Dear John

There has been much speculation that this song is about rock musician John Mayer, with whom Taylor recorded a duet, Half Of My Heart, in 2009. Rumors circulated that the pair were dating for a short period after they worked on the track. Swift, who turned 20 in December 2009, won't outrightly acknowledge the subject of the song, but these lines hint that it may well be about Mayer, who is 12 years her senior: It was wrong Don't you think nineteen's too young To be played By your dark, twisted games When I loved you so Mayer has a long list of scorned former girlfriends, including Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Aniston. His famous heartbreaking reputation is also possibly addressed here, when Taylor sings about the guy who is known for "all the girls that you run dry."

Asked if the song was about Mayer by People magazine, Swift responded; "A lot of times when people's relationships end, they write an email to that person and say everything that they wish they would have said. A lot of times they don't push send." "This was a tough one to write," she added," and I guess putting it on the album was pushing send."

A "Dear John" letter is an old expression referring to a wife or girlfriend writing to inform him their relationship is over, usually because the author has found another lover. It is possible the song takes its title from the phrase but unlikely as Taylor is nothing if not extremely literal in her lyric writing.