Kellie's journey to Nashville and career in Country Music has taken some unusual turns. "All through high school and college, I led a pretty typical, Midwestern, all-American life. When I graduated from OU with a vocal performance degree, it felt like it was time to fly. My goal was to make a living as a singer. I had a friend from OU who had moved to L.A. the year before and had an extra room. So, I packed up my car and headed west. Leaving Oklahoma was very difficult for me and for my whole family, especially my mom. She was a stay at home mom. We are very close but my parents were very supportive. They always believed in me." Getting established in L.A. wasn't easy. To pay the bills, Kellie got a job as a singing waitress -- "I was a much better singer than waitress. Those poor people I waited on!" She also began writing songs. "When I first started writing, it was because of a break-up," she explains. "So all of my early songs were about love lost. Those songs helped me get through some tough times." The ball really started rolling after she made a demo tape that she sent around, and began getting work on recording sessions and in live shows. She sang backgrounds for Barbra Streisand's Millenium Concert, recorded songs for the Disney Theme Parks (You can still hear Kellie at Christmas time at Disneyland singing "White Christmas" as snow falls on Main Street and at Epcot's nightly fireworks extravaganza, Illuminations, singing "We Go On" and "The Promise"). "I was working more and more but people kept asking me to take the country out of my voice. I'm glad I had those experiences but at certain point as an artist, I decided I wanted to be true to myself, my voice, who I was. That's where my heart was so more and more of my singing work was as a demo singer for songwriters, singing country songs."
About that time, Kellie met Geoff Koch who was writing songs for several television shows, among them Walker Texas Ranger. Kellie's subtle twang helped her land a job singing and writing songs for the hit television show, a source of income that allowed her to realize her goal of making a living as a singer. Kellie was able to leave her waitress days behind. Kellie began to find her niche as a songwriter and, given her roots, it was not surprising that it was decidedly country. Nashville seemed like the next logical step. "About four years after I moved to LA, I started making trips to Nashville, checking out the scene and trying to get a deal. I knew what I really wanted to do and once I focused on my dream, it all started to come together. Doors began to open for me." Her friendship with Geoff had turned romantic, and she said yes to his marriage proposal. While planning her wedding, she also doubled her efforts to get a record deal. The unlikeliest location for a country music showcase would have to be a Kosher-Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles, California, but following her invitation-only performance at Genghis Cohen, she was offered a development deal by Judy Stakee with Warner-Chappell. "Judy has been so instrumental in my career, as a mentor and a friend. She had me co-write with JD Martin (a transplanted Nashville writer who had hits with Terri Clark and Reba) in LA. Then she started sending me to Tennessee to write with Warner Chappell's Nashville writers. " In 2000, a demo CD was sent to all of the A&R people on Nashville's Music Row. Soon after, Kellie was signed to BNA records. Dann Huff (Faith Hill, Lone Star, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts) was brought in to produce the CD. Kellie and Geoff got an apartment and then bought a home in Nashville.
Kellie's first single, "When You Lie Next to Me" took off at radio and her incredible run began culminating in her ACM Award and opening for George Strait on his 2004 tour. After 3 amazing years and after performing for over one million people, Kellie and BNA parted ways. For the first time in a while, Kellie had a chance to take stock of her career and life. Kellie continued to write, but put her recording career on hold to focus on her biggest dream: having a baby. On November 15, 2005, Kellie gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Jackson Geoffrey.
Now, armed with songs that reflect the trials and joys of the her career journey as well as the deepened heart that only having a child can bring, Kellie is once again pursuing her recording career. Teamed with Grammy Award winning songwriter/producer Wayne Kirkpatrick (Little Big Town) and with Judy Stakee as Executive Producer , Kellie co-wrote 11 of the 12 songs on her new CD, Walk On. The CD is available now on her website and will be available at various online CD retailers as well as download stores iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic, Sony Connect, Napster and MusicNet by July. The video of the song "I Would Die For That", a song dealing with infertility and a working woman's desire to have a child, is on various sites around the internet now. The video for the title track, "Walk On", will be released soon. Kellie must have wished on a powerful star, her dreams continue to come true.
Outside Looking In
Kellie Coffey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see two lovers on the boardwalk
On the first warm day of spring holding hands
But when I look again
There is something missing from this picture
That I don't understand
From the outside looking in everybody sees
A couple so in love, yeah that's you and me.
But from the inside looking out
Everything is different baby
And I can't figure out
If you can even see it maybe
You still believe what everybody sees
From the outside looking in
Nothing's new, I had a good day
Love you too. that's what we talk about
We just settle in
Here inside my head this voice is screaming
But no words are coming out
From the outside looking in you're close enough to touch
I'm sitting right beside you, baby, missing you so much
From the inside looking out
I'm watching our love slip away
And I can't figure out
How to reach you. what to say
Oh it's killing me
What nobody sees
From the outside looking in
You know I really love you
I wish that you could see
Love ain't just a habit, baby
This isn't how it has to be
'Cause from the inside looking out
We've still got a lot worth saving
Let's find each other now
Before we throw it all away
Oh, I still believe we can go back again
Be the lovers we see
From the outside looking in
Kellie Coffey's "Outside Looking In" is a heartfelt ballad that captures the emotions of a person who feels their relationship is in trouble. The song is essentially about the difference between two perspectives - the external world and the internal world. The opening lines depict a beautiful day outside where two lovers are seen holding hands by the boardwalk. These lines establish a contrast with the reality of the singer's situation, who is questioning their own relationship from the inside looking out. The song's verses describe the dichotomy between the public persona of a never-faltering couple and the private emotions they're facing.
The song goes on to describe the singer's feeling of isolation despite being beside their partner. The lyrics convey the message that sometimes, love can become a mere habit, and it starts to fade away with time. Love is not just a habit; it takes effort and commitment to nurture. The singer is aware of this fact, and hence they try to address their partner to save their relationship from falling apart. The song concludes on an optimistic note, with the singer still believing that theirs is a love worth saving, and they could be the lovers they appear to be from the outside.
Line by Line Meaning
From the outside looking in
As an outsider, I see two individuals in love on the boardwalk.
I see two lovers on the boardwalk
I observe two people who appear to be in a relationship while walking by the boardwalk.
On the first warm day of spring holding hands
These two lovers are enjoying the warmth of spring while holding hands.
But when I look again
Upon closer inspection, something seems missing from their love story.
There is something missing from this picture
This couple's love story lacks a certain quality that I cannot comprehend.
That I don't understand
I am unable to grasp the complete meaning behind their relationship.
From the outside looking in everybody sees
As an onlooker, everyone sees a happy couple in love.
A couple so in love, yeah that's you and me.
The world sees these two people as deeply in love, but the singer is part of the couple experiencing something different.
But from the inside looking out
However, I, being part of this couple, have a different perspective.
Everything is different baby
My experience of the relationship is a total contrast to those who see it from the outside.
And I can't figure out
I cannot comprehend the situation and things are confusing me.
If you can even see it maybe
I am uncertain if my partner comprehends the situation or what I am feeling.
You still believe what everybody sees
Even if things are different from what I observe, you still believe in the surface-level image of our romance.
Nothing's new, I had a good day
The conversations between the couple seem the same and ordinary while they conversed.
Love you too. that's what we talk about
Their conversations revolve around mundane things like endearments.
We just settle in
Both of them are getting comfortable with their ordinary and uninteresting conversations.
Here inside my head this voice is screaming
Despite putting up a brave face, the singer's inner thoughts are causing her pain.
But no words are coming out
Despite the noise in her mind, she is unable to communicate effectively.
From the outside looking in you're close enough to touch
From an observer's point of view, the couple is physically close and appears to have an intimate connection.
I'm sitting right beside you, baby, missing you so much
Ironically, while being in close proximity to her partner, the singer still has a sense of loneliness which she is trying to hold at bay.
From the inside looking out
The singer's perspective is that she is observing her love life tearing apart from the inside.
I'm watching our love slip away
She feels like their love is slowly disappearing despite their proximity.
And I can't figure out
She can't figure out how to fix the issues that are causing their relationship's decline.
How to reach you. what to say
She is clueless about what messages to convey to her lover and how to save their relationship.
Oh it's killing me
The singer is deeply affected by their relationship issues and it is breaking her heart.
What nobody sees
The complexities of their love and relationship fall outside of the realm of the public eye.
You know I really love you
Despite their current issues, the singer genuinely still loves her partner.
I wish that you could see
The singer hopes her partner could have a deeper understanding of what lies beneath the surface of their relationship.
Love ain't just a habit, baby
The singer believes that love is more than just routine or surface-level gestures.
This isn't how it has to be
She believes that there is a way to restore their relationship to something better than their current situation.
We've still got a lot worth saving
The couple's relationship has a lot of positivity that is still intact and worth fighting for.
Let's find each other now
The singer feels like she and her partner have drifted apart and wants to reconnect with them.
Before we throw it all away
She is hoping that they can make amends and not let their relationship end.
Oh, I still believe we can go back again
Despite everything, the singer still thinks that they can reignite their relationship to what it was before.
Be the lovers we see
She hopes that they can return to the couple that they were before people started seeing issues in their relationship.
Lyrics © O/B/O CAPASSO, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KELLIE COFFEY, BILLY KIRSCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind