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."
Friday Night
Lady Antebellum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stuck in traffic going slow nothing on the radio
I don't wanna be another chore to check off on your list
Of things you gotta do and places that you gotta go
Oh no
I wanna be your Friday night sweet ride
I wanna be your jackpot hot spot wide
Open road in a candy apple rag top
I wanna set you free, I wanna take you high
I wanna be, wanna be your Friday night
We can rock together let the good times roll forever
Fill up our cup make a memory drink it up
I don't wanna miss another minute wanna live it with you
Neath the blue sky fallin' in love
I wanna be your Friday night sweet ride
Summertime sunshine barefoot in the moonlight
I wanna be your jackpot hot spot wide
Open road in a candy apple rag top
I wanna set you free, I wanna take you high
I wanna be, wanna be your Friday night
I wanna be your lemonade in the shade
Money in your pocket 'cause you just got paid babe
I wanna be your Friday night sweet ride
Summertime sunshine barefoot in the moonlight
I wanna be your jackpot hot spot wide
Open road in a candy apple rag top
I wanna set you free, I wanna get you high
I wanna be, wanna be your Friday night
Wanna be your Friday night
Fr-fr-fr-Friday night
In the song "Friday Night" by Lady Antebellum, the lyrics are directed towards a lover who the singer wants to have a fun and carefree time with, rather than just being another thing on their to-do list. The first verse describes the mundane and unexciting feeling of Mondays, where heading back to work with nothing on the radio and stuck in traffic is a drag. The second verse presents an alternative, where the singer wants to be the highlight of their partner's week, "the jackpot hot spot wide open road in a candy apple rag top." The singer expresses the desire to make memories and enjoy each moment together, while also expressing the sentiment of falling in love.
The chorus embodies the central idea of the song, which is wanting to be the person who makes their partner's Friday nights memorable and exciting. The line "I wanna be your jackpot hot spot wide open road in a candy apple rag top" suggests a desire to be the source of their partner's happiness and excitement. The last verse provides additional imagery of being their partner's lemonade in the shade, money in their pocket, and someone who makes them feel good. The song overall conveys the universal desire for love and adventure, and the lyrics beautifully capture this sentiment.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna be your Monday morning heading back to work
I don't want to be the reminder that the weekend is over and you have to go back to work, making you feel tired and stressed.
Stuck in traffic going slow nothing on the radio
The daily commute can be frustrating, especially when there's nothing interesting on the radio to help pass the time.
I don't wanna be another chore to check off on your list
I don't want to be just another task that you need to accomplish, like doing laundry or going grocery shopping.
Of things you gotta do and places that you gotta go
Your schedule is already full of obligations and responsibilities, and I don't want to add another item to your to-do list.
I wanna be your Friday night sweet ride
I want to be the exciting and enjoyable moment at the end of the week that you look forward to, like a fun evening out with friends.
Summertime sunshine barefoot in the moonlight
I want to create a carefree and relaxed mood, like enjoying a warm summer night outside in the gentle glow of the moon, without any shoes on your feet.
I wanna be your jackpot hot spot wide
I want to be your lucky charm or your secret treasure that brings you good luck and makes you feel like a winner, in a fun and exciting place where we can let loose and have fun.
Open road in a candy apple rag top
I want to experience the thrill of driving down an open road in a flashy and attractive sports car, like one with a candy-apple red color and a convertible top.
I wanna set you free, I wanna take you high
I want to help you forget about your worries and experience pure happiness and joy, like reaching a state of euphoria where you feel free and liberated.
We can rock together let the good times roll forever
We can have fun and celebrate life together, enjoying great music and each other's company, making memories that we'll cherish forever.
Fill up our cup make a memory drink it up
Let's celebrate our time together and make it unforgettable by drinking and enjoying ourselves in the moment, creating memories that will last forever.
I don't wanna miss another minute wanna live it with you
I don't want to let any more time slip away without making the most of it with you, experiencing every moment to the fullest and making memories that we'll treasure.
Neath the blue sky fallin' in love
Under the beautiful blue sky, we can fall deeply in love and experience a moment of pure bliss and happiness.
I wanna be your lemonade in the shade
I want to be the refreshing and sweet drink that quenches your thirst and helps you escape the heat of the sun in a peaceful and relaxing place.
Money in your pocket 'cause you just got paid babe
Let's celebrate your hard work and achievement by having a good time, knowing that you can afford to splurge a little, having earned some money from your job or business.
Wanna be your Friday night
Overall, I want to be the one who makes your Friday night and weekend unforgettable, creating memories and a good time that we both can always look back on and smile.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group
Written by: ERIC PASLAY, ROSE FALCON, ROB CROSBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind