John Mayer sent Jessica Simpson a DVD of himself for her birthday.

The 'Gravity' singer - who had a nine-month on/off relationship, ending in May 2007 - was unable to be with the singer-and-actress on her big day while they were dating, and so decided to surprise her with the unusual gift.

A source told the New York Post newspaper: "Several years ago when he was dating Jessica Simpson, he couldn't go to her birthday party because he was on tour. So the night of her birthday she had dinner with hairdresser Ken Paves and a few friends. Everyone thought John would forget her birthday, but then a gift arrived from him - it was a DVD of him in concert."

Jessica, now 29, was reportedly delighted with the present, and couldn't take her eyes off it for the rest of the evening.

The source added: "Jessica spent the rest of the night watching it on a loop, 'being with him'. It was so sad."

John's representative has not commented on the report.