John Mayer's new song started as a voice memo titled 'Tom and Jerry'

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John Mayer's new song started as a voice memo titled 'Tom and Jerry'

Synopsis

John Mayer traced the origin of his newest song to a voice memo he labelled 'Tom and Jerry' — a single lyric about running away was enough to set the whole project in motion. The track drops Friday, with an exclusive first listen on SiriusXM's dedicated channel a day earlier.

Key Takeaways

John Mayer announced a new song originating from a voice memo titled 'Tom and Jerry' .
The first lyric captured was: 'And if you ever come through, which I doubt you'll do, I'll run away with you.' The track releases on Friday , with an exclusive preview airing on SiriusXM's Life with John Mayer channel on Thursday .
Mayer credited a team of collaborators but has not yet named individual contributors publicly.
Mayer's breakout came after performing at South by Southwest 2000 and releasing his debut EP Inside Wants Out on Columbia Records .

American singer-songwriter John Mayer has revealed that his latest upcoming track originated from a voice memo he saved under the title 'Tom and Jerry', offering fans a candid window into his creative process ahead of the song's release this Friday.

The Moment It All Began

Mayer disclosed the backstory through an Instagram post, sharing both the whimsical working title and the lyrical fragment that sparked the entire composition. 'Tom and Jerry' was the name I used when saving my first voice memo with this song idea. 'And if you ever come through, which I doubt you'll do, I'll run away with you.' From that moment on, the adventure began in bringing that feeling to life, he wrote in the caption.

The lyric — spare, yearning, and quietly cinematic — hints at the emotional register the finished track is likely to inhabit, consistent with the introspective songwriting Mayer has cultivated across his career.

Collaborators at the Centre of the Sound

Mayer was emphatic in crediting the team behind the recording, a habit he described as worth repeating. I get to work with a group of incredibly talented and deeply dedicated artists who will stop at nothing until the sound comes into focus and becomes a picture, he added in the post.

He has not yet named the individual contributors publicly, but indicated that full credits would accompany the release.

Where to Hear It First

Before the general release on Friday, the track will air exclusively on SiriusXM's Life with John Mayer channel throughout the day on Thursday. I can't wait to tell you more about it, but first, it's important that you know who contributed to this track. The song comes out this Friday, but you can hear it throughout the day tomorrow exclusively on SiriusXM Life with John Mayer, Mayer wrote.

Who Is John Mayer

Mayer is a Grammy-winning American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who first drew mainstream attention after performing at the 2000 South by Southwest festival. He was subsequently signed by Aware Records, an imprint of Columbia Records, releasing his debut extended play Inside Wants Out.

His first two studio albums — Room for Squares and Heavier Things — were met with both critical acclaim and commercial success. Room for Squares produced the widely recognised single 'Your Body Is a Wonderland'. Earlier in his career, Mayer had attended Berklee College of Music in Boston before relocating to Atlanta in 1997, where he and fellow guitarist Clay Cook briefly formed the rock duo Lo-Fi Masters.

With a Friday release confirmed and a SiriusXM preview set for Thursday, attention will now turn to whether the finished track matches the emotional weight of its quietly compelling origin story.

Point of View

One who foregrounds craft and collaboration over spectacle. The SiriusXM exclusivity window is a classic pre-release strategy to reward loyal listeners and generate word-of-mouth ahead of the wider drop. Whether the finished track sustains the intimacy of that original voice memo is the question that will define its reception.
NationPress
22 Oct 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is John Mayer's new song about?
John Mayer has not revealed the full title or theme of the new song yet, but he shared that its earliest lyric — 'And if you ever come through, which I doubt you'll do, I'll run away with you' — was the emotional seed for the entire track. The song reportedly carries a yearning, introspective quality.
Why did John Mayer call his voice memo 'Tom and Jerry'?
Mayer used 'Tom and Jerry' purely as a working label when he saved the initial voice memo containing the song idea. He described it as the name under which the adventure of bringing the track to life began, though the finished song is not expected to carry that title.
When does John Mayer's new song come out?
The song is set for release this Friday. Fans can hear it earlier through an exclusive all-day airing on SiriusXM's Life with John Mayer channel on Thursday.
Where did John Mayer announce the new song?
Mayer made the announcement via an Instagram post, sharing the story behind the voice memo, the original lyric, and details of the SiriusXM preview and Friday release.
What is John Mayer known for?
John Mayer is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for albums such as Room for Squares and Heavier Things, and the hit single 'Your Body Is a Wonderland'. He rose to prominence after performing at South by Southwest in 2000 and signing with Columbia Records.
Nation Press
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