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.”
Going Going Gone
Kimberly Caldwell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause you ain't doing right
Heard you gone and blown it, baby
Sleeping in your bed of lies
If you're gonna do stuff
Then you should've cleaned it up
If you needed more love
Instead of posing, making me think everything was fine.
I was trying to fight it, so in disbelief
'Cause I really thought that this was one
I kept saying to myself I need to leave
But this time I really mean it, I'm done
[Chorus]
Don't blink if you're looking for me
'Cause I'm going going gone this time, yeah
Don't think you can do this to me
There's no more deceiving, this time I'm leaving
Don't blink if you're looking for me
'Cause I'm going going gone this time, yeah
Don't think you can do this to me
There's no more deceiving, this time I'm leaving
I'm gone
I'm gone
Save the dumb excuses, baby
'Cause it ain't gonna fly
You took my love for granted, baby
You can sleep alone tonight
'Cause I packed my clothes
All my stuff is in the trunk
You would've seen dust
If you hadn't just pulled up
I'm getting out
It's over, babe
I'm not changing my mind
I was trying to fight it, so in disbelief
'Cause I really thought that this was one
I kept saying to myself I need to leave
But this time I really mean it, I'm done
Oh, yeah
[Chorus]
It was so foolish of me
To stay with you
As long as I didn't know it, ooooh
This love is over, honey
I'm warning you
Don't even call my friends, try to look for me 'cause I'm out of reach
Ooooooooooh
[Chorus]
I'm gone
I'm gone
I'm gone
In Kimberly Caldwell's song Going Going Gone, the songstress confronts her deceitful partner who has taken her love for granted, as he proffers lame excuses in a bid to save the relationship. In the first verse, "Everybody's talking, baby/ 'Cause you ain't doing right/ Heard you gone and blown it, baby/ Sleeping in your bed of lies," the clever use of metaphors suggests that her partner has been deceiving her, and it seems everyone in their circle knows about his shenanigans. Caldwell bemoans the fact that instead of being honest and expressing his needs or love, he lied to her, portraying everything as being fine. She argues that If he was looking for more love or needed something from her, he should have said so instead of leading her on all the while. Frustrated and done with putting up with his shenanigans, she has decided to leave the relationship for good.
Caldwell's strong-willed nature is captured in the chorus, "Don't blink if you're looking for me/ 'Cause I'm going going gone this time, yeah/ Don't think you can do this to me/ There's no more deceiving, this time I'm leaving/ I'm gone." Here, we can see that she is determined to leave the relationship entirely and not simply take a break. She warns him not to try and search for her, stating that the relationship is over and she's not returning. In the second verse, she reiterates that her decision is final, and she's not going to succumb to the pressure from her partner, who expects her to change her mind. Caldwell packs her bags and leaves, emphasising that she is not interested in any more lies.
Overall, the song's central theme is about confronting and leaving toxic relationships. Kimberly Caldwell uses a strong and assertive tone in the song, portraying how women should take charge of their lives by not putting up with any emotional abuse or lies from their partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's talking, baby
Everyone is gossiping about you
'Cause you ain't doing right
Because you have done something wrong
Heard you gone and blown it, baby
I heard that you messed up badly
Sleeping in your bed of lies
You are living with the consequences of your deceitful behavior
If you're gonna do stuff
If you were going to do something
Then you should've cleaned it up
You should have made things right
If you needed more love
If you needed more attention and affection
Then you should of just spoke up
You should have communicated your needs
Instead of posing, making me think everything was fine.
Instead of pretending that everything was okay
I was trying to fight it, so in disbelief
I was trying to resist the truth, shocked by your betrayal
'Cause I really thought that this was one
Because I believed that our relationship was true and real
I kept saying to myself I need to leave
I kept telling myself that I should end things
But this time I really mean it, I'm done
But this time I am serious, I am ending things for good
Don't blink if you're looking for me
Don't look away or you might miss me
'Cause I'm going going gone this time, yeah
Because I am leaving for good
Don't think you can do this to me
Don't believe that you can deceive me again
There's no more deceiving, this time I'm leaving
There will be no more lies, I am leaving you
Save the dumb excuses, baby
Don't bother coming up with excuses
'Cause it ain't gonna fly
Because I won't believe them
You took my love for granted, baby
You did not appreciate my love
You can sleep alone tonight
You will be alone tonight
'Cause I packed my clothes
Because I have packed my things
All my stuff is in the trunk
All of my belongings are in the car
You would've seen dust
You would have seen me leaving quickly
If you hadn't just pulled up
If you had not just arrived home
I'm getting out
I am leaving
It's over, babe
Our relationship is finished
I'm not changing my mind
I am not going to change my decision
It was so foolish of me
It was very silly of me
To stay with you
To remain in a relationship with you
As long as I didn't know it, ooooh
As long as I was unaware of the truth
This love is over, honey
Our love is finished
I'm warning you
I am advising you
Don't even call my friends, try to look for me 'cause I'm out of reach
Don't try to contact me through my friends, I am not available
I'm gone
I have left
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Delisha Thomas, Eric N Schermerhorn, Wayne Steven Jr Rodrigues
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind