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.
Still Holding Out For You
SHeDAISY Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's someone else's life I'm living
Wish I were living a lie
The hardest part is when the bough breaks
Falling down and then forgiving
You didn't kiss me goodbye
I'm choking on the words I didn't get to say
And pray I get the chance one day
I still run
I still swing open the door
I still think you'll be there like before
Doesn't anybody out there know to never come around
Some things a heart won't listen to I'm still holding out for you
I can hear ya smile in the dark
I can even feel you breathing
When the daylight chases the ghost
I see your coat and I fall apart
To those hints of you I'm clinging
Now's when I need them most
I should get up, dry my eyes and move ahead
At least that's what he would have said
I still run
I still swing open the door
I still think you'll be there like before
Doesn't anybody out there know to never come around
Some things a heart won't listen to I'm still holding out for you
Faithfully, I trace your name while you sleep
It's the only true comfort I feel
I still run
I still swing open the door
I still think you'll be there like before
I still run
I still swing open the door
I still think you'll be there like before
Doesn't everybody out there know to never come around
Some things a heart won't listen to
I'm still holding out for you
Holding out for you
The lyrics in SHeDAISY's song "Still Holding Out For You" express the feeling of longing and heartbreak after a lost love. The song depicts the singer's desperate desire to cling onto the memories and emotions of the past, despite knowing that it is not healthy or practical. She is struggling to accept the fact that her past relationship is over, and it is someone else's life that she is living.
The singer is filled with regret as she did not get the chance to say goodbye to her lover. Consequently, she is left with the haunting memories of him, and these memories are emphasized by her loneliness at night. Even in broad daylight, she sees her lover's coat and falls apart, desperately clinging onto the little hints of him that she can find.
Despite her heartbreak, she cannot bring herself to let go of her past love. She waits for him to come back and still runs, swings open the door, and thinks he will be there like before. The lyrics express feelings of desperation, heartbreak, and longing, making it a relatable song for anyone who has yet to let go of a past love.
Line by Line Meaning
Never thought I'd be in this place
I never imagined that I would end up in this situation.
It's someone else's life I'm living
I feel like I'm living in someone else's life, not my own.
Wish I were living a lie
I wish this wasn't my reality and that it was just a fake story.
The hardest part is when the bough breaks
The most difficult moment is when everything falls apart.
Falling down and then forgiving
After everything crumbles, I need to find a way to forgive and move on.
You didn't kiss me goodbye
You left without saying a proper goodbye, which makes it harder to let go.
I'm choking on the words I didn't get to say
I regret not saying everything I wanted to, and it's hard to live with that.
And pray I get the chance one day
I hope that someday I'll get the opportunity to say what I need to.
I still run
I'm still chasing after you.
I still swing open the door
I still expect you to come back, so I keep the door open.
I still think you'll be there like before
I can't help but believe that you'll return to me, just like you used to.
Doesn't anybody out there know to never come around
I wish people would understand that it's not helpful to bring up the past or try to intervene.
Some things a heart won't listen to I'm still holding out for you
Even though logic tells me to move on, my heart still wants you and won't let go.
I can hear ya smile in the dark
When it's quiet, I can imagine the sound of your smile, which brings me comfort but also pain.
I can even feel you breathing
I can still sense your presence, even though you're not here.
When the daylight chases the ghost
In the light of day, I realize that you're not really here anymore and it's like chasing a ghost.
I see your coat and I fall apart
Something as simple as seeing your coat can make me break down and fall apart.
To those hints of you I'm clinging
I hold onto any reminders of you because it makes me feel like you're still with me in some way.
Now's when I need them most
Right now, in this moment, I need those reminders of you the most.
I should get up, dry my eyes and move ahead
I know that I should try to move on and not dwell on the past, but it's easier said than done.
At least that's what he would have said
I know that the logical thing to do is follow the advice of someone who cares about me, but it's hard to do that.
Faithfully, I trace your name while you sleep
As you sleep, I gently trace your name and hold onto the hope that you'll come back to me.
It's the only true comfort I feel
This is the only thing that brings me true comfort, even though it's just a small gesture.
Holding out for you
I'm still waiting and hoping for you to come back to me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RICHARD MARX, KRISTYN OSBORN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind