Perhaps best known as a second season contestant on television phenomenon American Idol, Caldwell struck a chord with millions of the show’s viewers thanks to her gutsy vocals, passionate performances, and earthy charisma. On Without Regret, she wields her full-throttle belt to maximum effect on a series of emotionally resonant, pop-inflected rock songs, several of which she co-wrote. There are buoyant, propulsive rockers (female empowerment anthem “Going Going Gone” and first single “Mess of You”), the fiery and powerful (“Cost of Love” and “Heart Like Mine”), as well as soaring, graceful love songs (“Say Love” and the soulful “If You’re Gonna Fall”). Caldwell also covers Melissa Etheridge’s “Sleep While I Drive” as a tribute to Etheridge, whose “Come to My Window” Caldwell performed memorably on Idol. “We kind of conceived this album as a modern-day Melissa Etheridge moment,” Caldwell says. “I’m a massive fan of hers, as well as of Bonnie Raitt and Ann Wilson. I just love these fearless female rockers who sing straight from the heart.”
Caldwell strove to achieve the boldness of her favorite artists on Without Regret by recording songs that spoke to her, such as “Cost of Love” (written by Diane Warren) and “Heart Like Mine” (co-written by American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi and Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger), as well as co-writing four highly personal songs: “Taking Back My Life,” “Human After All,” “Frozen,” and “Say Love” — all of which document the different stages and emotions surrounding relationships. For Caldwell, the overall theme of Without Regret is just being human. “Like everyone else, I’ve had hardships: broken family, broken hearts, and thank God I did because I’ve been able to write honestly about the experiences in my life that have affected me in both good ways and bad,” she says. “If my music can give someone that push they need just to keep on going, then I’ve done my job.”
To help her deliver the authentic vocal performances she knew the songs required, Caldwell turned to producer Marshall Altman who has worked with singer-songwriters Matt Nathanson, Marc Broussard, and Kate Voegele, among others. “Marshall was amazing because he really welcomed all the emotion that went into making this record,” Caldwell says. “He taught me to embrace the imperfections — to stop worrying about every note being perfect and just let go.”
The most important thing, Caldwell says, “is that I jumped over to the fearless side. This album is my first step in allowing people to know ‘I’ve been where you are, I hurt like you do, but I’ve turned it around and made something positive moving forward and so can you.’”
Caldwell developed her fierce determination through a childhood that had its share of obstacles. Born in Katy, Texas, she describes herself as an attention-seeking kid who would climb on the coffee table, throw her hands in the air, and scream, “Look at me! I can do this!” “I’ve always wanted to be an entertainer,” she says. “I just wanted to perform for people.” That desire led to four years on the beauty pageant circuit, from ages 5 to age 9. “I loved the hair and makeup. I loved rehearsing,” she says. “My mom would have these extravagant outfits made, like red lamé with silver fringe and she would spray paint a silver cowboy hat and boots for me, the whole nine yards.”
A fan of country music and such artists as Reba McEntire, the Judds, and Randy Travis, Caldwell became obsessed with appearing on the television talent show Star Search, “the way people are with American Idol today,” she says. She wound up winning the competition five times, the most wins for a junior vocalist on the original version. At age 12, she landed a gig as a featured performer on a singing revue called “Country Tonite,” which meant a family move to Branson, MO, where the show was located. Caldwell sang country favorites six days a week, performing two shows a day, “doing full-on numbers where the dancers picked me up and I’m wearing a headset,” she recalls. Her mother told her she could stop anytime, but she loved performing and carried on for three years. Then at age 15, she decided she wanted to move back to Katy and “just be normal.”
Around this time, her parents’ marriage fell apart, her relationship with her father deteriorated, and her mother struggled to support her and her younger sister. Caldwell coped by going through what she describes as a rebellious phase, but the absence of performing took a deep emotional toll on her. So when auditions for the second season of American Idol rolled through Texas, Caldwell decided to take her shot and rode the wave all the way to the Top 10. When the show ended, she set out on a nationwide trek with the other finalists on the “Idols Live!” tour, then parlayed her fan favorite status into a stint as a correspondent for the entertainment/extreme sports program 54321 on FOX Sports Network, followed by a job as an entertainment correspondent and host for the TV Guide Network.
“I enjoyed hosting, but I didn’t want to let go of music or my dream of making an album,” Caldwell says. She spent several years working with her mentor, hit-maker Diane Warren, and several people approached her about numerous music projects, but nothing concrete really panned out until mid-2008. That’s when Caldwell wrote several songs that finally hit the emotional notes she knew she was capable of. The strength of her songs, plus her powerhouse voice, landed Caldwell a deal with Vanguard Records, part of the Welk Music Group. Shortly thereafter, Vanguard partnered with EMI Music Group to release Without Regret through Vanguard/Capitol.
“My two main philosophies are that everything happens for a reason and never apologize for who you are,” Caldwell says. “I try to live by both each day. I wasn’t meant to make an album any sooner because it wasn’t the right time for me. Now I’m on the right path and I really feel, for the first time, like I am truly fearless.”
Cost Of Love
Kimberly Caldwell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The cost of love can rip your world apart
It can tear you up till you're down
Spit you out, bleed you dry
Yeah, the cost of love can have a painful price
The cost of love
But the cost of being alone is being lonely Getting over love from nobody
Living no life at all
And the cost of being alone is feeling empty
When you got no love, you got nothing
Better to pay the cost of love
The cost of love can purge you nights of sleep
The cost of love can cause you pain so deep
It can wear you out, wear you down
Mix you up, mess up your mind, yeah, yeah
Yeah, the cost of love can cost so much sometimes
But the cost of being alone is being lonely
Getting over love from nobody
Living no life at all
And the cost of being alone is feeling empty
When you got no love, you got nothing
Better to pay the cost of love
'Cause love can be so good sometimes
But you will never know
If you don't let love inside
Don't hide your heart away
You'll be sorry someday, yeah, yeah
But the cost of being alone is being lonely
Living no life at all
And the cost of being alone is feeling empty
When you got no love, you got nothing
Better to pay the cost of love
The cost of being alone is being lonely
Getting over love from
nobody
Living no life at all
And the cost of being alone is feeling empty
When you got no love, you got nothing
Better to pay the cost of love
In these lyrics, the artist Kimberly Caldwell expresses the idea that love can be both wonderful and difficult. Caldwell starts by talking about the cost of love, which can lead to a broken heart or having one's world turned upside down. She sings that love can be so painful that it can wear you out and tear you up. However, Caldwell argues that even with this pain, it's better to pay the cost of love than to be alone. Being alone can be just as painful and costly, as it can leave you feeling empty and without love.
The artist then goes on to discuss how love can be good sometimes, but it's hard to know this if you don't let love inside. She concludes by reminding listeners that the cost of being alone is still greater than the cost of love. These lyrics are essentially a reminder that love can be both beautiful and painful, but it's better to embrace it than to be alone.
Line by Line Meaning
The cost of love can be a broken heart
Being in love comes with a risk of experiencing heartbreak.
The cost of love can rip your world apart
The intense emotions that come with love can have a devastating effect on your life.
It can tear you up till you're down
Love can leave you emotionally drained and exhausted.
Spit you out, bleed you dry
Love can leave you feeling used and emotionally depleted.
Yeah, the cost of love can have a painful price
Being in love can come with emotional pain and hardships.
But the cost of being alone is being lonely
Being alone can leave you feeling isolated and unhappy.
Getting over love from nobody
Trying to move on from a past love when you have no one to support you through it can be difficult.
Living no life at all
A life without love can feel empty and lacking in meaning.
And the cost of being alone is feeling empty
Being alone can cause feelings of emptiness and sadness.
When you got no love, you got nothing
Love is an essential part of life and without it, life can feel meaningless.
Better to pay the cost of love
Despite the potential risks and hardships, love is worth pursuing and investing in.
The cost of love can purge you nights of sleep
The intense emotions of love can disrupt your ability to sleep and affect your mental and emotional wellbeing.
The cost of love can cause you pain so deep
Love can cause emotional pain that runs deep and lasts a long time.
It can wear you out, wear you down
Love can be emotionally draining and exhausting over time.
Mix you up, mess up your mind, yeah, yeah
Love can be confusing and cause mental and emotional turmoil.
Cause love can be so good sometimes
Despite the potential risks and hardships, love can bring immense joy and happiness.
But you will never know
If you don't open yourself up to love, you may never experience its full potential.
If you don't let love inside
You need to be open to love in order to let it into your life and experience its benefits.
Don't hide your heart away
You need to be vulnerable and open in order to experience love.
You'll be sorry someday, yeah, yeah
If you don't pursue love, you may regret it in the future.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DIANE EVE WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind