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."
We Owned the Night
Lady Antebellum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone so much it hurts?
Your lips keep trying to speak
But you just can't find the words
Well I had this dream once
I held it in my hands
She was the purest beauty
She had a way about her
That made you feel alive
And for a moment
You made the world stand still
Yeah we owned the night
You had me dim the lights
You danced just like a child
The wine spilled on your dress
And all you did was smile
Yeah, it was perfect
I hold it in my mind
Yeah, we owned the night
When the summer rolls around
And the sun starts sinking down
I still remember you
Oh, I remember you
And I wonder where you are
Are you looking at those
Same stars again?
Do you remember when?
We woke under a blanket
All tangled up in skin
Not knowing in that moment
We'd never speak again
But it was perfect
I never will forget
When we owned the night
Yeah, we owned the night
Oh oh woah oh
Oh oh woah oh
Oh oh woah oh
Oh oh woah oh
In "We Owned the Night" by Lady Antebellum, the lyrics describe a dream and memories of a perfect moment. The singer talks about falling in love with someone with whom they felt an indescribable connection. They reminisce about a specific night, where they danced and laughed with each other. The night was magical, and even in the passing of time, the memory of it lingers on. The singer thinks back on this memory fondly and wonders where the person is now.
The song captures the essence of a love that was once cherished, but also acknowledges that it has passed. The singer recalls the night they spent together and the way it made them feel alive. The lyrics paint a picture of a fleeting moment, but one that is still worth remembering. The song reminds us of the beauty of living in the moment and making the most out of every experience. It is a tribute to the power of love and how it can transcend time.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me have you ever wanted
Someone so much it hurts?
Have you ever desired someone so intensely that it physically pains you?
Your lips keep trying to speak
But you just can't find the words
You are tongue-tied around this person; words escape you.
Well I had this dream once
I held it in my hands
I held a dream, an experience that I cherished.
She was the purest beauty
But not the common kind
She possessed a rare, singular beauty.
She had a way about her
That made you feel alive
Being around her was invigorating.
And for a moment
You made the world stand still
Yeah we owned the night
Together, we had an unforgettable moment where it felt like the world stopped.
You had me dim the lights
You danced just like a child
The wine spilled on your dress
And all you did was smile
Yeah, it was perfect
I hold it in my mind
Yeah, we owned the night
We had an intimate, perfect moment together where we danced and smiled, forgetting about everything else.
When the summer rolls around
And the sun starts sinking down
I still remember you
Oh, I remember you
And I wonder where you are
When summer comes and the sun sets, I can't help but think of you and wonder where you are now.
Are you looking at those
Same stars again?
Do you remember when?
Are you under the same stars we once admired, thinking about the same memories I am?
We woke under a blanket
All tangled up in skin
Not knowing in that moment
We'd never speak again
But it was perfect
I never will forget
When we owned the night
We had a moment of intimacy under a blanket, but unbeknownst to us, that was the last time we'd see or speak to each other. Despite the heartbreak, that night was perfect.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DALLAS DAVIDSON, DAVE HAYWOOD, CHARLES KELLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tatiana McAdams
This is absolutely one of my all time favorite songs. I can listen to this on replay and never get tired.
Red Moon 96
I'm honestly surprised this isn't more popular. Sounded like a hit.
Arrin Matthew
+Red Moon 96 so very true, it is a good song isn't it?
Corrin Jessen
+Arrin Matthew Did you not read the comment above? this song was a huge hit..
Arrin Matthew
ik i said that basically
Corrin Jessen
Arrin Matthew No you didn't.. You agreed with them that it was a good song and should have been a hit.. It was a hit.
Arrin Matthew
okay well i didnt mea to say it that way
ilovemymilitary
"Tell me have you ever wanted someone so much it hurts." If I could, I would start an award for "Best Opening Line" and this would win everytime. You just can't beat the rush and diversity of emotions that course through one person when those words are sung.....
1_wrestler1
My heart drops
Amanda Montiel
all their songs are so universal. i love them for not making me feel like the only one that feels a certain way about someone.