She toured the US and Canada for over a year to promote the album and received airplay on the top AAA radio stations, but all her hard work wasn’t enough. Without the full support of Atlantic, she left in 1996. Determined never to allow anyone else control over her musical destiny again, Karlzen returned to indie status for 2000’s Dim the Watershed. Soon after, she began recording The Wanderlust Diaries with no record company on the horizon. Dualtone, however, decided to take an interest. After hearing ‘The Diaries’ they embraced her artistic vision and welcomed her into their musical family in the Spring of 2006. “I felt like they really got this music and me too,” she says. And now, Before she knew it, Karlzen was slipping away from her home town of Milwaukee to Nashville, to record with producer Jansen Press and the finest musicians Music City had to offer. Those musicians include Garry Tallent (The E- Street Band), John Deaderick (The Dixie Chicks), Ken Coomer (Wilco), Matthew Ryan and Garrison Starr. And now Karlzen returns with her long-awaited fifth album, “The Wanderlust Diaries.”
STRONGER
Mary Karlzen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here we go out where the road does bend
And I think I hear the past howl again
Maybe we out grew the love
It just don't seem to fit no more
Like that shirt you bought me
I never took to wore
Now I'm wondering just who you bought it for
And I always thought I would be
A stronger girl than the one
That lives in me
Now it's me and my discontent
Waiting on the words you say
Always wanting evidence
Of any love that's tossed my way
And I'm wondering what is this need
To be loved anyway
So what's a woman's worth now
Is she measured by the face and hands
Sizing up the body standards in the eyes of man
And what gives you the right to think you can
chorus
Let anybody hurt you now
You'll never be afraid to cry
The question still remaining is where
Does our strength lie
Under layers of this world
And wonderin' why
And I always thought I'd be
In a different world this the one I see
And I always thought I would be a stronger girl
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The song "Stronger" by Mary Karlzen is a commentary on love, self-worth, and the struggle for interpersonal strength. The opening lyrics describe the characters as being out by the river, where they hear the past howling back at them. The singer ponders whether they've outgrown their love, or if something has just gone wrong. She compares their love to a shirt she never took to wearing, wondering if it was meant for someone else. These lyrics foreshadow the rest of the song, which worries about the singer's ability to love and be loved in return.
The chorus repeats the central theme of the song: the singer thought she would be stronger than she is, and now she's waiting for someone else to prove their love to her. She's become discontent, always looking for evidence that love is real. She wonders why women are valued only for their beauty, and why an outsider should have the right to hurt her. The song ends with the singer hoping to find strength within herself, but feeling lost under the pressures of the world.
This song is deeply introspective and emotive, touching on many common fears and questions that people have about life, love, and their own self-worth. The imagery of the river and the past howling is particularly haunting, emphasizing the idea that something has gone wrong and needs to be reconciled. By the end of the song, the singer hasn't found all the solutions to her problems, but she's taken the first step towards finding inner strength.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we go out by the river's edge
Starting a journey near nature, maybe to take solace from the outside world.
Here we go out where the road does bend
Venturing into unknown territory where the outcome is not certain.
And I think I hear the past howl again
Reminded of past regrets and mistakes that still haunt the present.
Maybe we out grew the love
The relationship has not evolved along with the individual and personal growth.
It just don't seem to fit no more
The love has dwindled and does not feel natural anymore.
Like that shirt you bought me
Comparing an old gift to the relationship and how it did not fit well either.
I never took to wore
The gift was not appreciated and not used frequently.
Now I'm wondering just who you bought it for
Doubting the intentions behind the gift and the person's true feelings for her.
And I always thought I would be
A stronger girl than the one
That lives in me
Feeling weak and inadequate, not living up to her own expectations and standards.
Now it's me and my discontent
Waiting on the words you say
Always wanting evidence
Of any love that's tossed my way
Feeling insecure and constantly seeking reassurance and validation from her partner.
And I'm wondering what is this need
To be loved anyway
Questioning the human need for love and affection and why it holds such importance.
So what's a woman's worth now
Is she measured by the face and hands
Sizing up the body standards in the eyes of man
And what gives you the right to think you can
Contemplating societal standards placed on women for physical beauty and how men perceive them while also challenging their authority over her.
Let anybody hurt you now
You'll never be afraid to cry
The question still remaining is where
Does our strength lie
Encouraging vulnerability and expression of emotions and pondering where true strength and resilience stems from.
Under layers of this world
And wonderin' why
Reflecting on the complex and multifaceted world and questioning its purpose and existence.
And I always thought I'd be
In a different world this the one I see
Fantasizing about an idealistic world that is different than the harsh reality she faces.
And I always thought I would be a stronger girl
Repeating the chorus from earlier, still struggling with her personal strength and capability.
Contributed by Riley W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.