Wildfire fighter, blueberry picker, Christmas tree topper and chainsaw maker were just a few of the job that Clark did growing up in Morton, Washington (Pop. 900). Clark first picked up the guitar at nine years old and made her singing debut in school musicals. Her passion for music brought her to Nashville, Tennessee’s Belmont University where she studied commercial music and was chosen to perform in the school’s prestigious “Best of the Best Showcase.” Clark signed her first publishing deal not long after graduation and since then she has had songs recorded by RebaMcEntire, Miranda Lambert, LeAnn Rimes, David Nail, Billy Currington, Kenny Rogers, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Joanna Smith and Amanda Wilkinson.
Clark's first full-length album, produced by Dave Brainard (Jerrod Niemann, Jamey Johnson), was released in 2013.
In 2016 Clark released her second album Big Day in a Small Town.
Homecoming Queen
Brandy Clark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But the last ten years sure took their toll
On the girl in the picture with the plastic crown
That sea queen dress wouldn't fit her now
Like it did
Before the kids
Yeah, she loves her husband 'cause she said she would
She swore she wouldn't get stuck in this town
Now she's cutting coupons two doors down
From a mall
And it goes on
Yeah, too bad love ain't a local parade
In your uncle's Corvette on a Saturday
With all the little girls waiting on you to wave
When you're seventeen
You don't know
That you won't always be
Homecoming queen
Newspaper clipping and a sash in a box
Are the only things that didn't get lost
She married a guy on the real estate sign
And it's hard to believe once upon a time
She was royalty
The girl we all wanted to be
Yeah, too bad love ain't a local parade
In your uncle's Corvette on a Saturday
With all the little girls waiting on you to wave
When you're seventeen
You don't know
That you won't always be
Homecoming queen
Or the captain of the team
And it ain't what it seems
It's just a teenage dream
Too bad love ain't a local parade
In your uncle's Corvette on a Saturday
With all the little girls waiting on you to wave
When you're seventeen
You don't know
You won't always be
You don't know
You won't always be
Homecoming queen
The song Homecoming Queen by Brandy Clark is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that reflects on the passage of time and how it can change a person's life. The song tells the story of a woman who was once the belle of the ball, the Homecoming Queen in her younger days. But as the years have gone by, she has aged, and life has caught up with her. The opening lines reveal the harsh reality of aging, as the woman at 28 feels like she looks too old, having dealt with the toll of life for the past ten years. The song then explores the realities of her current life, which is not how she imagined it to be.
The song then delves into the theme of love and how it doesn't always turn out the way we expect it to. The Homecoming Queen is married, but life is not as great as she imagined it would be when she was a teenager. Instead, she finds herself cutting coupons and living just two doors down from a mall. The song then repeats the chorus, emphasizing the bittersweet reality of growing up and how, as a teenager, we don't know what the future holds.
Line by Line Meaning
Twenty-eight, shouldn't look this old
The singer is only twenty-eight, but after ten years of living in the town, she feels older than she should.
But the last ten years sure took their toll
The singer has been through a lot in the last ten years and it has had a negative impact on her.
On the girl in the picture with the plastic crown
The singer is referring to a picture of herself as homecoming queen.
That sea queen dress wouldn't fit her now
The artist has gained weight since high school and the dress she wore as homecoming queen no longer fits.
Like it did
The dress used to fit the artist before she had kids.
Before the kids
The singer has had children since her high school days.
Yeah, she loves her husband 'cause she said she would
The singer is married and still loves her husband, but things aren't perfect.
Oh, it ain't so bad but it ain't so good
While the artist's marriage isn't terrible, it isn't great either.
She swore she wouldn't get stuck in this town
The artist never wanted to stay in the town she grew up in.
Now she's cutting coupons two doors down
Despite her wishes to leave the town, the artist is now living close to where she grew up and is trying to save money by using coupons.
From a mall
The coupons the singer is using are likely for a store in a nearby mall.
And it goes on
Despite her current situation, life goes on for the artist.
Yeah, too bad love ain't a local parade
The singer wishes that love was easy and fun like a parade in the town.
In your uncle's Corvette on a Saturday
The singer is reminiscing about a time when she could ride in a fancy car with her uncle and feel special.
