Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come in 2002. The tracks "The Remedy" and "You And I Both" became his first big hits the following year. His second album, Mr. A-Z, released in 2005, peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 200 and sold over one hundred thousand copies in the US. In 2008, Mraz released his third studio album, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 was a commercial success worldwide, peaking in the top ten of many international charts.
In April 2012 Mraz released his fourth studio album, Love is a Four Letter Word. The album was received with favourable reviews and debuted at number two on both the Billboard 200 and UK Album Charts. The album sold 102,000 copies in it's first week in the US, his best sales week to date.
Mraz’s international breakthrough came with the release of lead single from We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. titled “I’m Yours”. The single peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Mraz his first top ten single. The song was a huge commercial success in the US with it receiving a triple-Platinum certification from the RIAA for sales of over three million. The song was successful internationally and topped the charts in New Zealand and Norway and peaking in the top ten of multiple international charts.
Mraz was engaged to singer/songwriter and long-time close friend Tristan Prettyman. On June 7, 2011, Mraz said in an interview with the Daily Beast that he and Prettyman were no longer engaged.
Mraz lives a health-conscious lifestyle and enjoys eating mostly raw vegan foods. He owns an avocado farm in Bonsall in Northern San Diego County.
Zero Interest
Jason Mraz Lyrics
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And they swing swiftly towards happier times
Expending lines and finding more energy for the effort
And getting distance from that front porch spotlight
But us we found peace in shadows
Long enough to see the monsters rise
Candy's got some space to fill in her daydreams
Talking to me about some 0% interest
And how she got a better deal than the next guy
And the way the lightning shocked us
When we were lost and looking down that long missouri highway
Your hair was longer then and now I remember
Oh the roads unencumbered by cats
They're burning like wet matches
through my miracle mile mind
You left your thumbprint inside me now for months it seems
But mine only brushes your soft surface
And somehow it leaves me listless
My tongue curls under my lips oh yes
So I can't speak to tell you of the months before I met you
And the way the truth it locked us
Right about the time after the lightning shocked us
When we were young and missing
'round that small new england byway
Our lives they were sheltered then and I now I remember
Well its not even being about that anymore
I gotta get you down
Those tiny fragments of perfection
They please me in a time unchanged
When its not the same beginning
Or a long awaited end
If I knew all the words
I would write myself out of here
If I was all the colors
I would paint you pretty in gold
In a picture so I'm told little sister
So now I'm sold little sister
Why don't you tell me about the sunsets in sweden
And the laws of eden
And how you were the rock of gibraltar
And how they called you foxy
Well that's another whole box of pandoras
That's another whole box of them ties
Slide your foot off the gas
Before we crash right back into the median
It separates our house from the middle of the street
Talking about our house
Is on the front porch telling jokes
And they swing swiftly towards happier times
Expending lines and finding more energy for the effort
And getting distance from that front porch spotlight
But us we found peace in shadows
Long enough to see a monster die
We all need to find a little space in our daydreams
Long enough and just so long
Long enough, just as long
Just so long as its long enough
Is it long enough
Is it long enough for me
Long enough for me to chew on
If it isn't
If it isn't
If it ain't
If it don't
If it can't
Then it won't
And that's just the way that it goes
The first verse of Jason Mraz's "Zero Percent Interest" describes the contrast between two groups of people - one having a good time on the front porch while the other finds peace in the shadows, witnessing the rise of monsters. This could be interpreted in many different ways, but could be referring to the struggle of balancing having fun and enjoying life with the darker, more introspective parts of ourselves. The second verse is focused on Candy and her 0% interest deal. It implies that she is living a life based on lies and is not truly happy, despite the facade of a good deal.
The chorus is more abstract, with Mraz describing flashes of memories and emotions. It describes lightning shocking them and then being lost on a long Missouri highway, his hair longer than it is now. The final part of the chorus is focused on the "miracle mile mind" - a mind capable of taking anything and making it into something meaningful or beautiful.
The final verse includes a lot of different references and allusions - from the sunsets in Sweden to the rock of Gibraltar to the law of Eden. It's difficult to connect these references without any additional context, but one interpretation is that they represent different aspects of the singer's life or experiences. The final lines of the song imply that finding space in your daydreams is crucial to feeling fulfilled.
