She released her debut album, under the surface, in Norway on March 6. The first single, don't save me , made radio impact on January 3, 2006, and quickly climbed into the top ten on many Norwegian charts and playlists. After the physical single release on February 6, 2006, don't save me jumped to #1 on the official Norwegian singles chart in its second week of availability, and then spent five consecutive weeks in the top spot. The second single released from the album was the title track under the surface. The video was released May 10, 2006, and within a month the single became the most widely played track on Norwegian radio.
only a fool was the third single from the album but it spent only two weeks on the charts and was only a radio release. The heartbreakingly painful solid ground was the last single from the CD. It was released in March, 2007 and after several weeks, it reached #1 on Norwegian Radio Charts without needing the promotion of a music video.
under the surface, which was released in Norway on March 6, 2006, contains 11 songs, most of which were written by Larsen. Touted as "what many people consider to be the most eagerly awaited album of 2006" (according to Norwegian magazine, Plan B), the record debuted at #3 on the sales chart in her native Norway. On March 31, 2006, after just three weeks of sales, under the surface became a certified gold record in Norway, selling over 20,000 copies. In late 2006 and early 2007, the album won Larsen other accolades, including the award for Best Norwegian Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards, and the Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Grammy) awards for Best Female Artist and Best Video (don't save me). After Larsen's Spellemannprisen victories in January 2007, the album crossed the 40,000 copy mark, qualifying it for platinum certification. It was later announced in May 2007 that the album had reached double platinum status. In addition, Larsen was the most played artist on NRK P3 Radio in 2006, with her three singles (don't save me, under the surface, and only a fool) being played collectively more than 880 times.
After under the surface's huge success,her second solo album was released. Larsen's second solo album, The Chase, was released in Norway on October 13, 2008, and in Sweden on November 19, 2008. Like Under the Surface, it was well-received by critics; in December, it was named as the top album of the year by Dagbladet reviewers.
The first single from The Chase, entitled if a song could get me you, shot to #1 on the Norwegian singles chart in its first week of sales in August 2008, and was later nominated for the Spellemannprisen award as Hit of the Year. The second single was i've heard your love songs (released October 27, 2008), and another song from the album, steal my heart, was used in the soundtrack of the Norwegian movie I et speil, i en gåte.
Early 2009, Larsen joined Jason Mraz as an opening act for his European spring tour. She was invited by Mraz when they met each other during the Nobel Peace Prize concert in 2008.
Larsen released if a song could get me you as her first single outside Norway. It was released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In Germany and Austria it became a number-one single. In Switzerland it peaked at #2.
On November 24, 2009, VG -a Norwegian newspaper- made a list of the best Norwegian songs of the past decade 2000-2009. under the surface was judged as the best song of the decade, making her 1st place on the list. Her song if a song could get me you came in 4th place and her album under the surface gets 2nd place for the best album of the decade.
This Is Me This Is You
Marit Larsen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Counting the bricks in the city
Your temper's light
Like all the girls in the city
Your eyes are like
A cold, cold swim in the river
Your words are like
Flowers floating by on the river
So now we're just like everyone else
You're a riddle to me, you're a stranger to me
And now we're just like everyone else
A few hours ago we were getting old
And our love it is reduced
To this is me, and this is you
Mystery
How we were once so familiar
It's hard to see
How we were once so familiar
Lightyears apart
Standing here next to each other
Impossible
Standing here next to each other
Standing here next to each other
So now we're just like everyone else
You're a riddle to me, you're a stranger to me
And now we're just like everyone else
A few hours ago we were getting old
There's nothing left to lose
And our love it is reduced
To this is me, and this is you
This is me, and this is you...
This is me, so this is you...
So now we're just like everyone else
You're a riddle to me, you're a stranger to me
And now we're just like everyone else
A few hours ago we were getting old
And our love it is reduced
There's nothing left to lose
Our love has been reduced...
To this is me, and this is you
This is me, and this is you
This is me, and this is you
The lyrics of Marit Larsen's "This Is Me This Is You" reflect on the passage of time and how it can affect our relationships. The song opens with a comparison, where the singer describes their partner's skin as feeling like counting the bricks in the city, creating a tactile imagery of the city's walls. The partner's temperament is also referenced with the comparison to all the girls in the city being light-tempered.
The second stanza of the song focuses on the partner's eyes and words. The simile of "A cold, cold swim in the river" creates a sense of discomfort for the singer when it comes to the partner's gaze. This discomfort is juxtaposed with the image of "Flowers floating by on the river" when it comes to the partner's words - a beautiful image that suggests a certain charm.
The chorus repeats the phrase "So now we're just like everyone else," as if to suggest that the moments of love and romance between the singer and the partner are fleeting and similar to those of other people. The lines "You're a riddle to me, you're a stranger to me" indicate that despite the couple's familiarity with each other, there's a sense of distance that's hard to overcome. The stanza that follows is a poignant one, where the singer observes that they're standing next to each other, but light years apart, creating a sense of separation.
In the final stanza, the line "There's nothing left to lose" is almost fatalistic, suggesting that the romance has run its course. The chorus repeats the phrase "This is me, and this is you" several times, emphasizing the sense of separation or individuality between the two partners.
Line by Line Meaning
Your skin feels like
Your touch is as solid and tangible as feeling the individual bricks that make up a city.
Counting the bricks in the city
This is a metaphor for how the singer can identify and distinguish the unique qualities of her partner.
Your temper's light
Your disposition is gentle and easygoing.
Like all the girls in the city
This is another comparison to the city, suggesting that the singer's partner is similar to other girls he knows.
Your eyes are like
The singer is describing the impact of her partner's gaze.
A cold, cold swim in the river
This is a metaphor for how looking into her partner's eyes can be chilling or overwhelming.
Your words are like
The singer is discussing her partner's communication style.
Flowers floating by on the river
This is another metaphor, suggesting that the partner's words are pleasant but fleeting, like petals on a river's current.
So now we're just like everyone else
The singer is pointing out that their relationship has lost its unique qualities and is now typical.
You're a riddle to me, you're a stranger to me
Despite the intimacy they once shared, the singer no longer understands her partner and feels like she doesn't know him anymore.
A few hours ago we were getting old
This implies that the relationship has suddenly and unexpectedly declined in a very short time frame.
And our love it is reduced
Their love has diminished significantly.
To this is me, and this is you
Their relationship has been reduced to its most basic elements.
Mystery
The singer is describing the sense of confusion and unknown that pervades their current dynamic.
How we were once so familiar
The singer is acknowledging that despite feeling like strangers now, they were previously comfortable and familiar with each other.
It's hard to see
This line highlights the singer's struggle to reconcile her partner's current behavior with the version of him she knows and loves.
Lightyears apart
Despite standing close together, the singer and her partner are emotionally distant.
Standing here next to each other
This is another repetition of the idea that they are physically close but mentally apart.
There's nothing left to lose
This line reflects a sense of resignation and acceptance that the relationship is over.
Our love has been reduced...
The singer is reiterating the fact that their love and relationship has significantly diminished in quality and meaning.
To this is me, and this is you
Their love has been reduced to its most bare-bones, basic state.
This is me, so this is you...
The singer is acknowledging the current state of their relationship as being indicative of their respective personalities.
Writer(s): Kare Vestrheim, Marit Larsen Copyright: Sony/ATV Music Publishing (Scandinavia) Kb
Contributed by Charlie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Debbie Gardiner
Love this!! Marit is one of the most underrated singer/songwriters in the world.
Rio Herwindo
😊
Rio Herwindo
Matur suksma😊
Thomas Hoffmann 1
*****