning I'll take back what i said Just dont leave me alone here its cold baby come back to bed" express perfectly the message in this song, this is one of my favorites from John Mayer. | |
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Eric Lead Player |
#32 by Eric Hanstein at Oct 2, 2007 at 10:47 PM EST |
| "still is the life of your room when you're not inside and all of your things tell the sweetest storyline" i love that! i love the guitar in this song. | |
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Dylan Average |
#33 by Dylan at Oct 2, 2007 at 11:16 PM EST |
| i love this song because i've been through it. i think its basically about a lover that you just can't seem to get over and you want them back | |
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Shotgun Average |
#34 by Shotgun Joe at Oct 2, 2007 at 11:25 PM EST |
| Anyone can relate to this song.........everyone has been through this before!!! | |
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! Average |
#35 by ! ! at Oct 3, 2007 at 4:30 AM EST |
| This is by far my favourite john mayer song.........it sums up the relationship i'm in at the moment. The guy i want lives in another state so i've tired to get over him......but it always comes "back to" him. I made him listen to it over the phone and he loves it too...............all of johns songs are sooooo easy to relate to, he's the best!! 1 2 3 Next | |
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PW Average |
#36 by PW at Oct 3, 2007 at 11:36 AM EST |
| john mayer's the shit... great song | |
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Frank The Tizzl Wanna Be |
#37 by Frank The Tizzle Town Tank Stallone at Oct 3, 2007 at 11:12 PM EST |
| my ex boyfriend and i broke up because his father didnt want him to see me anymore, and i miss him every day and this song reminds me of him because i've been asked out twice since we had to break up, and i still love him more than anything. my friend put it on a cd she made me and we listened to it in her car and just cried. | |
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dann Average |
#38 by dann at Oct 3, 2007 at 11:38 PM EST |
| Like most every other john mayer song i can really relate to this song very well. such a great song. If you've ever not been able to just give up on an ex g/f you can relate to this song. i love the last 2 verses. so touching and so true, just never giving up hope that maybe one day she'll realize how much he cares for her | |
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ben Wanna Be |
#39 by ben cashin at Oct 4, 2007 at 3:46 AM EST |
| 3 hours before my birthday,I was sitting alone and listening to this song over again and bursting into tears,coz someone I love is being with someone else again now.and I can't help it.forgive me love I can't turn and walk away. | |
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Blake Average |
#40 by Blake B at Oct 4, 2007 at 4:49 AM EST |
| "Over you, I'm never over, over you"- What a true line. There is always that one girl that you can't have, but can't seem to forget. | |
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Obtuse Professional |
#41 by Obtuse at Oct 4, 2007 at 5:23 AM EST |
| this song reminds me of my ex. there were times where i used to be so upset at him and mad at what he did to me, but then sometimes he just pops up and says hi and that all just seems to fade away, all the hurt. its crazy. i really like these lyrics. | |
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jga Average |
#42 by jga qup at Oct 4, 2007 at 11:13 AM EST |
| this song is my favorite on the cd... it really describes my every emotion towards one of my closest friends... we've tried to make something of "us" at least 3 times, but only half-heartedly before... the other night he was over, and i realized just how much i need him in my life... but we've both got such different things going on... we've never been able to work it out. but we've talked, and decided we just needed to wait a while before trying again. it makes me wonder, could he be the one for me?... could i have found him so soon?... when we don't talk for a long time, i feel like there's a piece of me missing. then we strike up a conversation one day, and it's like we were never apart. it's amazing how a song really speaks to you. and you gotta know that there's something there, or something wrong, when you understand such words... | |
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Tim Wanna Be |
#43 by Tim N at Oct 4, 2007 at 12:47 PM EST |
| "dont hold your love over my head"?? ewwww!!!!!! | |
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Failure by Desi Average |
#44 by Failure by Design at Oct 4, 2007 at 4:12 PM EST |
| for the record, the actual lyric is "98 and 6 degrees of separation" not 98.6 | |
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zoe Wanna Be |
#45 by zoe cherrie at Oct 5, 2007 at 10:36 AM EST |
| I really love the line, "I survive on the breath you are finished with" but I don't think I understand what he means exactly. There seems to be a few things he could be saying but none of my interpretations seems to really capture it. I also really like, "dont hold your love over my head" & "don't leave me 98 and 6 degrees of separation from you baby." I think "and" IS better than putting 98.6 because there is significance in the word. He means two things by "and" like mentioned before. Yes, it can be read 98 and 6 but you can't really read 98.6 to mean 6 degrees of separation in the same way. Lastly, John Mayer is very very talented. People who assume that his fans will expect others to be like him are almost as bad as people who think movies are realistic. Part of the reason his fans love his songs is the fact that it isn't typical. And why would anyone dislike a song because the artist is charming anyway.... sounds like stoolhardy may be a little bit jealous ;-) | |
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bean Badass |
#46 by bean stalk at Oct 5, 2007 at 7:34 PM EST |
| hes definitely a crooner. If only john mayer would sing this to me...siighhh. this song breaks my heart | |
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AJM Average |
#47 by AJM at Oct 6, 2007 at 1:29 AM EST |
| when i first heard this song it was quite captivating. it sounds a bit country at the beginning,which for john mayer isnt far-fetched. i find this song very sweet and soft.Its a nice love song. It makes me think of a calm-rainy day. and as for the womanizing comment, some of his songs do contain sexuality but in a tasteful way...unlike most artists in this day and age. | |
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Tyler Average |
#48 by Tyler Green at Oct 6, 2007 at 2:07 AM EST |
| i have to agree with all the people who said their favorite line was "I survive on the breath you are finished with." cause its so true if you've ever just been laying with that special someone, and you breathe in and breathe their breath, its one of the most powerful feelings in the world, i love this song, and i love that their is a message in every john mayer song. I love john mayer, he's absolutely brilliant. but i've never head one of those verses, is that the live version, because i bought the heavier things when it came out, and i don't have that verse on my song. but this song is brilliant, and i love john mayer. 1 2 Next | |
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daint Rhythm Player |
#49 by daint at Oct 6, 2007 at 9:12 AM EST |
| This song is amazing to me. I mean im a Huge Huge John mayber fan. i have already seen him a few times and im bout to see him 2 more times in the same week in Texas. but i just love this song. i think it realates to me. because theres always someone your close to that you want to love you back that just at that time doesnt. and it sucks! Johnny so reads my mind! | |
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Jon Average |
#50 by Jon D at Oct 6, 2007 at 8:13 PM EST |
| stoolhardly: I hardly think its womanizing to express to a woman how badly you want to be next to her, and that you're sorry for what you did. He uses that smokey voice whether he's singing about asking his love to come back to bed or how much he misses his youth. Granted, it is sexy, and it makes girls swoon over him...but if I'm not mistaken, most artists do that for that very reason. To point John out for it is wrong, and I'm not even a diehard fan. I like him a LOT. | |
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