In 2001, the band regrouped, with guitarist James Valentine added to the line-up, and pursued a new direction under the name: Maroon 5. At this point, Jesse Carmichael switched to playing the keyboards and this has become his main instrument in the band (although he also plays rhythm guitar to this day). After these changes, Maroon 5 signed with Octone Records and released their debut album, "Songs About Jane", in June 2002. The album's lead single "Harder to Breathe", received heavy airplay, which helped the album to debut at number six on the Billboard 200 chart. The band won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2005. For the next few years, the band toured extensively worldwide in support of Songs About Jane and produced two live recordings: 2004's "1.22.03.Acoustic" and 2005's "Live Friday the 13th". In 2006, Ryan Dusick officially left the band after suffering from serious wrist and shoulder injuries and was replaced by Matt Flynn. The band recorded their second album, "It Won't Be Soon Before Long" and released it in May 2007. The album reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart and the lead single, "Makes Me Wonder", became the band's first number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100.
On September 21, 2010, the band released their third studio album entitled "Hands All Over". It was re-released in 2011 to include the single "Moves like Jagger" (featuring Christina Aguilera). While the original version of the album received mixed reviews, "Moves like Jagger" reached the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The band released their next album, "Overexposed", on June 26, 2012. All four singles of the album were really successful on the charts - for example, the second single from Overexposed, "One More Night" (released on June 19, 2012), reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2014, the band signed with Interscope Records and released their fifth studio album, "V", with the very-first line-up of six official band members, as keyboardist and backing vocalist PJ Morton became an official member in 2012. The album debuted at top of the weekly Billboard 200 chart. Since its debut in 2002, the band has sold more than 15 million albums in the United States and over 100 million singles and 27 million albums worldwide.
If you only knew
Maroon 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thoughts of you
Tattooed to my mind
As I wonder
What to wear
What to eat
Who to be
Will I see you again
And as my car breaks down
I shake my head and say
What a day
If you only knew
What I went through just to get to you
I'm hanging from you
And I'll hold on if you want me to
Every bus, every train,
Ever cab, every lane is JAMMED
So I look to the sky
And I reach for the planes with my hands
If all my days go wrong
I'll think about last night
It went right
If you only knew
What I went through just to get to you
I'm hanging from you
And I'll hold on if you want me to
If you only knew
What I went through just to get to you
I'm swinging from you
And there's nothing I would rather do
The lyrics to Maroon 5's "If You Only Knew" express the emotional turmoil of a person trying to impress and be with someone they have strong feelings for. From the first line, the singer's thoughts are consumed with the person they are trying to reach. These thoughts are "tattooed to [their] mind," indicating that they cannot get the person out of their head. The singer then proceeds to worry about how they present themselves, in order to make a good impression.
As the day progresses, things keep going wrong. The simplest tasks become difficult obstacles as the singer tries everything in their power to make it to the person they desire. The line "Every bus, every train, every cab, every lane is JAMMED" indicates the world conspiring against them. Even as all around them seems to be falling apart, the singer holds onto their experience with the person from the night before, that "went right."
Overall, if the person only knew what the singer went through to get to them, they would understand the depth of their feelings. The singer is "hanging from [them]," and is willing to "hold on if [they] want [them] to." There is nothing the singer would rather do than be with this person.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake up
I begin each day by opening my eyes and becoming conscious
Thoughts of you
My mind is filled with memories and fantasies about you
Tattooed to my mind
These thoughts are permanently etched into my consciousness
As I wonder
While I contemplate about
What to wear, What to eat, Who to be
Decisions I have to make about my appearance, sustenance, and identity
Will I see you again
I am uncertain about our next encounter
And as my car breaks down
My vehicle suddenly ceases to function properly
I shake my head and say
I express my frustration and disappointment with a physical gesture
What a day
This entire experience has been challenging
If you only knew
I wish you could understand
What I went through just to get to you
The efforts and obstacles I had to overcome in order to be near you
I'm hanging from you
My attachment to you is deep and intense
And I'll hold on if you want me to
I am willing to maintain this connection if you desire it
Every bus, every train, Every cab, every lane is JAMMED
Various modes of transportation are congested and chaotic
So I look to the sky
I seek solace and escape from the chaos above me
And I reach for the planes with my hands
I am expressing a desire to transcend the mundane and reach new heights
If all my days go wrong
When everything seems to be going badly for a prolonged period
I'll think about last night
I will reminisce about the recent moments of happiness
It went right
Those moments were successful and fulfilling
I'm swinging from you
I am metaphorically hanging onto you with great passion
And there's nothing I would rather do
I have no other desire than to be close to you
Contributed by Katherine H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@alisonsallan3708
Why is this not in spotify?! This is one of my faves..
@timetobreakup11
LOVE IT
@kckgik
i love this song!
@earnestpaul17
š SUCH A LIT SONG! šš„
@JosieBabe1000
Eeek! Love it!
@iamhappygolucky79
Adam Levine and former `Vogue` editor Jane Herman were high school sweethearts, and they dated for four years. Maroon 5`s first album `Songs About Jane` was inspired by her.
@DTheAustralian
Wow, this song is so :adam:
@flukyy10
how lucky adam's ex gf is -,- he really must have loved her dearly..
@winnerkyna
O_O Was this from "Songs About Jane" album? I've been playing every single song there for a year, and have never heard this in that album. ^^"
@shiro7693
+winnerkyna it's not. Its actually a song by Kara's Flowers. The picture also confused me :P