Her breakout came with her debut single, "Pieces of Me", which was released in 2004, became a top-five hit in the United States, and topped the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart based on radio airplay. The success of the single and her reality show helped propel her debut album, Autobiography, also released in 2004, to the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart. The project sold over five million copies worldwide, making it her most successful album to date. Simpson had a leading role in the film Undiscovered (2005), which became a critical and commercial flop. The failure of the film, along with multiple critically panned performances, led to media scrutiny. Despite that, Simpson's second studio album, I Am Me (2005), debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming her second album to do so. The album went on to receive a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Following her appearance as Roxie Hart in the West End production of Chicago, Simpson announced that she had begun working on her third studio album. The album differed from the pop-rock sound of her previous efforts, featuring a dance-pop and 1980s-themed sound. Bittersweet World was released in 2008 with positive critical reception, but it saw a decline in sales. The effort reached number 4 on the Billboard 200. The following year, Simpson joined the main cast of the Melrose Place revamp, which was met with harsh critical reception. Later that year, she made her Broadway debut reprising her role as Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway.
Simpson announced a fourth studio album that same year. She independently released the single "Bat for a Heart", though it failed to have success. Simpson eventually scrapped the album and focused on her child. Simpson reprised her role as Roxie Hart for the third time in a 2-dates special production in Hollywood Bowl in July 2013 directed by Brooke Shields. In October, Simpson and her husband Evan Ross released their debut EP by Ashlee + Evan through Access Records, which was supported by a tour in select cities across North America, and their TV reality show.
She was married to musician Pete Wentz from 2008 to 2011. The couple's son, Bronx Mowgli Wentz, was born on November 20, 2008. She appeared as Violet Foster, a small-town girl in The CW's 2009 Melrose Place, a revamp of the '90s drama of the same name.
Autobiography
Ashlee Simpson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Word on the street is that you do
You want my history
What others tell you won't be true
I walked a thousand miles while everyone was asleep
Nobody's really seen my million subtleties
Right now I'm solo, but that will be changing eventually
Got bruises on my heart and sometimes I get dark
If you want my auto, want my autobiography
Baby, just ask me
I hear you talking
Well, it's my turn now
I'm talking back
Look in my eyes
So you can see just where I'm at
I walked a thousand miles to find one river of peace
And I'll walk a million more to find what this shit means
Got stains on my t-shirt and I'm the biggest flirt
Right now I'm solo, but that will be changing eventually, oh
Got bruises on my heart and
Sometimes I get dark
If you want my auto, want my autobiography
Baby, just ask me
I'm a bad ass girl in this messed up world
I'm a sexy girl in this crazy world
I'm a simple girl in a complex world
A nasty girl, you want to get with me?
You want to mess with me?
Got stains on my t-shirt and I'm the biggest flirt
Right now I'm solo, but that will be changing eventually
I laugh more than I cry
You piss me off, good-bye(good-bye)
Got bruises on my heart and sometimes I get dark
If you want my auto, want my autobiography
Baby, just ask me
In Ashlee Simpson's song Autobiography, the singer challenges the notion that others know her and her past. She acknowledges that there are rumors and stories about her, but insists that those stories are not the truth. She sings about the intensity of her personal journey and how it has shaped the person she has become. She speaks about the pain she has experienced and the different facets of her personality, from being a bad-ass girl to a simple girl, while warning anyone who wants to get close to her that she is not an easy person to deal with. However, she ultimately invites others to ask her for her story, or her "autobiography," so they can know the real her.
The lyrics of this song provide an insight into Ashlee Simpson's struggles as well as her journey to finding her own identity. The song highlights the idea that people's lives are often more complex than they seem on the surface and that everyone has their own story to tell. It reminds us that we should never judge someone based on what we hear from others, but instead take the time to listen and understand their point of view.
Line by Line Meaning
You think you know me
You have a certain perception of who I am
Word on the street is that you do
You have heard from others what they think of me
You want my history
You are curious about my past
What others tell you won't be true
What you have heard about me may not be accurate
I walked a thousand miles while everyone was asleep
I have gone through a lot of struggles that people may not be aware of
Nobody's really seen my million subtleties
People have only seen a small part of who I really am
Got stains on my t-shirt and I'm the biggest flirt
I may appear carefree, but I have my own flaws
Right now I'm solo, but that will be changing eventually
I am currently single, but that may change in the future
Got bruises on my heart and sometimes I get dark
I have been hurt in the past and may have emotional scars
If you want my auto, want my autobiography
If you want to know the true me, listen to what I have to say
Baby, just ask me
I am willing to share my story if you are genuine
I hear you talking
I am aware of what others say about me
Well, it's my turn now
Now, it is my chance to speak my truth
I'm talking back
I am ready to confront what has been said about me
Look in my eyes
Pay attention to what I am expressing
So you can see just where I'm at
So you can understand my perspective
I walked a thousand miles to find one river of peace
I have been on a long journey to find inner peace
And I'll walk a million more to find what this shit means
I am still searching for the answers and the meaning of my struggles
I'm a bad ass girl in this messed up world
I am strong and independent in this chaotic world
I'm a sexy girl in this crazy world
I am confident and attractive in this unpredictable world
I'm a simple girl in a complex world
I am uncomplicated in a complicated world
A nasty girl, you want to get with me?
I am not afraid to express my sexuality and dare you to approach me
You want to mess with me?
Do not underestimate me, I am strong enough to handle anything
I laugh more than I cry
Despite my struggles, I still find joy in life
You piss me off, good-bye(good-bye)
I do not tolerate disrespect or negativity in my life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KARA DIOGUARDI, JOHN M SHANKS, ASHLEE SIMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind