Waiting on the World to Change - wikipedia Waiting on the World to Change `` Waiting on the World to Change '' Single by John Mayer from the album Continuum Released July 11, 2006 Format CD digital download Recorded June 2006 Genre Blue - eyed soul pop rock blues rock Length 3 : 18 Label Aware Columbia Sony Songwriter ( s ) John Mayer Producer ( s ) Steve Jordan John Mayer John Mayer singles chronology `` Go ! '' ( 2005 ) `` Waiting on the World to Change '' ( 2006 ) `` Belief '' ( 2006 ) `` Go ! '' ( 2005 ) `` Waiting on the World to Change '' ( 2006 ) `` Belief '' ( 2006 ) Limited edition EP cover art `` Waiting on the World to Change '' is a song by American singer - songwriter John Mayer. It was released as the lead single from his third studio album, Continuum ( 2006 ), on August 1, 2006. The song enjoyed commercial success as a single and won the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 49th Grammy Awards. Contents 1 Lyrics and structure 2 Promotion and release 3 Critical reception 4 Commercial performance 5 Personnel 6 Charts 7 References 8 External links Lyrics and structure This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. ( February 2017 ) `` Waiting on the World to Change '' contains a highly popular chord progression often found in blues, rock and soul songs. The chord progression is I - vi - IV - I - V - vi - IV - I, and in the case of `` Waiting on the World to Change, '' it is in the key of D. Another interesting fact is the accenting of the beats in the verses. Contrary to most popular music, the second snare backbeat of the second measure of the two - bar beat that repeats through most of the song features an accent on the `` and '' of `` 4 '', and not directly on `` 4 ''. The song 's theme centers on the singer and his generation 's inaction in regard to current world conditions. However, he attributes this inaction to a lack of power : Now we see everything that 's going wrong With the world and those who lead it We just feel like we do n't have the means To rise above and beat it He also laments the corruption among leaders : It 's not that we do n't care, We just know that the fight ai n't fair John Mayer confirmed this feeling of discontent between the leaders and that led to an interview with The Advocate, explaining the song this way : `` It 's saying, ' Well, I 'll just watch American Idol because I know that if I were engaged in changing anything for the better, or the better as I see it, it would go unnoticed or be completely ineffective. ' A lot of people have that feeling. '' Even so, the song alludes to hope for the future, with the singer intoning that with his generation 's ascension to power, things will change : One day our generation Is gon na rule the population So we keep on waiting Waiting on the world to change Politics was a topic that Mayer had not previously tackled. On his decision to include a politically tinged song, he commented, `` You can not avoid war in life, you can not avoid the fear of terrorism, you can not avoid those things now, they are a part of everyday demeanor. So in that sense it 's become more of an acceptable thing to comment on because it 's just so much of a white elephant. '' Promotion and release This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( February 2017 ) The music video for the song was directed by Philip Andelman and features Mayer walking along the East River while commissioned graffiti artists Futura, Tats Cru, and Daze spray paint messages relating to the song 's content on New York City billboards. A limited - edition EP of `` Waiting on the World to Change '' was released that includes both the album version and a bonus, acoustic version featuring Ben Harper. The EP also is the only official source for the studio ( electric ) version of `` Good Love Is On The Way '', a live version of which was previously released on the live album Try ! by the John Mayer Trio. This particular EP has only been made available through Best Buy and with the purchase of the Continuum album. An acoustic studio version of `` Good Love Is on the Way '' is also available on Mayer 's EP entitled The Village Sessions, released on December 12, 2006 ( `` The Village Sessions '' EP also contains the aforementioned Ben Harper acoustic version of `` Waiting On The World to Change '' ). Critical reception `` Waiting on the World to Change '' From the album Continuum. This clip includes the final chorus after the bridge. Problems playing this file ? See media help. `` Waiting on the World to Change '' received mixed reviews from music critics. Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times called the song `` a lovely and anger - free ode to a vaguely dissatisfied generation, '' while Matt Collar with AMG wrote that `` Nobody -- not a single one of Mayer 's contemporaries -- has come up with anything resembling a worthwhile anti-war anthem that is as good and speaks for their generation as much as his ' Waiting on the World to Change ' ''. Rolling Stone called the opening track and first single `` a moving apologia for Gen Y 's seeming ' apathy ' ''. Other reviewers commented on his progression as an artist ; Tony Pascarella found the song `` gives listeners, both old and new, an idea of how far Mayer has come. To be frank, this is no ' Your Body Is A Wonderland. ' With Continuum, Mayer broadens his fan base by infusing a very blues and R&B - influenced sound. '' Not all reviews were glowing : Entertainment Weekly and the Los Angeles Times were both less than impressed, with the Times saying that, in the song, `` his mood tightens up unpleasantly ''. Greg Kot in the Chicago Tribune also referred to the song ( in his report on Mayer 's appearance at the Crossroads Guitar Festival ) as `` ( perhaps ) the most spineless social - justice song ever written. It advocates a passive approach, whereas the song it most closely resembles -- - Curtis Mayfield 's classic `` People Get Ready '' -- - urges everyone to get involved, or risk being left behind ``. Pitchfork found in the track `` the gravitas of an infomercial but only a fraction of the soul '', giving it the least grade. Commercial Performance On February 22, 2007, it peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It stayed on the charts for 41 weeks. The single also reached number 1 on Billboard 's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, remaining on the chart for over a year. It is Mayer 's most successful single ( both in sales and chart positions ). To date, in the US, the single has sold over two million digital downloads, becoming the 103rd song to top the two million mark in paid downloads. It is Mayer 's first song to reach that plateau. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA, a distinction for downloads and sales in excess of one million. The song has found success internationally as well. It peaked at number 17 on the Australian ARIA Digital Singles Chart. It also peaked at number 36 on the New Zealand RIANZ Top 40 Singles Chart. Personnel John Mayer -- lead vocals, guitar Pino Palladino -- bass, backing vocals Steve Jordan -- drums, percussion Rick Peterson -- keyboards, backing vocals Roy Hargrove -- horns Harley Pasternak, Jeannie Martinez, Kristen Moss, Lee Padgett, Maggie Slavonic, Ricky Cytonbaum, Sandy Vongdasy, Scotty Crowe -- backing vocals Charts Chart ( 2006 -- 07 ) Peak position Canada ( Canadian Hot 100 ) 27 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 55 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 36 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 115 US Billboard Hot 100 14 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) US Adult Top 40 ( Billboard ) US Mainstream Top 40 ( Billboard ) 15 References Jump up ^ Wirt, John ( January 26, 2007 ), `` John Mayer finding unexpected deeper connection with fans through ' Continuum ' '' Advocate volume unknown : 16 Jump up ^ Mumbi Moody, Nekesa ( 2006 ). `` John Mayer : Better With Pop '' MSN.com Retrieved August 20, 2007 Jump up ^ Sanneh, Kelefa ( March 2, 2007 ) `` The Apologetic Pop Star, Still Trying to Claim the Blues '' The New York Times Retrieved August 20, 2007. Jump up ^ Collar, Matt ( date unknown ) `` Review '' AllMusic. Retrieved August 20, 2007. Jump up ^ DeCurtis, Anthony ( September 11, 2006 ). `` Album Reviews '' Retrieved August 20, 2007. Jump up ^ Pascarella, Tony ( September 28, 2006 ). `` John Mayer - Continuum '' AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved August 20, 2007. Jump up ^ Kane, Rich ( September 29, 2006 ), `` It 's hard to dislike him '' Los Angeles Times Jump up ^ `` Crossroads Guitar Festival press coverage ''. Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007. Jump up ^ Strew, Roque ( August 16, 2006 ). `` Track Reviews '' Retrieved May 1, 2008. Jump up ^ `` The Hot 100 ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ Grein, Paul ( 2009 - 06 - 24 ). `` Week Ending June 21, 2009 : JoBros ' `` Mo '' Slows Chart Watch - Yahoo ! Music ``. New.music.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 13. Jump up ^ `` John Mayer -- Chart history '' Canadian Hot 100 for John Mayer. Retrieved September 5, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- John Mayer -- Waiting on the World to Change '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- John Mayer -- Waiting On the World to Change ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` John Mayer -- Chart history '' Billboard Hot 100 for John Mayer. Retrieved September 5, 2017. Jump up ^ `` John Mayer -- Chart history '' Billboard Adult Contemporary for John Mayer. Retrieved September 5, 2017. Jump up ^ `` John Mayer -- Chart history '' Billboard Adult Pop Songs for John Mayer. Retrieved September 5, 2017. Jump up ^ `` John Mayer -- Chart history '' Billboard Pop Songs for John Mayer. Retrieved September 5, 2017. External links Live `` Waiting on the World to Change '' performance, on MSN.com D - PAN music video with ASL accompaniment, on D-PAN.com `` Waiting on the World to Change '' lyrics, at Yahoo ! Music `` Waiting on the World to Change '' music video on YouTube Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics John Mayer Discography Studio albums Room for Squares Heavier Things Continuum Battle Studies Born and Raised Paradise Valley The Search for Everything Live albums Any Given Thursday As / Is Try ! Where the Light Is : John Mayer Live in Los Angeles Extended plays Inside Wants Out The Village Sessions The Complete 2012 Performances Collection The Search for Everything : Wave One The Search for Everything : Wave Two Singles `` No Such Thing '' `` Your Body Is a Wonderland '' `` Why Georgia '' `` Bigger Than My Body '' `` Clarity '' `` Daughters '' `` Waiting on the World to Change '' `` Belief '' `` Gravity '' `` Dreaming with a Broken Heart '' `` Say '' `` Free Fallin ' '' `` Who Says '' `` Heartbreak Warfare '' `` Half of My Heart '' `` Shadow Days '' `` Queen of California '' `` Who You Love '' `` Love on the Weekend '' Featured singles `` Go ! '' `` Streetcorner Symphony '' Video albums Any Given Thursday Where the Light Is : John Mayer Live in Los Angeles Concert tours Battle Studies World Tour Born and Raised World Tour The Search for Everything World Tour Related articles John Mayer Trio Try ! `` Who Did You Think I Was '' Annual John Mayer Holiday Charity Revue Dead & Company Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Waiting_on_the_World_to_Change&oldid=801147034 '' Categories : 2006 singles Anti-war songs John Mayer songs Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Music videos directed by Liz Friedlander Songs written by John Mayer Music videos directed by Philip Andelman Political songs Hidden categories : Articles which use infobox templates with no data rows Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Articles that may contain original research from February 2017 All articles that may contain original research Articles needing additional references from February 2017 All articles needing additional references Singlechart usages for Canada Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary Singlechart usages for Billboardadultpopsongs Singlechart usages for Billboardpopsongs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Italiano Polski Русский Türkçe Edit links This page was last edited on 17 September 2017, at 23 : 17. 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Question: who wrote the song waiting for the world to change
Answer: John Mayer