Line by Line Meaning
Our friends on the front porch telling jokes
Our companions outside on the porch making each other laugh
And they swing swiftly towards happier times
And they effortlessly move towards happier moments
Expending lines and finding more energy for the effort
Spending time sharing stories and jokes, and energizing each other for more
And getting distance from that front porch spotlight
And moving away from the spotlight shining on the front porch
But us we found peace in shadows
But for us, we find peace in the shadows, away from the spotlight
Long enough to see the monsters rise
Long enough to witness the hidden monsters come out to play
Candy's got some space to fill in her daydreams
Candy has some time to fill in her imagination
Living high on yesterday's lie
Thriving on yesterday's falsehood
Talking to me about some 0% interest
She shares with me about her zero percent interest
And how she got a better deal than the next guy
And how she managed to get a better deal than others
And the way the lightning shocked us
Remembering the way lightning jolted us with surprise
When we were lost and looking down that long missouri highway
When we were lost, and staring down the sprawling Missouri highway
Your hair was longer then and now I remember
I reflect that your hair was longer during that time, and I now remember
Oh the roads unencumbered by cats
Oh, the paths free from obstacles along the way
They're burning like wet matches through my miracle mile mind
They're moving quickly through my thoughts like wet matches lighting a fire
You left your thumbprint inside me now for months it seems
You left a lasting impression on me, that I've carried for months
But mine only brushes your soft surface
But in comparison, mine only lightly brushes your soft exterior
And somehow it leaves me listless
And for some reason, it leaves me feeling empty and uninspired
My tongue curls under my lips oh yes
I feel embarrassed and tongue-tied
So I can't speak to tell you of the months before I met you
So I find it challenging to communicate about the time period before I even knew you
And the way the truth it locked us
And the way the truth bonded us together
Right about the time after the lightning shocked us
Around the time after we were both suddenly jolted by the lightning
When we were young and missing 'round that small new england byway
When we were young and wandering around that small New England highway
Our lives they were sheltered then and I now I remember
Our lives were protected back then, and I now remember
Well its not even being about that anymore
Well, it's not even relevant anymore
I gotta get you down
I need to have a conversation with you
Those tiny fragments of perfection
Those small, perfect moments
They please me in a time unchanged
They bring me joy, even in a time that hasn't changed
When its not the same beginning
When things don't start the same way
Or a long awaited end
Or an ending that has been anticipated for a long time
If I knew all the words
If I had the right words to say
I would write myself out of here
I would write myself out of this situation
If I was all the colors
If I had all the colors to work with
I would paint you pretty in gold
I would paint an image of you, looking beautiful in gold
In a picture so I'm told little sister
In a picture that others have mentioned before, little sister
So now I'm sold little sister
So now I'm convinced, little sister
Why don't you tell me about the sunsets in sweden
Why don't you share about the sunsets in Sweden
And the laws of eden
And the laws of Eden
And how you were the rock of gibraltar
And how you were as strong as the Rock of Gibraltar
And how they called you foxy
And how they called you foxy
Well that's another whole box of pandoras
Well, that's a different, complex story
That's another whole box of them ties
That's a different, complicated relationship
Slide your foot off the gas
Slow down and relax
Before we crash right back into the median
Before we speed up and collide back into the middle of the road
It separates our house from the middle of the street
It keeps our house separate from the busy street
Talking about our house
Talking about our home
Our friends on the front porch telling jokes
Our companions outside on the porch making each other laugh
And they swing swiftly towards happier times
And they effortlessly move towards happier moments
Expending lines and finding more energy for the effort
Spending time sharing stories and jokes, and energizing each other for more
And getting distance from that front porch spotlight
And moving away from the spotlight shining on the front porch
But us we found peace in shadows
But for us, we find peace in the shadows, away from the spotlight
Long enough to see a monster die
Long enough to witness the destruction of a monster
We all need to find a little space in our daydreams
We all need some time to let our imaginations run free
Long enough and just so long
Long enough, but only for so much time
Just so long as its long enough
Only as long as it's enough to satisfy us
Is it long enough
Is it enough?
Is it long enough for me
Is it enough for me?
Long enough for me to chew on
Enough time to ruminate on and process
If it isn't
If it's not enough
If it ain't
If it's not
If it don't
If it doesn't
If it can't
If it's not able
Then it won't
Then it won't happen
And that's just the way that it goes
And that's just the reality of the situation
Lyrics © Goo Eyed Music
Written by: JASON MRAZ, ARIEL QUIROLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind