Spears was born in a small town, McComb, Mississippi to Jamie and Lynne Spears. She attended Parklane Academy, where she was a cheerleader and a member of the basketball team. She finished her education there via online correspondence and received her GED in February 2008 from Kentwood High School in Kentwood, Louisiana.
Spears made her acting debut in the 2002 Paramount film Crossroads, which starred older sister Britney, in a cameo role as young Lucy Wagner.
Spears then signed on as a regular performer on the Nickelodeon sketch series All That. Her performance was positively received by critics and she stayed on for the last three seasons of the series from 2002 to 2004.
She then took the role of the protagonist Zoey Brooks of the Nickelodeon situation comedy series Zoey 101. The series premiered in 2005 and ran four seasons, earning Spears awards from Young Hollywood Award, Young Artist Award and Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. Spears also recorded the theme song for the show. Other roles include a cameo as Mandy Ferner in the ABC comedy sitcom series Miss Guided (in the episode "Hot Sub") and the voice of Goldilocks in the straight to DVD film Unstable Fables: Goldilocks & 3 Bears Show.
On December 20, 2007, in an interview with OK! magazine, Spears announced that she was pregnant by her boyfriend, Casey Aldridge. Nickelodeon issued a statement shortly after the announcement stating that the network respected Spears's decision to take responsibility and noting that its primary concern was for her well-being. Spears confirmed the couple's engagement in March 2008 after it was reported she was seen with a wedding ring. In May 2008, Spears and Aldridge moved back to Liberty, Mississippi, and purchased a house, with Spears stating they would raise their child there.
The announcement of Spears's pregnancy generated controversy, as the media was accused of using the story to "glamorize" teenage pregnancy.
Additional controversy surfaced because Spears was two years below the California age of consent, raising questions about her and Aldridge's age difference, and whether Aldridge could or would be charged with statutory rape (although Spears was neither from California nor living there). It was later confirmed that Aldridge was just under two years older than Spears, which meant that he could be charged only with a misdemeanor under California law, which has an exception for adults fewer than three years older than the minor.
On June 4, 2008, while in Amite County, Mississippi, the Spears family filed a complaint against Edwin Merrino, a paparazzo who they believed was following and stalking the couple. Merrino denied the allegation. He was released later in the day after posting a $1096 bond.
Spears gave birth to their daughter, Maddie Briann Aldridge, on June 19, 2008, at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb. OK! magazine reportedly paid one million dollars for the first baby pictures for their July 10, 2008 issue. In September 2008, following the announcement that Bristol Palin was pregnant, it was reported that Spears had sent her burp cloths as a gift. Comparisons between the two cases were made.
Spears and Aldridge called off their engagement in March 2009, and Spears ended the relationship and moved out in February 2010. Spears and Aldridge reconciled in August 2010. In August 2010, it was rumored Spears was working on a country album in Nashville but Spears does not have a record deal.
Big Bad World
Jamie Lynn Spears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe it was how he wore his hat, or just because he had a truck
I ran down a dock and jumped in the boat
I gave that boy my heart
It was back in the time when I thought you could buy a new one at the wal-mart
Ooooh, it's a big bad world
Ooooh, for a small town girl
I do my time in the Starbucks line giving up to chase the dream
I hear yes and I hear no but it's hard, oh in between
I feel a little homesick, to talk to someone who knows my name
I dig out a dollar for the homeless man but I'm the one that could use the change
Ooooh, it's a big bad world
Ooooh, for a small town girl
I remember wondering what was out there
Beyond this small town, passed down simple plains
The city sure feels like the middle of nowhere
There's no-one here to remind me who I am
Ooooh, it's a big bad world
Ooooh, for a small town girl
Ooooh, it's a big bad world
Ooooh, for a small town girl
The lyrics of Jamie Lynn Spears's song Big Bad World tell the story of a small town girl who falls in love with a boy, giving him her heart. This boy may have caught her eye because of the way he wore his hat or because he drove a truck. However, she soon realizes the harsh realities of love and the world as she knows it. She describes giving her heart away as something that could be replaced at Wal-Mart, implying her naivety and inexperience in matters of the heart.
As she navigates her way through life, the small-town girl faces challenges, as represented by the Starbucks line that she stands in daily, offering up her time and dreams, only to hear a mix of compliments and refusals. She longs for the comfort of home, the welcoming feeling of someone who knows her by name, and the embrace of community. However, she is also grappling with the fact that, in the city, she is a small fish in a big pond, and it is easy for her to feel lost in the vastness of the unknown. This is summed up in the lyrics "There's no-one here to remind me who I am." Ultimately, the song serves as a beautiful and poignant commentary on the confusing and complex aspects of growing up and navigating through life.
Line by Line Meaning
I fell hard for a boy one time, I can't say if it was love
I developed strong feelings for a guy once, but I'm not sure if it was romantic love.
Maybe it was how he wore his hat, or just because he had a truck
I might have liked him because of the way he looked or because he owned a truck.
I ran down a dock and jumped in the boat
I impulsively chased after him and gave him my heart.
It was back in the time when I thought you could buy a new one at the wal-mart
This was a naive time when I believed that love could be easily replaced or bought.
I do my time in the Starbucks line giving up to chase the dream
I spend a lot of time waiting in line at Starbucks, sacrificing a lot to pursue my goals.
I hear yes and I hear no but it's hard, oh in between
Receiving mixed responses makes it difficult to navigate through this journey.
I feel a little homesick, to talk to someone who knows my name
I miss having someone familiar to talk to and who recognizes me.
I dig out a dollar for the homeless man but I'm the one that could use the change
Even though I try to help others, I'm the one who needs help the most.
I remember wondering what was out there
I used to ponder what existed beyond my small town.
Beyond this small town, passed down simple plains
Once you move beyond a simple town, you encounter new areas and people.
The city sure feels like the middle of nowhere
Ironically, in the city, I feel like I'm in the middle of nowhere and no one knows me.
There's no-one here to remind me who I am
Without anyone familiar, I feel disconnected from my identity.
Ooooh, it's a big bad world
This world is tough and unforgiving.
Ooooh, for a small town girl
Especially for someone used to a small and simple town.
Ooooh, it's a big bad world
It's a cruel world out there.
Ooooh, for a small town girl
Especially for someone who's not used to big challenges and changes.
Contributed by Stella G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
my12
I love how she kind of goes back to the slower country music with just a little instrument and not a lot of over production. Her music is more about the message and I like that since that's what county music is supposed to be about.
Kate Worthen
Myferardromance12 right?
Yazmin Soto
I really love her voice! Country does her justice... can't wait for the whole album!!! Currently in love with How Could I Want More <3
Destiny Alee
What a gene pool, so much talent in that family. Her voice is definitely different than her sisters but I love it!! It's so stripped and just kind of reminds me of how early 2000's country was like <3
Ana Carolina Menezes
Amo essa música. Love you Jamie
Julie Delahooke
You're brilliant Jamie! I love your style!
Gabriela Berrocal Aragonés
simplemente hermoso! Her voice is so sweet and amazing!
Jaden M
This song somehow really gets to me. This world can be a really bad place sometimes, for everyone. Anyone who denies this is lying to themselves..
Robbin Gibson
So True
Saga
Love this song! <3