Kellie Pickler had a difficult upbringing. The Tough Songfacts explains that Kellie was raised by her grandparents, after her mother abandoned her and her alcoholic father spent time in and out of jail. The 21-year-old Pickler auditioned for American Idol in the fall of 2005 in Greensboro, North Carolina. She sang both Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" and Martina McBride's "A Broken Wing". The judges unanimously sent her to Hollywood. Pickler advanced through the semi-finalist rounds in February and March, reaching the Top 12 On March 9.
Pickler gained attention on the show by saying (for example) that she had never performed before real audiences, pronouncing "salmon" as "sal-mon", and confusing "minx" with "mink ". She was compared to Jessica Simpson in a March 27 story in US Weekly magazine entitled "Kellie: The Next Jessica Simpson", due to her "sweet southern style and ditzy demeanor." Various Internet blogs alleged that Pickler was merely putting on an act in order to win votes. Host Ryan Seacrest asked Pickler about the allegations during the April 4 broadcast, and she denied the claims. On April 19, Pickler and contestant Taylor Hicks became the only contestants among the rest of the Top 6 to never be in the bottom 3. That changed on April 26 when she was in the bottom 2 and then eliminated. Due to time constraints, her exit performance was not aired on the show, which happened to be the first time of its kind in American Idol history. However, when Kellie was interviewed by Extra, they showed her exit performance for the first time.
She returned in the finale in a pre-taped segment called "Puck 'n Pickler", featuring her and Wolfgang Puck at a restaurant discussing foods. It has scenes of Pickler mispronouncing Shanghai, her use of sarcasm, and her reaction to lobsters.
Fate played the straight man, and since then she's never looked back.
On September 30, 2008 Kellie released her 2nd studio album. It was self-titled because she felt she had more to do with the making of it therefore it reflected her as an artist better than her first album. The self-titled album has yielded 4 singles: "Don't You Know You're Beautiful" which peaked at #21, "Best Days of Your Life" at #9 (This was her first top 10), "Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You" at #14, and "Makin' Me Fall In Love Again".
Songfacts states that "Tough," Kellie Pickler's first single from her third album is a female anthem, which finds the song's narrator declaring that while she is just a regular girl, she has been able to overcome challenges in her life by staying tough. The song was released on June 13, 2011.
Small Town Girl
Kellie Pickler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drinking sweet tea from a Mason jar
Dogwood trees like leaves through the pine
People on the porch watching fireflies
And driving 'round the Wal-Mart on a Friday night
I'm just a small town girl
And that's all I'll ever be
Hey, that's alright with me
I'd rather be fishin' with grandpa on the lake
Then getting all glammed up,
Fake eyelashes on my face
Cut off jeans and an old ball cap
A town so small you don't need a map
That's where I'm from and there ain't no changing me
I'm just a small town girl
And that's all I'll ever be
I'm just a small town girl
Hey, that's alright with me
I'd rather ride in a Chevy truck than a Ferrari
Give me a cheeseburger
I ain't eating no calamari
I'm just a small town girl
And that's all I'll ever be
I'm just a small town girl
Hey, that's alright with me
Coca-cola and apple pie
Dirt roads and old clothes lines
Familiar faces and dandelion bracelets
You never meet a stranger
And everybody helps out
Soft green grass, Sunday school and wild flowers
Driving [Repeat: x3]
Driving around
I'm just a small town girl [Repeat: x4]
The lyrics in "Small Town Girl" by Kellie Pickler paint a picture of the quintessential American small town. The opening lines describe the simple pleasures of growing up in rural America, where people drink sweet tea from mason jars and sit on their porches watching fireflies. Pickler's hometown is idyllic, with dogwood trees and pine forests all around. The Walmart is the town hub, where everyone goes on a Friday night to drive around.
Pickler celebrates her small town roots, and the way it shaped her personality. She's a "small town girl," and she's proud of it. The song contrasts her love for simple pleasures like fishing with her grandpa on the lake, with the glitz and glam of the big city. She's not interested in dressing up with fake eyelashes and designer clothes. She prefers cut-off jeans and an old ball cap. Her hometown is so small that you don't even need a map to get around, and she wouldn't want it any other way. She's content with who she is, and where she comes from.
The whole song is a celebration of small-town life, where Coca Cola and apple pie are the norm, and everyone knows everyone else. People wear old clothes and make dandelion bracelets. They're always happy to lend a hand and help out their neighbors. In "Small Town Girl," Pickler shows that you don't have to be a big-city girl to be happy. She loves her small town and wouldn't trade it for anything else.
Line by Line Meaning
I grew up where I could see the stars
I grew up in a place where there was barely any light pollution, where I could see the vast, glittering expanse of the night sky filled with stars.
Drinking sweet tea from a Mason jar
I used to drink Southern-style sweetened iced tea from a Mason jar. It was a deeply ingrained tradition in my hometown and an essential part of my upbringing.
Dogwood trees like leaves through the pine
I lived in an area dominated by pine trees, and the sight of the delicate dogwood trees with their pretty, white and pink petals amid the rugged pines stood out in stark contrast.
People on the porch watching fireflies
One of the most cherished memories of my childhood was sitting on the porch on warm summer nights with my family and friends, watching the mesmerizing show of twinkling fireflies flying around in the night sky.
And driving 'round the Wal-Mart on a Friday night
In small towns, even a routine trip to the local Walmart on a Friday night could become a fun social outing and an opportunity to meet people and catch up on community news.
I'm just a small town girl
Despite any opportunities that have arisen, I grew up in a small town, and that is part of my identity.
And that's all I'll ever be
I am comfortable and content with my rural upbringing and do not feel the need to change, as it has shaped who I am today.
Hey, that's alright with me
I am happy with who I am and where I come from, and I don't feel a need to fit into a certain mold or stereotype.
I'd rather be fishin' with grandpa on the lake
Spending time with my grandfather, doing one of his favorite activities (fishing), in a place that was meaningful to us both, holds greater value to me than trying harder to fit into a stereotype or doing something 'showier'.
Then getting all glammed up, Fake eyelashes on my face
I am a true reflection of who I am, and I have no desire to undergo elaborate makeovers or drastically changing my appearance by applying fake eyelashes or makeup.
Cut off jeans and an old ball cap
Wearing comfortable, casual clothes that match my lifestyle and preference suits me better than fancy or extravagant clothing that doesn't fit me.
A town so small you don't need a map
I have a deep connection to my town, a place so small that I know it like the back of my hand and don’t need a map to navigate my way around.
I'm just a small town girl
I grew up in a smaller setting, and my experiences are shaped by that.
Hey, that's alright with me
I embrace and celebrate this aspect of my identity.
I'd rather ride in a Chevy truck than a Ferrari
Rather than trying to impress people with luxuries and extravagances, I enjoy and am comfortable riding in a modest, reliable vehicle like a Chevy truck than a flashy Ferrari.
Give me a cheeseburger, I ain't eating no calamari
I prefer to eat simple and unpretentious meals like a cheeseburger instead of fancy dishes like calamari, which isn't really to my taste.
Coca-cola and apple pie
The simple pleasures of life like a Coca-Cola and apple pie are more than enough to make me happy.
Dirt roads and old clothes lines
I love the rustic charm of dirt roads and old clotheslines, which reminds me of my hometown.
Familiar faces and dandelion bracelets
Growing up in a small town means everyone is familiar with one another, and people could pick dandelions and make bracelets from them.
You never meet a stranger
In small towns, it is common to know everyone and make individuals feel as though they are not alone, even if they are a stranger.
And everybody helps out
People in small towns look out for one another and consistently lend a hand when it is needed.
Soft green grass, Sunday school and wild flowers
Lush, soft green grass, memorable times at Sunday school, and wildflowers flourishing in nearby fields all add to the charm of my small hometown.
Driving [Repeat: x3] Driving around
Going for a scenic drive around the town, with its idyllic landscapes, is a favorite pastime of mine to unwind and reflect.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, PICKLE BUTT PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AIMEE MAYO, KELLIE PICKLER, CHRIS LINDSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind