As their winding career path makes clear, though, nothing important is ever established or sustained without struggle and re-evaluation, without the willingness to adjust course now and then. Theirs has been a journey for which they have drawn strength from both success and misadventure, turning missteps into lessons and challenge into triumph. The result is a hard-won artistic maturity, and the CD that embodies the latest phase of their journey, Fortuneteller's Melody, represents a liberating step forward.
The process began, as always, with Kristyn's songwriting. As Kelsi and Kassidy took to the road for a radio tour accompanying the release of Sweet Right Here, a rebound record which went gold and gave the trio renewed momentum, Kristyn spent more than three months turning the stuff of life into art with the help of collaborators that included Don Schlitz and Sheryl Crow.
From there, though, everything was new. The trio chose to work with Grammy producer of the year and another Kristyn songwriting collaborator, John Shanks, known for his work with Melissa Etheridge, Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson, Alanis Morissette, Bon Jovi and many others. In working with him, they re-invented the way they make records: instead of the meticulous planning that went into earlier efforts, they worked almost off-the-cuff.
"We would walk into the studio this time not knowing the song," says Kristyn. "John and I would be finishing one in the other room then we’d go straight in and record it. Kassidy might learn it as I was finishing the lyric. We were allowing the songs themselves to take control, rather than our arrangements of the song."
"It freaked me out because I love to be prepared," says Kassidy. "With the other records, we would arrange songs for a month and then go into the studio totally ready, but I surprised myself this time. There's freedom in this approach, and there's something great and fresh about that."
The result was a recording process that echoed the approach of songwriting.
"It forces you to draw from a place that's beyond the surface," says Kristyn. "You find things in yourself that you didn't know were there. For Kassidy, it's her voice. 'Where are those licks going to come from?' 'Where is the soul going to come from in the music?' John just made us find it."
What held it all together was the consistency of voice in Kristyn's writing, the nuanced look at life, love and redemption that made up the project's songs.
"This is about relationships," she says. "It's about life and love and being on the road and being in a family and what happens when there's drama and trouble and tragedy. You can see the growth of the character and the life experience, and then you see the conclusion. It's also very honest. I don't feel like I'm shielding the truth here." She calls it "a grown-up record with elements of fun and youthfulness."
The upshot is that Fortuneteller's Melody, recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville, unfolds like no SHeDAISY album before it.
"In our other records," says Kristyn, "we talk about each song being a little snapshot or a mini-movie, but this new record presents an entire story, from song one through twelve, with each bleeding into the next."
It is a story drawn from experience.
"I was always a little tentative about just throwing everything out there," says Kristyn, "especially when it's really personal. These are all journals for the most part, but that is the blessing and the curse of writing your own material and letting people see what it's like on the inside of you rather than just the outside. I don't feel so restricted this time. I feel like we don't have anything to lose. We have a lot to say and we are in a really liberating place right now, so it was just a different approach. I don't need to mask anything. I have nothing to worry about. It feels good."
As much of a departure as it is, Fortuneteller's Melody is, given their history, the natural next step in SHeDAISY’s incredible journey.
Kristyn, Kelsi and Kassidy Osborn grew up in Magna, Utah, raised, as their father says, "on the three B's--Beach Boys, Beatles and Beethoven." Kelsi and Kassidy sang and performed in local theater, then began singing at retirement homes, churches, and in the neighborhood. Kristyn took part for a while, lost interest during high school, then regained it during a trip to New York to accompany Kelsi on a TV audition. Kristyn then accompanied her father to Nashville for a music business seminar, and a few months later, with Kelsi and Kassidy still in junior high, they moved to Music City. Within a few months they had landed and lost a record deal, recording an unreleased album.
They spent five years working in mall department stores and playing clubs at night, honing their craft, while Kristyn and Kelsi began attending classes at a local university to learn every aspect of the business.
"I learned how we had been taken advantage of," Kristyn says. "We recorded a project for RCA that never got released. That album was missing something and it taught me a lesson. We did what we were told. We didn't stand up for ourselves because we were so young. We were told to do a song and we did it. There were only three of our songs on there."
Gradually, their hard work and Kristyn's education paid off and, in 1997, they signed with Lyric Street Records.
Their first album, The Whole Shebang, rode unabashed exuberance, clever writing and aural brilliance to double platinum status, launching SHeDAISY into the mainstream of modern country music. "We had years to prepare for that record," says Kelsi, "and there was no one saying, 'You can't produce a demo like that.' When we hooked up with [producer] Dann Huff, he helped those demos come to life even more. We just put it out and said, 'Here is our music.'"
Fans and radio were all over the record and doors swung open everywhere. "Little Good-Byes," "This Woman Needs," "I Will...But" and "Lucky 4 You (Tonight I'm Just Me)" all reached the Top 10. Nominations poured in from the Grammys, the CMA, the ACM, the American Music Awards and the Blockbuster Music Awards. The Whole Shebang spent 99 weeks on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The group released a re-mixed version of the LP and a well-received Christmas album.
"I think we were spoiled in the beginning," says Kassidy. "Once you've had that, you don't want to settle for less. The good thing is that means you'll keep trying to do better."
"Knock On The Sky was much more of a science experiment," says Kristyn, "and that was really exciting--'Let's try this' and 'Let's do that' and 'What if we stack these vocals?', but some people couldn't get past the sound to be able to hear the songs themselves. Sometimes when there's too much of a sheen people won't always take the time to hear what you're saying."
