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.
The Way I Was
Maroon 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One more time tonight
You can tell by the lines in her smile
Something is not right
Where are you hiding (hiding)
She's on the outside
I'm on the inside crying (crying)
Hungry for your
Hot love
Wrap yourself around me like a
Warm glove
The emptiness leaves me and I'm
Filled up
Never need to
Go back to the way I was
The way I was
I tried and tried and tried and tried
But I have no concept of consequence
And I'm a master of self defense
Days get longer
Life gets shorter
She rips me like no other
So oh dripping from head to toe
Where are you hiding (hiding)
She's on the outside
I'm on the inside crying (crying)
Hot love
Wrap yourself around me like a
Warm glove
The emptiness leaves me and I'm
Filled up
Never need to
Go back to the way I was
The way I was
Hot love
Wrap yourself around me like a
Warm glove
The emptiness leaves me and I'm
Filled up
Never need to
Go back to the way I was
The way I was
I can't make the same mistake
If you lose my love
It was yours to take
Break down your door
Take a little more
When I need you around
And I'm so terrified of leaving
It's a new low
Try and pick me up again but
Let go see how far I get without you
Desperately need more of your
Hot love
Wrap yourself around me like a
Warm glove
The emptiness leaves me and I'm
Filled up
Never need to
Go back to the way I was
The way I was
Hot love
Wrap yourself around me like a
Warm glove
The emptiness leaves me and I'm
Filled up
Never need to
Go back to the way I was
The way I was
"The Way I Was" is a song by Maroon 5 that tells the story of a person who is making love to a picture frame because something is not right with his/her love life. The lyrics suggest that this person is hiding from someone while he/she is crying on the inside. The person sings about being desperate for hot love and wanting to be wrapped up in it like a warm glove. The emptiness in his/her love life leaves him/her feeling incomplete until this hot love fills him/her up. The line, "Never need to go back to the way I was," further suggests that this person had experienced love before but is now seeking something more intense and fulfilling.
The repeated line, "Where are you hiding?" suggests that the person is searching for someone who has caused him/her pain. The lyrics suggest that this person is willing to take more from the person he/she is searching for, implying that he/she has already been hurt by this individual. The lyric, "Days get longer, life gets shorter," could be interpreted as the person's frustration with time passing while he/she is still searching for love.
Overall, the lyrics of "The Way I Was" suggest a person who is desperately searching for love and fulfillment in his/her life. This person has experienced love before but is now seeking something more intense and passionate. The repeated line, "Where are you hiding?" shows the person is searching for someone who has caused him/her pain and is willing to take more from them.
Line by Line Meaning
Making love to a picture frame
Giving attention and caring for something that is not real or tangible
One more time tonight
Repeatedly experiencing the same thing that brings comfort
You can tell by the lines in her smile
Detecting the signs that something is not right
Something is not right
Feeling a sense of unease or dissatisfaction
Where are you hiding (hiding)
Feeling separated from someone or something important
She's on the outside
The person or thing sought after is not accessible
I'm on the inside crying (crying)
Emotionally pained and unable to achieve what is desired
Just another crazy boy
Looking for something or someone to connect with, but not finding it
Hungry for your
Desperately craving emotional fulfillment
Hot love
A passionate and intense emotional connection
Wrap yourself around me like a
Being held and embraced completely
Warm glove
Feeling comfortable and secure with someone or something
The emptiness leaves me and I'm
The sense of void or longing dissipates
Filled up
Feeling complete and satisfied
Never need to
Reassurance of never going back to a previous state of emotional emptiness
Go back to the way I was
Not wanting to return to a previous state of being unfulfilled
I tried and tried and tried and tried
Making continuous efforts to achieve emotional fulfillment
But I have no concept of consequence
Not considering the potential negative outcomes of actions taken
And I'm a master of self defense
Having the ability to protect oneself from emotional harm
Days get longer
Time seems to drag on without emotional fulfillment
Life gets shorter
The limited time available to accomplish emotional fulfillment
She rips me like no other
Being emotionally hurt by someone or something that has a strong hold
So oh dripping from head to toe
Overwhelmed and consumed by strong emotions
I can't make the same mistake
Recognizing the potential to repeat the same cycle of unfulfillment
If you lose my love
The importance of reciprocated emotional investment in a relationship
It was yours to take
Endowed with the responsibility to care for and nurture the relationship
Break down your door
Making aggressive and persistent attempts to connect with someone or something
Take a little more
Willingness to invest further in the relationship
When I need you around
The importance of emotional fulfillment from a specific person or thing
And I'm so terrified of leaving
The fear of being alone and returning to a state of emotional emptiness
It's a new low
Feeling defeated and having hit an emotional rock bottom
Try and pick me up again but
Attempts to be comforted, but not truly fulfilling the root cause
Let go see how far I get without you
The realization that true emotional fulfillment may need to come from within
Desperately need more of your
The need for continued emotional investment from a specific person or thing
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM LEVINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Teresa Dillard
on Maps
ain't nothing left to do