The band released their self-titled first album in March 1995 via PopLlama Records. After they garnered massive acclaim, Columbia Records quickly signed them. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and has shipped over three million copies. The RIAA has certified it as triple platinum. Songs "Peaches", "Kitty", "Lump", and "Dune Buggy" received major airplay.
Their 1996 follow-up album, "II", did not reach the same acclaim, though it reached the top forty on the Billboard 2000. Single "Mach 5" also garnered some airplay. The band then fell of the radar for many listeners, dropped by their major label. However, their albums of the new millennium, 'Freaked Out and Small' followed by 'Love Everybody' and 'These Are the Good Times People' (released in 2000, 2004, and 2008, respectively), picked up positive critical reviews, such as from the All Music Guide. Although their touring schedule became more sporadic into the 00s and 10s, they continue to perform and satisfy audiences with their off-beat humor and catchy hooks.
Zero Friction
The Presidents of the United States of America Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
Zero Friction (ooh ooh)
In my life
Huge space station
Man it with a chimp until it dies
Zero Friction
You've been happy since the dawn of time
Silent punk rocker
Take a break and shut down that guitar
Sit down and wonder
Where did the drum machine come from...I dunno!
You've been unsatisfied for some time
(I got) Zero Friction in my life
Zero Friction in my life
Zero Friction in my life
Give me Zero Friction
Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
Zero Friction (ooh ooh)
In my life
Smiling jet plane
You hover happy without fear
You fire the pilot
(And) File your flight plan and dry your tears
You've been gorgeous for so many years
Massive gorilla
Put down that chew toy and take a break
And think about the cages
At the zoo where you spend your whole life eating steak
You've been unstoppable since prehistoric times...yeah yeah!
(I got) Zero Friction in my life
Zero Friction in my life
Zero Friction in my life
Give me Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
Zero Friction in my life
Zero Friction in my life
Zero Friction in my life
Give me Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
Ooh ooh, in my life
The Presidents of the United States of America's song "Zero Friction" is a playful and absurd piece of music that seems to be about escaping the limitations and pressures of modern life. With a chorus that repeats "Zero Friction in my life" and verses that depict a space station manned by a chimp, a silent punk rocker, a smiling jet plane, and a massive gorilla, the song presents a fantastical world where everything is possible and nothing is impossible. The spaceman twirls "on and on in the invisible sky," the jet plane "hovers happy without fear," and the gorilla thinks about the cages at the zoo where he spends his whole life eating steak. The song suggests that these characters, in their own ways, are able to achieve a kind of freedom that the singer envies.
The lyrics of "Zero Friction" can be interpreted in many ways, but they seem to be about the desire for a life without constraints or complications. The characters in the song are all creatures that are often seen as being in confinement or control, whether by scientific research, entertainment, or industry. The chimp on the space station is a symbol of the ways in which science uses animals for experimentation, the silent punk rocker is a critique of the artificiality of contemporary music, and the smiling jet plane represents the limits of travel and transportation. Even the massive gorilla, who is usually depicted as being powerful and free, is shown to be trapped in a zoo, eating steak and thinking about his captivity. In contrast to these characters, the singer seeks "Zero Friction" in his own life, free from any kind of restriction or obligation.
Line by Line Meaning
Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
The feeling of having no obstacles or restrictions
Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
The feeling of having no obstacles or restrictions
Zero Friction (ooh ooh)
The feeling of having no obstacles or restrictions
In my life
In the artist's personal experience
Huge space station
A massive man-made object floating in outer space
Man it with a chimp until it dies
Experimenting with animals until they die for human gain
Zero Friction
The station is functioning without friction or resistance
Twirling on and on in the invisible sky
The station is orbiting around Earth in space
You've been happy since the dawn of time
The station has existed since the beginning of time without interference
Silent punk rocker
A person who presents themselves as a punk, but is actually silent and not confrontational
Take a break and shut down that guitar
Stop playing loud music and causing a disturbance
Sit down and wonder
Take a moment to reflect on life
Where did the drum machine come from...I dunno!
Uncertainty about the origins of technology and how it affects the music industry
You've been unsatisfied for some time
The singer has been unhappy with the state of music for some time
(I got) Zero Friction in my life
The singer is experiencing no obstacles or restrictions in their personal life
Give me Zero Friction
The artist desires to continue experiencing no obstacles or restrictions
Smiling jet plane
A plane that appears to be happy and enjoying its flight
You hover happy without fear
The plane is flying fearlessly and enjoying its flight
You fire the pilot
The plane is fully automated and does not need a human pilot
File your flight plan and dry your tears
The plane is fully capable of navigating and planning its own flight
You've been gorgeous for so many years
The plane has been functioning without incident for many years
Massive gorilla
A large, powerful primate
Put down that chew toy and take a break
Stop being distracted and take some time for rest and relaxation
And think about the cages
Reflect on your limited freedom and autonomy
At the zoo where you spend your whole life eating steak
The gorilla is living in captivity and eating a diet that is not natural for its species
You've been unstoppable since prehistoric times...yeah yeah!
The gorilla has been a powerful and unstoppable force since ancient times
Give me Zero Friction (Zero Friction)
The singer desires to continue experiencing no obstacles or restrictions
Ooh ooh, in my life
The artist reiterates their desire for a life free of obstacles and restrictions
Lyrics Ā© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER WELDON BALLEW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Liam Cooper
very poetic
Instant Show
where did the drum machine come from?.....I DUNNO! haha gets me every time.
Jenn McCoy
<3 love this sh*t. Always puts me in a groOvy moOd =))
fuzzygreenturtle _
PUSA is fucking awesome. This song is amazing.
Sardasio
68 likes. Huh, would've thought this was more popular than that.
SalvyMemeGuy99
MOD Pizza brought me here
š¶Zero lubrication in my life
laughs in Bad Translation Lyrics from Stevie T
s jones
12000 only. Seems like we have some silent punk rockers.
Righ
PUSA was massively famous and popular in the mid-90s. Kind of fell off right after that. They even predicted their short-lived fame in their self-titled album with the song "We Are Not Going to Make It." Sucks, because they're a really fun band overall. They don't take themselves real seriously and just make groovy tunes.
Matthew Buist
I had this problem... Too much lube.