TAYLOR SWIFT Dear John vs JOHN MAYER Paper Doll | APT Reacts

I was made aware that Taylor Swift and John Mayer have commented on their previous relationships in songs, primarily these two - her with "Dear John" and him with "Paper Doll." I hadn't heard either of these songs but was told about them via comments left on my "Would've Could've Should've" reaction, so I thought they'd be worth reacting to to see if I like them, and which song I liked better.
Note: While editing this video, I saw that John Mayer added a card on his video that forwarded people to a "new song by Taylor Swift!" That is just all kinds of high levels of petty, which for a grown man seems kinda ehhhh... at the same time, Swift is still making songs about him so... ehhhh...
00:00 Intro
01:33 Taylor Swift's "Dear John"
10:56 My commentary on "Dear John"
12:42 John Mayer's "Paper Doll"
18:33 My commentary on "Paper Doll"
Stream my song, "I Only Want U" www.linktr.ee/...
#Taylorswift #johnmayer #reactionvvideo

[@josefinasoderholm6488]

Someone not finding issues with a 32 year old dating a 19 yer old is really problematic. It’s a HUGE difference from a 42 year old dating a 30 year old. Regardless of gender. A person’s brain isn’t fully developed until the age of 25-28.. the power dynamics in a relationship where one is 19 and the other 32 can’t be equal. And: Taylor and John officially dated when she was 19 and he was 32 but he reached out to her way before that on social media asking her to do a duet with him. Not her label or manager, her directly. They did do a duet, released it, went on tour and then officially started dating.. John called Taylor a child in several interviews. If you don’t feel icky and have shivers down your spine listening to dear John and Would’ve could’ve should’ve you need to question yourself

[@OnAeeir]

lmao get off tiktok full of inaccuracies

[@josefinasoderholm6488]

@@OnAeeir yeah, I’m not on TikTok. And what inaccuracies are you referring to?

[@OnAeeir]

​@@josefinasoderholm6488 well u got that tiktok science with saying the brain fully develops at 25 been debunked its not true that was from 1 study that for some reason ppl like to quote second jm born in 77 ts in 89 thats 12 not 13 third they never were in a relationship and this is just a fact and something u can look up but when taylor was 19 she was dating someone until she was 20 in 09 of july/august to mid december and thats what the song back to december is about so even if jm and ts did date she would have been 20 and not 19

[@WarmLittleDiamond90]

What's up with your obsession with "legal age"? In same places the legal age is 13. In some places it's legal to kill gay people. Legality does not equal morality. It's simply a reflection of culture, the ethics of which are up for debate. I am 32, and a 19yo is a child to me. The gap between a 19yo and a 32yo, developmentally, is monumental. It is not the same as the gap between a 30yo and a 45yo. In the latter scenario, both parties have a fully developed brain. Both parties have life experience, very likely both parties have each had more than 1-2 serious relationships and have some idea of how they deserve to be treated in a relationship. Both parties are likely to have experienced common adult experiences such as living away from parents. People with experience target inexperienced people for a reason. It's because they like power and control. It is far easier for a 32yo to manipulate a 19yo than it is for a 45yo to manipulate a 30yo. That is just a fact. If a 32 yo is remotely interested in a 19yo, there's something deeply wrong with them. They don't like to be challenged and they don't want equality in their relationships.

[@OnAeeir]

lmao u made no moral argument nice one ur argument was it gives you the ick and thats fine but zero moral argument

[@giulianaguerino2157]

I understand that is unfair that when women are with a much older guy (13 year age gap) is deemed bad and for men its like haha what are you complaining about, but the thing is both are awful and its doubled standard and shouldn’t happen but that doesn’t mean that what she went through hasn’t a lot to do with the age difference and the power dynamic. So you saying that he may be a jerk but it has nothing to do with age difference is kind of scary. At nineteen you are barely an adult your brain isn’t fully formed yet and even if its legal it doesn’t make it any less creepy

[@richelleeasley6492]

I stopped watching after he started saying it had nothing to do with age. What I learned between the age of 20 and 30 about relationships was vast. He completely invalidates that

[@carolynnewcomb2153]

He’s a damn grown man. If you’re age starts with a three, stay away from a teenager! He’s in a place of power in that relationship and he should’ve known better. Your brain doesn’t even stop maturing until you’re 25. If she was 30 and he was 42, she would’ve had some actual life experiences to help her in her decision to date him, that’s one thing. At nineteen most of us think we know it all, but we don’t. We’re more than just a girl, but not yet a woman. Yes Taylor, nineteen is too young to be messed with.

