After completing high school, Katrina Elam moved to Nashville, TN, where she secured a contract with Universal South. Tony Brown and Jimmie Lee Sloas produced her first self-titled album, released on October 5, 2004. The first single, “No End In Sight”, reached number 29 on the US Country chart. The single caught the attention of CMA Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban, and Katrina Elam joined Urban’s tour, “Be Here” in 2004. She continued touring with Urban throughout his “Alive in ‘05” U.S. Tour. In January 2005, Elam was named the New Now artist by Yahoo! Launchcast.
Katrina’s most recent single, "Love Is," is off her unreleased album, TURN ME UP and can be purchased on iTunes, though the rest of the album, including "Flat on the Floor," which received some radio play but was never released as a single, are unreleased.
In 2008, Katrina Elam was dropped from Universal Records South and, to this day, remains an unsigned artist.
Newer songs can be found on Katrina Elam's MySpace page (myspace.com/katrinaelam).
Normal
Katrina Elam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As they smoke their cigarettes on Friday night
And if you're still a virgin by the time that you're a junior
Then the rumor going 'round is you ain't right
Maybe I'm hard headed or a little bit old fashioned
But I always had a hard time fitting in
So when they rolled their eyes at me and told me I ain't normal
I always took it as a compliment
[Chorus]
Where I'm from normal is high school girls having kids
Marrying the boys that you grew up with
They say girl get your head on straight
You sit around and dream all day
That far away look in your eye ain't normal
Somebody's got to wear the roller skates down at the Sonic
But it never really fit into my plans
So when I up and moved 1000 miles from Oklahoma
Nobody in that town could understand
[Chorus]
Where I'm from normal is doing what your mama did
Marrying the boys that you grew up with
They say girl get your head on straight
You sit around and dream all day
That far away look in your eye ain't normal
(But) I say yeah, what's so great about normal
[Bridge:]
I don't know what happens but that's okay
'Cause I know what wouldn't happened if I stayed
Repeat 2nd [Chorus]
The song "Normal" by Katrina Elam is a reflection of the struggle to conform to society's standards of what is considered "normal". Elam speaks to the pressure to engage in behaviors that are popular with her peers such as smoking, having kids and marrying the boys you grew up with. The song opens with the line "Everybody does it, that's what everybody says" suggesting that conforming to what is popular is not unique to her experience.
However, the track takes an interesting turn as she describes her resistance to conforming, "Maybe I'm hard headed or a little bit old fashioned, But I always had a hard time fitting in." It is clear that her tendency to resist the norm often leads her to being ostracized by her peers, "So when they rolled their eyes at me and told me I ain't normal, I always took it as a compliment." Elam takes pride in the fact that she is not like everyone else, and ultimately chooses to leave her home state of Oklahoma in search of a life that fits her vision of what is normal.
Overall, this song speaks to the tension between the pressure to fit in and the desire to be true to oneself. The chorus encapsulates this dichotomy perfectly with the line, "That far away look in your eye ain't normal, (But) I say yeah, what's so great about normal." Elam's lyrics reflect the hesitation many people feel when it comes to conforming, questioning why being like everyone else is considered the ideal.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody does it, that's what everybody says
People often justify their actions by claiming that everyone else is doing the same thing
As they smoke their cigarettes on Friday night
This line suggests that people indulge in harmful behavior and disregard its consequences
And if you're still a virgin by the time that you're a junior
This line highlights the societal expectation of losing virginity at a young age
Then the rumor going 'round is you ain't right
This suggests that people are quick to make judgements about others and spread rumors without knowing the truth
Maybe I'm hard headed or a little bit old fashioned
The artist feels different from others due to their beliefs and values
But I always had a hard time fitting in
The singer struggles to conform to societal norms and expectations
So when they rolled their eyes at me and told me I ain't normal
The singer feels insulted by others, but they actually take pride in being unique and different
Where I'm from normal is high school girls having kids
The artist comes from a place where teenage pregnancy and early marriage are common
Marrying the boys that you grew up with
This line highlights the limitation of options and lack of diversity in small communities
They say girl get your head on straight
This phrase suggests that the artist's dreams and aspirations are impractical and unrealistic
You sit around and dream all day
The singer doesn't see their dreams as pointless, but others think they are wasting their time
That far away look in your eye ain't normal
This line suggests that people associate being normal with conforming to traditional gender roles and expectations
Somebody's got to wear the roller skates down at the Sonic
This line suggests that some people have modest aspirations and are content with simple pleasures
But it never really fit into my plans
The singer doesn't see themselves as fitting into the mold that others have created for them
So when I up and moved 1000 miles from Oklahoma
The singer takes control of their own life and moves away from their hometown to pursue their dreams
Nobody in that town could understand
The artist feels a disconnect from their hometown and the people who live there
I don't know what happens but that's okay
The artist acknowledges that life is full of uncertainty but embraces it instead of fearing it
'Cause I know what wouldn't happened if I stayed
The singer takes risks and follows their dreams, knowing that they wouldn't have been able to if they had stayed in their hometown
Repeat 2nd [Chorus]
The chorus restates the main themes of the song, emphasizing the singer's refusal to conform to societal expectations
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS DUBOIS, KATRINA ELAM, LEE THOMAS MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind