Half of My Heart

Album: Battle Studies (2009)
Charted: 25
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song, in which Mayer confesses to being half-hearted in a relationship, is a collaboration with Country-Pop star Taylor Swift.
  • Mayer told MTV News that the idea for the song came to Mayer in a dream. "I woke up with the song in my head called 'Half of My Heart,'" he recalled. "And the idea is that it's this real sort of updated - not that it needs to be updated - sort of Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks thing."
    He added. "I thought, 'Well, if this is going to be my love letter to that style of music, who's going to be the Stevie Nicks in this equation?' And I thought, 'This Taylor Swift girl is going to be around for a long time.'"
  • John "tweeted" about wanting to record the song with Taylor back in March 2009: "Waking up to this song idea that won't leave my head. 3 days straight now. That means it's good enough to finish," he wrote on his Twitter page. "It's called 'Half of My Heart' and I want to sing it with Taylor Swift. She would make a killer [Stevie] 'Nicks' in contrast to my 'Tom [Petty]" of a song."
  • It has been said that Mayer's former beau, Jennifer Aniston, got annoyed with the singer spending more time on his Twitter updates than with her. His explanation of the lyrical content of this song to The London Times January 2, 2010 suggests that the rumor is true. He explained that it's about "questions of, do I want to share my desires with someone else or do I just want to sate them myself with my laptop and my Twitter account? - these are substituting relationships. Knowing that I could blog right now from my iPhone and it's up on the internet with people reading it and responding to it. How much is that a synthetic version of having dinner with somebody? How intimidating must it be to try to find an 'in' with the man who is consistently satisfying himself by all means necessary? Where is her place in that?"

Comments: 5

  • Sc from UsaThis song has a country vibe because some parts sound like steel guitar
  • Bryan from FalfurriasIdk why but I always get a country vibe when hearing this song.
  • Rod from Gainesville, FlI have a lyric to add: "Half of my heart got a real good imagination"
  • Patrick from Valley, Wa., WaHalf of My Heart, and Heartbreak Warfare has put John Mayer on my Top Ten List.
    Patrick,T. Chewelah Wa.
  • Sara from Union City, TnAnother John Mayer great ! Love this man!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.

Ramones

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."