Daughters (John Mayer song)

Last updated

"Daughters"
Daughters (Cover).jpg
Single by John Mayer
from the album Heavier Things
B-side "Come Back to Bed", "Home Life"
ReleasedSeptember 28, 2004
Length3:59
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) John Mayer
Producer(s) Jack Joseph Puig
John Mayer singles chronology
"Clarity"
(2004)
"Daughters"
(2004)
"Go!"
(2005)
Music video
"John Mayer - Daughters" on YouTube

"Daughters" is the third single from Heavier Things , the 2003 studio album from blues rock singer-songwriter John Mayer. The critically acclaimed song won numerous awards, including the 2005 Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the 47th Grammy Awards. It has sold 1,007,000 copies in the US as of May 2013. [1]

Contents

Content

Lyrically, "Daughters" is an admonition to fathers (and to a lesser extent, mothers) to nurture their daughters in their childhood, because the relationship will affect their future relationships with men as adults. [2] He uses his own troubled lover to illustrate his belief.

Mayer has at various times told different, and sometimes conflicting, stories as to the inspiration for the song, ranging from MTV's "Real World" (in a Sirius Morning Mash Up Show interview in May 2007) to an unnamed ex-girlfriend.

In 2010, on VH1's "Storytellers", Mayer stated that he wrote the song about an ex-girlfriend who had trust issues because of her absent father, which led to the decline and eventual split of their relationship.

Personnel

Release controversy

Mayer had been resistant on releasing the song as a single, [3] and was still skeptical despite the Grammy win, which he mentioned in his speech upon receiving the award. [4] On several occasions, Mayer had pushed to release the songs "Come Back to Bed" and "Something's Missing" as singles, as they were more the kind of music he was leaning towards making.[ citation needed ] However, the label decided that "Daughters" would be more well received by radio.

In 2005, Mayer converted the song into an all-out blues song with his group John Mayer Trio on the live album, Try! , stripping away the acoustic elements the song had become known for, [5] although not similar version to the "Electric Guitar Mix" of the song as included on the single's re-release[ clarification needed ].

Music video

The music video is a grayscale video of Mayer playing the guitar and singing the song in a dark studio, intercut between scenes of a girl (i.e., a "daughter"). The video clip, directed by Mario Sorrenti, features the Australian supermodel Gemma Ward.

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [18] Platinum70,000
United States (RIAA) [19] 2× Platinum2,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Track listings

All songs are by Mayer unless otherwise noted.

Original release

  1. "Daughters" – 3:59
  2. "Come Back to Bed" – 11:56 (Live at the C.W. Mitchell Pavilion, July 24, 2004)
  3. "Home Life" (David LaBruyere/Mayer) – 6:50 (Live at the Shoreline Amplitheaer, July 16, 2004)

"Come Back to Bed" and "Home Life" are the same live versions that appear on Mayer's as/is volumes released in 2004

Re-release

  1. "Daughters" – 3:59
  2. "Daughters" (Electric guitar mix) – 3:59
  3. "Daughters" (Home demo) – 4:59

Appearances in media

"Daughters" was played at the end of the 7th Heaven episode "The Fine Art of Parenting". It was also in the first episode of The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Mayer performed the song himself in the 2015 buddy comedy film Get Hard .

Cover versions

In 2005, trumpeter Rick Braun covered an instrumental version from album "Yours Truly." [20] [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breakaway (Kelly Clarkson song)</span> 2004 song by Kelly Clarkson

"Breakaway" is a power ballad song recorded by American singer Kelly Clarkson. The song, written by Matthew Gerrard, Bridget Benenate, and Avril Lavigne, was originally intended for Lavigne's debut studio album, Let Go (2002). After being deemed unsuitable for the album, it was passed to Clarkson to be recorded as a soundtrack for the film The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004). Clarkson, who was finishing her second studio album at that time, recorded "Breakaway" to tide her fans over until the first single from her new album was released. However, the song's success prompted its inclusion on Clarkson's second album, while the record label decided to name the album after the song. "Breakaway" was first released as the first single from The Princess Diaries 2 soundtrack on July 19, 2004. In May 2006, "Breakaway" was reissued as the fifth and final single from the album of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day song)</span> 2004 single by Green Day

