How Bitter Is It? 2 of 10. With a mopey country twang and apologetic lyrics, “Shadow Days” is more about Mayer’s realization that he was a total douchebag during the relationship than it is about getting revenge.
Sample lyrics: “Well I’m not some troublemaker / And I never meant her harm / But it doesn’t mean I didn’t make it / Hard to carry on”
Backstory: It looks like John Mayer may have learned a thing or two about autobiographical songwriting from his ex-flame and fellow singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. While Swift penned her vindictive hit “Dear John” about their botched relationship, Mayer apparently wrote his latest single “Shadow Days” about his breakup three years ago with actress Jennifer Aniston. Sources told Us Weekly, “’Shadow Days’ is about Jen. It really took him a long time to get over her. He really loved her a lot. He wrote the song as a farewell letter knowing [Jen] would hear it. Ultimately, he’s done a lot of self-reflection though and he realizes they weren’t right for each other.”