Eddi Reader tracks

Dear John

the song
title :	Dear John
written by :	Mark E. Nevin and Kirsty MacColl
song copyright :	© 1992 & 1994 MCA Music Ltd (50%) and EMI Virgin Music Publishing (50%)

the performance
musicians
Eddi Reader	vocal
Teddy Borowiecki	piano, keyboards, accordian
David Piltch	bass
Roy Dodds	drums

music
key :	D major
time-signature :	2/4
tempo :	MM 64
form :	½v V V ½v ½V N

lyrics
provided for research and private study only (see above for copyright details): Dear John oh, dear John I hate to be the one to break the news but it’s concerning me and you this is the letter no one ever wants to write you may not believe me but it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done my eyes see other glories other dreams and other stories and I want to live before I die, dear John ten years on I still dream and we still hesitate the passion’s all but gone oh, dear John seems we have a bad day every day I want to sleep my life away this is the letter no one ever wants to read and though it hurts like hell it may be what you need to tell you I never wanted to be cruel but I’m so tired of being the strong one and I don’t always have the energy and you always leave it up to me, John my eyes have seen the glory there’s more to life than my life story and I’ll probably never find him but I have to keep on looking and I’m very very sorry, dear John – accordion solo dear John I’m s’rry I’m so... ah, John

lyrics

provided for research and private study only (see above for copyright details):

Dear John

oh, dear John
I hate to be the one to break the news
but it’s concerning me and you
this is the letter no one ever wants to write
you may not believe me
but it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done
my eyes see other glories
other dreams and other stories
and I want to live before I die, dear John

ten years on
I still dream and we still hesitate
the passion’s all but gone
oh, dear John
seems we have a bad day every day
I want to sleep my life away
this is the letter no one ever wants to read
and though it hurts like hell
it may be what you need to tell you
I never wanted to be cruel
but I’m so tired of being the strong one
and I don’t always have the energy
and you always leave it up to me, John

my eyes have seen the glory
there’s more to life than my life story
and I’ll probably never find him
but I have to keep on looking
and I’m very very sorry, dear John

– accordion solo
dear John
I’m s’rry
I’m so...
ah, John

explanations
“My eyes have seen the glory” may be quoting from or alluding to the famous ‘Battle song’ by Mrs Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910) which begins “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord”. I have to confess to being unclear as to the origin of the phrase “a ‘Dear John’ letter” meaning a letter breaking off a relationship, although it is sufficiently common to have made it into the New Oxford dictionary of English (1999).

explanations

“My eyes have seen the glory” may be quoting from or alluding to the famous ‘Battle song’ by Mrs Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910) which begins “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord”.

I have to confess to being unclear as to the origin of the phrase “a ‘Dear John’ letter” meaning a letter breaking off a relationship, although it is sufficiently common to have made it into the New Oxford dictionary of English (1999).

the recording
personnel
produced by :	Greg Penny
recorded by :	Jon Ingoldsby at El Mirador, Ojai, California; basic track at Oceanway, LA assisted by Steve Holroyd
mixed by :	Jon Ingoldsby assisted by Andy Strange at Air Studios, London
mastered by :	Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, LA

technical
track timing :	4:08

recording copyright
1994 Warner Music UK Ltd

released on
album :	Eddi Reader	track 3
single :	Dear John	track 1

< previous track – host album sequence – next track >
or you may wish to return to the Honeychildren menu
or the track index or go to the full discography