"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is a song by American rock band Green Day. The power ballad is the fourth track from their seventh studio album American Idiot (2004). Reprise Records released "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" as the second single from American Idiot on November 29, 2004. The song's lyrics were written by lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong, and the music was composed by the band. Production was handled by Rob Cavallo and Green Day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minority (Green Day song)</span> 2000 single by Green Day

"Minority" is a song by the American rock band Green Day. It was released to radio in August 2000 as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Warning. The song remained at No. 1 for five weeks in a row on the Billboard Modern Rock chart in late 2000, making it one of the most successful songs from the band in the 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dare You to Move</span> 2004 single by Switchfoot

"Dare You to Move" is a single by American alternative rock band Switchfoot from their fourth studio album, The Beautiful Letdown (2003). The song was originally called "I Dare You to Move", and was on the album Learning to Breathe, but the band decided to reimagine it and put it on The Beautiful Letdown. This track received considerable radio airplay, and its accompanying music videos saw play on MTV, VH1, FUSE TV, and other mainstream channels. "Dare You to Move" was released to Christian radio on February 6, 2004, and sent to modern rock radio the following month. It peaked at number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Switchfoot's second top-20 single, surpassing the success of their breakthrough single, "Meant to Live", in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vertigo (U2 song)</span> 2004 single by U2

"Vertigo" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track on their eleventh studio album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004). It was released to radio as the album's lead single on 8 November 2004, and upon release, it received extensive airplay. The song was an international success, bolstered by its usage in a television advertisement featuring the band for Apple's iPod digital music player. The song lent its name to the band's 2005–2006 Vertigo Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She Will Be Loved</span> 2004 single by Maroon 5

"She Will Be Loved" is a song by American pop rock band Maroon 5. It was written by frontman Adam Levine and lead guitarist James Valentine. The song was released on June 21, 2004, as the third single from Maroon 5's 2002 debut studio album, Songs About Jane. The single peaked at No. 5 in the United States and by December 2012 had sold more than 2,722,000 digital downloads. It peaked at No. 4 in the United Kingdom. In Australia, it reached No. 1, a position it held for five non-consecutive weeks. The single is noted for its music video starring Kelly Preston in a mother-daughter love triangle with lead singer Adam Levine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forever and for Always</span> 2003 single by Shania Twain

"Forever and for Always" is a song by Canadian country music singer Shania Twain. The song was released as the fourth single from her fourth studio album Up! (2002), on April 7, 2003; it was also the third to be sent to country radio. The song was written by her then-husband Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Twain. The song is about two people who fall in love as children and are still with each other even as they grow older. "Forever and for Always" was certified gold for 500,000 digital downloads by the RIAA in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meant to Live</span> 2003 single by Switchfoot

"Meant to Live" is a single by alternative rock band Switchfoot. "Meant to Live" was released to radio on January 27, 2003. The song peaked at number five on the US Modern Rock chart and U.S. Adult Top 40 chart, number six on U.S. Top 40 radio, and number 18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. In April 2005, the song was certified gold in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unwritten (song)</span> 2004 single by Natasha Bedingfield

"Unwritten" is a song by English singer Natasha Bedingfield for her debut studio album of the same name. It was released on 29 November 2004 as the third single from the album. The song was written by Bedingfield, Danielle Brisebois, and Wayne Rodrigues and produced by Rodrigues and Brisebois. The single was released as the album's third UK single and second US single. In 2006, "Unwritten" became the theme song for the MTV reality television series The Hills. It reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her first top-ten hit in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thank You (Dido song)</span> 2000 single by Dido

"Thank You" is a song written and performed by English singer-songwriter Dido. The song made its first appearance in 1998 on the soundtrack of the movie Sliding Doors. It was later included on Dido's 1999 debut album, No Angel, and was released in September 2000. The same year, American rapper Eminem sampled the track for his hit single "Stan", which helped propel "Thank You" and No Angel to mainstream success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman (It's Not Easy)</span> 2001 single by Five for Fighting

"Superman (It's Not Easy)" is a song written and performed by American singer Five for Fighting. It was released on April 16, 2001, as the second single from his second studio album America Town. Following the September 11 attacks, the song was used to honor the victims, survivors, police, and firefighters involved in the attacks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walk Tall (John Mellencamp song)</span> 2004 single by John Mellencamp

"Walk Tall" is a song by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, from his 2004 compilation Words & Music: John Mellencamp's Greatest Hits. Mellencamp wrote the track as an inspirational, folk rock song, and recruited Babyface to give the song R&B-style production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unwell</span> 2003 single by Matchbox Twenty

