Katie Armiger’s journey truly began two years ago when she entered “Houston’s Best Country Singer” contest sponsored by Radio 93Q Country. The contest, which was held over an eight week period, had over 150 boys and girls ages 9-17 in the Junior Division who were vying for the title. After several performances Katie rose to the top to grab the title of Houston’s Best Country Singer in her division with her rendition of Martina McBride’s “Whatever You Say.”
Several months later, Katie arrived in Nashville, where she began her work in the studio with veteran producer Mark Oliverius for her demo. Over the years Oliverius has worked with the likes of Trick Pony, Joe Diffie, Sammy Kershaw, and Lorrie Morgan, among others. Having completed some of the demo tracks that now appear on her debut album it was obvious to all those around Katie that the project was special and should become something more. Thus the juggling act began. At the same time Katie was going to high school and maintaining an A average, she was listening to, writing, and rehearsing music.
“At 16 years old Katie Armiger has a lot to say,” said Oliverius. “She has a huge voice and a strength for songwriting that goes well beyond her years. I believe that she really does have what it takes to make it in this business – a strong musical talent and a passion for what she does.”
"17 In Abilene," which Katie co-wrote with fellow newcomer Ashlee Hewitt, showcases her skillful songwriting ability as well as her strong vocal talent. "17 In Abilene" is the quintessential carefree road trip song about the possibilities of an open road and is the first single off Katie’s debut self-titled album, due out this summer. “I think every teenager daydreams about getting in their car and taking off so we wanted to create a song that captured that carefree feeling in a catchy way,” said Katie. “Ashlee came up with a great groove on the guitar and the song just flowed from there. I hope listeners enjoy "17 In Abilene" as much as I enjoyed writing it.”
“‘Make Me Believe’ is my ‘chick empowerment’ song,” says Katie. “It is all about standing up and saying I cannot be your everything, so if this is not going to work out then you need to leave. It is a powerful song and I hope that is relayed to listeners.” Taking on a reverse perspective than the usual break-up song Katie and her co-writer Ashlee Hewitt, made it a song of strength where the woman finally tells the man that he needs to leave.
Katie's first album, BELIEVE is due for release in May 2008 and heralds the arrival of a distinctive vocal talent with an unforgettable array of powerful and brilliant songs. Drawing musical inspiration from some of country music’s greats like Martina McBride and Sarah Evans, this 16 year old is passionate about her music, focused on her future, and exudes the talent that’s needed to become a household name.
Cardboard Boxes
Katie Armiger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All our things scattered on the ground.
Were we ever better than this?
Hanging pictures of us on the wall,
New paint smell lingers in the hall,
Yeah we thought we had it all.
Never thought we'd fall
So out of love,
How'd we lose touch?
Was it not enough
Everything that we had felt?
It's all packed up
We fell short of
Our love and trust
And all that we have now
Are boxes on the ground
Empty rooms with no one in them now,
Lock the door with one last look around.
Wonder where I'll go from here.
Oh, I tell myself, it's time to let you go.
Moving on, but I'm moving slow.
I still wish you all the best,
But how did we get
So out of love,
How'd we lose touch?
Was it not enough
Everything that we had felt?
It's all packed up
We fell short of
Our love and trust
And all that we have now
Are boxes on the ground
It's been six months and now
I don't miss you much when I found
A note you wrote
When we first fell in love
Yeah, thank God we didn't die
So out of love,
How'd we lose touch?
Was it not enough
Everything that we had felt?
It's all packed up
We fell short of
Our love and trust
And all that we have now
It all came down to boxes on the ground
Oh, boxes on the ground
It's clear from the opening lines of Katie Armiger's Cardboard Boxes that the singer is going through a difficult and emotional experience. The sight of empty cardboard boxes scattered around the room serves as a visual representation of the end of a relationship and the chaos it leaves behind. As the singer reminisces about better times spent together, it becomes clear that despite once thinking they had it all, the relationship deteriorated, and they're left feeling out of love and questioning whether their love was ever enough.
The imagery of empty rooms and locked doors, coupled with the singer's uncertain perspective on their future ("wonder where I'll go from here"), amplify feelings of loneliness, uncertainty, and sadness. Even as they reflect on moving on and wishing their former partner well, the questions linger: How did they lose touch? Why wasn't their love enough? The fact that the boxes remain as the only tangible remnants of the love they shared only serves to highlight its impermanence.
The song's final verse reveals a glimmer of hope, as the singer reflects on finding a note their ex wrote at the start of their relationship. It's a reminder that even though the relationship may have ended, it's a good thing they didn't give up on love entirely. While the boxes may represent a physical and emotional mess, the singer recognizes that it's time to let go and move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Cardboard boxes empty all around,
The cardboard boxes are scattered everywhere, empty, reminiscent of their lack of mutual support and love that caused them to break apart.
All our things scattered on the ground.
Their belongings are scattered on the ground, which shows how messy their relationship had become in the end.
Were we ever better than this?
This line hints at the fact that they might have realized that their relationship was never good enough to last.
Hanging pictures of us on the wall,
They used to hang pictures of themselves on the wall, and it's a reminder of how they used to be happy together.
New paint smell lingers in the hall,
The new paint smell might have been added in an attempt to create a fresh, new start for their relationship.
Yeah we thought we had it all.
When things were great, they thought that their love was strong enough to last forever.
Never thought we'd fall
They never envisaged the possibility of things falling apart or suspected their relationship would end this way.
So out of love,
This line suggests that their love had been lost entirely and nothing could bring it back.
How'd we lose touch?
This question refers to how their connection and love became disintegrated and invalid over time.
Was it not enough
This line suggests that their relationship lacked something crucial no matter how hard they tried to make it work.
Everything that we had felt?
The love and feelings they once had for each other quickly vanished, leaving them with nothing but broken pieces.
It's all packed up
All the belongings they once had together are now packed up, and there's nothing left of the relationship.
We fell short of
This line refers to how they fell short of their goals and couldn't meet each other halfway in their relationship.
Our love and trust
Their bond was supposed to be based on love and trust, but they couldn't uphold that alone.
And all that we have now
All they have left now are remnants of their past life, things packed in cardboard boxes.
Are boxes on the ground
This line helps to emphasize that everything else is left on the ground and shows symbolic value of how their relationship was just a formality in the end.
Empty rooms with no one in them now,
Their house rooms are the only other thing around, but with no relationship, they're just empty, emotionless spaces.
Lock the door with one last look around.
This line shows the finality of the split relationship as they lock the door and walk away from everything they left behind, sealing everything in their memory.
Wonder where I'll go from here.
This line highlights the uncertainty they face in moving on with life after the relationship ends.
Oh, I tell myself, it's time to let you go.
Even if it hurts, they had to accept the fact that it was time to move on from the relationship.
Moving on, but I'm moving slow.
They are trying to move on and heal but finding it hard to let go of what they lost and the memories they once held between them.
I still wish you all the best,
Even though things didn't work out between them, they still want their ex-partner to be happy and have a good life.
But how did we get
They wonder how they let their relationship fall apart and ended up in this difficult situation.
It's been six months and now
After six months apart, they are still left with the remnants of their relationship and the pain of the loss.
I don't miss you much when I found
The singer had been missing their ex-partner previously, but now, they feel a lesser sense of attachment to what once was.
A note you wrote
It is a reminder of the hopes and love they once had together.
When we first fell in love
They reminisce about the moment where they first fell in love and how things changed since then.
Yeah, thank God we didn't die
This line was inserted to show a little bit of fun and humor, but it also reflects indirectly on the realness of the pain and hurt that could come with falling in love and investing your emotions or heart.
It all came down to boxes on the ground
This ending remarks to their whole relationship and how they ended up. Everything they owned packed up in boxes on the ground - with nothing besides it.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
brianhitzone37
I hope this is her next radio single- I love this song, Katie Armiger ROCKS!
Thundershy
I like this new album and this song is one of the best!!! But definitely my favorite Katie Armiger's album is "Believe" of 2008.
Thundershy
You should make a video of the tracks "Safe" and "Not Too Late" from her new album, these songs are great too!!!
Michael Ralph
She doesn’t have a lot of music though