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.
From The Ashes
Martina McBride Lyrics
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My left hand holds my past
I hope the wind catches
And burns it down my past
With my failures and my shame
And wave good-bye to yesterday
As I dance among the flames
Just stand back and wait till the smoke finally passes
And I will rise
From the ashes
From the ashes
From the ashes
For all that I'm losing much more will I gain
The hard part is choosing
To change what needs changed
My step will be much lighter
With these demons off my chest
I'm born a better spirit
And lay the old to rest
Don't try to save me now
Just stand back and wait till the smoke finally passes
And I will rise
From the ashes
From the ashes
From the ashes
I'll walk away stronger
I will be flyin'
Higher and truer
Than I've flown before
Martina McBride's song From The Ashes is about the process of moving on from past struggles and starting anew. The opening lines suggest that the singer is ready to let go of her past, symbolized by the matches held in one hand and her past held in the other. Instead of attempting to salvage what was lost, which is an impossible task, she sets it on fire and watches it burn, hoping the wind will catch the flames and take them away. The pain and shame of her past are symbolized by the fire, and she watches as it disappears into the wind. She says goodbye to yesterday and dances among the flames, knowing that it is a release and a step towards a brighter future.
In the chorus, Martina McBride affirms that she doesn't need anyone to save her, but rather, she needs people to wait for the smoke to clear. She needs that space to be reborn as a better version of herself. She is no longer weighed down by the demons and the guilt that haunted her. She acknowledges that the process of change is hard and requires sacrifice, but there is so much to be gained in the end. She walks away stronger than before and flies higher and truer than she ever has. The song is a reminder that no matter how hard life may seem, there is a way to rise above it and start anew.
Line by Line Meaning
My right hand holds matches
I have the ability to start something destructive
My left hand holds my past
I am still carrying my old mistakes and regrets with me
I hope the wind catches
I want the universe to help me let go of my past
And burns it down my past
I want my past to be completely destroyed
With my failures and my shame
I am burdened by the things I didn't do well and the guilt I feel
And wave good-bye to yesterday
I'm saying goodbye to my past self
As I dance among the flames
I am embracing the pain of letting go of my past
Don't try to save me now
I have to go through this process on my own
Just stand back and wait till the smoke finally passes
I'm asking you to give me some space and let me process everything
And I will rise
I will come out of this a stronger and better person
From the ashes
I will rise up renewed
For all that I'm losing much more will I gain
I know that even though I am losing a part of myself, I will gain something better
The hard part is choosing
It's difficult to make the decision to let go of the past
To change what needs changed
I understand that in order to move forward, I need to make some significant changes
My step will be much lighter
I will feel free and unburdened
With these demons off my chest
Once I've let go of my past mistakes, I will be free from the anxiety that comes with them
I'm born a better spirit
I will come out of this a better and more enlightened person
And lay the old to rest
I am finally letting go of the things that have weighed me down
I'll walk away stronger
I will come out of this with more strength
I will be flyin'
I will feel free from the burdens of the past
Higher and truer
I will have a better sense of my true self and my path forward
Than I've flown before
I will feel a sense of growth and progress
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: AUSTIN CUNNINGHAM, HILLARY LINDSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind