The trio originally formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2006 by Charles Kelley (lead and background vocals), Dave Haywood (background vocals, guitar, piano, mandolin) and Hillary Scott (lead and background vocals).
Scott is the daughter of country music singer Linda Davis, and Charles Kelley is the brother of pop artist Josh Kelley. It was these family connections and music industry ties that helped launch the band. Kelley moved to Nashville in mid-2005 from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he had been working construction with his brother John. Trying to become a successful solo country artist, Kelley convinced his old middle-school classmate, Haywood, to move to Nashville from Georgia in 2006 so they could write music together. Shortly thereafter, Scott recognized Kelley from MySpace, and they started to talk at a Nashville music club. Kelley later invited Scott to join him and Haywood in the new group, which assumed the name Lady Antebellum. The name Antebellum comes from when the group were photographing "antebellum" homes. The antebellum ('pre-war') architectural style describes the large plantation homes in the American South. While photographing the houses one of the group said that there's a great band name in there, and they adopted the Lady Antebellum name shortly after. The trio then began performing at local venues in Nashville before being signed in July 2007 to a recording contract with Capitol Records Nashville. In an interview with Sirius Satellite Radio, Scott claimed she was rejected from the hit show American Idol two times, not even making it past the first round.
Shortly after the trio signed to the label, adult contemporary artist Jim Brickman chose Lady Antebellum to sing on his 2007 single Never Alone, which reached #14 on the Billboard adult contemporary charts. In mid-2007, Lady Antebellum also wrote a song for the MTV reality television series The Hills.
Their solo debut single Love Don't Live Here was released in September of 2007, with a music video for the song following in December. This song was the lead-off single to the band's self-titled debut album. Released on April 15, 2008, Lady Antebellum was produced by Paul Worley and Victoria Shaw, a Nashville songwriter and former solo artist. Love Don't Live Here reached #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. The album itself was the first album by a new duo or group to debut at Number One on the Billboard Top Country Albums charts.
A second single, Lookin' for a Good Time, was issued in June 2008 and peaked at #11 in December. In addition, Lady Antebellum was signed as an opening act on Martina McBride's "Waking Up Laughing Tour" in 2008. Lady Antebellum also contributed the song I Was Here to the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack, a song which peaked at #24 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 based on downloads. In December 2008, their rendition of Baby, It's Cold Outside peaked at #3 on the same chart. Their third official single, I Run to You, was released in January 2009. It eventually became the trio's first Number One in July 2009.
On October 7, 2009 their debut album was certified platinum by the RIAA for shipments of one million copies in the United States.
In August 2009, the group released their fourth single, Need You Now, the lead-off single and title track to their second studio album. It debuted at #50 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and became their second Number One hit on the charts for the week of November 28, 2009. The song also reached a peak of #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was a number-one hit on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart, making it a crossover hit. A second single, American Honey, was released to radio on January 11, 2010 and would become their third #1 hit. Our Kind of Love was released as the third single from the album on May 31, 2010 and became a #1 single in September, 2010.
The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums charts for the week of Feb. 2, 2010, selling 480,922 copies in the first week. Four weeks after the album's release, it was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The week of January 9, 2011, the group ventured into the studio to begin recording for their third studio album. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kelley said, "We actually just went ahead and decided we’re gonna take two, two and a half months straight in the studio to create this thing and not have all this distraction. Hopefully that will be a good thing". He goes on to say that the group has around 50 songs which they plan to choose from along with songs from other songwriters. However, he singles out a song called Dancing Away With My Heart as one the band is particularly excited about, a song that the group co-wrote with Josh Kear, who previously wrote with the group on their hit Need You Now.
On May 2, 2011, the group released the first single from their upcoming album, titled Just a Kiss. The group performed the single on stage on American Idol's result show on May 5, 2011.
On June 11, 2020, amid the George Floyd protests, the band announced they would rename themselves "Lady A" in order to avoid racist connotations with Civil War history, as the original name was based on the Antebellum South. The band stated on social media that they were "deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused and for anyone who has felt unsafe, unseen or unvalued."
Better Off Now
Lady Antebellum Lyrics
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There ain't ever gonna be a way to work it out, not after a night like this
I've been waiting on your call now just the silence and me
I know you want me to chase you around but I'm so tired of asking you please
I'm through with this, I'll forget your kiss and move on
There'll be no sleepless nights, I'll be alright from now on
I'm better off now that you're gone
You put me so far down girl, I couldn't even stand on my own
Ghosts of you would come back to me whenever I was alone
Now the candles have all burned out and the doors are locked and chained
Have no doubts this time I've figured out a way to end all your games
I'm through with this, I'll forget your kiss and move on
There'll be no sleepless nights, I'll be alright from now on
I'm better off now that you're gone
I'm better off now that you're gone
Nights filled with empty bottles and picking up broken glass
I should have known from the very first night, that this just would never last
Oh, I'm through with this, I'll forget your kiss and move on
There'll be no sleepless nights, I'll be alright from now on
I'm better off now that you're gone
I'm better off now that you're gone
So much better off now that you're gone
The song "Better Off Now" by Lady Antebellum is a ballad about a failed relationship. The lyrics depict a complicated and painful breakup between two people who cannot seem to resolve their issues. The song begins with the singer admitting that he threw away a lifetime with his partner, however, she does not seem to care as she laughs it off, calling his pain a sin. They both know that there is no chance of reconciliation after "a night like this." The singer then laments the silence from his partner, as he knows that she wants him to chase her but he is tired of begging her to stay.
The chorus of the song reveals that the singer believes he is better off without his partner. He is ready to move on and forget about her kiss. The pain that he once felt has turned into relief, and he is no longer willing to suffer sleepless nights because of their relationship. The second verse reveals that the partner in question had consistently put him down, and he was unable to stand on his own. Ghosts of her would haunt him when he was alone. However, the singer is now taking control, locking the doors on her and moving on from her cruel mind games.
Line by Line Meaning
I threw away a lifetime, you laughed and called it a sin
You dismissed my devotion and commitment for our relationship as something to ridicule.
There ain't ever gonna be a way to work it out, not after a night like this
We had a catastrophic event, and there's no possible resolution between us.
I've been waiting on your call now just the silence and me
I hoped to hear from you, but your absence left me with just quietness and my thoughts.
I know you want me to chase you around but I'm so tired of asking you please
You want me to pursue you, but I'm exhausted of constantly needing to request your love and affection.
You put me so far down girl, I couldn't even stand on my own
You devastated me so much that I couldn't even function properly.
Ghosts of you would come back to me whenever I was alone
I would still think of you when I was solitary, and your memory would haunt me.
Now the candles have all burned out and the doors are locked and chained
The romantic atmosphere we had is gone, and I'm now keeping myself guarded and safe from you.
Have no doubts this time I've figured out a way to end all your games
I'm confident in my ability to stop playing your manipulative and hurtful games.
Nights filled with empty bottles and picking up broken glass
I resorted to alcohol and suffered the consequences of trying to numb the pain caused by our relationship.
I should have known from the very first night, that this just would never last
I regret entering into this relationship as it was doomed from the beginning.
So much better off now that you're gone
I've found happiness and contentment now that I'm no longer bound to you.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRIAN PHILLIP LAYSON, WILL HOGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind