She released her début album Somebody Outside in 2004. The Swedish Grammy jury awarded her as Best Newcomer of the year, and was nominated for Best Female Artist, Best Lyricist and Best Songwriter of 2005. She also won the P3 Gold award for Best Newcomer 2004.
For her second album, Separation Road released on September 27, 2006, she was awarded Best Female Artist and Best Lyricist of the Swedish Grammy jury, again she was nominated for Best Songwriter and Best Album. She received the award for Best Female Artist at the Swedish National Radio's P3 Gold Awards the same year.
Her début US album, Halfway to Fivepoints, was released on April 22, 2008.
"To Be Gone", "My Secret", "Girl Laying Down", "Today is A Good Day", and "Shoreline" (a Broder Daniel cover) remain her most popular songs.
Her song, "Quiet Night" was used in the second series of the Swedish version of Wallander starring Krister Henriksson.
''Words of Love'' featured in gameplay Silent hill:Downpour.
On December 18, 2009, her song "No, I Don't Remember" was featured on an episode of Dollhouse entitled "The Attic." This song was featured in July 2010 on a new DLC episode, for the Xbox 360 videogame Alan Wake, entitled "The Signal".
Her latest album, Leaving on a Mayday, was released on August 11, 2009. The album won Album of the Year at the 2009 Swedish Grammy Awards along with the award for Best Female Artist.
Damaged Ones
Anna Ternheim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Endless need like a burning sun
Burns like you, my damaged one
On my knees in a faceless crowd
We go blind when the stakes are high
I'm on my knees, can you see me now?
Whatever you do don't leave me tonight
Maybe we are the damaged ones
Endless need like a burning sun
Burns like you, my damaged one
You and I in a shameless state
I want you so badly you know that it's a pain to wait
What keeps you from moving, are you afraid to be loved?
See how my hands shake, I was raised on it like a drug
Maybe we are the damaged ones
Endless need like a burning sun
Burns like you, my damaged one
It's you or none, my damaged one
It's you or none, my damaged one
The opening lyrics to Anna Ternheim's "Damaged Ones" set a melancholy and introspective tone as she questions her and her lover's emotional state. The lines "Maybe we are the damaged ones/Endless need like a burning sun/Burns like you, my damaged one" portray a sense of self-awareness and acceptance of being flawed, possibly due to past traumas or personal struggles. The metaphor of the burning sun emphasizes the intensity of their emotional needs, perhaps hinting at a codependency and fear of abandonment.
In the next stanza, Ternheim paints a picture of being lost in a crowd, feeling invisible and disconnected despite the high stakes. She pleads for her lover's presence and reassurance, not wanting to face the pain of separation. The lyric "What keeps you from moving, are you afraid to be loved?" shows the vulnerability and uncertainty of the relationship, highlighting the fears and doubts that hinder their connection.
The chorus repeats the idea of being damaged, but also expresses a deep love and dependence on the other person. The line "It's you or none, my damaged one" suggests a desperation to cling to the relationship, no matter how broken or dysfunctional it may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe we are the damaged ones
Perhaps we are the ones who have been hurt or broken
Endless need like a burning sun
We have an insatiable desire that consumes us like fire
Burns like you, my damaged one
You burn inside me like a flame, my fellow broken soul
On my knees in a faceless crowd
I am feeling helpless and insignificant among so many people
We go blind when the stakes are high
We can easily lose perspective and clarity when things get intense
I'm on my knees, can you see me now?
I am vulnerable and exposed, can you recognize my pain?
Whatever you do don't leave me tonight
Please stay with me, I can't bear to be alone
You and I in a shameless state
We are together, unashamed of our imperfections and fragility
I want you so badly you know that it's a pain to wait
I desire you intensely, but the anticipation is agonizing
What keeps you from moving, are you afraid to be loved?
Why are you holding back, could it be fear of being loved?
See how my hands shake, I was raised on it like a drug
Look how I tremble, as if addicted to the pain and dysfunction
It's you or none, my damaged one
It's either you, my fellow wounded soul, or no one at all
It's you or none, my damaged one
It's either you, my fellow wounded soul, or no one at all
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANNA TERNHEIM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind