I've been wanting to do this post for months now, but was forced not to because of various reasons. Now that the day of my favorite artist's concert is coming, I feel it's time to finally do this. My taste in music is...varied. I love any song that's mellow or easy listening, but I'm also a fan of pop, rock, rap, jazz, and even country. Out of all the artists I've ever listened to, there's only one man who managed to integrate aspects of these different genres into his music, and that man is Jason Mraz.
I dished out 6k just to watch Jason Mraz, and I am REALLY excited! So, without further ado, here are my top 15 favorite songs from Mr. A-Z himself! And don't forget to watch the videos in numbers 5 to 1!
THE TOP 15
15) Halfway Home - Live At Java Joe's
Halfway Home will be the only live song in this list, and it comes from Jason Mraz's first album "Live At Java Joe's". Before signing with Elektrika Records, the company that went on to produce his debut studio album "Waiting For My Rocket To Come", Jason recorded this album along with percussionist Toca Rivera, who is a staple in his shows up until now (and is also the back-up vocals to almost all of his songs), in a Cafe' in San Diego named Java Joe's, the place where they also met. I love this song for many reasons. One, it was recorded in an intimate setting where the audience was truly a part of the show, as the cafe was small. Jason Mraz likes to interact with the audience a lot during his shows, and I can just imagine him serenading every single member of the audience with this song, talking to them as if he was their best friend. Two, this is the only second song ever written by Jason, and a song that's relatively close to him. Three, the lyrics. The lyrics are just phenomenal. In a nutshell, the song says you won't be able to achieve anything unless you take action yourself. This might be one of his lesser known songs (it wasn't released as a single), but it's proven to be a gem of a find.
14) Curbside Prophet - Waiting For My Rocket To Come
There is absolutely no doubt that every single one of Jason Mraz's songs are catchy, but this particular single has got to be one of the catchiest. What I love about this song is how it distinguishes itself from others by dwelling on the genre of country, yet the essence of Jason Mraz's sound is still there. His quick-release of words (reminiscent of rap) surprisingly fits the sound of country, and it sounds great. Plus, the song is about his humble beginnings of breaking into the music scene, and the reckless joy that comes with it. "Frank" is one way to describe it, and it's a song that you'd just want to sing along to again and again.
13) 93 Million Miles - Love Is A Four Letter Word
If you want a song that will lift up your spirits, this one's for you. This comes from Jason Mraz's latest album, where the overall theme (obviously) is love. The song is about the love of parents to their child, and also the love for hope. It tells us that no matter where we are and what happens, there will always be a home for us to go to, a place where we belong. Funny as it sounds, it's comparable to every motivational speeches every parent has given. The song reminds us that there is always a silver lining somewhere, and all we have to do is stop and take a look around. Also, the music in itself is simply wonderful, enough to bring out the sentimental side of anyone. Basically, 93 Million Miles is a song about life, and an honest one at that.
12) The Remedy (I Won't Worry) - Waiting For My Rocket To Come
I was quite surprised to know that this song was written by Jason Mraz to a good friend who was sick, hence the title. This is may very well be Jason Mraz's most well known song, and it really isn't much of a surprise, considering just how catchy and upbeat it is. Most people don't even know or understand the lyrics to this song, but the chorus itself was enough to capture the ears of anyone who listened to it (including me). "I won't worry my life away", a simple yet empowering line that has surely been someone's mantra. Although this song isn't really high on my favorites list, it's still an essential song to any Jason Mraz playlist.
11) I Won't Give Up - Love Is A Four Letter Word
If I were given only one word to describe this word, it would be this: sweet. I Won't Give Up encompasses the mixture of feelings that one experiences in loving truthfully, whether it be love for family, friends, or that special someone. It has a very mellow and wonderful melody, and lyrics that will touch the soft spot of any soul. There are a lot of things I love about this song, and the thing I love most is how honest and straightforward it is. Because of that, the overall cheesiness of the song isn't really felt, and I love it even more because of that. It's a powerful tribute of love, and I can see it as a song being played in weddings for many many years to come.
10) Lucky - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
The message is clear and simple, "Lucky I'm in love with my best friend". Nothing else could sound sweeter than those 8 words combined. The chorus alone, composed of only three lines, is enough to pull anyone's heartstrings. There are parts that are a tad too cheesy, of course, but its cheesiness compliments the song's infectious melody and its overall message. Nowadays, one will hardly get to hear a love song without it being a heartbreaking one, but "Lucky" was able to distinguish itself by being a love song that truly celebrates love and its sweet beginnings through both its music and lyrics. With Lucky's relaxing tune and simple, yet relate-able lyrics, it's no surprise that it won Jason Mraz and duet partner Colbie Caillat a Grammy in 2010.
9) Clockwatching - Mr. A-Z
Some songs have sexual innuendos in them, take for example, another song from the same artist I'm featuring called "Curbside Prophet" (#14 in this list). And to those who are curious, here's the line I'm referring to, which is also the very first line of the song: "I'm just a curbside prophet with my hand in my pocket and I'm waiting for my rocket to come". This may be just my interpretation, though. MAYBE. Anyway, Clockwatching is a straight up song about time and sex. What's great about it is that it won't even offend anyone, kind of like John Mayer's "Your Body Is A Wonderland". Undeniably, the song is absolutely catchy (a word that I might have already overused in this post), and it's really the thing that makes this song so fun, and even relaxing, to listen to. Surprisingly, there's a hint of sweetness to this song, especially because of the final few lines of the song. Overall, I can only say that Clockwatching is a song that's a lot of fun.
8) Sleep All Day - Waiting For My Rocket To Come
I've actually only just rediscovered this song a few months ago while sound tripping. At first I didn't recognize it, but then I remembered the unmistakable chorus from my childhood. It might have been the 5th (or even 4th grade) when I developed an LSS for this song, and it may have been the first Jason Mraz song that I liked (just maybe, because I remember the song at #3 being the first). In a nutshell, the song is about making beautiful mistakes, and in this case, moving out and running away with the one you love. It's one of Jason Mraz's songs that truly tells a story from start to finish, and one that also displays the contrast of lyrical meaning to the song's music. And if you aren't impressed with Jason Mraz's vocals, this will make you a believer. I love every aspect of this song, and I ask you, dear reader, to give this one a try.
7) Make It Mine - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
The message of this song? Don't stop trying until you get the thing you want. Simple as that. This is actually a song that I've only recently learned to like, and now, I am loving it. Make It Mine makes use of uncommon instruments in mainstream music and makes it work brilliantly (i.e. trumpets). There's nothing much I can say about this song, except that it has won Jason Mraz a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, besting out the likes of John Mayer and even Michael Buble'. In my opinion, it's well deserved.
6) Sleeping To Dream - A Jason Mraz Demonstration
The underdog of this list is at number 6! If you're a fellow Jason Mraz fan and are unfamiliar with this song, don't fret. This song was included in Jason Mraz's independently released album "A Jason Mraz Demonstration", which is also his very first album (technically). I only discovered this song a few years back while I was listening to some of the lesser known songs of Jason Mraz, and I immediately fell in love with it. It's a song of reminiscent of childish wondering, and there's a sense of euphoria that goes with it. It's also the kind of song that you'd just want to listen to while lying on your bed on a dark, rainy day. Notice the lyrics, and it tells of a love that is frank. Sleeping To Dream is a fantastic song.
5) Geek In The Pink - Mr. A-Z
THIS SONG IS THE MOTHER OF CATCHY IN JASON MRAZ'S DISCOGRAPHY. It's crazy fun and it's just energetic to listen to! It's also a great display of Jason's awesome rapping skills. Don't believe me? Watch the official music video embedded here. I'll let the music speak for itself.
4) I'm Yours - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
Now who doesn't know this song? I'm sure anyone who's anyone has heard of this at least once, especially in 2008 when this song was dominating the airwaves. Love, life, and happiness are the central themes of the song, and it just clicked. It's the kind of song that just flashes images of coconut trees and beaches, and will even make you want to get on your car and drive until you get lost. "Freedom Song" is my way to describe it, and it is nothing short of great. I'm Yours is a song that is likable to the young and old, and that's what makes it even better. Here's the MV of this chart-topper. If the song combined with the video doesn't scream freedom, I don't know what does.
3) Wordplay - Mr. A-Z
This song is at number 3 mainly because of sentimental reasons. As far as I can remember, this is the song that introduced me to the music of Mr. A-Z (or was it the song at number 8?). Don't get me wrong though, this song is exceptional. In my opinion, this is the song that greatly emphasizes Jason Mraz's talent for rapping and the type of music he's famous for. What's also interesting is that this song tells the story of his life while producing his second album, "Mr. A-Z", where this song came from. The chorus of this song also rivals that of The Remedy's in terms of being the greatest, at least in my opinion. To those unfamiliar of Jason Mraz, I highly recommend this song. It's a great song to get familiar with what kind of music Jason Mraz makes, and it's one of his best. Get a blast out of its weird-ass music video right now!
2) A Beautiful Mess - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
Aaaahhh. A Beautiful Mess, the dark horse of this list. This one came as a surprise for me, as I only knew about it late last year. If you haven't listened to this one yet, you are missing out, especially if you're a mark for love songs. The song is perfect because of three reasons: the exceptional lyrics, the music itself (it has an orchestra!), and the vocal talent of Jason Mraz. It's a song about the ups and downs of a relationship through the eyes of a guy and how he sees the one he loves. I may have used this word a tad too much in this post, but it's the perfect way to describe the song. A Beautiful Mess is beautifully honest, an admission of love that transcends everything. I now present to you my favorite live performance by an artist EVER. Do not finish reading this blog without watching this one first. Simply wonderful.
1) You And I Both - Waiting For My Rocket To Come
It's an upbeat love song that tells of a guy, the once perfect love he lost, and the lessons he learned from it. Relateable? Yes it is. Catchy, Sweet, Vocal Talent, Love, Honest...those overused words are the perfect words to describe this song, and to be honest (there goes that word again), no other words are needed. Oh, except for this one: Perfect. You and I Both is my favorite Jason Mraz song, and now you know! As a reward for painstakingly reading through this surprisingly long post, here's a very entertaining and great solo performance by Jason Mraz of You and I Both. Thanks for reading!
