Cuando se conocieron, los componentes de Maroon 5 estudiaban secundaria en el Brentwood High School de Los Ángeles. Fue su pasión por la música lo que les llevó a formar una banda garaje grunge que, al más puro estilo de los 90, tocaba en locales pequeños. Y aunque llegaron a grabar un disco, la universidad les separó hasta que finalmente en 2002 se reagruparon, cayendo en manos del sello neoyorkino Octone Records.
Estrenaron guitarrista, cambiaron de nombre, olvidaron su pasado grunge y grabaron su primer trabajo, Songs about Jane cuyas canciones se inspiran en la tormentosa relación entre Adam Levine y Jane, su exnovia. De ese álbum debut, fue posiblemente Harder to Breathe el tema que proporcionó el gran impulso a esta, por aquel entonces, joven banda de rock californiana.
How dare you say that my behavior is unacceptable
So condescending unnecessarily critical
I have the tendency of getting very physical
So watch your step cause if I do you'll need a miracle
You drain me dry and make me wonder why I'm even here
This Double Vision I was seeing is finally clear
You want to stay but you know very well I want you gone
Not fit to funkin' tread the ground that I'm walking on
When it gets cold outside and you got nobody to love
You'll understand what I mean when I say
There's no way we're gonna give up
And like a little girl cries in the face of a monster
that lives in her dreams
Is there anyone out there cause
it's getting harder and harder to breathe
Is there anyone out there cause
it's getting harder and harder to breathe
What you are doing is screwing things up inside my head
You should know better you never listened to what I've said
Clutching your pillow and writhing in a naked sweat
Hoping somebody someday will do you like I did
When it gets cold outside and you got nobody to love
You'll understand what I mean when I say
There's no way we're gonna give up
And like a little girl cries in the face of a monster
that lives in her dreams
Is there anyone out there cause
it's getting harder and harder to breathe
Is there anyone out there cause
it's getting harder and harder to breathe
Does it kill
Does it burn
Is it painful to learn
That it's me that has all the control
Does it thrill
Does it sting
When you feel what I bring
And you wish that you had me to hold
When it gets cold outside and you got nobody to love
You'll understand what I mean when I say
There's no way we're gonna give up
And like a little girl cries in the face of a monster
that lives in her dreams
Is there anyone out there cause
it's getting harder and harder to breathe
Is there anyone out there cause
it's getting harder and harder to breathe
is there anyone out there cuz
it’s gettin harder and harder to breathe.