When she was 18, she moved to Nashville, where she was signed by BNA Records (a label of Sony BMG Music Entertainment). Her debut album, Ten Thousand Angels, was released on April 30, 1996, and was certified gold six months later. The album gave her international fame and produced her two biggest hits, “Ten Thousand Angels” and “Guys Do It All The Time”. McCready also appears with Lorrie Morgan, Sara Evans, and Martina McBride on CMT's Girl’s Night Out special. Mindy then released the next year "If I Don't Stay The Night." It spawned 3 singles, "What If I Do", Other Side Of This Kiss", and "You'll Never Know." Overseas "O Romeo" was released. None were very successful. Still the album sold over 500,000 copies, and went Gold. In 1999 McCready released "I'm Not So Tough." The first single released was "All I Want Is Everything." When it failed to break the top 50, BNA Records and Mindy went separate ways, said to be over creative differences. After the split the album received little promotion and became a commercial failure.
In April of 2000, she was signed by Capitol Records. She released a self-titled album with Capitol in 2002 to disappointing sales, and was dropped by Capitol later that year.
McCready was once engaged to actor Dean Cain. In 2005 she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and spoke of her problems with domestic abuse, depression, and drug abuse. Mindy McCready admitted her ex-boyfriend Billy McKnight had beat her frequently and they had a tumultuous relationship, and that she had tried to commit suicide. She also revealed that she had seen her ex-boyfriend Billy McKnight recently and that she needs help. Her father was on the show and said that she is often in denial about her problems and that he wanted her to get help and supported her. She also spoke of how growing up her mother wasn't very loving and encouraging and as a result McCready suffers from poor self-esteem. She is now known mostly for her trouble with the law. Talking to Oprah Winfrey, McCready hoped that her story would encourage and help others, even if it's only one girl in the world. "You know what we're all hoping?" Oprah said to Mindy. "That you are that girl."
Mindy gave birth to son Zander Ryan McCready on March 25, 2006. On April 9, 2012, McCready gave birth to her second child, a son named Zayne. The child's father, record producer David Wilson, was found dead in his home on January 13, 2013, of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Following Wilson's death, McCready released a statement in which she referred to him as her "soulmate" and "life partner". A little over a month later, on February 17, Mindy committed suicide by the same means.
This Is Me
Mindy McCready Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I was just developin' my own style
Though I pay a price bein' independent
If the rule won't break I'm gonna bend it
I'm soft like a woman
Strong like a man
Easy to love and hard to understand
Take it or leave it
My own girl
You better believe it
What you see is what I am
And who I want to be
This is me
I've never been afraid to speak my mind
Or lay my heart out on the line
I've had my share of wrong directions
Yeah, but everybody's got a few imperfections
I spent a lot of time gettin' this way
And maybe I'm never gonna change
But
Why would I wanna be anyone else
When it's so much fun just bein' myself
This is me
Take it or leave it
My own girl
You better believe it
What you see is what I am
And who I want to be
This is me
The lyrics of the song 'This Is Me' by Mindy McCready is an anthem for self-love and acceptance. She sings about being a strong-willed child who was developing her own style, and how being independent comes at a price. However, she also explains that she is willing to break the rules if they won't bend for her. She says that she is soft like a woman, strong like a man, and easy to love but hard to understand. Ultimately, Mindy declares that she is unapologetically herself and that people can either accept her for who she is or leave it.
The lyrics also emphasize the importance of being true to oneself and not trying to be someone else. Mindy explains that she has never been afraid to speak her mind or lay her heart out on the line. She admits to having made wrong choices and having gone in wrong directions but assures us that everyone has a few imperfections. The song ends with Mindy wondering why she would want to be anyone else when being herself is so much fun.
In conclusion, ‘This Is Me’ is a song with a powerful message of accepting oneself, flaws, and all. Mindy McCready encourages individuality and reaffirms us to always strive to be true to ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Everyone says I was a strong willed child
People always tell me that I was a kid who did what she wanted to do and was determined in my own way.
But I was just developin' my own style
I was not trying to prove anything, I was just trying to find my own way through life.
Though I pay a price bein' independent
Even though it's not easy being independent, I am willing to bear the cost for the freedom to choose my own path.
If the rule won't break I'm gonna bend it
I do not break rules, but when they do not suit me, I am ready to bend them.
I'm soft like a woman
I am compassionate and caring like a woman.
Strong like a man
I am confident and self-assured like a man.
Easy to love and hard to understand
Even though I am easy to like, it is difficult to comprehend all the complexities of my personality.
This is me
I am who I am, and I will not change for anyone.
Take it or leave it
You can accept me for who I am, or you can leave me be.
My own girl
I am my own person, and nobody else can dictate my life choices.
You better believe it
I am confident in my identity, and you should believe it too.
What you see is what I am
I am transparent about who I am, and I won't pretend to be someone I'm not.
And who I want to be
I have a clear vision of who I want to be in life, and I am working towards it.
I've never been afraid to speak my mind
I am never hesitant to speak my opinions and stand up for what I believe in.
Or lay my heart out on the line
I am unafraid to put my feelings on display and tell people how I feel.
I've had my share of wrong directions
I have made mistakes and taken the wrong turns in life, but that's all part of the journey.
Yeah, but everybody's got a few imperfections
I acknowledge that everyone has flaws and imperfections, and that's just part of being human.
I spent a lot of time gettin' this way
I have put in a lot of time and effort to become the person that I am today.
And maybe I'm never gonna change
I am happy with who I am, and I do not see any reason to change.
But why would I wanna be anyone else
I have no desire to be anyone other than myself.
When it's so much fun just bein' myself
I enjoy being myself, and I do not want to change that for anyone or anything.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TIMOTHY J JOHNSON, DAVID MALLOY, SUNNY RUSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind