Mena was thirteen years old she moved to live with her musician father. She sang and wrote lyrics as a form of therapy for her feelings and frustrations. Not all the stories in her diary became songs, but "My Lullaby" was one of them, expressing her pain from her parents' divorce. After pleading with her father to make a demo, he contacted some industry experts to record Maria's songs in the studio. Then he presented his daughter's demo to the music industry. Sony Music signed Maria Mena to their label.
In March 2002, Mena's single "My Lullaby" reached number five in the Norwegian charts. The young singer quickly gained fans and soon earned her first platinum record. 2005 saw the release of Apparently Unaffected, including singles "Miss You Love" and "Just Hold Me". A significant success in Norway, the album gained three Spellemann nominations: best female artist, best hit, and best music video.
In September 2008 Mena's fifth studio album was released, Cause and Effect.
Takes One to Know One
Maria Mena Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tried to imagine how I'd feel
If I was thrown into the public eye
Before my wounds had healed
The way you flashed us with your
Scars and told us about your rules
Like we were students in your "how-to-be-dramatic" little school
Now I can understand how
After all that you've been through
You'd lock yourself inside
Waiting for us to come and rescue you
But what I can't fathom is
While imprisoned in yourself
You wouldn't ever take a look around
Just blame everyone else
Pulling the "look-at-me-I'm-hurt" card
Got your friends that wouldn't dare
Question any little tantrum
No, halfway – they wouldn't meet you there
Your lover fears your reactions
He's like a puppy on a leash
He doesn't tread outside your boundaries
Without saying "please"
Now I can understand how
You'd be scared to trust again
Seeing how fame would be a magnet
For the tensions he confronts.
But what I can't fathom is
If your friends lie to keep you calm
You wouldn't ever ask yourself
Who they got that idea from
I could be scared of you
I would cater to your needs
Your dominating ways my overwhelming fear of conflict feeds
But I've learned not to get involved
By admitting more about myself
Takes one to know one honey, trust me take a look inside yourself
In this song, Maria Mena is calling out someone for their attention-seeking and victim mentality, particularly in relation to their experiences with fame. The lyrics suggest that this person has dealt with personal traumas that have left them vulnerable, and that they have used their fame to make themselves appear more dramatic and victimized to gain sympathy from others. However, Mena believes that this person is not taking responsibility for their own actions and behaviors, and is instead blaming others for their problems.
Mena points out that this person's friends and lover are afraid to confront them or question their behavior, which only enables their negative patterns. However, Mena herself refuses to cater to this person's needs or get too involved in their drama, as she has learned to prioritize her own emotional health and avoid unnecessary conflict. She emphasizes that everyone has the potential to be flawed and fallible, and that true healing and growth can only come from taking an honest look at oneself and acknowledging one's weaknesses.
Overall, Takes One to Know One is a powerful critique of attention-seeking and victim mentality, and encourages listeners to hold themselves and others accountable for their actions and emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
You've lived a haunted life
Your life has been filled with painful experiences
Tried to imagine how I'd feel
You attempted to empathize with my situation
If I was thrown into the public eye
If I had to face being famous
Before my wounds had healed
Before I had fully recovered from past traumas
The way you flashed us with your
How you revealed to us all of your
Scars and told us about your rules
Painful experiences and advised us on how to act in dramatic situations
Like we were students in your "how-to-be-dramatic" little school
As if you were teaching us how to be dramatic, just like in a school
Now I can understand how
I can comprehend how
After all that you've been through
Considering all the difficult experiences you've had
You'd lock yourself inside
You would isolate yourself
Waiting for us to come and rescue you
Expecting us to save you
But what I can't fathom is
What I can't understand is
While imprisoned in yourself
While being trapped within your own mind
You wouldn't ever take a look around
You never attempted to look at your surroundings
Just blame everyone else
But rather just blaming others
Pulling the "look-at-me-I'm-hurt" card
Playing the victim and making it about yourself
Got your friends that wouldn't dare
Having your friends who wouldn't be brave enough
Question any little tantrum
To question your fits of anger
No, halfway – they wouldn't meet you there
They wouldn't meet you halfway or try to understand you
Your lover fears your reactions
Your partner is afraid of how you'll react
He's like a puppy on a leash
He is afraid of upsetting you or crossing your boundaries
He doesn't tread outside your boundaries
He doesn't challenge or cross the limits you've set
Without saying "please"
Without asking for permission or checking with you
Now I can understand how
I can imagine how
You'd be scared to trust again
You would be afraid to put your faith in someone again
Seeing how fame would be a magnet
Knowing that being famous would attract certain negative attention
For the tensions he confronts.
Because of the conflicts and issues that come with fame.
But what I can't fathom is
What I can't understand is
If your friends lie to keep you calm
If your friends are lying to keep you from getting upset
You wouldn't ever ask yourself
You never consider
Who they got that idea from
Where they may have gotten their false ideas
I could be scared of you
I could fear you
I would cater to your needs
I would try to please you at all costs
Your dominating ways my overwhelming fear of conflict feeds
Your controlling and overbearing behavior feed my fear of conflict
But I've learned not to get involved
But I've learned to not become involved with you
By admitting more about myself
By revealing more about myself
Takes one to know one honey, trust me take a look inside yourself
It takes someone who behaves like you to recognize these negative traits, so look inside yourself.
Contributed by Jasmine R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.