“A Dear John Letter”, or “Dear John” is the name of a popular country music song. It was popularized by Ferlin Husky and Jean Shepard, and was a crossover country-pop hit in 1953.
The song played on the concept of a Dear John letter while referencing the United States’ involvement in the Korean War. Here, a young woman, whose boyfriend John was stationed in Korea, writes stating that she is breaking off the relationship. To add to the heartbreak: She is marrying John’s brother, Don, and wants her photograph back (because — according to the lyrics — Don wants it now).
“A Dear John Letter” was performed as duet by the two performers, with Husky speaking his part while Shepard sang hers. “Dear John” was released in 1953 and was a big success. The song topped the Billboard magazine country charts [1] and reached No. 4 on the Billboard pop charts; in addition, it turned the unknown singers into star performers in the United States.
When “A Dear John Letter” topped the Billboard country charts, Shepard — at 19 years, nine months — became the youngest artist to that point to have a no. 1 country single. She kept that record for nearly 20 years, when 14-year-old Tanya Tucker topped the Hot Country Singles chart with “What’s Your Mama’s Name.”
By Jean Shepard & Ferlin Husky
| A Dear John LyricsDear John Oh! how I hate to write Dear John I must let you know tonight That my love for you has gone There’s no reason to go on And tonight I wed another Dear John I was overseas in battle When the postman came to me He handed me a letter And I was as happy as I could be Cause the fighting was all over And the battles they’d all be won But then I opened up that letter And it stated Dear John I was overseas in battle When the postman came to me He handed me a letter Won’t you please send back my picture My husband wants it now | 親愛的約翰 噢！我真不願意寫這封信 親愛的約翰 今晚，我得讓你明白 我對你的愛已消逝 沒有理由再繼續下去 今晚，我已嫁給了別人 親愛的約翰 我在海外作戰 當郵差向我走來 他交給我一封信 我高興極了 因為戰爭已經結束 所有戰役都獲得了勝利 但是當我打開這封信 它的開頭是：親愛的約翰─── 我在海外作戰 當郵差向我走來 他交給我一封信 你何不把我的相片寄回來， 我的丈夫現在就要” |