[@ladylisaromance8129]

The problem isn't the 13 year gap... it's the ages of said gap. 19 and 32 is wrong on many levels, but 32 and 45 is fine. Nineteen may be legal, but there's a reason the number ends in 'teen'. The maturity level does not match and he knew that. She was too young for him. Period. Edit to say, I would feel the same if a 32 year old woman was dating a 19 year old boy. Yes, boy. At 19, legal or not, you're still a teenager. I find it disgusting.

[@OnAeeir]

would u be ok if it was 20 and not 19?

[@ladylisaromance8129]

@@OnAeeir No. It would be ok if it was 30 and 43. At 19 and 20 your brain isn't even fully developed. It's not the age difference but the ages.

[@OnAeeir]

@@ladylisaromance8129 for u it was the teen part but now its the brain part so you dont think a 20 year old woman should vote? because ur saying a 20 year old woman is too dumb to date someone older

[@OnAeeir]

​@@ladylisaromance8129 for u it was the teen thing at first but now its about the brain so should a 20 year old woman be able to vote? as to you they are too dumb to even date an older person so u also think a 20 year old woman is too dumb to vote right

[@tomenrico6199]

I've heard that Mayer was mad when “Dear John” was released and he supposedly called her a shitty songwriter. Comparing these two lyrics, I sure know which one is a shitty hack of a songwriter, and it ain't Taylor.

[@Annehrn]

I think « someone’s gonna paint you another sky » is a ref to her «you paint me a blue sky & go back and turn it to rain » in dear John

[@straight_up_geek_]

19 is just 2 years older than being a kid. If you’re in your 30s, that’s weird.

[@carolynv8979]

Especially if you turn around and keep trying to call her “childish” in interviews. Dude was creepy.

[@carolynv8979]

I think she says “don’t you think I was too young” so many times because people always ask girls “don’t you think he’s a bit old for you?” But don’t usually ask the guy the same thing.

[@nunnaurbiznez8815]

You need to also keep in mind he has done the same thing to MANY other women in the industry where he used women to break up and make up on purpose for song writing inspiration. Hes actually admitted it in interviews. This was her first real adult boyfriend. Just think how your first being such a manipulator they say they love you alone then ignore you in a room full of people.

[@Starbuck-dr7yl]

I like paper doll, but its not one of his best and it certainly isn’t better than Dear John. Dear John is a songwriting clinic. He also waited 3 years, I mean she had already released her next album (Red). I do think the age difference was inappropriate but your point was well made. Of course she was 19, a legal age. The difference is he was a very very experienced grown man and she was a very very inexperienced girl. Yes this is a lesson all women learn, unfortunately, and at age 19 with the innocence and hope of love, that is extremely different had she had adult relationships prior to this one. He knew that, a 19 yr is legal, but does not know, does not have the experience to know, the wisdom to know, the intuition that only life experience gives you. He knew. She was stilll writing about princesses and G-rated music, and fairytales and Prince Charming. that’s where her maturity and experience and mentality was at that age. Legal, yes. But, no. Dear John is a great song, well written, but it was written when she was raw with emotion and the experience was still vivid. Just because it’s legal, her being an inexperienced 19yr old, doesn’t make it less cringe, and people warned her. Everyone around her saw what was happening. I don’t blame teenagers or young men or women for making mistakes, thats how we all learn, but I do hold accountable grown men and women for their behavior when it comes to this and taking advantage of someone who does not have the experience to understand what’s happening.

[@Ranger50000]

I think this person is just a Taylor Swift fan and is being byast

[@Violet316]

@@Ranger50000 Well of course they are, we love and protect Taylor. And the word is biased.

[@Violet316]

You also might add to the fact that John Mayer has a history of dating younger girls/women.

[@Uhohlisa]

Dear John isn’t good. Paper Doll is better. But Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve blows them both out of the water

[@ladygender]

She was 19 and he was 32. We live in 2023. That's age gap I find very very bleh. I'm 31 yo woman. I cannot imagie being with someone who is 20 and starting an adult life. 30 and 40 is a different story. You need to have experience. I know that 19yo girl just finished high school.

[@aptsongs]

A story recently came out about Aaron Taylor-Johnson and his wife who have been married for 10 years. When they met, he was 18... and she was 41. I heard no stories at the time about "he's being manipulated by her" or "she's trying to groom him" or "he needs to know better and protect himself." Interesting how that only happens when it's the other way around... btw, this isn't to say John Mayer's actions didn't feel sleazy; I just don't like the hypocrisy of giving young women the excuse of "they were too young to know better" yet men are expected to be able to have their heads on straight even at the same "young" age.

