I want to crawl back inside my mother's womb
I want to shut out all the lights in this room
I want to start fresh, like a baby in a sink
Scrub away all these thoughts that I think of you

So life moves slowly when you're waiting for it to boil,
Feel like I watch from six feet under the soil
Still, want to hold you and kiss behind your ears,
But I recount the countless tears that I lost for you

But before you finally go there's one thing you should know, that I promise

Starting now, I'll never know your name
Starting now, I'll never feel the same
Starting now, I wish you never came into my world

I want to crawl back inside my bed of sin
I want to burn the sheets that smell like your skin
Instead I'll wash them just like kitchen rags with stains
Spinning away every piece that remains of you

But before you finally go there's one thing you should know, that I promise

Starting now, I'll never know your name
Starting now, I'll never feel the same
Starting now, I wish you never came into my world

It's my world, it's not ours anymore
It's my world, it's not ours anymore

Starting now, I'll never know your name
Starting now, I'll never feel the same
Starting now, I wish you never came into my world


Lyrics submitted by tread77

Starting Now Lyrics as written by Ingrid Michaelson

Lyrics © Spirit Music Group

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Starting Now song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    I think you all are right. But I think more specifically it's about an affair, whether the guy was with someone else or she was. "Bed of sin" and all the baby metaphors make it sound like she was doing something she felt was wrong and "unclean" and is eager to start fresh and be reborn. She says she wants to burn the sheets, I think she wants to completely lose it and do something drastic, but instead she'll just clean them, just quietly move on and be strong, no matter how much it hurts. That's my take on it.

    December14on September 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    She is going to embrace her independence, starting now. Great song - I can relate.

    TameThisChaoson March 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song sounds like she is forcing herself to forget about someone she once loved.... beautiful

    FSU Kellyon April 14, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is about the end of a relationship, when you're finally letting yourself breakaway, even though you don't want to. However, you realise that the only thing you can do is make a clean break. Just completely put them out of your life and mind, and doing what you need to do to get over them.

    lilith3on May 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song made me cry. Really, really cry. I don't think it's exactly about 'embracing your independence,' i think it's about moving on, but only because you know that the other person is sick of you. And you care about them, so you don't want to make them be with you when they don't want to.

    cutiekatiex3on July 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song means so much to me, i relate to so much of it. it almost seems like the only way to get over him is just to start over. and delete him. it hurts.

    somuchloveon December 22, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    december14 i would have never thought that but your right that makes so much sense & how she says "life moves slowly when your waiting for it to boil" like she was waiting for something more to come from the affair & realized that that would never happen.

    sweetsherocksson April 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This has to be my favorite Song by Ingrid Michaelson. I think it's that feeling as mentioned before as "embrace her independence", but I just know the feeling so well...the feeling one gets when everything goes wrong and there's just a moment where you realize that you can get over it.

    katiebliveson June 01, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Such a beautiful, heartbreaking song. About cleansing yourself of your heartbreak, washing your sheets to wash it away, trying to cut him out of your mind and your life. "I want to burn the sheets that smell like your skin/Instead I'll wash them just like kitchen rags with stains/Spinning away every piece that remains of you." What amazing lines. "Starting now I'll never know your name." Just trying to completely forget about it.

    missmeon August 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Like most personal interpretations, this is poignant for me, right now. Finally letting go. Finally.

    shockdelicaon April 21, 2009   Link

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