Head Space, her debut EP, is a collection of songs written in the summer of 2011, as she developed her skills on the guitar and as a songwriter. The songs, inspired by the feelings for a special person, touch on love and relationships through unfamiliar eyes, and through their simple approach represent the starting point of a creative journey for a girl from Leicester. Head Space is a testament to Mahalia’s beautiful, distinctive voice and unpretentious lyricism; a series of songs that are authentic and emotional.
Square 1
Mahalia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'd give up while I'm holding this down (then I would have)
Treated you much differently
I wouldn't have been so cozy
Guess I'll let you figure this out
Yeah, we go, yeah, we go
Back again, uh, back again love
Back to love songs and back to friend zones
Didn't even get to go 'round in circles
Now you're acting scared, son
Yeah, we go, yeah, we go
Back again love
Back again, back again
Back to square 1
I'm not a big fan of surprise (and I know you know)
I'm not into living no lies ('cause I told you so)
You never should have came my way
And I should have never let you stay
All this 'cause I swallowed my pride, ha ha
I (I), you (you), could've been something
More than you (you) knew (knew)
We'd remain nothing more than friends (friends)
You knew (you knew), we could do nothing more than friends (friends) do (do)
Back to square 1
Yeah, we go, yeah, we go
Back again, uh, back again love
Yeah, we go, yeah, we go
Back to love songs and back to friend zones
Didn't even get to go 'round in circles
Now you're acting scared, son
Yeah, we go, yeah, we go
Back again love
Back again, back again
Back to square 1
Hm hm, ah
I knew you would
You know, a part of me thought, like, this time was gonna be different
But it's like every single time I think you're being straight with me
I think I understand you, and then before you know it
You just go right back around
Haha
Yeah, we go, yeah, we go
Back again, uh, back again love
Yeah, we go, yeah, we go
Back to love songs and back to friend zones
Didn't even get to go 'round in circles
Now you're acting scared, son
Yeah, we go, yeah, we go
Back again love
Back again, back again
Back to square 1
I (I), you (you), could've been something
More than you (you) knew (knew)
We'd remain nothing more than friends (friends)
You knew (you knew), we could do nothing more than friends (friends) do (do)
Back to square 1
Back to square 1
Could've been, could've been
Yeah, yeah
Could've been, could've been
Back to square 1, back to square 1
I don't get it, love
The song "Square 1" by Mahalia is about the frustration and disappointment that comes with falling for someone who cannot commit. The lyrics describe the singer's sense of regret about not realizing sooner that the person they were with was not going to reciprocate their feelings. The first verse talks about how the singer would have acted differently if they had known from the beginning that their partner was going to give up when things got tough. The chorus repeats the idea of going back to square one, or starting over, after attempting and failing to make a relationship work. The second verse reveals the singer's desire for honesty, saying that they are not a fan of being lied to, and that they regret letting their partner stay around when they knew it was never going to work. The final part of the song speaks about how the singer knew deep down that their partner was never going to come around, but they kept hoping and trying anyway, leading to the inevitable return back to "square one."
Overall, "Square 1" is a relatable song about wanting something more from a relationship but ultimately realizing that it is not going to work out. The song's strengths lie in its catchy melody and the raw emotion that Mahalia brings to the lyrics. The chorus, in particular, is very memorable, with the repetition of the phrase "back to square one" driving home the idea of being stuck in a cycle of hope and disappointment.
Line by Line Meaning
All this time I been waiting 'round (but if I'd known)
I waited for you, but if I knew you would quit while I was holding on, I would have treated you differently
You'd give up while I'm holding this down (then I would have)
If I knew you would leave when I was still committed, I would have acted differently
Treated you much differently
I would have behaved in a different way toward you
I wouldn't have been so cozy
I would not have been as comfortable around you
Guess I'll let you figure this out
It's your job to understand the situation we are in
Yeah, we go, yeah, we go
We're going back to where we came from
Back again, uh, back again love
We are returning to the same place, love
Back to love songs and back to friend zones
We're returning to the same old love songs and friend zones
Didn't even get to go 'round in circles
We didn't even get a chance to repeat the same mistakes in a cycle
Now you're acting scared, son
Now you seem nervous, buddy
I'm not a big fan of surprise (and I know you know)
I don't enjoy surprises, and I know you know that about me
I'm not into living no lies ('cause I told you so)
I do not want to live a lie, and I already told you so
You never should have came my way
You should not have come to me
And I should have never let you stay
And I should not have allowed you to stay with me
All this 'cause I swallowed my pride, ha ha
All of this happened because I disregarded my pride
I (I), you (you), could've been something
We could have been something special
More than you (you) knew (knew)
More than what you imagined
We'd remain nothing more than friends (friends)
But we would always be just friends
You knew (you knew), we could do nothing more than friends (friends) do (do)
You knew that we couldn't do more than what friends normally do
Hm hm, ah
An interjection conveying an emotion
I knew you would
I knew this was going to happen
You know, a part of me thought, like, this time was gonna be different
I had hoped this time would be different
But it's like every single time I think you're being straight with me
But it seems like every time I believe you're being straightforward with me
I think I understand you, and then before you know it
I think I have you figured out, and before I realize it
You just go right back around
You just repeat the same actions again
I don't get it, love
I don't understand, my dear
Could've been, could've been
We could have been something special
Back to square 1, back to square 1
We're going back to where we started
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Aston Rudi, Daniel Adekugbe, Felix Joseph, Mahalia Burkmar, Nathaniel Warner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MistaAmazin
THANK YOU for preforming this Live tonight in SF!! 💯🌉💫⬛☝🏾
@TatendaHenany
Every song is always good in its own unique way! I'm glad I came across your music! It's been on repeat ever since! Can't wait for the album! Please come tour in South Africa🙏❤️🙌
@MkhanyaOfficial
Ohh if she does come here i promise you I'd be the first person to show up 💃💃
@kathykishanto8199
FabYou then up to Kenya ‼️‼️
@sphergift1031
Yes mntase makeze we love her so much her music is amazing
@sphergift1031
She is amazing indeed come to South Africa in Port Elizabeth
@starsign27
Please tuu
@SamKabiru
That album gonna be something else!!
Vocals 🔥🔥🔥🇰🇪🇰🇪
@Jussara1376
Agreed.
@marlenemweru5
😊 waiting on September 6!