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.”
Heart Like Mine
Kimberly Caldwell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe it's the way you wanna find me but you can hide
'Cause you and I now that you are not innocent
There's a lot of guilts you're waiting for
[Chorus]
So you go and tell me that I'm better off without you baby
Let me share some
You took what's mine
I want it back as fast as you packed up and left my life
It's not ok
Treating me this way
I'll rather let you break my heart and live with your mistakes
'Cause you'll never find another heart like mine
So how's it feels knowing the skies comin' in?
Knowing you the way that I do, you'd probably smile
That part still loves what's worse in me and over it
Just knowin' there is a part of you that was
[Chorus]
I'm better off, I'm movin' on
What you did made us wrong
Just in case you can't face me
Say So long
To let you know that I don't care
'Cause you won't find a heart like mine anywhere
Another heart like mine
Like mine
Never gonna find a heart like mine
Never gonna find a heart like mine
Never gonna find a heart like mine
[Chorus]
In the song "Heart Like Mine," Kimberly Caldwell talks about the conflict between two people in a relationship. The lyrics suggest that the person she is addressing in the song is not innocent and is hiding something. The song talks about how the person is trying to deceive the singer and get away with it. The singer is angry and wants the person to know that she wants what is rightfully hers back. The chorus is a message to the person that they will never find someone like the singer - someone with a heart like hers.
The lyrics and delivery of "Heart Like Mine" display a story of an individual who has been hurt and betrayed by their partner. The singer constantly emphasizes that the person will never find a heart like hers, indicating the unique character and quality of the love she has to offer. The song implies that even though she has been broken hearted, the singer will be better off without the other person.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe it's the way to try to get away with this
Perhaps you think you can avoid the consequences of your actions
Maybe it's the way you wanna find me but you can hide
Or maybe you're trying to hide from the truth that you know will catch up with you
'Cause you and I now that you are not innocent
We both know that you're responsible for the pain you've caused
There's a lot of guilts you're waiting for
You're going to have to face the guilt and consequences of your actions
So you go and tell me that I'm better off without you baby
You try to convince me that I'm better off without you
Let me share some
But let me tell you
It's not all right
It is not okay
You took what's mine
You took something that was mine
I want it back as fast as you packed up and left my life
I want it back as quickly as you took it away and left me
It's not ok
It is not okay
Treating me this way
Treating me poorly like this
I'll rather let you break my heart and live with your mistakes
I'd rather let you break my heart and suffer the consequences of your mistakes
'Cause you'll never find another heart like mine
Because you'll never find anyone else who will love you like I did
So how's it feels knowing the skies comin' in?
How does it feel to know that your actions will have consequences?
Knowing you the way that I do, you'd probably smile
I know you well enough to know that you're probably not truly sorry
That part still loves what's worse in me and over it
You still love the part of me that is not good for you, but you've moved on from it
Just knowin' there is a part of you that was
Just knowing that you still have feelings for me
I'm better off, I'm movin' on
I'm better off without you, and I'm moving on
What you did made us wrong
Your actions ruined our relationship
Just in case you can't face me
In case you can't confront me and apologize
Say So long
Just say goodbye
To let you know that I don't care
To let you know that I'm not affected by your actions anymore
Because you won't find a heart like mine anywhere
Because no one else will love you like I did
Another heart like mine
Another person who loves you like I did
Like mine
Will never exist
Never gonna find a heart like mine
You will never find anyone else who loves you like I did
Never gonna find a heart like mine
You will never find anyone else who loves you like I did
Never gonna find a heart like mine
You will never find anyone else who loves you like I did
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHAD KROEGER, JOEY MOI, KARA DIOGUARDI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind