Meski lagu ini gak pernah dirilis sebagai single, begitu juga masuk dalam nomor album studio milik John Mayer, Tracing tetap menjadi salah satu favorit penggemar, setidaknya bagiku. Kurang dapat sorotan karena keberadaanya, maka jadi hal yang langka ketika Mayer—penyanyinya sendiri—menyanyikan lagu ini secara langsung di konsernya bertajuk Solo Tour tahun 2023.

Seperti pengakuannya, tema tur solo ini—ia hanya melangsungkan konser sendirian tanpa band—menjadi hal yang sangat diinginkannya. Jika dengan band ia harus latihan bersama dan memainkan lagu populer lagi dan lagi, pada tur tersebut ia bebas memilih bagaimana konser malam itu akan diingat penggemarnya. Dengan membawakan deep cuts, contohnya.. Lagu-lagu seperti Tracing, Hummingbird, dan harusnya Lifelines dan Breakaway punya nyawa untuk lebih didengar. Tapi kemana Lifelines dan Breakaway, John Clayton Mayer? Kamu lupa?! Ish.

Ah, aku sungguh berharap ia akan singgah di Jakarta lagi, terlebih dengan tema turnya itu.

John Mayer - Tracing

Do you ever get the feeling that we started in the middle?
Or have you ever had a sense that we've been lying just a little?
I mean, come on. It's not like we've known ourselves that long

And I can't say I really blame you for being bored with the beginning

Always stare at the score to figure out who's barely winning

But don't you know there is a reason strong move slow

Memang, fase kenalan itu kadang bikin bosan! Pertanyaan-pertanyaan normatif. Rasanya ingin melewatkan fase itu sesegera mungkin, kan? Tapi bukan berarti mengabaikan kekuatan emosional yang timbul yang justru di bangun bertahap dari awal tersebut, lo. Masa mau menjalin hubungan sama orang yang bahkan kamu gak kenal?

And I'm okay if you're okay with wasting time

But when we trace, you always see the bottom line

Calm down... Jangan bohongi diri sendiri. Akui saja kalau memang hubunganmu belum seserius itu. Terus terang bahkan jika dirasa masih "buang-buang waktu" karena ya hubunganmu masih awal, kan?

We are tracing

I hope you know

We are tracing

We're both alone

We are tracing

And if you wanna know the moment

I knew that I was still alone

I found I never learned your number

I only stored it in my phone

You'd think by now I'd know the shape of calling home

Hal itu kemudian dipertegas lagi dengan Mayer. Mayer gak pernah benar-benar mempelajari atau mencoba memahami wanita tersebut. Mayer bahkan menyadari bahwa ia tidak hapal nomor wanitanya. Ini jadi simbol bahwa hubungan mereka mungkin terasa dekat, tapi sebenarnya rapuh dan bergantung pada hal-hal praktis. Tanpa ponsel, tanpa kemudahan, dia tidak benar-benar memiliki "koneksi" itu dalam dirinya. Menyiratkan ia tidak merasa punya tempat pulang. Masih merasa asing dan sendiri.

Taylor Swift - folklore

I'm doing good, I'm on some new shit

Been saying "yes" instead of "no"

I thought I saw you at the bus stop, I didn't though

I hit the ground running each night

I hit the Sunday matinee

You know the greatest films of all time were never made

I have this dream you're doing cool shit

Having adventures on your own

You meet some woman on the internet and take her home

But we were something, don't you think so?

Roaring 20s, tossing pennies in the pool

And if my wishes came true

It would've been you

I, I, I persist and resist the temptation to ask you

If one thing had been different, would everything be different today?

We were something, don't you think so?

Rose flowing with your chosen family

And it would've been sweet, if it could've been me

Matt Maltese - Driving Just To Drive

We break apart and join the rain

Politics, the bus, the pain

Walk the same old planet, but our world's new

Falling apart was fun and games

Then it turned to tooth and nails

A song I hear when I was young don't ring true

Wake alone in empty baths

Anything to pass the past

Run around this park six times and miss you

Swear I'm fine yet I replay

All the laughs that wedding day

You got more compliments than the bride and groom