What the song means to me: “Absolutely Zero” by Jason Mraz.
I think the song “Absolutely Zero” is amazing. The mood is angry and sad and even sarcastic at the same time. I was trying to figure out what the song really means (to me) and I kind of just got the point of it.
So yeah, I think this song is about Jason’s “former” best friend. They had been together for so long but then the relationship got complicated when they eventually fell in love with each other. So Jason asked her to be his girlfriend, thinking that everything will work out just fine between the two of them. But then opportunity came along for Jason to pursue a better career in music. Jason took the opportunity even though it costs him his time and energy. He got caught up with his work hence his relationship with this girl eventually got loose. It just could not go on. (Maybe they didn’t see each other any more or they didn’t talk to each other any more because Jason just couldn’t spend some time for this girl).
In the song, I kind of get the impression that Jason actually don’t want to be the one to blame for this complicated situation. Though so, he apologized to the girl for he couldn’t fix the situation. I think Jason pretty much wanted to say that there should be no one to be blame because sometimes we just have to sacrifice things we already have for something we want to have in our life (awwww, it’s so sad!).
OK so these are my detailed interpretation of the song:
In the first verse, the lyric goes:
“You. You were a friend. You were a friend of mine I let you spend the night. You see it was my fault. Of course it was mine.
I’m too hard at work. Have you ever heard of anything so absurd ever in your life.
I’m sorry for wasting your time.”
For me, it means that this girl was a close friend of him. Unfortunately, Jason got too caught up in chasing his dream to become a singer/songwriter. He worked too hard thus the relationship got loose. Jason himself thinks that it’s absurd to say “I’m working too hard” because he feels like it’s weird to be so enthusiast in working.
“Hey what’s that you say? You’re not blaming me for anything well that’s great. But, I don’t break that easy. Does it fade away?”
The girl then told him that it’s not his fault. But somehow Jason didn’t believe her straight away.
“So that’s why I’m, I’m apologizing now for telling you I thought that we could make it
I just don’t get enough to believe that we’ve both changed.”
Because Jason didn’t really believe her saying that it was not his fault, he apologized to her. He couldn’t believe that they both have changed and that the relationship had to end.
“If all along the fault is up for grabs why can’t you have it?
If it’s for sale, what is your offer? I’ll sell it for no less than what I bought it for
Pay no more than absolutely zero.”
The lines above pretty much tell us that if it’s really Jason’s fault that their relationship’s getting loose; can’t he just blame it to her? He would sell it for nothing. The lines reflect Jason’s anger; he doesn’t wanna be the one to be blame. It’s very sarcastic of him, don’t you think?
“Well neither one of us deserves the blame because opportunities moved us away
And it’s not an easy thing to learn to play a game that’s made for two that’s you and me
The rules remain a mystery. See I was easy.”
In the lines above, Jason tried to say to the girl that actually there’s no one to blame in this problem because opportunity comes and go in our life. Sometimes we have to take the opportunity and sacrifice something else we already have. It’s like, “I know that this is very hard, yes, but it’s not our fault. So don’t blame me because I choose my work over you.”
So yeah, that’s about it. Do I sound like I take the song too seriously? But I really think it’s a very sad and angry song about a terrible relationship, yet it’s still sung beautifully.
OK SO NOW I’M OFFICIALLY A LYRIC NERD.
