The result is a collection that captures a range of moods and emotions, like the spunky first single, "Heart of Gold," which calls out a relationship-phobic guy and lets him know what he's missing out on. "I write about what I know, and what I don't know," Huff says. "Not all of my songs are about things that have happened to me, but they deal with things I've thought about a lot and want to get out of my system."
According to the White Flag Songfacts, the lead single has nothing to do with relinquishing control, but rather trying out something new. Huff told MTV News: "Most people are like, 'Oh, what are you surrendering?' I'm like, 'Nothing, really, besides my heart.' I wrote it about something that actually drew from some life experience," she explained. "Some guy, like, likes you, tries to get your attention, [and] you don't necessarily blow him off, you just don't notice. And finally, you ... take a second and you decide, 'OK, I'm gonna give this one [a] shot. What do I have to lose?' and then it ends up being kind of awesome. The good kind of surrender — it's good for you not to control every moment of your day."
Huff's urge to express herself through songwriting is not surprising given her family background — music is in her blood. Her father, Dann Huff, is an in-demand producer and session guitarist who has produced albums by Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts and performed on hits by Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Faith Hill, while her grandfather, Ronn Huff was a sought-after arranger on Nashville's contemporary Christian music scene. Ashlyne was born in Glendale, CA, where she took naps in the music studios where her father was working. "The noise was soothing to me," she says. "I couldn't sleep in silence. My parents would put me in the car and drive me around with my dad's music on full-blast and I'd fall asleep instantly."
The Huff family moved to Nashville when Ashlyne was five, which was when she got bit by the performing bug. "I was watching Full House and Jodie Sweetin's character danced to the B-52s' ‘Love Shack.' That one episode changed my life. I decided to be a dancer." Huff began dance lessons at the age of seven and took it very seriously. "It was my sport; it was my life," she says. At age 11, she joined the Opryland Kids Club in the final year that the theme park was open, and realized she'd have to be able to sing if she wanted to continue to perform as a dancer. "I was actually afraid to sing because people came in and out of my dad's studio who could sing really well," Huff recalls. "But I did it and wound up singing all through high school."
After graduating, Huff enrolled at Nashville's Belmont University to get a degree in Music Business. "I studied publishing and copyright law and thought maybe I'd go into production," she says. "I used to do my homework in the studio with my dad and I liked the atmosphere and loved being around musicians. I learned how to use all the equipment, like Pro Tools, and started editing my own dance songs at 13. It was like my computer game. While everyone else was playing Nintendo, I was playing Pro Tools."
While attending college, Huff's love for songwriting blossomed. "My dad had told me when I was 12 that I would never be a writer unless I had something to say," she recalls. "At 19, I went through a bad breakup and I decided to write a song about it just to get my feelings out. Then I thought, ‘What if I could help someone going through the same thing? I'd feel better if I knew something I wrote helped someone else.' From then on, I was hooked."
In December 2006, Huff was approached by Anderson Merchandisers — one of the nation's largest distributors of pre-recorded music, movies, and books, which services retail stores throughout the U.S. The company was launching its own record label, Liquid Digital Media, and wanted Huff to be its first signing. Huff agreed if she could begin recording after she graduated from college the following year. Meanwhile, she auditioned for and won a part as a dancer in LeAnn Rimes' video for "Nothin' Better To Do." A year later, she re-enacted the performance along with Rimes and the other dancers at the CMT Awards. "It was a great experience," Huff says. "I wouldn't have missed it for anything." It was also the last time she found herself dancing behind another artist.
In early 2008, a song Huff co-wrote with Tommy Lee James and Stefanie Ridel, entitled "I'm Done," appeared on the Pussycat Dolls' latest album Doll Domination. Also last year, she began collaborating with songwriter/producers Mike Busbee and Mathias Wollo on the tracks that will appear on her debut album, which will be released in early 2010. In the meantime, Huff continues to attract fans with her powerhouse voice, upbeat personality, and relatable songs. "I really think there's something for everyone in my songs, no matter how old you are," Huff says. "I just can't wait for people to hear them."
http://www.ashlynehuff.com/
Begin Again
Ashlyne Huff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was empty and alone
I never knew if you were real
Ever since you said hello
How could you look away
When I said to stay?
How'd you leave so easily?
If we could begin again
I'd trade just a day
There won't be secrets
Cause we're not hiding
I'll start tomorrow today
We're in this together
But at the door
I caught your goodbye in the mirror
I wish we'd go back to before
With you and me in that reflection
I know I've changed my mind a million times
But I never thought you'd leave my side
Won't you tell me how it's gonna be, gonna be?
