Did John Mayer Fire Back at Taylor Swift in "Paper Doll"? Singer Addresses Rumor on Today

Hitmaker plays it close to the vest when asked whether his new single was a rejoinder to his ex-girlfriend's song about him

By Josh Grossberg Jul 05, 2013 8:43 PMTags

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John Mayer is probably waiting on the world to stop speculating.

Appearing on Today this morning to promote his new album, Paradise Valley, the singer-songwriter was asked by Willie Geist the burning question his female fans have been eager for him to answer: Was his new single, "Paper Doll," written as a retort to "Dear John," ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift's scathing song about him?

Alas, the 35-year-old Mayer was quick to play coy.

"Songwriters write songs because of people, about people. Anything someone else wrote is their reception of a song. I don't get involved in it. It's none of my business," the blues rocker demurred.

So much for the suggestion—though given the song's chorus appears to reference the pop princess' hit, "22," it's understandable why people might speculate in the first place.

"You're like 22 girls in one / And none of them know what they're running from / Was it just too far to fall / for a little paper doll?" he croons in the midtempo ditty.

In another questionable verse, Mayer sings, "Dress of gold and blue /Ssure was fun being good to you."

Swift fans might be forgiven for construing his nod to a "dress" with Taylor's mention of a dress in the chorus of "Dear John," when she croons, "Dear John, I see it all now that you're gone / Don't think I was too young to be messed with? / The girl in the dress cried the whole way home."

Ouch!

Mayer—who dated the country star from late 2009 to early 2010 and is notorious for kissing and telling about the high profile women he's dated—previously told Rolling Stone Swift's tune "humiliated" him and he slammed "Dear John" as a "kind of cheap songwriting."

Whatever the rumors about "Paper Doll," John's certainly not denying them, though as far as his personal life these days, he's enjoying spending time with on-again love, Katy Perry.

Mayer also gave an update on his recovery from the vocal cord ailment that sidelined him from the road last year, revealing thankfully that he was never at risk of losing his singing voice from the granuloma.

"There was never that chance. Thankfully, I always knew that there would come a day when I would sing again. I just didn't know when," the Grammy winner said.

Mayer added that as part of the treatment, he was given botox in his vocal cords, which he said is now "sort of clearing out," enabling him to sing better every day.

"It's a gift that keeps unwrapping itself every month," he added. "I go, 'Oh, I can sing this song now!' So it looks as if there's certain songs I won't play. It's just I can't [yet]."

Paradise Valley hits stores on Aug. 20.

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