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."
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
Lady Antebellum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Along the way
Have left me with these walls and these scars
That won't go away
And opening up has always been the hardest thing
Until you came
So lay here beside me just hold me and don't let go
And I just can't take my eyes off you
And I just can't take my eyes off you
I love when you tell me that I'm pretty
When I just wake up
And I love how you tease me when I'm moody
But it's never too much
I'm falling fast but the truth is I'm not scared at all
You climbed my walls
So lay here beside me just hold me and don't let go
This feelin' I'm feelin' is somethin' I've never known
And I just can't take my eyes off you
And I just can't take my eyes off you
Off you
Off you
So lay here beside me just hold me and don't let go
This feelin' I'm feelin' is somethin' I've never known
And I just can't take my eyes off you
And I just can't take my eyes off you
The lyrics of Lady Antebellum's song "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" express vulnerability, as the singer recognizes the pain of their past experiences and the walls and scars it has left them with. However, with the entrance of a new love, the singer feels something they have never experienced before, something that has them falling "fast." This love has opened the doors to the singer's heart and made them feel comforted and secure, something they have never felt before.
The line "And opening up has always been the hardest thing, Until you came" highlights the difficulty the singer experienced in letting someone into their innermost thoughts and feelings. Vulnerability is a necessary aspect of love, but not everyone is ready to take that risk. The singer acknowledges that finding the right person can make all the difference, recognizing the healing power of love and how it can help break down the walls we build up around ourselves.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "And I just can't take my eyes off you," underscoring the strong emotions the singer feels for their partner. The love and connectedness expressed in the lyrics of the song make it a moving and relatable ballad for anyone who has ever been hesitant to open their heart to someone new.
Line by Line Meaning
I know that the bridges that I've burned Along the way Have left me with these walls and these scars That won't go away
I acknowledge that my past actions have caused damage and I have built emotional barriers as a result, which are difficult to overcome.
And opening up has always been the hardest thing Until you came
Previously, I found it challenging to share my feelings with others, but now that you are a part of my life, it has become easier.
So lay here beside me just hold me and don't let go This feelin' I'm feelin' is somethin' I've never known And I just can't take my eyes off you
Being close to you and feeling this new sensation is incredible and I cannot look away from you.
I love when you tell me that I'm pretty When I just wake up And I love how you tease me when I'm moody But it's never too much
I appreciate the way you make me feel beautiful even when I am not at my best, and how you can lighten my mood with your humor without overdoing it.
I'm falling fast but the truth is I'm not scared at all You climbed my walls
I am quickly developing feelings for you, but surprisingly, the thought of getting close to you doesn't frighten me anymore, as you have already managed to break down my defenses.
Off you
Repeating the phrase 'Off you' emphasizes the strength of my desire towards you.
So lay here beside me just hold me and don't let go This feelin' I'm feelin' is somethin' I've never known And I just can't take my eyes off you
Once again, I am overwhelmed by the emotions that being near you brings, and cannot stop looking at you.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVE HAYWOOD, CHARLES KELLEY, HILLARY SCOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind