Jason Mraz

Individuality

Jason Mraz has been known to be a rather creative youngster. His music has inspired many and offered a whole new dimension of comfort. In his latest album, Mr. A-Z, Jason Mraz embodies the idea of being confident in one’s own skin and not changing who they are for anyone or anything. The album Mr. A-Z establishes the theme of true identity through his distinct lyrics and docile melodies.

A particularly good song in regards to the theme of true identity would have to be “Song for a Friend”. The song is written in a way that makes it easy for anyone to relate to. It is about a friend giving advice to the other about not changing who he is just because things have changed in his life. Everyone goes through changes in life and sometimes people succumb to their surroundings that they lose track of who they really are. The song basically states that and how a person in such a position should acknowledge the situation and stay humble, not forgetting the little things in life. For instance, “if you stumble on to something you better remember that it's humble that you seek you got all the skill you need, individuality” (Song For a Friend, Track 12, lines 15-18) states how individuality is the only thing that he needs because it is what has gotten him that far and it is the only thing that will keep him going. The slow vocals add to the empathy effect and the use of a choir makes it sound angelic which creates a trusting and serene setting. It comes across as credulous and is therefore effective in symbolizing the importance of true identity.

Not too far off from “Song for a Friend” is the slower paced song “Life is Wonderful”. In this moving and low-pitched song, Mraz focuses on how great life is due to that it is full-circle. By full-circle, what is meant is that one thing is needed for another. For example, “it takes a night to make it dawn and it takes a day to you yawn brother and it takes some old to make you young it takes some cold to know the sun it takes the one to have the other”( Life is Wonderful, Track 1, lines 16-20). In putting those lyrics into perspective, it can be interpreted in many different ways. One interpretation that is significant to the theme of true identity is the importance of being distinct or original. As Mraz mentions that “it takes some old to have some young” he is symbolizing the nature of having opposites. In its own way, the idea stresses how everyone can learn from one another. There is no need to try and be someone else when the truth is that what is beneficial to the individual is being himself. Some critics argue that Jason Mraz is not being himself in the album and that he is cocky with his words or what not. Keith I. Marszalek is such a critic and points out that “Overall, the album has to be considered a serious letdown, proving that, in fact, things may not be “all about the wordplay.” (www.nola.com). On the contrary, Jason Mraz is just expressing his love for words and highlighting his originality and creativity which Marszalek apparently does not see or give credit to. Mraz is trying to make way to all the individuals who are afraid to expose their true identities because of fear of what others might think or say about them. Throughout his lyrics, as those in “Life is Wonderful”, he establishes a comfort zone which enables his listeners and audience to perhaps go an extra mile. It gives them that little push they needed, the one that lets them know that it is okay to be different because as self titled, life is wonderful.

Not only is life wonderful, but the hit single “Geek in the Pink” is the preeminent example of carrying out the theme of true identity. With its upbeat and catchy rhymes, the song portrays the uniqueness of being confident and not afraid of what others might think. Jason Mraz stated how he was somewhat of an oddball in the recording studio due to his appearance being quite different from those around him (he was the only one wearing a bright pink shirt, hence the title of the song). The song is optimistic because it expresses how he is aware that he might be perceived differently or as some like to call, a “geek”, but he is not bothered or wants to change because