Anya was born in Ann Arbor, Mich., and grew up in the Silicon Valley area of California as a capricious child with Russian-Agnostic/Irish-Catholic professor parents (psychology and russian literature/math) and a younger sister. After finishing high school, Anya moved to Los Angeles as an aspiring actress. With stints in the British American Drama Academy (taught by Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach) and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, Anya has also acted in television and film (in 2001, she starred in the feature film, 100 Girls). She eventually moved back home to earn a college degree in English and writing at Santa Clara University. She continued to struggle as an artist -- working in acting, musical theatre, music, improv and comedy -- but eventually found a job as a radio DJ on KSCU, Santa Clara University's college station.
After graduating, Anya took a radio station job in San Diego with Mike Halloran at XHRM-FM (92.5). After the station was bought out by another corporation, Halloran hired Anya at Y107 in Los Angeles before they both moved to Premium Radio 92/1 in San Diego's North County. After leaving that station, both disc jockeys landed at FM94/9.
It was in San Diego that Anya played her first open mic night and began to write her own songs. She quickly developed a live stage act using what she learned as an actress, comic and impressionist. Her recorded debut was a five-song EP called Exercises in Racketeering, which eventually led to a full-length album, Miss Halfway, which was released in early 2005. Anya subsequently opened for such artists as Jason Mraz and Rhett Miller. She was named one of the "Best Unsigned" acts by San Diego CityBeat.
The songs on Miss Halfway talk about her upbringing, ex-boyfriends and all the after-effects. Anya's album was also produced by Scott Russo, the frontman for rockers Unwritten Law, along with Peter King from The Surfers. The record eventually earned a San Diego Music Award for Best Recording. The title track also landed on Grey's Anatomy and was featured as the fifth song on the second Grey's Anatomy (soundtrack) disc along with The Fray, KT Tunstall, Gomez and Snow Patrol.
The internet radio station KGRL featured her as their Flower-Powered Artist for March of 2007. The feature includes an exclusive interview, CD Review of Miss Halfway, and an on-demand audio stream of an unreleased Anya Marina track titled "Try It And Like It."
Clean & Sober
Anya Marina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Darling I twist and turn so in & out of love
And now I say I'm glad it's over
And I've never felt so clean and sober
But I've got a black & blue hangover
Darling for you, Darling I do
Darling you're such a pro with pretty little lines
And so you say you're glad it's over
And you've never felt so clean and sober
And you wish me luck and four leaf clovers
Darling you do, darling you do
I hope you die a fiery death
I love you. God, I need you yeah
I hope you choke
I wish you all the best for all the rest of your days
Darling I do...
And though I say I'm glad it's over
And I've never felt so clean and sober
I've got a black & blue hangover
And though I say I'm glad it's over
And I've never felt so clean and sober
I've got a black & blue hangover
I've got a black & blue hangover
I've got a black & blue hangover
Darling for you, darling I do
The lyrics to Anya Marina's song Clean & Sober talk about a painful, unhealthy and toxic relationship that is finally over. The addiction to love is portrayed as something hazardous and consuming, making both parties twist and turn in and out of love. Both the singer and her lover are now claiming to be glad that the relationship is over and have never felt so clean and sober. However, the lingering feelings of pain and hurt are depicted through the line 'I've got a black & blue hangover,' emphasizing the physical and emotional toll of the relationship.
The song also includes conflicting emotions towards her lover, with the singer expressing love and hate simultaneously. She wishes them well while also declaring she hopes they die a fiery death and choke. These lines showcase the tumultuous and complicated nature of love, where one can feel both affection and resentment towards a person they were once close to. In the end, the singer affirms her continuing feelings for her lover by stating, "Darling for you, darling I do."
Line by Line Meaning
Darling you know I loved you something like a drug
My love for you was so intense that it felt like a drug addiction
Darling I twist and turn so in & out of love
I have a hard time staying in love with you
And now I say I'm glad it's over
I'm finally happy that our relationship is over
And I've never felt so clean and sober
I feel like I've detoxed and am now clear-headed
But I've got a black & blue hangover
I'm still feeling the pain of our relationship
Darling for you, Darling I do
Despite everything, I still love you
Darling you know you tell me tiny little lies
You lied to me in small ways, which ultimately hurt me
Darling you're such a pro with pretty little lines
You were skilled at manipulating me with your nice words
And you wish me luck and four leaf clovers
You're wishing me well, but I know it's insincere
I hope you die a fiery death
I'm extremely angry with you and wish the worst upon you
I love you. God, I need you yeah
Even though I hate what you've done to me, I still have strong feelings for you
I hope you choke
I want you to suffer like I did
I wish you all the best for all the rest of your days
Despite my anger, I genuinely hope things work out well for you
And though I say I'm glad it's over
I'm trying to convince myself that I am happy with our breakup
I've got a black & blue hangover
I'm still feeling the aftermath of our relationship
Contributed by Daniel B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.