Clarity

It really sums up who I am as a guy, you know? If you really want to know what it would be like to be alone in a room with me after I’m done ‘being on,’ that’s kind of what that song feels like to me. You know, I deal with a lot of worry in my life, a lot of unnecessary worry. I think everybody does, and it’s a song that I’ve given to myself. I think most songs, you give to other people, you give to the world, and this just so happens to be one of those songs that’s come back to serve myself.

A lot of songs that I write are about not knowing and being lost and feeling cornered, ‘Clarity’ is about a feeling that doesn’t even last as long as a song does. [About] every once in a while, when everything lines up … you know, ‘I got extra on my paycheck, I got Monday off, and this girl loves me.’ It’s kind of like waking up to that for a minute. I’m an a–hole because I don’t have enough fun with myself. I take myself too seriously a lot of the time and so ‘Clarity’ is my reminder to myself — ‘Dude … you don’t even say “dude” enough. Just say “dude” every once in a while and don’t worry about it.’

"Clarity" is a song that I've wanted to write since the end of "Room for Squares." It was a piece of a melody that I had come up with, and I knew it was interesting. I knew it was important. That is the closest you'll ever come to knowing me. If you're like, 'Oh I want to read an interview and find out what John's astrological sign is, or does he like puppies or kittens?'

All you have to do is listen to "Clarity," and you will learn so much about me in the struggle for comfort. It's the way that I think. It's even weird to be sitting under the hot light of a camera and talk about that.