Rector took piano lessons as a small child but did not begin playing music seriously until he picked up the guitar in high school. He began writing songs in tenth grade and formed a band called Euromart the following year. Euromart made an EP and played club shows in Tulsa, but dissolved when the members left for college.
After high school, Rector attended the University of Arkansas where he studied marketing. During his freshman year he recorded a self-titled EP that featured the song “Conversation”, which won the Grand Prize in the pop category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2006. He is the youngest person ever to win the award for the pop category. The EP grew popular in surrounding states, and by his sophomore year, Rector began touring frequently on weekends and during breaks in the school year. In 2008 Rector released his first full-length record, Twenty Tomorrow, followed by Songs That Duke Wrote in 2009. In 2009 Rector was given the NAMA award for best singer songwriter in Northwest Arkansas. During his college career at the University of Arkansas he played approximately 200 shows.
In June 2009 Rector moved to Nashville with his wife to pursue songwriting and to continue his career as an artist. On November 28, 2009 he released Jingles and Bells, a Christmas album composed of classic Christmas songs. Rector arranged the songs and played all the instruments on the album. He released his most recent album Into The Morning on February 16, 2010. Through word of mouth, the record peaked at #5 on the iTunes pop chart, #10 on the iTunes overall chart, and #11 on Billboard Heatseekers.[3] Immediately following the release, Rector co-headlined the “Three Amigos” tour throughout the eastern half of the United States with fellow Nashvillians Steve Moakler and Andrew Ripp. Later in the spring of 2010 he toured with both Dave Barnes and Five for Fighting.
His song “After All” was used in the June 15, 2010 episode of the ABC Family show Pretty Little Liars.
Albums
Year Title
2007 Twenty Tomorrow
2008 Songs That Duke Wrote
2010 Into the Morning
2011 Something like This
EPs
Year Title
2006 Ben Rector
2009 Jingles and Bells
Singles
Year Title
2010 Summer Candy
White Dress
Ben Rector Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With your white dress on
It was the end of December
Count the days till dawn
I never knew
That I could love someone
The way that I love you
That I could love someone
The way that I love you
I never knew
That I could love someone
The way that I love you
I never knew
I never knew
She's coming on Friday
And then the close spark
Cause its just minutes & highways
Till the one I love
The one I love
Till oh...
I never knew
That I could love someone
The way that I love you
I never knew
That I could love someone
The way that I love you
I never knew
That I could love someone
The way that I love you
I never knew
I never knew
I never knew
That I could love someone
The way that I love you
I never knew
That I could love someone
The way that I love you
I never knew
That I could love someone
The way that I love you
I never knew
I never knew, no
I never knew, no
I never knew
That I could love
That I could love
That I could love someone
That you could love
That you could love someone like me
Oh, that I could love
That I could love
That I could love someone like
That you could love someone like me
The lyrics to Ben Rector's "White Dress" depict a romantic and nostalgic love story. The song is likely set in the winter, with the reference to the end of December and counting the days till dawn. The opening line, "Do you remember? With your white dress on," is likely a reference to a specific memory or event shared between the singer and the subject of the song.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses amazement at the depth of his love for this person. He never knew he could love someone as much as he loves them. The chorus repeats the phrase "I never knew that I could love someone the way that I love you" several times, emphasizing the depth and strength of the singer's feelings.
The second verse introduces the idea of distance between the singer and his love interest. The lines "She's coming on Friday and then the close spark / 'Cause it's just minutes and highways till the one I love" suggest that they are apart but will soon be reunited. The song ends with the repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the central theme of the song.
Overall, "White Dress" is a testament to the power of love and the profound emotional impact it can have on an individual. The song captures the feeling of being completely swept away by someone and experiencing a deep, all-encompassing love.
Line by Line Meaning
So do you remember?
Do you recall a particular moment in our past?
With your white dress on
When you wore a white dress
It was the end of December
It was the last month of the year
Count the days till dawn
Waiting for daylight to arrive
I never knew
I had no idea
That I could love someone
That I was capable of loving someone
The way that I love you
To the depth and intensity that I love you
She's coming on Friday
On Friday, she is arriving
And then the close spark
And then the feeling of excitement and connection between us
Cause its just minutes & highways
Because it's only a matter of time and distance
Till the one I love
Until the person that I love
The one I love
The person that I love the most
Till oh...
Until that moment arrives
That I could love someone like me
That you, despite our differences and flaws, could love someone like me
Contributed by Aubrey G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.