A lazy, behind-the-beat groove can fool you. It sounds effortless, yet it punishes any band that cannot relax into it. The Low Darts settle into Waiting on the World to Change like they own it.
The Low Darts are a five-piece classic rock, pop and soul cover band filmed live, fronted by Colman Connolly on keys, guitar and lead vocals. Sebastian Rodriguez, Jonas Brown, Luke Foote and Sean Byington round out the lineup. This Waiting on the World to Change cover leans hard on the band’s feel for soul and R&B.
Trace the roots of Mayer’s groove
John Mayer released Waiting on the World to Change in 2006 as the lead single from his album Continuum, and it earned him a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. The track openly borrows from 1960s and 1970s soul, echoing the warmth of Curtis Mayfield and the Motown rhythm sections.
The song lives in its restraint. A clean, rounded guitar tone, a gentle backbeat and stacked background vocals carry the message, and Mayer’s phrasing floats just behind the beat to give the record its unhurried swing.
Balance restraint against energy live
Covering this song tests a band’s maturity. Play it too hard and the groove stiffens; play it too soft and it goes limp. The musicians have to commit to the pocket while keeping every part clean and uncluttered.
Colman carries the lead vocal and shapes the harmony stacks, drawing on the ear he sharpened as a producer and an Irish-trad piano accompanist. You can hear that same control across the band’s recorded performances and arrangements.
The vocal blend matters most here, and the Low Darts treat those harmonies as a featured instrument rather than an afterthought. For background on how these young players developed such a soul-rooted feel, read how the band came together, then revisit their funk-driven Superstition cover for a harder-hitting groove.
Stream this Waiting on the World to Change cover and hear a young band honor a modern soul classic. Subscribe, pass the video to a friend, and learn how to collaborate with Colman Connolly.