With all the little girls waiting on you to wave
As a former homecoming queen, the singer used to enjoy waving to the crowd and feeling important.
When you're seventeen
The artist is referencing her teenage years and how she used to feel invincible.
You don't know
As a teenager, the artist was unaware of the challenges and changes that would come with adulthood.
That you won't always be
The singer is referring to how her status as homecoming queen and popular cheerleader was temporary.
Homecoming queen
The singer is specifically reflecting on her time as homecoming queen, and how it doesn't define her now.
Newspaper clipping and a sash in a box
The artist has kept a newspaper clipping and sash from her time as homecoming queen.
Are the only things that didn't get lost
The artist has lost or given away most of her belongings from high school, but she still has these two things.
She married a guy on the real estate sign
The artist married someone who was featured in a real estate advertisement.
And it's hard to believe once upon a time
The singer finds it difficult to believe that she was once so different from her current self.
She was royalty
The artist is describing how she felt like royalty as homecoming queen.
The girl we all wanted to be
The singer was the envy of many girls in her high school.
Or the captain of the team
The singer is acknowledging that being the captain of the sports team was also highly regarded in her school.
And it ain't what it seems
The singer is emphasizing that life isn't always as glamorous as it looks from the outside.
It's just a teenage dream
The artist is acknowledging that her time as homecoming queen was just a fleeting dream of her teenage years.
You don't know
The artist is further emphasizing how ignorant she was as a teenager about the realities of adulthood.
You won't always be
The singer is explaining that everyone has to grow up and leave their high school life behind.
Homecoming queen
The singer is concluding that being a homecoming queen is only a temporary title and doesn't define someone forever.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, ME GUSTA MUSIC
Written by: BRANDY LYNN CLARK, SHANE MCANALLY, LUKE LAIRD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sally c
BRANDY CLARK (2016) – HOMECOMING QUEEN (Traducción)
28 shouldn't look this old
A los 28 no debería parecer así de mayor
But the last 10 years sure took their toll
Pero los últimos 10 años seguro que pasaron factura
On the girl in the picture with a plastic crown
A la chica de la foto con una corona de plástico
That sequin dress wouldn't fit her now
Ese vestido de lentejuelas ya no le quedaría tan bien
Like it did before the kids
Como antes de los niños
Yeah she loves her husband cause she said she would
Sí, ama a su marido porque dijo que lo haría
Oh it ain't so bad, but it ain't so good
Oh no está tan mal, pero no está tan bien
She swore she wouldn't get stuck in this town
Juró que no se quedaría atrapada en este pueblo
Now she's cutting coupons two doors down
Ahora recorta cupones a dos puertas
From her mom
De su madre
And it goes on
Y sigue
Yeah, too bad life ain't a local parade
Si, lástima que la vida no sea un desfile local
In your uncle's Corvette on a Saturday
En el Corvette de tu tío un sábado
With all the little girls waiting on you to wave
Con todas las chiquillas aguardando para saludarte con la mano
When your seventeen
Cuando tienes diecisiete
You don't know
No sabes
That you won't always be
Que no será siempre así
Homecoming queen
Reina de la fiesta de antiguos alumnos
A newspaper clipping and sash in a box
Un recorte de periódico y una banda en una caja
Are the only things that didn't get lost
Son las únicas cosas que no se perdieron
She married a guy on a real estate sign
Se casó con un chico
And it's hard to believe once upon a time
Y es difícil de creer que hace mucho tiempo
She was royalty
Fuera de la realeza
The girl we all wanted to be
La chica que todas queríamos ser
Yeah, too bad life ain't a local parade
Si, lástima que la vida no sea un desfile local
In your uncle's Corvette on a Saturday
En el Corvette de tu tío un sábado
With all the little girls waiting on you to wave
Con todas las chiquillas aguardando para saludarte con la mano
When your seventeen
Cuando tienes diecisiete
You don't know
No sabes
That you won't always be
Que no será siempre así
Homecoming queen
Reina de la fiesta de antiguos alumnos
Or the captain of the team
O el capitán del equipo
It ain't what it seems
No es lo que parece
It's just a teenage dream
Es sólo un sueño adolescente
Yeah, too bad life ain't a local parade
Si, lástima que la vida no sea un desfile local
In your uncle's Corvette on a Saturday
En el Corvette de tu tío un sábado
With all the little girls waiting on you to wave
Con todas las chiquillas aguardando para saludarte con la mano
When your seventeen
Cuando tienes diecisiete
You don't know
No sabes
That you won't always be
Que no será siempre así
Homecoming queen
Reina de la fiesta de antiguos alumnos
You won't always be
No serás siempre
Homecoming queen
Reina de la fiesta de antiguos alumnos
sally c
BRANDY CLARK (2016) – HOMECOMING QUEEN (Traducción)
28 shouldn't look this old
A los 28 no debería parecer así de mayor
But the last 10 years sure took their toll
Pero los últimos 10 años seguro que pasaron factura
On the girl in the picture with a plastic crown
A la chica de la foto con una corona de plástico
That sequin dress wouldn't fit her now
Ese vestido de lentejuelas ya no le quedaría tan bien
Like it did before the kids
Como antes de los niños
Yeah she loves her husband cause she said she would
Sí, ama a su marido porque dijo que lo haría
Oh it ain't so bad, but it ain't so good
Oh no está tan mal, pero no está tan bien
She swore she wouldn't get stuck in this town
Juró que no se quedaría atrapada en este pueblo
Now she's cutting coupons two doors down
Ahora recorta cupones a dos puertas
From her mom
De su madre
And it goes on
Y sigue
Yeah, too bad life ain't a local parade
Si, lástima que la vida no sea un desfile local
In your uncle's Corvette on a Saturday
En el Corvette de tu tío un sábado
With all the little girls waiting on you to wave
Con todas las chiquillas aguardando para saludarte con la mano
When your seventeen
Cuando tienes diecisiete
You don't know
No sabes
That you won't always be
Que no será siempre así
Homecoming queen
Reina de la fiesta de antiguos alumnos
A newspaper clipping and sash in a box
Un recorte de periódico y una banda en una caja
Are the only things that didn't get lost
Son las únicas cosas que no se perdieron
She married a guy on a real estate sign
Se casó con un chico
And it's hard to believe once upon a time
Y es difícil de creer que hace mucho tiempo
She was royalty
Fuera de la realeza
The girl we all wanted to be
La chica que todas queríamos ser
Yeah, too bad life ain't a local parade
Si, lástima que la vida no sea un desfile local
In your uncle's Corvette on a Saturday
En el Corvette de tu tío un sábado
With all the little girls waiting on you to wave
Con todas las chiquillas aguardando para saludarte con la mano
When your seventeen
Cuando tienes diecisiete
You don't know
No sabes
That you won't always be
Que no será siempre así
Homecoming queen
Reina de la fiesta de antiguos alumnos
Or the captain of the team
O el capitán del equipo
It ain't what it seems
No es lo que parece
It's just a teenage dream
Es sólo un sueño adolescente
Yeah, too bad life ain't a local parade
Si, lástima que la vida no sea un desfile local
In your uncle's Corvette on a Saturday
En el Corvette de tu tío un sábado
With all the little girls waiting on you to wave
Con todas las chiquillas aguardando para saludarte con la mano
When your seventeen
Cuando tienes diecisiete
You don't know
No sabes
That you won't always be
Que no será siempre así
Homecoming queen
Reina de la fiesta de antiguos alumnos
You won't always be
No serás siempre
Homecoming queen
Reina de la fiesta de antiguos alumnos
Elayne Angel Harbert
Brandy Clark totally understands small towns! #Grammys
Gael Richmire-Holmes
Gurl, I can't understand why I've never heard this song b4--- you just sang my life story ! 😢😘😍🙋🙏🙏💕💫💫
Thank you-- you've said the quiet part out loud !
sjdhjwkskxkdjc
I love this song 💓
Colin Masterson
What a chorus! Perfect country music.
Toria
She needs to come to the uk!
Michelle Hill
we love u brandy
dale wall
Good Song.
hanshotfirst1138
God, this is breathtakingly sad.
ArcoZakus
Songwriters: Brandy Clark, Luke Laird, Shane McAnally