If we could begin again
I'd trade just a day
There won't be secrets
Cause we're not hiding
I'll start tomorrow today
We're in this together
You told me you'd never leave
Never warned me this would be nothing
Just be clear just for once
Say what you want
Say what you need
If only you'd stop pretending
Just fill me in and just end it
You brought me in, you worked me up
And wore me down, kicked me out
I swear I never saw this coming
I told myself today's a better day
Oh, if only I could turn back time
And you and I can make it through this
It's the only thing I need to know
Did you really wanna let me go? (No)
Won't you tell me how it's gonna be, gonna be?
If we could begin again
I'd trade just a day
There won't be secrets
Cause we're not hiding
I'll start tomorrow today
We're in this together
If we could begin again
I'd trade just a day
There won't be secrets
Cause we're not hiding
I'll start tomorrow today
We're in this together
If we could begin again
In Ashlyne Huff's song "Begin Again," the singer talks about the confusion and emptiness she felt before someone came into her life. She was skeptical of love, wondering if it was real until she met this person who said hello. However, the relationship proves to be difficult with the person's sudden departure. She questions how they could leave so easily and wishes they could go back to before, when they were happy together. The singer asks the person to tell her how things are going to be, and if they could start over again, she would give anything for just one day. She wants them to be honest with each other and feels like they are in it together.
The song delves into the tumultuous nature of romantic relationships and the uncertainty they can bring about. The singer recognizes that her own doubt and changing emotions could have played a role in the relationship's decline. Still, the pain of the separation is clear as she questions what she could have done to keep the person by her side. The chorus shows a desire to start fresh and leave behind secrets and hiding.
Overall, "Begin Again" is a song about love, loss, and the hope of reconciliation. It is a relatable track that acknowledges the ups and downs of modern relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I was confused
I felt lost and uncertain
I was empty and alone
I felt hollow and all by myself
I never knew if you were real
I questioned the authenticity of our relationship
Ever since you said hello
From the moment we met
How could you look away
Why did you turn your gaze elsewhere
When I said to stay?
Even after I asked you to remain
How'd you leave so easily?
Why was parting so effortless for you
Won't you tell me how it's gonna be, gonna be?
Can you reveal what the future holds?
If we could begin again
If we had the chance to start anew
I'd trade just a day
I'd give anything for a fresh start
There won't be secrets
We won't hide anything from each other
Cause we're not hiding
Because there's nothing to conceal
I'll start tomorrow today
I'll begin making changes now
We're in this together
We're a team and will face this together
But at the door
As you were leaving
I caught your goodbye in the mirror
I saw you say farewell in the reflection
I wish we'd go back to before
I yearn to return to happier times
With you and me in that reflection
When we were together in the looking glass
I know I've changed my mind a million times
I've reconsidered numerous times
But I never thought you'd leave my side
I never imagined you'd abandon me
You told me you'd never leave
When we were together, you promised to stay by my side
Never warned me this would be nothing
You never told me it would amount to nothing
Just be clear just for once
Communicate honestly just this one time
Say what you want
Express your desires
Say what you need
Explain your necessities
If only you'd stop pretending
I wish you would stop feigning
Just fill me in and just end it
Inform me of the situation and conclude it
You brought me in, you worked me up
You pulled me in and got me excited
And wore me down, kicked me out
Then you wore me out and left me in the end
I swear I never saw this coming
I truly didn't anticipate this outcome
I told myself today's a better day
I convinced myself that today will be an improvement
Oh, if only I could turn back time
I long to revisit the past
And you and I can make it through this
Together we can overcome this situation
It's the only thing I need to know
That's the only information I require
Did you really wanna let me go? (No)
Did you genuinely want to end our relationship? (No)
Contributed by Lauren V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
José Lugo Rojo
Siempre que vuelvo a ver Drop Dead Diva me trae de nuevo aquí. Amo esta canción. ♥
Stephania Spinola Perez
Ya somos dos
Celeste June
i seriously love the show DDD Knowing this song is a real song MADE MY DAY!!
sheryshersher
i cant stop listening to this song :)
Anne-Christy SILMAR
J'aime beaucoup cette chanson depuis que je l'ai entendue sur m6 dans Drop Dead diva je l'ai cherchée partout et à présent que je l'ai trouvée je l'écoute tout le temps <3
MELODIE
cette série nous manque n'est-ce pas ? c'était un chef-d'oeuvre
Ichthus Nasarah
Il n'y avait pas Shazam il y a 8 ans ? 😆
KARAM ZRIKTI
I love this song !!!!!!!!!
Matheus Rodrigues
Drop Dead Diva/De Corpo e Alma Perfeita!! <3
chocolate depresso
I love this song and Drop Dead Diva ❤❤