Mattea was born in South Charleston, West Virginia, because it had the nearest hospital to her parents' home in Cross Lanes, where she grew up, graduating from nearby Nitro High School. In 1976, while in college, she joined the bluegrass band Pennsboro, and two years later dropped out of school to move to Nashville. She worked as a tour guide at the Country Music Hall of Fame, did backup vocal work for Bobby Goldsboro , and sang demos for several Nashville songwriters and publishers including Nashville songwriter/producer Byron Hill, who brought her to the attention of Frank Jones (then head of Mercury Records), who signed her to her first record deal in 1983.
Mattea's third album, 1986's folky Walk the Way the Wind Blows, proved to be her breakthrough both critically and commercially. Her cover of Nanci Griffith's "Love at the Five and Dime" was her first major hit, reaching #3 (and in addition, earned Griffith notice as a songwriter); and the album produced three other top ten songs: "Walk the Way the Wind Blows" (#10), "You're the Power (#5), and "Train of Memories" (#6).
Further hit songs include her first #1, "Goin' Gone"; the truck-driving song "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" (1988); "Come From the Heart" and "Burnin' Old Memories" (both #1 hits in 1989); "She Came From Fort Worth" (1990); "Lonesome Standard Time" (1992); "Walking Away a Winner" (1994); "Nobody's Gonna Rain on Our Parade" (1994); "Maybe She's Human" (1994); and "455 Rocket" (1997). "Eighteen Wheels," in late May 1988, became the first single by a solo female to spend multiple weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard country singles chart since Dolly Parton's "You're the Only One" in August 1979; both singles were on top of that chart for two weeks.
The heart-wrenching "Where've You Been," which Mattea's husband Jon Vezner co-wrote with singer/songwriter Don Henry, reached #2 on the country chart and won her a 1990 Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal. Mattea is a repeat winner of the County Music Associations Female Vocalist of the Year, which she won on the success of "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" and "Where've You Been."
The following year, Mattea took part in Voices That Care, a multi-artist project that featured other top names in music for a one-off single to raise money for the allied troops in the Gulf War. The project included fellow country singers Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers and Randy Travis. She has also been heavily involved in HIV/AIDS-related charities beginning in the early 1990s, and is often credited with leading the country music community, commonly regarded as the last segment of the entertainment industry to address the AIDS epidemic, to finally do so. She performed with Mary Chapin Carpenter on VH1's very first Save The Music concert, which also starred Bette Midler.
Mattea won another Grammy in 1993 for her gospel-oriented Christmas album Good News. Her first single from the album, "Mary, Did You Know?" went on to be covered by Kenny Rogers with Wynonna, as well as Reba McEntire.
Mattea subsequently moved to MCA and, in 2000, released the ballad-heavy The Innocent Years, a heartfelt tribute to her ailing father. Wanting to explore her taste for Celtic folk, Mattea hopped labels to Narada, for whom she debuted in 2002 with the eclectic Roses.
With her social activism and her taste for songs with introspective lyrics, it has been often said that Mattea owes as much to the traditions of folk music as mainstream country.
Though her recent work has failed to make the country charts, Mattea continued to enjoy a strong following throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s; her albums are critically well received, and she continues to tour and perform. She continues to have strong support from a very active fan club, run by Sue Phelps, whose members refer to themselves as Matteaheads.
Kathy travelled the country presenting Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and speaking to crowds about the importance to fight global warming.
Before leaving Narada she released another album full of differing influences, Right Out Of Nowhere, including a cover of a Stones tune.
Her CD "Coal" released on her own label is a collection of songs about mining and received a nomination for a Grammy. She continues to tour across the US and in early 2008 she made a welcome return to the UK.
In 2018, Mattea announced a new album, Pretty Bird, which was released independently with Tim O'Brien serving as producer.
Ball And Chain
Kathy Mattea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were the one to blame for tearing my world apart
I got a heart so true, you got a heart of ice
A little more love from you, it could have been paradise
I got a ball and chain, hanging around my heart
And if it's all the same, maybe we should part
You had to tie me down inside a cage of doubt
I'm sick of being kicked around so this is where I get out
I got a ball and chain hanging around my heart
And if it's all the same, maybe we should part
And I'm singing, do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do, yeah
I'm singing, do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do
Oh baby, you tried to hold me but you were slowly
Driving me insane
Oh baby
I got a ball and chain, hanging around my heart
You were the one to blame for tearing my world apart
I got a heart so true, you got a heart of ice
A little more love from you, it could have been paradise
I couldn't take your pain, you couldn't take my love
So I'm gonna quit this game 'cause baby I've had enough
I got a ball and chain, hanging around my heart
And if it's all the same, maybe we should part
And I'm singing, do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do, yeah
I'm singing, do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do
I got a ball and chain, hanging around my heart
I got a ball and chain, hanging around my heart
I got a ball and chain, hanging around my heart
I got a ball and chain, hanging around my heart
And I'm singing, do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do, yeah
I'm singing, do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do
The song Ball and Chain by Kathy Mattea explores the idea of being trapped in a relationship and wanting to break free from it. The "ball and chain" in the lyrics symbolizes the weight and burden of the relationship that the singer can't seem to escape. The song speaks to the pain of being in love with someone who doesn't reciprocate the same level of commitment and love, making the singer feel trapped and helpless.
The lyrics suggest that the relationship has become toxic, with the singer feeling trapped in a "cage of doubt" and being constantly "kicked around". The singer blames the partner for the pain and misery they caused and wants to break free from the relationship before they go insane. The chorus "I'm singing, do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do, yeah" represents the singer finding a way to cope with the pain by singing which is a classic coping mechanism.
Overall, the song Ball and Chain is a poignant representation of a love that has gone sour and turned toxic, leaving the singer feeling trapped and helpless. The lyrics paint a picture of an emotionally abusive relationship and the importance of breaking free from it to preserve one's emotional well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a ball and chain, hanging around my heart
I feel weighed down by emotional burdens because of you
You were the one to blame for tearing my world apart
You were responsible for ruining my life
I got a heart so true, you got a heart of ice
I have a pure heart, but you have a cold and unfeeling one
A little more love from you, it could have been paradise
If you had shown me even a small amount of affection, our relationship could have been perfect
And if it's all the same, maybe we should part
I think it might be best for us to break up
You had to tie me down inside a cage of doubt
You made me feel trapped and insecure in our relationship
I'm sick of being kicked around so this is where I get out
I'm tired of being mistreated, so I'm ending this relationship
I couldn't take your pain, you couldn't take my love
I couldn't handle the emotional turmoil you put me through, and you were unable to accept my feelings for you
So I'm gonna quit this game 'cause baby I've had enough
I'm going to end this relationship because I can't take it anymore
Writer(s): Elton John, Gary Anthony Osborne
Contributed by Victoria F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.