Born Amanda Carol Barnett, the only child of Betty and Dan Barnett (who worked respectively as a bookkeeper and contractor), she was named after Amanda Blake, the husky-voiced actress who played Miss Kitty on the long-running television western “Gunsmoke." Barnett began her musical career by singing in church at the age of five. Members of the congregation noticed her perfect pitch, and that her vocal performance had star quality. Her mother encouraged her by booking singing engagements wherever people would listen: bowling alleys, VFW halls and political rallies (notably for Lamar Alexander and future Vice President Al Gore, Jr.. When there was no venue, she would perform in parking lots. By age nine, her father financed a professionally recorded gospel music album. The following summer, she had joined a summer theatre cast at Dollywood and shared the stage with Dolly Parton herself. It was during her two years at Dollywood that she won a talent contest that included making a demo in Nashville, just a two-hour drive from her home.
During the trip to Nashville, Betty Barnett worked to get her talented daughter a spot on the well-known "Midnight Jamboree" radio show, which aired after the Grand Ole Opry program on WSM-AM. Opry star George Hamilton IV was also a guest on the program, and was so impressed he commented, "If there are any producers out there, you better call." One did indeed, and she was soon signed by producer Jimmy Bowen. The then 12-year-old Barnett earned a lot of industry buzz after her debut on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, covering Patsy Cline's "Crazy." It would prove to be a foreshadowing moment of her professional career.
Bowen's career transitioned from label to label at the time. Each time, he took young Barnett with him, and despite constant training and development funding, no album ever resulted. Barnett graduated from high school in 1993 and headed back to Nashville full-time to seek her fortune. Ironically, her label, Capitol Records dropped her that December.
A stroke of luck finally came her way early in 1994, when she heard about auditions for a stage show that very day, much to her surprise. Called Always... Patsy Cline, she felt she was a natural to play the legendary country chanteuse, and she beat out all the others who tried out for the part. It played nightly at the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry where Cline herself had sung, and Barnett performed to sold-out crowds for two years. Thanks to reviews that constantly compared her favorably to Cline, Barnett was a hot property on Music Row again, finally putting out self-titled album on Asylum Records in 1996. Three singles from the album charted on the Billboard country charts.
Working with the country glitterati, including Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill and Trisha Yearwood, Barnett's star was rising. A nationwide tour in 1997 was met with good reviews. She reprised her role in Always... Patsy Cline (this time with above-the-title billing) for a short time and she contributed performances to two film soundtracks before releasing her next album in 1999 on Sire Records, I've Got A Right to Cry, produced by the man who had made Patsy Cline herself a star, studio legend Owen Bradley. He died mid-way through the project and his brother Harold Bradley took over production duties. It would be released soon after Bradley's death.
Reviews of I've Got A Right To Cry were strong, including raves in Rolling Stone, but sales disappointed, and Barnett was dropped from Sire. Press interviews constantly compare her to Patsy Cline, which may have resulted in a musical form of typecasting and negatively impacted her career. Barnett maintains that Cline is an influence, but that she is not a Patsy Cline impersonator.
Having learned from Music Row veterans, she began working herself as a record producer in 2000, working with gospel and country artists. Barnett keeps her intimate life very private, and currently resides in Nashville. She continues to sing in concerts around the city and works as a producer.
It's All Right
Mandy Barnett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I walk just like I'm blind
I'm late when I get there
I've lost all track of time
Won't somebody help me now
And tell me what this is all about
And somebody explain this feeling
Makes me wanna shout
Come on, how about this feeling now (It's all right, you're just in love)
What did you say (It's all right, you're just in love)
One more time now (It's all right, you're just in love)
It's all right, oh, it's all right (It's all right, it's all right)
Every time I see someone
They just stop and stare
I guess they think I'm crazy
But I don't really care
I don't know where I'm going now
Or where in the world I'll be
Somebody's gotta tell me
What kind of shape I'm in
Come on, tell me about this feeling now (It's all right, you're just in love)
I hear the birds are singing (It's all right, you're just in love)
I hear the church bells ringing (It's all right, you're just in love)
It's all right, oh (It's all right, it's all right)
Come on, tell me about this feeling now (It's all right, you're just in love)
What did you say (It's all right, you're just in love)
One more time now (It's all right, you're just in love)
It's all right, oh (It's all right, it's all right)
(It's all right, you're just in love) I hear the birds are singing
(It's all right, you're just in love) oh, I hear the church bells ringing
It's all right, oh (It's all right, it's all right)
(It's all right, you're just in love)
(It's all right, you're just in love)
(It's all right, you're just in love)
(It's all right, it's all right)
The lyrics of Mandy Barnett's song "It's All Right" portray a sense of confusion and loss of control that comes with being in love. The singer describes how they walk as if they're blind, always late, and have lost track of time. They ask for someone to explain what this feeling is all about, indicating a desire for understanding and clarity. The overwhelming emotions brought on by love are so intense that it makes the singer wanna shout.
The second verse further emphasizes the bewilderment the singer experiences. They mention how people stop and stare at them, possibly thinking they're crazy, but they express that they don't care. The not knowing where they're going or what shape they're in signifies a lack of direction and self-awareness that often accompanies falling in love.
Throughout the song, there is a repeating refrain of reassurance that this feeling is all right, that it's just love. The mention of birds singing and church bells ringing suggests a sense of harmony and celebration, implying that love brings joy and positivity despite the confusion and chaos it may cause. The repetition of the phrase "it's all right" underscores the message that even though love may be disorienting, it is ultimately a positive and natural experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I walk somewhere
Whenever I go somewhere on foot
I walk just like I'm blind
I walk with no sense of direction or purpose
I'm late when I get there
I consistently arrive behind schedule
I've lost all track of time
I have no awareness or perception of time passing
Won't somebody help me now
I desperately need assistance at this moment
And tell me what this is all about
Please explain the meaning or purpose of all of this
And somebody explain this feeling
Provide a comprehensive explanation for this overwhelming emotion
Makes me wanna shout
It compels me to express my intense emotions loudly
Come on, how about this feeling now
Let's delve deeper into this current emotional state
(It's all right, you're just in love)
It's perfectly fine, you are simply experiencing love
What did you say
Could you please repeat your statement
One more time now
Please say it one more time
(It's all right, you're just in love)
Everything is fine, it's just love that you're feeling
It's all right, oh, it's all right
Everything is alright, absolutely fine
(It's all right, it's all right)
It's fine, there's no need to worry
Every time I see someone
Each time I encounter another person
They just stop and stare
They pause and gaze at me
I guess they think I'm crazy
I assume they consider me to be mentally unstable
But I don't really care
However, I have no concern or interest in their opinions
I don't know where I'm going now
I lack knowledge of my current direction or destination
Or where in the world I'll be
I have no idea of the location where I will end up
Somebody's gotta tell me
I truly need someone to inform me
What kind of shape I'm in
The condition or state that I am currently in needs to be clarified
I hear the birds are singing
I am aware of the birds' melodious songs
(It's all right, you're just in love)
No need to worry, it's just the sensation of being in love
I hear the church bells ringing
I perceive the sound of the church bells chiming
(It's all right, you're just in love)
Don't fret, it's simply the experience of love
It's all right, oh
Everything is fine, oh
(It's all right, it's all right)
There's no need to worry, it's all good
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Cliff Thomas, Ed Thomas, Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
chuckangell
Fell in love with this song and CD back in 96, and still have it in my top 10 best CD's of all time!
Martha Aya
Great song!! Still love hearing it! It's aged well, just like you.❤
sarahstacy81
Yes!!! Finally!!! A Mandy Barnett official video. Loved her back in '96. Love her even more in 2021. She's still going.
Wade Mullins
Most underrated voice in country music.
jackson77ish
A great song, whether back in '96 or today, it didnt loose any momentum! Love your music Mandy@
jscountrygirl_326
Still love this song so much! I remember one of our stations playing it quite a bit in early 1996 when we still had a lot of snow on the ground from the Blizzard of '96. Even then as a kid, I always enjoyed it whenever it came on. Somewhere in the next decade, I picked up this album in a book store, and I was completely sold on Mandy from that point on! Btw, congratulations, Mandy, on becoming the latest Grand Ole Opry member!! So very well deserved and long overdue!
jscountrygirl_326
@Great Lakes This was around early 1996 (Jan-Feb), which was around the time this song was on the radio. It dumped a HUGE amount of snow on the east coast (I'm in VA) and pretty much kept that part of the country paralyzed for months it seemed. It was so much fun for me, though (snow lover here)! That's still the most snow I've ever seen in my life.
Great Lakes
Are you talking about the blizzards that tormented the Red River Valley in 96-97?
Scott Brandon
This was such a great debut album I also liked the follow up album.
Mike Hernandez
I remembering watching this video on TV and buying the CD back in the day. It's still on my country playlists now. Glad to see the video on YouTube.