“Last Train Home” by John Mayer (ft. Maren Morris)

Even though there isn’t anything explicitly in the lyrics of “Last Train Home” stating that the addressee is a romantic interest of the singer’s, considering the overall sentiment of the song that is presumption we will proceed under. In other words, the second verse for instance can be interpreted as if he is speaking to a friend in general. 

But then taking the chorus which follows into consideration, when the vocalist seems to be alluding to the possibility of the addressee following him home, then again the implication is that this is someone like a lover whom he is addressing.

And basically, this is one of those kinds of pieces where the vocalist is gauging the commitment level of a romantic interest before letting their relationship get too deep. Or in the name of putting the situation at hand into more literal terms, let’s say that he has met the addressee in a city which is not his hometown. And now on the verge of returning home, he is considering taking her with him. But with that being sort of like a husband/wife type of move, he wants to make sure that she is truly committed in such a manner. 

Or another way of looking at things is that he’s not interested in a casual relationship.

“Last Train Home”

Indeed the title of the song, in the manner in which it is used in the second chorus, is more symbolic than literal. And in that regard what the vocalist is saying is that the addressee ‘may be his last train home’. And what he apparently means is that he perceives her to perhaps be the one. Simply put, he sees her as the last lady that he will ever date, as the two of them will go on to live happily ever after.

Another factor in this narrative is the singer being someone whose life at the moment isn’t necessarily favorable. That isn’t to say that he is depressed, but he does recognize that things can be better, and that time for such to actually transpire is finite, perhaps even having already passed. 

So that is one of the reasons he wants the addressee to make sure she’s sure. He knows he isn’t the perfect partner in terms of his standing and his related personal history. But it isn’t like he lacks confidence or anything like that. Indeed it can be said that underlying this whole exchange is the belief that if the addressee is in fact the one, then her presence will also edify his life’s trajectory.

And at the end of the day, this entire piece can be determined as a love song. The sentimental conclusion is that the vocalist is ready and willing to give his all to the featured relationship.  But again, before doing so he wants assurance that the addressee is ready to do the same.

John Mayer

John Mayer is a multifaceted musician, though primarily a singer, from Connecticut. He has enjoyed a very-successful career, especially during the aughts, when he took home seven Grammy Awards. But that noted even during the 2010s he continued to do his thing, dropping the following three albums:

• “Born and Raised” (2012)
• “Paradise Island” (2013)
• “The Search for Everything” (2017)

The first of these albums even topped the Billboard 200 and the latter two falling just a spot sort of doing the same.

Facts about “Last Train Home”

“Last Train Home” is the first song he’s dropped during 2021, doing so on 4 June via Columbia Records. This is actually the fourth single from a Mayer album entitled Sob Rock, which John said has already been completed since March. And the first single from this project, “New Light”, actually came out back in 2018.

“Last Train Home” was released alongside an accompanying music video. Said clip was directed by Harper Smith and Cameron Duddy. And another pop singer, Maren Morris, makes an appearance therein.

John Mayer teased the issuance of the song, via Twitter, on 1 June 2021.

John Mayer wrote “Last Train Home” himself. And he also produced the track, doing so alongside Don Was.

If you listen carefully you’d notice that the song’s riff actually sounds inspired by the works of the band Toto. Some have even compared it Toto’s iconic song titled “Africa“.

To note as at the dropping of “Last Train Home”, John Mayer, at the age of 43, is not married, nor has he ever been, nor does it appear that he is in any type of serious, publicly-acknowledged relationship at the time. However his success, talent and dashing looks has afforded him a dating history featuring some of the most-beautiful and famous celebrities in America. And the list includes Jennifer Aniston (2008-2009), Taylor Swift (2009-2010), Kim Kardashian (2010) and Katy Perry (2012-2015).