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.
Where Were You
Maria Mena Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Saving my green voices back
Disguising the obvious
That I had no-one to sing for
I lived in a paper bin
Which I lived curled up and forgotten in
With an unfinished lovers hymn
Tattooed on my forehead
Oh,Oh,Oh, where were you?
Had I known you then
The outcome would have been better
I got used to the treadmill love
Where no matter how fast you run
You're stuck at the starting point
Only exhausted
I was the anonymous author
Of songs I'd not dared to share
Lacking the audience of a lover's ear
Oh,Oh,Oh, Where were you?
Had I know you then
The outcome would have been better
You could have prevented this
You could have prevented this
You could have prevented this
You could have prevented this
You could have prevented this
You could have prevented this
You could have prevented this
You could have prevented this
Oh,Oh,Oh, where were you?
Had you known me then
The outcome would have been better
In Maria Mena's song "Where Were You," she portrays a sense of loneliness and isolation. The first two lines of the song reveal how she felt like a mere backing track, saving her vocals for someone or something worth singing for. She lived her life within a paper bin, an insignificant box of forgotten potential, with only an unfinished lover's hymn to keep her company, as evidenced by the tattoo on her forehead. The question she poses in the chorus repeatedly to an unknown figure is "Where were you?" implying that if only they had arrived earlier, perhaps she would not have felt so alone and deflated.
The treadmill love Maria refers to refers to relationships where the couple runs quickly, but ultimately remains in the same place or fails to progress, leaving one feeling jaded and out of breath. She considers herself an anonymous author, writing songs that she has yet to share with anyone, as she doesn't have an audience that would truly appreciate them. She reiterates the same question in the outro, almost as if she's trying to convince herself of what could have been.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a backing track
I felt insignificant, like I was only meant to support other people's success instead of being a star on my own.
Saving my green voices back
I concealed my true emotions and opinions, hiding behind a facade of fake politeness because I was afraid of being judged.
Disguising the obvious
I pretended not to notice or care about things that were important to me, hoping that they would eventually disappear or resolve themselves.
That I had no-one to sing for
I felt lonely and unappreciated, like I had no one in my life who truly understood or valued me.
I lived in a paper bin
I was trapped and confined, unable to break free from my suffocating routine or surroundings.
Which I lived curled up and forgotten in
I felt neglected and insignificant, like my interests and talents didn't matter to anyone else.
With an unfinished lovers hymn
I had started a romantic relationship that ended without being resolved, leaving me feeling hurt and confused.
Tattooed on my forehead
The emotional scars of my past experiences were permanently etched into my psyche, shaping my perceptions and choices.
Oh,Oh,Oh, where were you?
I wondered where the person who could have changed my life had been during the darkest moments of my struggle.
Had I known you then
If I had been aware of the possibility of being understood and loved, my life would have gone differently.
The outcome would have been better
My pain and struggle could have been avoided or mitigated if the right person had been in my life at the right time.
I got used to the treadmill love
I had become accustomed to the cycle of unsatisfying, repetitive relationships that never went anywhere.
Where no matter how fast you run
I tried my best to make things work or to find happiness, but I was never able to escape the cycle of disappointment and heartache.
You're stuck at the starting point
I was always starting over, trying to find a new love or a new path in life, but I never made any real progress.
Only exhausted
I was drained of energy and motivation, feeling like I was forever chasing something that was just out of reach.
I was the anonymous author
I wrote songs and expressed my feelings in private, but never had the confidence or courage to share them with the world.
Of songs I'd not dared to share
I had a lot of hidden talent and potential that I was too afraid to put out into the world, fearing rejection or failure.
Lacking the audience of a lover's ear
I felt like I had nowhere to turn, no one to appreciate or accept my art, my voice, or my heart.
You could have prevented this
I blamed the person who could have saved me, who could have recognized my worth and helped me break free from my pain.
Oh,Oh,Oh, where were you?
I repeated my plea for help, my longing for someone to understand and be there for me when I was most vulnerable.
Had you known me then
If the right person had been there for me, if they had seen me as the person I truly was, not just a backing track to their own life.
The outcome would have been better
My life could have been transformed, my pain and fear replaced by joy and love, if only that special person had been by my side.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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