Kristyn calls Sweet Right Here, their third release, "our trampoline--a bounce-back. We stepped back sonically a little bit, and the record reflected the fact that things were a bit simpler in our lives." Hits like "Passenger Seat," the hilariously self-referential "Don't Worry 'Bout A Thing," and "Come Home Soon," a song and video still treasured by the families of servicemen and women, recaptured much of the magic.
"I think we came a long way back," says Kassidy. "We were able to re-establish ourselves with radio and our fans after more than two years without a new radio hit. Going gold was really a goal for us, and I think with this new record we will keep accelerating and reach higher goals."
Part of that acceleration is taking place on the road. The trio chose not to tour early on, preferring to wait until they had released more hits.
"We had so many opportunities to go on the road," says Kristyn. "If we'd started six years ago developing a live show, we'd be in a different place now, but we are in essence starting from scratch in the last couple of years. But that also means it's as enjoyable as when you're starting brand new. We're back in fresh that place and it's really nice."
"We've been working with this band now for two years," says Kristyn. "Our focus is on the live show, convincing people we can pull it off. We don't have any bells and whistles, we don't have any sets that move and we have no flames. We have no explosions. It's just a great show without all that stuff and we're proud of it. Our next step is to get out there in front of a lot more people."
Theirs is the gift of self-confidence born of the rock-solid foundations of family and faith, and the knowledge that while they continue to learn, they have given their all to their recorded output. It lets them stretch each time they re-enter the studio.
"Each record has got to be a challenge," says Kristyn. "We don't want it to be easy. This time out, we're not afraid of anything. It's a different world that we're all breathing in. I think we feel ready to say it, to tell it like it is, and we're proud of it."
The result is a CD that showcases the best of one of modern country music's most innovative and compelling acts, one that adds an exciting new chapter to their legacy.
Punishment
SHeDAISY Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And if you were really mine
I guess it would
I didn't fall in love
'Cause it was the right thing to do
I just went ahead and fell for you
[Chorus]
I guess that love became a crime
This contradiction makes no sense
This is punishment
I feel like this is judgment day
I'll raise my hand stand up and say
I don't believe I'm innocent
This is punishment
Truth is your heart was never mine to take
Now I'm stuck in a feeling
That I'll never shake
I prayed for it to go
God knows I want it to stay
But here I am loving you either way
[Chorus]
You'll never know all the things I can't say
And I'll never know if it's better this way
[Chorus]
Oh, somewhere down the line
I guess that love became a crime
This contradiction makes no sense
(This is punishment)
This is punishment
This is punishment
I feel like this is judgement day
I'll raise my hand stand up and say
I don't believe I'm innocent
(This is, this is, this is punishment)
The lyrics to SHeDAISY's song Punishment are about the confusion, pain, and guilt that can come with falling in love with someone who does not feel the same way. The verses describe the singer's initial hopes and desires for the relationship, believing that if the love was reciprocated it would feel good. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that this is not the case, and the singer feels trapped in their feelings, unable to let go even though they know deep down that they are not allowed to feel this way.
The chorus reinforces the idea that love has become a crime, something that is not allowed or accepted in this particular situation. The singer is struggling with the dichotomy of their emotions and the restrictions placed upon their relationship. At the same time, they feel like they are paying the price for loving someone when they are not supposed to. The final verse acknowledges the pain of unrequited love and the realization that some things will remain unsaid and unknown in this situation.
Ultimately, the lyrics convey the complicated and painful reality of loving someone who does not love you back, while simultaneously feeling guilty for having those emotions. It is a situation that many people can relate to, and one that is captured beautifully in SHeDAISY's emotional lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought that was supposed to feel good
I had believed that loving you was going to be the best thing ever
And if you were really mine
If only you could truly belong to me
I guess it would
Then maybe I would feel complete and happy
I didn't fall in love
I didn't plan or intend to love you
'Cause it was the right thing to do
I didn't love you because it was the morally right thing to do
I just went ahead and fell for you
I simply fell deeply in love with you without caution
Oh, somewhere down along the line
Somewhere in the course of our relationship
I guess that love became a crime
Loving you turned out to be a mistake and a punishable offense
This contradiction makes no sense
The irony of the situation is baffling
This is punishment
This is the retribution I'm receiving for the love I gave you
I feel like this is judgment day
I feel like I'm being judged and sentenced for my actions
I'll raise my hand stand up and say
I'm willing to own up and face the consequences of my decisions
I don't believe I'm innocent
I know that I'm at fault for what happened
Truth is your heart was never mine to take
In reality, I never had a claim to your heart
Now I'm stuck in a feeling
Now I'm trapped in emotions that are hard to escape
That I'll never shake
Emotions that will persist for a long time
I prayed for it to go
I've been praying for this love to disappear
God knows I want it to stay
God knows that even amidst my struggles, I still want this love to endure
But here I am loving you either way
Regardless, I still love you deeply and strongly
You'll never know all the things I can't say
There are many words that I can't find the courage to tell you
And I'll never know if it's better this way
I'll never know if things would be better if I was honest and open with you
This is punishment, this is punishment
This suffering I'm going through is a punishment
This is punishment
This is the retribution I'm receiving for the love I gave you
I feel like this is judgement day
I feel like I'm being judged and sentenced for my actions
I'll raise my hand stand up and say
I'm willing to own up and face the consequences of my decisions
I don't believe I'm innocent
I know that I'm at fault for what happened
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KRISTYN OSBORN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind