Growing up, her parents played songs by the Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd, so her country rock roots started early, and she was already taking piano lesson before she turned seven. At age 11, she won a talent contest in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (home of Dolly Parton's resort "Dollywood"), singing "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart." She subsequently found steady work performing in a theater in Pigeon Forge. A couple year later, her father gave Monroe her first guitar, and she began writing her own songs. But tragedy struck when her father died from cancer in 2000. While still grieving over their loss, Monroe and her mother continued on with their lives and moved to Nashville so she could pursue her career in music.
After a year in Nashville, she gained a publishing deal as a songwriter, which led to a record contract with Columbia Records' Nashville division. Working with producer Mark Wright, she recorded her debut album, Satisfied. In 2006, the title track to the album was released as the first single to country radio, but failed to crack the top 40 on the Hot Country Songs chart. A second single, "I Don't Want To" featuring Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, followed shortly after. Initially it did well on the charts, charting to #37, but following the merger of Columbia and Sony, the label decided not to release the album until Monroe charted a top 20 single. No follow-up singles were ever released. iTunes briefly made the album available for download in July 2006 but it was removed from the online store by mid-August.
In late 2007, Monroe and Columbia Records parted ways, and Satisfied was shelved (it was eventually released digitally in May of 2009). In addition to her own material, she co-wrote Katrina Elam's 2007 single "Flat on the Floor" (which was also recorded by Carrie Underwood on her 2007 album Carnival Ride), as well as Jason Aldean's 2009 single, "The Truth", and Miranda Lambert's 2011 single, "Heart Like Mine."
Monroe continued collaborating with Lambert, forming Pistol Annies with Lambert and Angaleena Presley in 2011. They released the single "Hell on Heels" in May of that year, following up with an album of the same name in August. Hell on Heels debuted at number 1 on Billboard's Country Album Chart and reached number 5 on the Billboard 200 Chart.
Monroe next teamed up with producer Vince Gill, and on March 5, 2013, Warner Nashville released Monroe's second studio album, Like A Rose.
The Morning After
Ashley Monroe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What I was drinking,
But after the third one
I was gone
Seventeen
And not really thinking
Just wanted something
Real strong
Room spinnin' round faster and faster
Drownin' in the midnight laughter
But nothin' hits, nothin' hurts
Like the morning after
I gave in
To him completely.
We made plans
And we made love.
But this world
Can cut a heart so deeply.
And we both gave
'Til we both gave up.
An that night I lost everything that mattered
And I thought I couldn't get any sadder
But nothin' hits, nothin' hurts,
Like the morning after.
The morning after the storm
The morning after all the rain
When you wake up and you realize
That you'll never be the same.
Oh I don't care
What I'm drinking.
Just give me something
Real strong.
Room spinnin' round faster and faster
Drownin' in the midnight laughter
But nothin' hits, nothin' hurts,
Oh nothin' hits, nothin' hurts,
Like the morning after.
The song “The Morning After” by Ashley Monroe is a heart-wrenching narrative about the aftermath of a one-night stand. The first verse sets the scene, as the singer tells us that she doesn’t remember what she was drinking, but that after the third one, she was “gone”. She was only seventeen at the time and wasn’t thinking clearly. She wanted something “real strong”. In the second verse, she tells us that she gave in to him completely, they made plans and love, but the world can cut a heart so deeply. In the third verse, the singer tells us that she lost everything that mattered that night and didn’t think she could ever feel any sadder.
The chorus is the most notable part of the song, as it’s where the title comes from. The morning after a one-night stand is infamous for being filled with regret and pain. The singer sings that nothing hits or hurts like the morning after. The bridge repeats the idea that nothing will ever be the same, yet the singer begs for more alcohol, willing to deal with the pain in any way. It’s a raw and honest look at the aftermath of a one-night stand, and Ashley Monroe’s voice captures the vulnerability that comes with these experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't recall
I cannot remember
What I was drinking,
What alcoholic beverage I had consumed
But after the third one
But after three drinks
I was gone
I was drunk
Seventeen
Age of the artist
And not really thinking
Not really considering the consequences of actions
Just wanted something
Desired an experience
Real strong
With a high alcohol content
Room spinnin' round faster and faster
Feeling disoriented
Drownin' in the midnight laughter
Immersion of bizarre events that happened while drunk
But nothin' hits, nothin' hurts
Nothing compares to the feeling of
Like the morning after
A hangover
I gave in
I succumbed to temptation
To him completely.
Had sex with him without any reservations
We made plans
We planned for the future
And we made love.
Had sex
But this world
This world
Can cut a heart so deeply.
Can cause emotional pain
And we both gave
We both tried
'Til we both gave up.
'Til we both quit
An that night I lost everything that mattered
And that night I lost everything important to me
And I thought I couldn't get any sadder
And I believed I couldn't feel worse
The morning after the storm
The morning after catastrophe
The morning after all the rain
The morning after hardships
When you wake up and you realize
When you wake up and comprehend
That you'll never be the same.
The realization that one's life will forever be changed
Oh I don't care
Oh, I don't mind
What I'm drinking.
What alcoholic beverage I consume
Just give me something
I simply desire something
Real strong.
With a high alcohol content
Oh nothin' hits, nothin' hurts,
Nothing compares to
Like the morning after.
A hangover
Lyrics © MELANIE HOWARD MUSIC, INC., BMG Rights Management, Anthem Entertainment, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ASHLEY MONROE, LIZ ROSE, LORI MCKENNA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind