She moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1991 with the goal of becoming a country artist. Songwriter Harlan Howard heard Sara as she sung a demo of one of his songs, "Tiger By the Tail" at County Q Studios**, and decided she should sing his music. She went under contract with RCA.
In 1997 Evans released her first album Three Chords and the Truth. Critics praised the album for returning to traditional country and recognized it on many of their top ten of the year lists. Unfortunately, it did not catch on with country radio at the time and none of the three singles made the top 40.
In 1998 Evans released her sophomore album No Place That Far. Critics slammed her for choosing a more pop/country oriented album. Her first single "Cryin' Game" hardly charted. It would be her next single "No Place That Far," a duet with Vince Gill, that would be her first number one single. The album has been certified gold. She actually had been a backup singer for Vince Gill, which definitely played a role in showcasing her talents and leading her ever growing popularity and success.
Evans released her "make it or break it" album, Born To Fly in 2000. Her first single "Born To Fly" hit the number one spot and proved to be her biggest hit until "Suds in the Bucket." The hits kept coming in as her next single "I Could Not Ask For More" hit the number two spot. "Saints and Angels," Evans' favorite song on the album, hit the number sixteen spot and the last single "I Keep Looking" made it to the number five spot. Thus far, the album has been certified double platinum.
Evans led the pack as the most nominated artist at the 2001 Country Music Association awards with seven nominations, and won her first CMA award when her song “Born to Fly” won the award for Video of the Year.
In 2003 Evans released Restless. This album showed her versatility as the songs combined different genres such as country, pop, blues, and soul. The album's first single "Backseat of a Greyhound Bus" went to number sixteen. The next single, "Perfect," went to number two. The next single "Suds in the Bucket" went to number one and became her biggest hit since "Born to Fly" and quickly became a fan favorite among her songs. The next single "Tonight" failed to reach the top 40. Restless has been certified platinum.
In 2004 Evans was the most played female singer on country music radio thanks to singles such as "Suds in the Bucket" and "Perfect."
In 2005, Sara Evans struck gold with the country ballad "A Real Fine Place to Start". With help from this single her album Real Fine Place was propelled to No.1 on the top of the country charts and No. 3 on the pop charts with over 130,000 copies sold in the first week, nearly tripling the sales from her last album debut Restless. Real Fine Place was the best debuting album of her career. The single from the album stood on top of the Billboard and Radio and Record Charts for two weeks. Evans was nominated for two CMA awards, including the prestigious "Female Vocalist of the Year" and prized "Musical Event of the Year" (the latter in part due to her duet with Brad Paisley, "New Again"). However, she lost in both categories. Sara went on the road with Brad Paisley and newcomers Sugarland on Brad's "Time Well Wasted Tour". Her current single "Cheatin'" has quickly become the fastest rising single of her career. Real Fine Place has recently been certified gold.
On December 6, 2005 Sara released Feels Like Home through Cracker Barrel stores. The album consists of alternate versions of some of her most memorable songs. For example, there is an acoustic version of "No Place That Far," a live version of "Born To Fly," and several other versions of her most popular songs.
Cheatin'
Sara Evans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a bad dream that keeps repeatin'
Baby you should have thought about that
When you were cheatin'
How do you like that furnished room
The bed the chair the table
The TV picture comes and goes
How do you like that paper plate
And those pork and beans you're eating
Maybe you should have thought about that
When you were cheatin'
How do you like that beater car
I think it's fair we traded
Your pickup truck is running fine
It's a cozy ride for dating
Yes I've been out a time or two
And found the comfort I've been needing
Maybe you should have thought about that
When you were cheatin'
You made your bed
And you're out of mine
You lie awake
And I sleep just fine
You've done your sowin'
Now you can do the reapin'
Maybe you should have thought about that
When you were cheatin'
Now what became of whatshername
After she spent all your money
Did she leave you just like you left me
Sometimes life is funny
Yes I'll be glad to take you back
Just as soon as I stop breathing
Maybe you should have thought about that
Oh maybe you should have thought about that
Maybe you should have thought about that
When you were cheatin'
When you were cheatin'
The song "Cheatin'" by Sara Evans is a classic country song about the consequences of infidelity. The first verse directly addresses the person who cheated, taunting them for coming back to their partner after their affair has been discovered. Evans sings, "You say your everyday is a bad dream that keeps repeatin', baby you should have thought about that when you were cheatin'." She holds her partner accountable for the pain they caused and reminds them that they should have considered the outcomes of their actions.
The second verse describes the new life of the cheating partner, who is now living in a rundown apartment with only the bare necessities. The imagery of the "furnished room," "paper plate," and "beater car" highlights the contrast between their current situation and the one they had with their partner before. The chorus reinforces the idea that the cheating partner has made their own bed and now must suffer the consequences. Meanwhile, the singer seems to be moving on and finding comfort outside of the relationship.
