Messina debuted in 1996 with the single "Heads Carolina, Tails California". Her album was certifified Gold by the RIAA. Her second album, I'm Alright produced five Top 10 Country hits between 1998 in 1999 and sold over a million copies in America. Since her debut, six of her singles have peaked at #1 on the Billboard Country singles chart and five of her albums have received a certification by the RIAA or the CRIA.
She was raised in Holliston, Massachusetts, by Vincent and Mary Messina, and had two sisters, Terese and Marianne, as well as a brother named Vincent. Messina had a variety of Country music influences, which included Patsy Cline, Reba McEntire, and The Judds. She soon started performing live, and by age 16 she was playing local clubs with a rhythm section made up of her brother and sister. The family band played up until Messina was in her late teens.
Realizing that living in the Northeast would limit her chances of achieving Country music stardom, Messina moved to Nashville at age 19. To support herself, Messina worked various temp jobs, including computer programming and accounting. In her spare time, she entered talent contests around Nashville.
One win led to a regular gig on the radio show Live at Libby's, which in turn caught the interest of producer Byron Gallimore, who helped her assemble a demo tape. Gallimore was also working with the young Tim McGraw around the same time, and Messina befriended him. Backstage at one of his concerts, Messina met an executive from his label, Curb, and jokingly suggested that they needed a redhead. With the help of fellow Curb producer James Stroud, Messina was then signed to the record label. Gallimore and McGraw would later become co-producers of Messina's studio albums under Curb.
In 2022, Cole Swindell had a major hit with a remake of "Heads Carolina, Tails California" entitled "She Had Me At Heads Carolina." In the music video, Jo Dee plays a small part as the bartender in a Karaoke bar.
Keep The Faith
Jo Dee Messina Lyrics
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And every truth you're told
Goes up in a cloud of smoke
And every lesson learned
Every corner turned
Ends up as a winding road
Don't be afraid
To find your way beyond the shadows
Shadows of your heart
(Oh oh oh)
(Keep the faith, Keep the faith)
Ohhh (Keep the faith)
Keep the faith, yeah yeah yeah
When you're still searchin'
(Keep the faith, keep the faith, keep the faith)
You've gotta just believe
And remember, remember to keep the faith
(Keep the faith, keep the faith, keep the faith)
Oh I don't know why
No matter how I try
I manage to lose my way
Covered up in doubt
No easy way out
Oooo takin' it day by day
I don't have the answers
Sometimes I, I don't know if I'm strong enough
But when I feel like givin' up
I've got to remind myself
Ohhh (oh oh oh)
(Oh oh oh)
(Keep the faith, Keep the faith)
Ohhh (Keep the faith)
Keep the faith, yeah yeah yeah
When you're still searchin'
(Keep the faith, keep the faith, keep the faith)
You've gotta just believe
And remember, remember to keep the faith
(Keep the faith, keep the faith, keep the faith)
(Oh no) You don't have to climb
(Oh no) Any mountain
(Oh no) You don't have to move
(Oh no) You don't have to see
(Oh no) You don't have to know
Yeahhh, oh just remember
(Oh oh oh)
(Keep the faith, Keep the faith)
Ohhh (Keep the faith)
Keep the faith, yeah yeah yeah
When you're still searchin'
(Keep the faith, keep the faith, keep the faith)
You've gotta just believe
And remember, remember to keep the faith
(Keep the faith, keep the faith, keep the faith)
Yeah, just believe, just believe
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
The lyrics of Jo Dee Messina's song "Keep the Faith" speak about moments of doubt, when we question what we believe, and everything we thought was true turns out not to be. These are the times when we feel lost, and even our most fundamental values seem to disappear like smoke. They are the moments when we could give up, but the song encourages us to keep the faith. We have to remember to look at the bigger picture, to see things from a different perspective, and to find our way beyond the shadows. We may feel like we don't have all the answers, and we may not always be strong enough, but we must not give up. We have to keep searching, keep believing, and keep the faith.
The repetition of the phrase "keep the faith" serves as a reminder to stay steadfast in our beliefs, even in the face of adversity. The lyrics encourage us to talk into the dark and to take things day by day. It is a reminder that we don't have to have all the answers at once or climb mountains to find our way. Sometimes, all we have to do is remember to keep the faith.
Overall, the song is meant to inspire hope and resilience in times of uncertainty. It encourages us to keep pushing forward and to trust that everything will work out in the end. It is a reminder that we are stronger than we think and that we can overcome anything if we just believe and keep the faith.
Line by Line Meaning
When every trust you hold
When you feel like you can't trust anyone or anything
And every truth you're told
When you start to doubt what you're being told
Goes up in a cloud of smoke
When everything falls apart and disappears
And every lesson learned
When even the lessons you've learned don't help you anymore
Every corner turned
When you feel like you're going in circles
Ends up as a winding road
When every path you take leads you to another obstacle
Don't be afraid
Don't let fear hold you back
Sometimes you've got to talk into the dark
Sometimes you have to figure things out on your own without knowing the outcome
To find your way beyond the shadows
To overcome the doubts, fears, and uncertainties
Shadows of your heart
The doubts and fears that lurk within you
(Oh oh oh)
An expression of encouragement or motivation
(Keep the faith, Keep the faith)
Believe in yourself and don't give up
Ohhh (Keep the faith)
Believe in yourself, don't give up, and keep moving forward
Keep the faith, yeah yeah yeah
Keep believing in yourself, even when things get tough
When you're still searchin'
When you're still trying to find your way
(Keep the faith, keep the faith, keep the faith)
Keep believing in yourself and don't give up
You've gotta just believe
You have to have faith in yourself and your abilities
And remember, remember to keep the faith
And never lose belief in yourself and your dreams
Oh I don't know why
Admitting to feeling lost and unsure
No matter how I try
Even when trying your best, things still seem to go wrong
I manage to lose my way
Still feeling lost and unsure
Covered up in doubt
Overwhelmed by your own doubts and fears
No easy way out
There is no simple solution or easy answers to the problem
Oooo takin' it day by day
Taking things one step at a time to work through the difficulties
I don't have the answers
Acknowledging that you don't know all the solutions
Sometimes I, I don't know if I'm strong enough
Sometimes you question your own capability and strength
But when I feel like givin' up
Even when tempted to give up
I've got to remind myself
You have to remember what's important and not give up
(Oh no) You don't have to climb
You don't have to tackle every problem alone
(Oh no) Any mountain
You don't have to take on every challenge that comes your way
(Oh no) You don't have to move
You don't have to change everything and go in a completely different direction
(Oh no) You don't have to see
You don't have to know every outcome or have all the answers
(Oh no) You don't have to know
Sometimes not knowing what lies ahead is okay
Yeahhh, oh just remember
Just remember what's important and keep going
Yeah, just believe, just believe
Keep believing in yourself and your dreams, no matter what
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
An expression of encouragement, motivation, or agreement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, AMPLIFIED ADMINISTRATION, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MAHER, MESSINA, REID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind