Released October 14, 2002 Genre Pop, soft rock | Recorded 2001 | |
B-side "No Such Thing"
(acoustic version)
"Your Body Is a Wonderland"
(acoustic version)
"Not Myself"
(demo version) Format Digital download, CD single Length 4:09 (album version)
3:46 (radio edit) | ||
"Your Body Is a Wonderland" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released in October 2002 as the second single from his debut studio album, Room for Squares (2001). Its commercial success was greater than Mayer's prior single, "No Such Thing."
Contents
Song information
Mayer once said during his "As/Is" tour, that the song was about "girly parts", but this was later denied. During his "VH1 Storytellers" performance, Mayer stated that he wrote the song about his first girlfriend at age 14. The song was actually named "Strawberry Wonderland" but was later changed by Mayer.
There has been speculation that Mayer wrote the song about actress Jennifer Love Hewitt, whom he dated in 2002, but she denied it. Hewitt told Entertainment Weekly, "My body is far from a wonderland. My body is more like a pawnshop. There's a lot of interesting things put together, and if you look closely you'd probably be excited, but at first glance, not so much".
According to the liner notes, a toy piano is used as an instrument in the song.
Lyrics
The line "I'm never speaking up again", sung in the background, is also prominently featured in the chorus to the song "My Stupid Mouth", which appears just before the song on Room For Squares.
Track listing
All songs are written by John Mayer except where noted otherwise.
- "Your Body Is a Wonderland" – 4:09
- "No Such Thing" (Acoustic version, live from WXPN) (John Mayer & Clay Cook) – 3:46
- "Your Body Is a Wonderland" (acoustic version, live from WXPN) – 5:46
- "Not Myself" (demo version) – 4:05
Personnel
Reception
Billboard said the song showcases Mayer's "smooth, casual singing style and barroom instrumentation." In 2003, "Your Body Is a Wonderland" won Mayer the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. The song ranked at No. 28 on Blender magazine's list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever".
Video
The video starred the actress Holly Lynch. The video was directed by Jim Gable, and edited by Scott C. Wilson.
Appearances in the media
In 2006, the song was used in an episode of U.S. version of The Office, entitled "A Benihana Christmas". Characters Michael Scott and Andy Bernard sing the song as a karaoke duet. Mayer agreed to let the show use the song, in exchange for a Dundie, which was for "Tallest Music Dude".
In the episode of Family Guy titled "Stew-Roids", Stewie sings a song in which he pronounces the word "body" like "bah-dy", which he then explains "That's how John Mayer would say it"; a reference to the pronunciation of the word in "Your Body Is a Wonderland".
Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer performed a rhumba to the song on Season 7 of Dancing with the Stars.