[@ladygender]

@@aptsongs oh no it goes both ways. I agree. Same with a president of France. HE MET HER WHEN HE WAS 15. Give me a break. But the age diffarence is more common between male(being way older) and female . Billie Eillish. Florence Pugh. In my opinion it's wierd. And I think that that relationships can be good and at some point healthy. But I just don't vibe with that. I was child without life experience at 20. Every man way older then me was a creep. That's it:)

[@castiels_trenchcoat974]

@@aptsongs well, that's just untrue. His fanbase is literally bursting with people who are concerned about him because of it and have been for years because they know it's wrong. Just because you didn't see it on the biggest news outlets doesn't mean it's not happening. Pretty weird to defend it happening to women just because you didn't actually look for people who cared about it happening to a guy.

[@champton911]

@@aptsongs You didn’t read the tabloids then. I remember it was a huge thing. Everyone thought she was a groomer and the stories were not flattering. It was everywhere. It ruined her career.

[@antoinettecampbell3563]

thank you, came to say this because everything i saw accused her of grooming @@castiels_trenchcoat974

[@carolynv8979]

Kinda feels like you’re responding to the double standard backwards. I’m 31 and i would NEVER mess with one of my baby brother’s 18year old friends because they’re babies and that’s creepy and predatory. And I know a guy who slept with a teacher in her 20s when he was 17. He was messed up about it for years but never spoke out because he believed all her bs. People should taking predatory women MORE seriously, not disregarding predatory men. Legal and ethical are NOT the same.

[@Zippy_815]

I'm 28 and the thought of dating anyone under 20 grosses me out. I honestly don't think I could even date someone under 24.

[@nunnaurbiznez8815]

He literally dates a young girl than totally shades her for being hurt like a young girl. He needs to quit dating younger women.

[@riley1312]

He was so angry when the song came out lol

[@TisTheDamnStickSeason]

Aww poor baby

[@bridgetcunningham4243]

seriously, why does it bother you so much that she wrote a song about him? the album was going through different midnights in her life. shes looking back and reflecting on a relationship that deeply traumatized her and still has an effect on her. kind of shitty that ur acting like 'well shes with a different guy now, se should be over it' like sorry but it's called artistic expression take notes

[@aptsongs]

I feel the same way about successful rappers who've been rapping for 12 years or more still talking about drugs they sold back in 2011 - like, didn't you make more than enough songs about that already? Haven't you made enough reflection songs about that situation? And why are you going on and on about some dude that hasn't thought about or mentioned you in years? If you're trying to move on from whatever trauma you experienced in a legitimate way, why are you constantly putting it out in song form album after album to profit from it vs. getting therapy and dealing with it? She has every right to put out however many songs she wants to, much in the same way people in her audience can be like "next subject, please"

[@bridgetcunningham4243]

@@aptsongs wow ur so right, a song she wrote 12 years ago in the midst of her trauma AND a current song reflecting on it? You're so right, 2 songs is way too much for anyone to ever write about the same topic. Clearly. And uh... yeah? Actually confronting your trauma, finding ways to understand and discuss it, and not shoving it behind you because 'it happened a long time ago' IS how people deal with things in a healthy way. It's really a you problem if you think proper coping is not sharing after the fact. Pretty privileged way of living if you're out here saying past traumas shouldn't be on our mind at all today 😬 Also if you're a writer, maybe Google what the word 'constantly' means, because you're not applying it correctly lol

[@bridgetcunningham4243]

@@aptsongs have you learned to use Google yet

[@spiderguy01]

@@bridgetcunningham4243 why are you trying to ridiculed him for not thinking like you? Why are you so sensitive ,smh getting mad over something that happened 12 years ago to a girl who doesn’t even know you exist, I’m sure they’re both moved on ,but Taylor really does like attention tho ,everyone saying she’s a victim bc he was 32 and she was 19 ,but right after they broke up she started dating 30 year old Jake Gyllenhaal ,so I guess she doesn’t learn? No one is saying that past “trauma” shouldn’t have an effect on you in the present but it definitely shouldn’t control your life ,it’s almost like people are fighting over who has the worst life and it’s kinda funny in my opinion ,”let me have my trauma ,don’t try to help me” that’s what it sounds like. Yes she was young ,but she was not stupid I don’t think ,as far as I’m concerned she’s one of the smartest celebrities out there ,she knows what she does and why she does it, of course she was gonna get a bunch of fans over drama ,of course people were gonna think she’s the victim and of course 14 year old girls will get angry and send death threats to John Mayer over something that happened before they even knew how to speak, people are so emotional ,and it’s not wrong to be emotional but living by emotions instead of using your brain to think if something makes sense isn’t good. People seriously need to move on ,they already did ,stop crying over something that happened more than a decade ago , why live your life so angry at people all the time smh, y’all probably start punching the walls when hear the name “John Mayer” chill a little bit try to find peace ,we don’t get mad when we listen to Taylor swift. You don’t need to forget but at least forgive ,trust me it is good for your heart

[@bridgetcunningham4243]

@@spiderguy01 LMAO im not reading a whole essay bc ur triggered over me stating facts. hes being incredibly disrespectful in his language because hes not educating himself, so idrc if u think im being too harsh in my correction of his ignorant behavior lol

[@wendycory9056]

Well said, truth, he took advantage of so many

[@Uhohlisa]

13:50 this woman got meme’d and viral for her “prancercise” videos. John hired her to show how little he cared about the music video lol.

[@AllyGirl-hg2sb]

If you want to hear more of her country songs her self titled debut album Taylor Swift is a good listen in my opinion.

[@tomenrico6199]

I'd recommend viewing Taylor's live performance of this song from 2012, just a couple years after the events. You can really see the emotion in her face as she sings it, plus it has a great build-up and ending.

[@francessmith1549]

The Taylor Swift song is much more powerful and direct, than the John Mayer song, which seems to just criticise her for being excessively concerned about clothes. I love how you accidentally chose that video with the woman dancing though, it's perfect.

[@mac8827]

His song was such a miss lol

[@kinpho6150]

it hits hard live kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6nRdWajbJl9bac&ab_channel=IchhitJoshi

[@rayepenber727]

Not really

[@gemini3399]

His song was better

[@ladylisaromance8129]

So glad you pointed out losing has one 'o'. 😂 I'm an editor and I found so many mistakes that it was distracting for me.

[@chandrixaranas3242]

Search for the slang word “Grooming”.

[@gemini3399]

He should not have been dating a 19 year old. However she writes songs about her exes all the time so he can write a song too. You can’t take his talent away from him. He is a great songwriter

[@iforc]

She wife’s like a child.

[@TheArbiterOfTruth]

I wouldn’t call this “country”. It’s pop/pop-rock. Her only country album was her first. The problem with John Mayer is he’s a phenomenal guitarist, but a pretty bad guy 😂 Also, his first 4 albums are fantastic, his other 4 suck pretty bad. 7 was ok, but still not that great. But Heavier Things? Continuum? Battle Studies? Perfection. I had no idea Paper Dolls was about Taylor. But I think dis songs as a concept are stupid and cheesy. That’s what rappers do, not musicians.

[@spiderguy01]

People are already talking about everything that happened a decade ago and stuff so I’m not even gonna talk about that topic I’ll talk about something else and I’m not trying to offend the swifties or anything ,and Taylor and John might be both lyrical geniuses, you can even think Taylor is better if you want ,but musically John Mayer is just superior in every way, Taylor’s music is pretty bland compared to his ,and if you know anything about music you’re gonna know that John’s music just sounds of better quality

[@Azarath_Metrion_Zinthos]

His music is bland af... Your body is a wonderland? Lmao really? Everything sounds the same in his songs... Atleast change up the genre or experiment with it... Like Taylor does... He has always played it safe and simple...when it comes to production. It's not cohesive nor interesting or catchy. But the musical taste is subjective.. so I'll let that one go.

[@bed7610]

John Mayer is a good man!!!! He has a heart of gold! Him dating a 19 yr old at 31 wasn't good for Taylor but John had said on multiple accounts that he skyrocketed into adulthood in his 30s and was 20 mentally and immature for a long time. I don't think he had any malicious intent to take advantage of someone younger than him. His infamous interviews led him to moving to Montana in solitude to seek improvement and also losing the ability to speak for a year due to a throat condition(talk about karma). Hearing him talk in the past few years he's clearly all about love and community and is still searching for the woman he's going to spend the rest of his life with. I suggest listening to his song Go Easy on Me, it's about how he feels about people coming up to him with preconceived notions and giving him hate.

[@wowyzowy1895]

I mean...ngl I didn't like John mayor for a long time because of dear John then I let him go after Red and didn't mind him 💀 But now that would've could've should've came out. I despise that man 😭

[@carolinamansur113]

C'mon, you can't be serious. Haven't you seen anyone talking about him? Literally every ex girlfriend got out traumatized and the things he has already said in interviews/social media......

[@bed7610]

@@carolinamansur113 "anyone talk about him" have you heard him talk?

[@Zippy_815]

Lol have you considered that men being immature at the age of 30+ isn't an excuse? The brain is fully developed at that point. The only reason men are considered more immature than women is because society gives them an excuse to be.

[@carolynv8979]

By “Heart of gold” did you mean hard unfeeling metal? People don’t usually abuse people out of “malice”. It’s usually out of self-centeredness and a lack of moral fiber. He didn’t think of women as people, didn’t care how he used them to get what he wanted. The “rules kept changing” because he said whatever would get him what get wanted at any given moment. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. He just didn’t care enough to think about how his choices would impact them.