The final verse suggests that the cheating partner may not have learned their lesson and may continue to fall into the same patterns in future relationships. The line "maybe you should have thought about that when you were cheatin'" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the idea that actions have consequences.
Overall, "Cheatin'" is a powerful song that explores the emotional fallout of infidelity. Through vivid imagery and a strong chorus, Evans conveys the message that cheating can have lasting consequences and encourages her listeners to think about the impact of their choices.
Line by Line Meaning
You say your everyday
You claim that your day-to-day life is like a never-ending nightmare.
Is a bad dream that keeps repeatin'
You feel like you're stuck in a loop, living the same unpleasant experience over and over again.
Baby you should have thought about that
You should have considered the potential consequences of your actions before taking those actions.
When you were cheatin'
When you were unfaithful to me.
How do you like that furnished room
Do you find the furniture in your new living quarters to be to your liking?
The bed the chair the table
Are you satisfied with the basic furnishings, like the bed, chair, and table?
The TV picture comes and goes
Do you experience issues with the television signal, where the image intermittently fades in and out?
Too bad you don't have cable
It's unfortunate that you're without access to television programming through a cable service.
How do you like that paper plate
Are you pleased with your lack of proper dishes, resorting to eating off of disposable paper plates?
And those pork and beans you're eating
Are you content with consuming canned pork and beans, as opposed to a more appetizing meal?
How do you like that beater car
Are you satisfied with the low-quality, rundown car that you inherited from me?
I think it's fair we traded
I believe it was an equitable decision to exchange cars, despite the car you received being of worse quality.
Your pickup truck is running fine
Your truck is functioning properly without issue.
It's a cozy ride for dating
Your truck serves as a comfortable vehicle for you to use on dates.
Yes I've been out a time or two
I have gone out with other people a couple of times.
And found the comfort I've been needing
I've discovered a level of comfort with these other people that I lacked in our relationship.
You made your bed
You created the situation you're currently in.
And you're out of mine
You are no longer a part of my life.
You lie awake
You struggle to fall asleep at night.
And I sleep just fine
I'm able to rest easily and without issue.
You've done your sowin'
You have sewn your wild oats by being unfaithful to me.
Now you can do the reapin'
Now you can experience the negative consequences of your actions.
Now what became of whatshername
What happened to the woman you were seeing during our relationship?
After she spent all your money
Did she leave you after taking all of your money?
Did she leave you just like you left me
Did she abandon you in the same way that you abandoned me?
Sometimes life is funny
Life can be unpredictable and ironic in its twists and turns.
Yes I'll be glad to take you back
I would be happy to reconcile with you and restart our relationship.
Just as soon as I stop breathing
I would consider giving you another chance, but this won't happen until I am no longer alive and well.
Maybe you should have thought about that
Perhaps you should have considered the potential consequences of your actions before betraying my trust.
When you were cheatin'
When you were unfaithful to me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Bluewater Music Corp., Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brett Cornelius James, Donald Alan Schlitz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MEIAMDYLAN
Claudia Hitchman very true, however, don't you think it's better for a man or woman to be honest with their partner rather than pretending everything is fine.
It's not about what your doing that makes it heartbreaking it's about the manner in which the situation is being handled.
True you're gonna get hurt either way but I'd rather be told where I stand. The best thing to do is just be real with them. It'll hurt but not as bad as if their partner had cheated on them.
Trust me, most people would rather go blind than finding another man or woman being intimate with with your partner.
I know I would and I'm single.
@mt3311
Classic line of her generation, " I'll take you back as soon as I stop brething,"
@oliviamargaretevans2643
Thanks for loving my mom’s music Marvin Thayer
@haqahmuqaribu5837
Lovin it 😢the beautiful Sara!!!
@fuzzybutkus8970
Hears another, For every drop dead gorgeous woman there’s a man that’s tired of her sh*t. I didn’t write it but kinda fits the occasion.
@texascclp1445
There's no mistaking her voice for any other country singer. Sara is the 'Complete Package'.
@darrenboothe8237
Give a raise of hands who thinks Sara Evans is one beautiful women!!
@JIMLAS65
One of the best female voices. Don't know why Sarah hasn't won more awards. Love her songs
@juliovaldes1956
I have been loving her voice for many years. Never got a chance to see her live but there's Always YOUTUBE. ❤️
@mikebland4935
My Wife and I saw her in Kansas City Missouri. Great show. Really, we won't ever forget it.
@shawnarose8744
Sara Evans is such a nice person in real life. She sure can sing live!!!!