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.
Life As We Knew It
Kathy Mattea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is the last time we'll call this place home
The cats in a cage to leave at your mother's
I'll be halfway to Ashville when you wake up alone
It's been a while since I've seen Carolina
It always was pretty this time of year
And if this is the end of life as we knew it
You won't find me living around here
I still can't believe we threw it away
Goodbye that's all there is to it
Life as we knew it ended today
I'll leave a number if you need to reach me
You always called when I had to be gone
I know that here in my memory
Life as we knew it still lives on
I love life, as we knew it
I still can't believe we threw it away
Goodbye that's all there is to it
Life as we knew it ended today
Life as we knew it ended today
The song "Life As We Knew It" by Kathy Mattea deals with the pain and sadness of leaving behind a life that was once cherished. The singer sings about collecting the keys, packing up the You-Haul truck, and leaving their home for the last time. It is evident that the move is not voluntary, but they must leave to start anew. The cat is put in a cage and dropped off at the mother's, and the singer leaves for Asheville without looking back.
The singer muses about how it has been a while since they have seen Carolina and how lovely the scenery is during this time of the year. Despite this, the singer is determined to leave and start anew. The chorus "I love life, as we knew it, I still can't believe we threw it away" is a reminder of what was lost, and despite the pain, there is a glimmer of hope for the future.
The song ends with the singer leaving a number in case they're needed, acknowledging that life as they knew it has ended but will always have a place in memory. The melody of the song is somber and reflective, which matches the overall mood of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
The keys in the mailbox the you-Haul is loaded
We are leaving this home for good and the moving truck is packed.
This is the last time we'll call this place home
We won't be returning to this house again.
The cats in a cage to leave at your mother's
We have to leave our cats with your mother because we can't take them with us.
I'll be halfway to Ashville when you wake up alone
By the time you wake up, I'll already be halfway to our new destination.
It's been a while since I've seen Carolina
I haven't been to Carolina in a long time.
It always was pretty this time of year
This time of year, Carolina is known for its beauty.
And if this is the end of life as we knew it
If this is the end of our current way of living,
You won't find me living around here
I won't be staying in this area anymore.
I love life, as we knew it
I loved the way we used to live our lives.
I still can't believe we threw it away
I can't believe we gave up our old life for this.
Goodbye that's all there is to it
We have to say goodbye and move on.
Life as we knew it ended today
Our old way of living is over, and we are starting fresh.
I'll leave a number if you need to reach me
If you need to contact me, I'll leave my phone number.
You always called when I had to be gone
You always seemed to need me when I was away.
I know that here in my memory
Even though things have changed, I still remember our old life.
Life as we knew it still lives on
Our old way of living still exists in my memories and thoughts.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WALTER CARTER, FRED KOLLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind