Martina McBride released her honky tonk-flavored debut album The Time Has Come in 1992. Her first big hit was the single "My Baby Loves Me" from her more pop-oriented second album, 1993's The Way That I Am. She became even more visible in 1994 with the crossover success of her anti-domestic violence anthem "Independence Day", also from this album.
In 1995 McBride released the album Wild Angels; "Safe in the Arms of Love" and the title track were country hits, later being her first #1 hit. Her 1997 album Evolution sold over two million units, and included an adult contemporary crossover hit in "Valentine" as well as four number one or number two country hits. The album Emotion came out in 1999; "I Love You" was a big hit in both country and adult contemporary circles. So was the socially conscious "Love's the Only House", a trend that would continue with 2003's "This One's for the Girls", which would become the theme song for the 2005 NCAA Women's Basketball championship tournament. [1] This was followed by the hit singles "How Far" (written by fellow country singer Jamie O'Neal) and "God's Will".
The Long Distance Lullaby Songfacts states that Eleven was Martina's first album for Republic Nashville, ending a 20 year association with RCA. Label head Scott Borchetta encouraged her to write more songs for the record than she had on any of her previous 10 albums, and she ended up co-writing six of the 11 tracks. Eleven was released October 11, 2011.
As of 2005 McBride is generally recognized as one of the top female singers in popular music; with her strong and pure soprano voice she has been labelled "the Céline Dion of country music." Also in 2005 she released a 18-track CD of classic country music standards, which landed at #1 on the Billboard Country Album Chart in its opening week and received much critical acclaim for its authenticity towards traditional country.
She is a four-time Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year winner (a record she holds with Reba McEntire), three-time Academy of Country Music Female Vocalist of the Year winner and a Grammy Award winner. This left-hander performed The Star-Spangled Banner at Game 3 of the 2004 World Series.
"Independence Day" is used as the introductory music for Sean Hannity's popular talk radio show. McBride has appeared at benefit events organized by Hannity, but has declined to take an active political stance. [2] McBride has performed free for fans, such as in a July 3, 2004 show in Owensboro, Kentucky to celebrate the grand opening of the new Independence Bank headquarters.
Recently she helped out contestants on the Canadian version of "American Idol". The winner worked on a song with McBride as well as went on tour with her across Canada.
Martina has sold over 13 million albums in USA alone.
Cry On The Shoulder Of The Road
Martina McBride Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My own private hell on wheels
But this time I'm gone for good
And I've never gone this far before
Beyond the slamming of the back screen door
But you never loved me like you should
And there ain't no telling what I'll find
There's no comfort here in your zip code
I'd rather break down on the highway
With no one to share my load
And cry on the shoulder of the road
It makes me feel a little low
Steel guitar on the radio
And it's kinda scary the way these truckers fly
So this how leaving feels
Drinking coffee and making deals with the One above
To get me though the night
And there ain't no telling what I'll find
But I might as well move down the line
There's no comfort here in your zip code
I'd rather break down on the highway
With no one to share my load
And cry on the shoulder of the road
'Cause there ain't no telling what I'll find
The opening lines of "Cry On The Shoulder Of The Road" indicate that the singer is leaving a place that holds negative memories for her. She is driving away from Bakersfield, which she terms her "own private hell on wheels". She has left before, but this time she knows she is leaving for good. She reflects on how the back screen door was always slamming behind her, implying that she has had a turbulent relationship with someone at this location. She then states that she was never loved in the way she deserved. She is apprehensive about what her future holds, as she sets off to find something new.
The chorus of the song expresses the singer's desire to break free from her past and start again. She chooses to hit the road and move forward, even if it means being on her own. She prefers "crying on the shoulder of the road" rather than staying back and enduring the pain that her old life brings. The second verse is about her journey on the road - it's a bit of a bumpy ride, as is indicated by the reference to "these truckers fly(ing)". She admits that leaving can be scary, but instead of being held back by fear, she chooses to make deals with God to get through the night. She reiterates her desire to find a new place where she can start again, where there is no pain to hold her back.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm rolling out of Bakersfield
I'm leaving Bakersfield behind
My own private hell on wheels
I'm driving away from all my troubles and worries
But this time I'm gone for good
I'm leaving and not coming back
And I've never gone this far before
I've never left this much behind me before
Beyond the slamming of the back screen door
I'm leaving so quickly I can hear the door slam behind me
But you never loved me like you should
You never loved me the way you were supposed to
And there ain't no telling what I'll find
I don't know what lies ahead
But I might as well move down the line
I might as well keep going forward and see what happens
There's no comfort here in your zip code
I don't feel any comfort being here with you
I'd rather break down on the highway
I'd rather have car trouble on the open road
With no one to share my load
I'd rather be alone with my problems
And cry on the shoulder of the road
I'd rather cry alone on the side of the road
It makes me feel a little low
Hearing steel guitar music on the radio makes me feel sad
Steel guitar on the radio
The song I'm hearing on the radio has a steel guitar in it
And it's kinda scary the way these truckers fly
I'm frightened by the way the big trucks speed past me
So this how leaving feels
This is what it feels like to leave someone and go away
Drinking coffee and making deals with the One above
I'm drinking coffee and asking God to help me get through this
To get me though the night
To help me make it through the night
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: Matraca Maria Berg, Tim Krekel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jonathan Roberts
She just has the greatest voice.
Stihl 090
Great song, sung by a talented beautiful woman.
wldtrky38
I've loved Martina for more years than I care to admit. Her beautiful voice has helped me thru some of the hardest times of my life.
THANK YOU Lovely Lady ! 🌹
DR. Ryan Gursahai
Still one of the most power house voice in country music❤
An angel on earth- Great voice🎉
trisha ladner
Love her powerful voice ,One of the perfect singers too
Rachel Nichols
This song helped me leave an abusive relationship at 17 with my 5 month old son. I did it and am forever grateful for Martina’s Wild Angels album 🙏❤️
Melody Steeley
This song is just so damn good!!!!!❤️❤️❤️🔥
Lawrence Earl
Fantastic song by an even more fantastic beautiful woman.
John Sheehan
This has always been my favorite Martina song.
What The95
She is amazing. Ive seen her concert twice and when she sung a broken wing people outside in the fairgrounds clapped thunderous when she hit that long note...perfectly too. Amazing singer and artist.