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The Jann Arden Podcast

Behind the Song: Where No One Knows Me

23 Jun 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What inspired Jann Arden to write 'Where No One Knows Me'?

8.215 - 19.002 Jann Arden

Hey, it's Jan Arden. Once again, here we are to do a deep dive in a segment that we like to call Behind the Song. I'm here with Sarah Burke, and this week we had a very special request from a listener.

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19.353 - 42.458 Matthew from Hamilton

Hi there, this is Matthew from Hamilton. I just finished listening to your new midweek podcast, Behind the Song, and I love the idea of hearing the stories behind some of Jan's songs. In honor of Pride Month, I'd like to request to hear the story behind the song, Where No One Knows Me, which I refer to as my hometown song.

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42.86 - 66.032 Matthew from Hamilton

I'm a member of the LGBTQ plus community and grew up in small town southwestern Ontario at a time when people like me were not welcomed or supported there. It was a very difficult time in my life. Throughout high school, I couldn't wait to finish grade 12 and move to where no one knew me so I could have a fresh start.

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Chapter 2: How does 'Where No One Knows Me' explore themes of personal identity?

66.012 - 84.337 Matthew from Hamilton

Jan, this song always makes me think of this time in my life. And now every time I go back to visit, this song is the first one I always listen to when I head home to Hamilton. So I would love to know more about the song and the story behind it.

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Chapter 3: What does Jann Arden reveal about her creative process for this song?

85.098 - 85.759 Matthew from Hamilton

Thanks, Jan.

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86.11 - 96.125 Jann Arden

I mean, that really hits me like right in the chest, Sarah, because, you know, after all these years, you always wonder what the listeners think when they hear this music.

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Chapter 4: How has 'Where No One Knows Me' remained relevant over time?

96.906 - 101.132 Sarah Burke

If I have this right, it's on the self-titled record and I think it came out in 2005.

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Chapter 5: What reflections does Jann Arden share about self-identity?

101.172 - 101.733 Sarah Burke

Does that check?

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Chapter 6: What advice does Jann Arden offer for navigating personal identity?

102.775 - 107.882 Jann Arden

Yeah. So let's take that back. Let's walk it back a bit. 21 years.

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Chapter 7: How does Jann Arden's song connect with LGBTQ+ experiences?

108.453 - 111.558 Jann Arden

And which is a lifetime for most of us.

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111.798 - 133.109 Sarah Burke

So like, you know, not knowing where you were when you wrote the song, you would think from the lyrics that you're exploring, like escaping something, maybe expectations, disappearing from something, reinventing yourself also maybe, like exhausted from carrying around an identity that maybe isn't serving you. Does that make sense?

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133.79 - 157.427 Jann Arden

Yeah, it absolutely does. I think... Russell Broome, who I have collaborated with for, I think we were talking the other day, it's 34 years. And Russell had that great, it's just that worm that gets into your head. And I just remember sitting crouched on the floor in his studio. He's moved that studio a couple of times now.

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158.368 - 163.818 Jann Arden

And we would just sort of like play in real time and I would scribble stuff down in the notepad.

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Chapter 8: What final thoughts does Jann Arden have for those struggling with their identity?

163.838 - 186.081 Jann Arden

But it very much is about trying to outrun time. wherever it is that you're standing. And sometimes it can just be a momentary thing. It's not like you want to disappear forever, but in that moment, and for me, that's what it was. It was like a discomfort. It's like, oh God, if I could just get away from this feeling.

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186.061 - 210.865 Jann Arden

And I love the idea of, and correct me if I'm wrong here, but I think as a woman, we were all really affected by Thelma and Louise. I think it was a really iconic film. We didn't see a lot of buddy films with women. And I know that that kind of played in my mind of, you know, they've been outrunning the law and they're going to literally drive their fricking car into a canyon.

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210.885 - 215.493 Jann Arden

And we're all sitting in the theater going, what? Just happened.

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216.056 - 222.447 Sarah Burke

That movie came out in 91. So like what happened between 91 and 2005 that that was stuck in your brain?

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223.304 - 249.096 Jann Arden

I think I'd done a lot of three-year relationships. And when I mean a lot, I mean like three to five-year relationships. I was like a serial relationship person. I didn't stay alone very long, but I found myself, I should have probably just dated or just had casual relationships with people, but I just sort of jumped in and was always in these relationships.

249.116 - 278.28 Jann Arden

And I think I had come to a point where I just, got my hand on the wheel, got my foot on the pedal, you know, and it's like, I just want to go forward in my life. And the song, it just scratched an itch in me as far as how the production propelled it. And then the lyric, just about, you know, having the wind in your face and you could just feel like bugs literally hitting your teeth.

278.401 - 295.311 Jann Arden

And, you know, there's a line in there, about ripping the rearview mirror off, you know, because you don't want to look behind you anymore. And I sort of went further in a poetic way to say, I ripped the rearview mirror off while I'm fucking driving this car and wrapped it in a wedding gown.

296.212 - 306.812 Jann Arden

And I think that was sort of a metaphor for, you know, being in a relationship and at the very last minute ditching it. Like just running from it.

306.832 - 307.694 Sarah Burke

Like a runaway bride vibe.

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