1) Mirah (bor… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name, including:
1) Mirah (born Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn in Philadelphia) is an American musician and songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York.
2) Mirah (born Mette Mirah Jensen) is a Danish artist.
3) Mirah is the duo Attilio Messina and Björn Pistis.
1) Mirah (born Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn in Philadelphia) is an American musician and songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York. After getting her start in the music scene of Olympia, Washington in the late 1990s, she has released a number of solo albums on K Records, Kill Rock Stars and various domestic and foreign independent labels, including You Think It's Like This but Really It's Like This (1999) and Advisory Committee (2001).
She has toured extensively in North America and Japan and has also toured in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Korea. Her album, Changing Light, was released on May 13, 2014 on her own imprint, Absolute Magnitude Records.
Pitchfork has praised her “incredible voice—a versatile coo that can flit from low, sultry tones to high, airy falsetto in one breath.”
Mirah has collaborated with a range of artists, from multi-media artists and orchestral composers to DJs, Baltic music enthusiasts, and entomologists. A partial list of some of her collaborators includes Phil Elverum (The Microphones/Mount Eerie), Merrill Garbus (tUnE-yArDs), Tara Jane O’Neil, Khaela Maricich (The Blow), Susie Ibarra, Melanie Valera (Tender Forever), Jherek Bischoff, Lori Goldston, Britta Johnson and Ginger Brooks Takahashi.
Her style encompasses indie pop, acoustic, and experimental pop. According to The Rumpus in 2011, "Mirah’s early records...are DIY mini-masterpieces that express a punk sensibility through broken drum machines, reverb-drenched guitars and ukulele. Her more recent albums...are mature, complex and immaculately-produced."
In 2020, Mirah announced signing with Brooklyn-based indie label Double Double Whammy.
2) Mirah (born Mette Mirah Jensen) is a Danish artist.
3) Mirah is the duo Attilio Messina and Björn Pistis.
Love Minus Zero
Mirah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without ideals or violence
She doesn't have to say she's faithful
Yet she's true like ice, like fire
People carry roses
Make promises by the hours
My love, she laughs like the flowers
In the dime stores and bus stations
People talk of situations
Read books, repeat quotations
Draw conclusions on the wall
Some speak of the future
My love, she speaks softly
My love, she's like some raven
At my window with a broken wing
The song Love Minus Zero by Mirah paints the picture of a love that is both gentle and enduring in its quietness. The opening lines "My love, she speaks like silence / Without ideals or violence" suggest that her love is not characterized by dramatic gestures or grand proclamations, but rather by a steadfastness and reliability that speaks for itself. The next line "She doesn't have to say she's faithful / Yet she's true like ice, like fire" reinforces this idea that her love is something that is a given, rather than something that needs to be expressed in words. This compares her love to the opposite elements of ice and fire, which may seem incompatible, but ultimately represent the strength and endurance of her love.
The song contrasts this simple and genuine love to the empty promises and consumerism of Valentine's Day: "People carry roses / Make promises by the hours / My love, she laughs like the flowers / Valentines can't buy her." In the subsequent lines, the lyrics suggest that people are always searching for meaning and answers but can never find them: "In the dime stores and bus stations / People talk of situations / Read books, repeat quotations / Draw conclusions on the wall." The song then returns to the central theme of the steadfastness and quiet strength of her love: "My love, she speaks softly / My love, she's like some raven / At my window with a broken wing."
Overall, Love Minus Zero is a beautiful and thoughtful ode to a love that is both genuine and powerful in its simplicity.
Line by Line Meaning
My love, she speaks like silence
My lover is not talkative; she avoids speaking unnecessarily.
Without ideals or violence
She has no particular beliefs or convictions, nor does she exhibit any aggressive tendencies or behavior.
She doesn't have to say she's faithful
She does not need to profess her loyalty, as it is clear in her actions.
Yet she's true like ice, like fire
My love is genuine, like elements that are immovable (ice) or unabating (fire).
People carry roses
Society often employs traditional symbols (like roses) to express love and affection.
Make promises by the hours
People often make grandiose promises to obtain affection and love, which may not be sustainable or authentic.
My love, she laughs like the flowers
My beloved is carefree, and her disposition is akin to that of flowers.
Valentines can't buy her
Expressions of love through commercial means (like buying Valentine's Day gifts) do not matter to her.
In the dime stores and bus stations
People often talk about significant life events or controversies in mundane places based on their convenience.
People talk of situations
People can speculate and discuss circumstances where they have no direct involvement.
Read books, repeat quotations
People rely on pre-existing knowledge and the opinions of others to form perspectives.
Draw conclusions on the wall
People form opinions that they assert in public, whether it is accurate or not.
Some speak of the future
People often make predictions about what will happen in the future.
My love, she speaks softly
My partner is gentle and measured in her speech.
My love, she's like some raven
My beloved is similar to a scavenging bird in her appearance or habits.
At my window with a broken wing
Despite being injured or flawed in some ways, my love is steadfast and present in my life.
Contributed by Cole C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.