After graduating from UCLA in 2002, Bareilles performed at local bars and clubs. She issued two demos of mostly live tracks in 2003: The First One in April and The Summer Sessions in October.
In January 2004, Bareilles released her first studio album, Careful Confessions. She signed a contract with Epic Records' A&R executive Pete Giberga on April 15, 2005. The remainder of the year and early 2006 was spent writing and reworking songs for her upcoming album.
Her debut major-label album Little Voice came out on July 17, 2007.
Before I Knew Better
Sara Bareilles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't be kept inside my dresser drawer
I find the pieces of you in my dreams
And in the evenings
Spill out the edge of my mind.
Memories of you feel like they're miles wide
It's all I can do to get to the other side
I'll see you tonight in the back of my mind
When I remember your skin like I remembered it then
When you would dress me in white with the look in your eyes
Knew you'd love me forever
Before I ever knew better
Can't see myself back beside you
But I see nobody else
Nobody's perfect but I'm perfectly happy to keep on
Bringing this love down off the shelf.
I'll see you tonight in the back of my mind
When I remember your skin like I remembered it then
When you would dress me in white with the look in your eyes
Knew you'd love me forever
Before I ever knew better
Better off, I couldn't say if I'd be
Better off without a love I live without anyway
Better off, oooh. Who knows? See you tonight.
Before I ever knew better
The lyrics to Sara Bareilles's song, Before I Knew Better, are about the struggle of letting go of a past love. The singer is feeling conflicted about the place this person holds in their life, saying they "don't know where to put [them] anymore". The person cannot be contained in a dresser drawer or forgotten, as even in dreams and evenings the singer is reminded of them. The memories of this person feel like they're miles wide, making it a difficult journey to move on.
The singer reflects on the past, remembering the way this person made them feel. They recall being dressed in white and feeling loved forever. However, they also acknowledge that this may not have been the best decision and that they may be "better off without a love [they] live without anyway". Despite these conflicting emotions, the singer still feels drawn to the past love and sees them "tonight in the back of [their] mind".
Overall, the lyrics capture the complex emotions of trying to move on from a past love, while still feeling a strong connection to them.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't know where to put you anymore
I don't know how to fit you into my life anymore
You can't be kept inside my dresser drawer
I can't hide you away or forget about you
I find the pieces of you in my dreams
You continue to haunt my thoughts and dreams
And in the evenings
Especially at night when I am alone
Spill out the edge of my mind.
My memories of you are overwhelming and hard to contain
Memories of you feel like they're miles wide
It seems like my memories of you are never-ending and all-consuming
It's all I can do to get to the other side
I am struggling to move past my memories of you
Of these evenings
Especially when I am alone at night
I'll see you tonight in the back of my mind
You continue to haunt my thoughts and I can't escape you
When I remember your skin like I remembered it then
I remember the way you used to touch me and it feels real
When you would dress me in white with the look in your eyes
You used to make me feel special and loved
Knew you'd love me forever
I thought our love was permanent and unbreakable
Before I ever knew better
Before I realized that love is not always eternal
Can't see myself back beside you
I can't imagine us being together again
But I see nobody else
I am still holding onto the hope that we could be together
Nobody's perfect but I'm perfectly happy to keep on
I am willing to overlook your flaws because I still love you
Bringing this love down off the shelf.
I am willing to give our love another chance
Better off, I couldn't say if I'd be
I don't know if I would be better off without you
Better off without a love I live without anyway
I'd rather have love, even if it is painful, than live without it
Better off, oooh. Who knows? See you tonight.
I can't predict if I would be better off, but I know I will continue to think about you
Before I ever knew better
Before I realized how complicated love can be
Contributed by Maria F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
bethany meade
this is one of the first songs that I discovered by Sara, nearly a decade ago. Sadly they never made it to recording. They are some of my favorites, and I will always listen to them fondly.
Raconteuse
It's a lovely song. She is SO talented; I wish more people knew as much! I was floored when I discovered she had composed 'Gravity' at only 19. I dearly hope she finally gets her due from the Recording Academy this Sunday (Grammy Awards). She's been nominated 5 times before, but somehow they couldn't see to giving her what she obviously deserves.
Sharon Ericson
Brilliant Writer Performer Poet Singer. Expressing the human experience like very few can and have, esp. from the woman's perspective. Thanks are not enough for the light you provide for so many, yes for me. Thank you Sara!
Evan Young Music
Does anyone know the history of this song and when she wrote and performed it? I feel like this is one of the best songs she’s ever done and it’s not on ANY album and all we’ve had was this unmastered recording.
Ethan Bryant
I wish she had redone this for Little Voice!! <3
brandy hazlett
This song is very beautiful an reminds me of my sister Melissa Chamness wish she was still here with me in person but she is always in my heart an will always have my heart R. I. P. My big sister I'll always love you forever
ardentlycherrie
I was searching for this song for a long time!