At a 1998 audition for Lilith Fair, Ord met Canadian music impresario Terry McBride of the Vancouver-based record label and management company Nettwerk. She would be showcased at the music festival, and eventually take McBride as her manager.
In 1999, after her sister told her about a talent contest from Edmonton contemporary hit radio radio station Power 92; Maren entered four songs she had written that night, and two of them—"Eternity" and "Falling Slowly"—were recorded on the station's compilation CD, Power Picks Volume II.
The Nettwerk years and Waiting
Waiting, released to different markets between 2000 and 2002.
Once signed with McBride and Nettwerk, Ord continued to perform and record and embarked on years of progressive promotion, including use of her songs on several episodes of the American television series Felicity and her performance of the theme song to the 2000 motion picture Thomas and the Magic Railroad. Her debut album, Waiting, was produced by Stephen Hague and recorded in London, England and New York City.
On November 7, 2000, Highway Records released a special edition of Waiting to a Christian, predominantly Mormon, bookstore market; this edition featured a bonus track that would not appear on the general public release. Nettwerk's record company released Waiting in Canada on February 20, 2001.
While Ord was nominated for a Juno Award for Best New Artist, and her singles "Sarah" and "Perfect" were successful on Canadian radio, an anticipated U.S. and international release with Capitol/EMI in summer 2001 did not come through, and Nettwerk itself, not a major record label outside of Canada, released Waiting quietly in the United States on August 27, 2002.
A second beginning and Not Today
Not Today, released in 2004.
Ord parted ways with McBride and Nettwerk to join Gary McDonald at the boutique Managment firm Frontside, and looked for another mass-market record company, but continued to work with Highway and its focus on the Mormon market for the September 28, 2004 release of her sophomore album, Not Today. Canadian music legend Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive), also a Latter-day Saint, collaborated as co-writer, guitarist and producer for the album, which they recorded at Bachman's studio on Saltspring Island in British Columbia.
She performed in two Mormon-themed movies: singing on the soundtrack of the 2002 romantic comedy The Singles Ward, and acting, as Sariah Phelps, in the 2003 family comedy The R.M. (or The Returned Missionary).
Writing in Las Vegas Weekly (December 9, 2004), Richard Abowitz contended that Ord "is a more gifted musician than Alanis, sings a lot better than Michelle Branch and writes songs sharper than Pink and Avril combined." [1]
Over the sophomore hump with album number three Pretty Things
With the release of "Pretty Things" on November 21st, 2006 Ord enters yet another phase of her career, an acoustic one. "Pretty Things" marks the beginning of Ord's production career as she co-produced the entire record herself at a studio in Orem, Utah. The sound is simpler, quieter and more reminiscent of Jack Johnson than Avril Lavigne (whom she's been compared to previously). It saw a world-wide digital release through platforms like iTunes on October 10th, 2006 and was met with mostly favorable reviews from her fans.
Sarah
Maren Ord Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watching eyes so blindly
Taking pictures
She can't see or show
On her mind is
Who to meet
Cautioning too kindly
Or need to know
[Chorus]
Sarah doesn't care anymore
What they talk about
At the back door
They say she can't hold her own
And her Mama's never home
Sarah doesn't care anymore
What they talk about
At the back door
You wonder why she feels so alone
How could a young girl feel so old.
You know
Sarah doesn't care anymore
You know what they say
At the back door
But it's not that way
Sarah walks along silently
On her own
Keeping to herself
Talks to no one else
And cares not for anyone
Sealing those pictures of the past
How time's flown so fast
[Chorus]
The song "Sarah" by Maren Ord portrays the life of a young girl named Sarah who is struggling to keep up with the expectations and pressures of society. The song suggests that Sarah is lost in her own world, not paying attention to the criticisms that people throw at her. The lyrics suggest that Sarah is wandering the streets, taking pictures, and not caring about what people say. She is lost in thought, figuring out what to do with her life and who to meet.
The chorus of the song emphasizes Sarah's state of mind, where she doesn't care about what others think or say about her. The line "Sarah doesn't care anymore what they talk about at the back door" suggests that she is uninterested in what people say behind her back. And although people claim that she can't hold her own, Sarah's mother is never there to defend her, adding to her feelings of isolation and loneliness. The song portrays a strong character who doesn't let the opinions of others affect her, but her isolation and loneliness are what make her feel old.
Overall, "Sarah" is a song that explores themes of isolation and independence. It's about being unafraid of being judged, yet feeling the weight of loneliness. The song resonates with people who have felt like outsiders, who have been criticized or misunderstood, and who have learned to stand on their own.
Line by Line Meaning
She drives herself through the streets
Sarah is navigating her way through life on her own
Watching eyes so blindly
Sarah is oblivious to the opinions of others
Taking pictures
Sarah is documenting her life experiences
She can't see or show
Sarah keeps her inner thoughts and feelings hidden
On her mind is
Sarah is thinking about
Who to meet
Sarah is considering her social options
Cautioning too kindly
Sarah is hesitant to trust others
Wondering is she'll ever have
Sarah is questioning whether she will ever find true companionship
Or need to know
Sarah is unsure of what she needs for herself
[Chorus]
The chorus repeats several times
Sarah doesn't care anymore
Sarah has given up trying to please others
What they talk about
Sarah is indifferent to the gossip of others
At the back door
The song's metaphor for the judgmental behavior of others
They say she can't hold her own
Others doubt Sarah's independence and strength
And her Mama's never home
Sarah's mother is not present in her life
You wonder why she feels so alone
Others are perplexed by Sarah's loneliness
How could a young girl feel so old.
Sarah is burdened by heavy emotional weight beyond her years
Sarah walks along silently
Sarah moves through life with a quiet resolve
On her own
Sarah is independent and self-sufficient
Keeping to herself
Sarah avoids interaction with others
Talks to no one else
Sarah is alone with her own thoughts
And cares not for anyone
Sarah is indifferent to the opinions and feelings of others
Sealing those pictures of the past
Sarah is holding on to memories and experiences
How time's flown so fast
Sarah is reflecting on the passing of time
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MAREN ORD, KAREN ORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind