Dear John
J. Smetana

Dear John I find it hard to write this, but I think you’ll understand
That while you were off on business, I found another man and he’s a lot like you
He does all the things that you used to
Except he doesn’t seem to cry so much

Dear John I know that this is not cool, and I hope some day we’ll laugh
I ran into a boy from high school, and we just hit it off toVegas yes we went
I guess that our love just wasn’t meant
To be a long term romance kind of thing

Cause it ain’t easy hangin’ on
And it ain’t easy when she’s gone
It ain’t easy being played just like a pawn
You know it isn’t easy being John

Dear John I’m sorry to inform you that there’s been a change of plans
I won’t be coming in the morning, see I’ve done the best I can but I cannot pretend
I hope that we still can be good friends
But to marry you would only make things worse

Cause it ain’t easy hangin’ on
And it ain’t easy when she’s gone
It ain’t easy watchin’ both sides of the dawn
You know it isn’t easy being John

And I feel so insecure, and I’ve prayed for so much more

Yes I’m the subject of these letters, and it’s gone from bad to worse
I think that someday I’ll get better, but tonight I guess I’m cursed
Or something just like that, livin’ alone ain’t where it’s at
Just waiting for a lover or a friend

Cause it ain’t easy hangin’ on
And it ain’t easy when she’s gone
It ain’t easy pickin’ your clothes up off the lawn
You know it isn’t easy being John

*Dear John- "Probably the best lyrical narrative I’ve done. I kid you not this song was written in about 10 minutes. I literally sat down and played the entire thing and sang out the majority of these words straight through. It took about 10 minutes of writing in my head as I was driving somewhere right after that and it was done. That doesn’t happen that often, and when it does, I think it automatically means that it’s a good song because it’s almost 100% inspiration. Also one of the best recording experiences I’ve ever had. We had tracked all of the music up in Toronto with Justin and were scheduled to fly back to L.A. the next morning. Dax and I stayed in the studio with Justin and Graham until like 2 in the morning and just sang our throats out. We layered all sorts of stuff in there. At the end of the night we played back the vocals and strings only and it was just the coolest thing ever. Someday I’m going to break out those sessions and put together that same vocals/strings mix and let everybody hear it. Good times."- Jeff