And you’re not what I asked for/
If I’m honest, I know I would give it all back/
For a chance to start over and rewrite an ending or two.

Sara Bareilles’ “She Used to be Mine” might sound like a love song, but it isn’t-it is a song to her younger self. It was written to be part of the musical she wrote called Waitress. This is the main song from it. She released it as a single too. It is a song to the person she was in the past—who was much different than the person she is now. She was younger, more carefree, willing to take chances, open to love and had a fire in her eyes.

Now that fire is gone. Mostly due to complications that life brings, and her struggles to make a living. Even though we’re not supposed to look back at our glory days, a part of Sara’s character yearns for that time.

Sara Bareilles has one of the most beautiful female voices in the past 20 or so years (I will also accept Sia and Adele). She is most known for a couple pop hits (Love Song, Brave) that really don’t show off her talents. Bareilles’ “She Used to be Mine” does a good job at showcasing her songwriting ability and her singing ability. She also plays piano.

‘She Used to be Mine” is tender, and we can hear it in the instrumentation but also in her voice. Sara can pull off singing about a better past without it sounding morose. Perhaps a better future is in store for the character.

She Used To Be Mine Lyrics

It’s not simple to say,
That most days I don’t recognize me.
That these shoes and this apron
That place and its patrons
Have taken more than I gave them.
It’s not easy to know,
I’m not anything like I used be, although it’s true.
I was never attention’s sweet center,
I still remember that girl.

She’s imperfect, but she tries,
She is good, but she lies.
She is hard on herself,
She is broken and won’t ask for help.
She is messy, but she’s kind,
She is lonely most of the time.
She is all of this mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie,
She is gone, but she used to be mine.

It’s not what I asked for,
Sometimes life just slips in through a back door
And carves out a person and makes you believe it’s all true.
And now I’ve got you.
And you’re not what I asked for,
If I’m honest, I know I would give it all back
For a chance to start over and rewrite an ending or two.
For the girl that I knew…

Who’ll be reckless, just enough.
Who’ll get hurt, but who learns how to toughen up,
When she’s bruised and gets used by a man who can’t love;
And then she’ll get stuck.
And be scared of the life that’s inside her,
Growing stronger each day ’til it finally reminds her
To fight just a little, to bring back the fire in her eyes,
That’s been gone, but used to be mine.

Used to be mine
She is messy, but she’s kind,
She is lonely most of the time.
She is all of this mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie,
She is gone, but she used to be mine.

Songwriter: Sara Bareilles