"Unwell" is a song by American alternative rock group Matchbox Twenty. Released on February 3, 2003, as the second single from their third album, More Than You Think You Are (2002), it was written by Matchbox Twenty lead singer Rob Thomas. "Unwell" spent 18 weeks atop the US Billboard Adult Top 40 chart and two weeks atop the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. It also reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their third and final top-10 hit. Internationally, the single became a top-20 hit in Australia, peaking at No. 12, and a top-10 hit in New Zealand, peaking at No. 8. "Unwell" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss of Life (Sade song)</span> 1993 single by Sade

"Kiss of Life" is a song by English band Sade from their fourth studio album, Love Deluxe (1992). It was written by Sade Adu, Stuart Matthewman, Andrew Hale and Paul S. Denman, and produced by the band and Mike Pela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Your Body Is a Wonderland</span> 2002 single by John Mayer

"Your Body Is a Wonderland" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released on June 3, 2002, as the second single from his debut studio album, Room for Squares (2001). It reached number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number nine on the New Zealand Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gravity (John Mayer song)</span> 2006 single by John Mayer

"Gravity" is a song by American musician John Mayer. It is written by Mayer and produced by Mayer and Steve Jordan. "Gravity" is featured on three of Mayer's releases: the 2005 live album Try! by the John Mayer Trio, his 2006 studio album Continuum, and his 2008 live album Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles. In 2007, the song was released as the third single from Continuum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady (Lenny Kravitz song)</span> 2004 single by Lenny Kravitz

"Lady" is a song by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released as the final single from his seventh studio album, Baptism (2004), in August 2004. The song is believed to be written about Kravitz's then-girlfriend, Nicole Kidman. The song reached number 27 in the United States and number 99 in the Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven (Los Lonely Boys song)</span> 2004 single by Los Lonely Boys

"Heaven" is the debut single of American rock band Los Lonely Boys. The song was written by brothers Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza, who comprise the foundation of the band, and it appears on their multi-platinum self-titled album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savage Garden</span> Australian pop rock duo

Savage Garden were an Australian pop duo consisting of Darren Hayes on vocals and Daniel Jones on guitar, keyboards, and vocals; they formed in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1993. They were signed to John Woodruff's talent agency and achieved international success with their No. 1 hit singles "I Want You", "To the Moon and Back", "Truly Madly Deeply" (1997), and "I Knew I Loved You" (1999).

<i>Yours Truly</i> (Ariana Grande album) 2013 studio album by Ariana Grande

Yours Truly is the debut studio album by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released on August 30, 2013, by Republic Records. The album's songs were recorded over a nearly three-year period, with Harmony Samuels, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Patrick "J. Que" Smith and Grande's Victorious co-star Leon Thomas III, as well as others, handling the album's music production. Featured collaborators include Big Sean, Mika, Mac Miller, and The Wanted's Nathan Sykes.

References

  1. Brian Mansfield (May 26, 2010). "'Before He Cheats' tops 3 million, and other 'Idol' download news". Idol Chatter. USA Today.
  2. Miller, Brian (2004). "JOHN MAYER AND HIS INSPIRATION FOR DAUGHTERS" Archived May 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine ArtisanNews.com Retrieved November 15, 2007
  3. No byline (February 26, 2005), "Backstage Banter". Billboard. 117 (9):69
  4. Mayer's Grammy speech where he indicated he'd intended other songs for release instead of "Daughters"
  5. Big Mouth Strikes Again
  6. "Issue 786" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  7. "John Mayer – Daughters" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  8. "John Mayer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  9. "John Mayer Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  10. "John Mayer Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  11. "John Mayer Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  12. "John Mayer Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  13. "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor . Vol. 12, no. 51. December 17, 2004. p. 26.
  14. "Billboard Top 100 – 2005". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  15. 1 2 "2005 The Year in Music & Touring". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 52. December 24, 2005. p. YE-76.
  16. "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50. December 16, 2005. p. 26.
  17. "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Triple-A Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50. December 16, 2005. p. 57.
  18. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  19. "American single certifications – John Mayer – Daughters". Recording Industry Association of America.
  20. "Yours Truly overview". Allmusic.com.
  21. "Rick Braun Yours Truly". SmoothViews.com.