A Dear John Letter
Jean Shepard
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Dear John, oh, how I hate to write Dear John, I must let you know tonight That my love for you has died away like grass upon the lawn And tonight I wed another dear John I was overseas in battle when the postman came to me And he handed me a letter I was just as happy as I could be For the fighting was all over and the battle have been won Then I opened up the letter and that started, dear John Dear John, oh, how I hate to write Dear John, I must let you know tonight That my love for you has died away like grass upon the lawn And tonight I wed another dear John Will you please send back my picture, my husband wants it now And when I tell you who I'm wedding I know you won't care, dear anyhow Now the ceremony has just started and tonight I'll wed your brother Don Will you please wish us happiness forever, dear John?
Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
Written by: BILLY BARTON, CHARLES FUZZY OWENS, LEWIS A. TALLEY
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
12 facts about this song
History"A Dear John Letter" was released in 1953 as a country song by American singers Jean Shepard and Ferlin Husky.
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Chart PerformanceThe song was an immediate success. It went straight to number one on the Billboard country charts, where it remained for six weeks.
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Song RelevanceIt was an anthem for the Korean War, similar to the way "We'll Meet Again" and "White Cliffs of Dover" were anthems for the Second World War.
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Accomplishment"A Dear John Letter" was Jean Shepard's debut single, making her one of the youngest female artists to top the charts at just 19.
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PopularityThe song's popularity resulted in Ferlin Husky also becoming a chart-topping artist for the first time.
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GenreWhile being a country song, "A Dear John Letter" contains elements of folk and pop, broadening its appeal to a wider audience.
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Song's ThemeThe song is about a woman who writes to her partner who is serving abroad in the army, telling him she is ending their relationship.
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ExposureThe song's success significantly increased both Ferlin Husky and Jean Shepard's profiles, making them household names in the country scene.
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Literal MeaningA "Dear John letter" is a popular term for a letter sent by a woman to her boyfriend or husband serving in the army to end their relationship, hence the song's title.
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RecordsThe song was so popular that it was subsequently covered by multiple other artists, including Pat Boone and Ella Mae Morse.
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RecognitionIn 1974, the track was nominated for the "Grammy Hall of Fame" award.
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LegacyDespite not winning the Grammy, the song has endured and is considered a classic of the genre.
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Citation
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"A Dear John Letter Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/565835/Jean+Shepard/A+Dear+John+Letter>.
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