Sugarland's debut album, Twice the Speed of Life, was released Oct. 26, 2004. Serving as its lead-off single was the song Baby Girl, which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and set a record for the longest chart run since the inception of Nielsen SoundScan in 1990. It was also the highest-peaking debut single for a group in 13 years. The album received Multi-Platinum certification for sales of two million copies. This album produced three more chart singles Something More, Just Might (Make Me Believe), and Down in Mississippi (Up to No Good).
In late 2005, the duo performed with Bon Jovi on Country Music Television's musical fusion show, Crossroads. Nettles sang with Bon Jovi on their single Who Says You Can't Go Home. The song later went on to become a #1 hit on the country charts.
Kristen Hall left the group in late 2005/early 2006. According to a statment released on January 17, 2006 by Nettles and Bush, Hall left the group to "stay home and write songs."
Sugarland was nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy and performed the song Something More at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2006. They also performed at the 2006 CMT Music Awards, where they received multiple nominations including Group/Duo Video of the Year for Just Might (Make Me Believe), Breakthrough Video of the Year for Something More, and Collaborative Video of the Year for "Who Says You Can't Go Home".
On November 7, 2006, the new duo released their second album Enjoy the Ride. It sold 211,000 during its first week and opened at #4 on the US Top 200 and at #2 on the Top Country Albums charts. The first two singles from this album — Want To and Settlin — both reached Number One on the country music charts, while Everyday America and Stay were both Top Ten hits. A limited edition of the CD, sold exclusively at Wal-Mart, was released in late 2007 and included a 5-song Christmas EP. The EP contained one original song - Little Wood Guitar - written by Bush and Ellis Paul.
In 2007, Sugarland performed at multiple award ceremonies, including the 2007 CMT Awards and the 2007 ACM awards. They performed a cover of Beyoncé Knowles' "Irreplaceable" at the American Music Awards, with Knowles herself. They also appeared on the The Tonight Show, and late in the year they headlined their first concert tour: the Change for Change Tour along with opening acts Little Big Town and Jake Owen. At the 41st CMA Awards, the group won the award for Vocal Duo of the Year.
In February 2007 Nettles and Bush began recording Love on the Inside as a follow up to Enjoy the Ride. The album was released in late July. Leading off this album was All I Want to Do. Released on May 19, the song debuted at #27 on the country charts, the highest debut for the duo. It became their third Number One single in August 2008. Already Gone followed in September of the same year and in January 2009 became their fourth Billboard Number One.
The "Deluxe Fan Edition" of Love on the Inside was released on July 22, 2008. The fan edition includes the duo's collaboration with Little Big Town and Jake Owen, a cover of The Dream Academy's 1985 hit "Life in a Northern Town." It also introduces four other bonus tracks, including "Fall Into Me," "Operation: Working Vacation," "Wishing," and a cover of Matt Nathanson's "Come On Get Higher."
The duo is starting the Love on the Inside Tour on September 13 in Asheville, North Carolina and it will conclude after 25 performances on November 16 in Bossier City, Louisiana. They will be joined by special guests Ashton Shepherd and Kellie Pickler. It will be their second headlining tour.
In March 2009, Sugarland toured in Europe starting with performances at military stations in Italy. They were scheduled to perform in France, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Later in 2009 they joined Keith Urban in select cities as part of his Escape Together World Tour and joined Kenny Chesney on his Sun City Carnival Tour.
The third single from Love on the Inside, and 11th single overall, "It Happens", was released in February 2009 and became their fifth #1 in May 2009. The album's fourth single, "Joey" is a warning about drunkdriving, encouraging those sober to "take the keys," and thematically is heavily influenced by Concrete Blonde's 1990 single of the same name. It peaked at #17 on the US country charts.
On May 19, 2009, Sugarland received five CMT Award nominations including a nomination for Video of the Year. They were presented the award for Video Duo of the Year at the award show that broadcasted on June 16, 2009. During the awards show, they also performed "Love Shack" with a surprise appearance by the B-52's.
On September 10, 2010, Sugarland appeared on The Today Show and performed "Stuck Like Glue" - the first single from their album The Incredible Machine, which was released on October 19, 2010 in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. The album was released in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2011.
It was announced on January 11, 2011 that Sugarland was the #5 selling country album of 2010 with The Incredible Machine and the #3 selling digital country track of 2010 with their single "Stuck Like Glue".
On April 3, 2011 Sugarland hosted and performed at the first annual ACM Fan Jam during the ACM awards show. Sugarland was nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year and Video of the Year for "Stuck Like Glue", and won for Vocal Duo of the Year at the 46th annual Academy of Country Music Awards. Nettles performed alongside pop star Rihanna at the ceremony, performing "California King Bed".
"Tonight" is the second single released in the U.K. from The Incredible Machine as well as the third country radio single, released April 11.
In April 2011, Sugarland began their own radio station, which was launched by A.P.E. Radio. The station is programmed by Nettles and Bush, and gives fans the opportunity to hear experiences from both singers' lives and from their current musical endeavours.
The duo appeared at the 2011 CMT Music Awards, winning for "Duo Video of the Year" but losing to Taylor Swift's "Mine" for video of the year. They also performed their donation song "Stand Up"
Already Gone
Sugarland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Which hands you shake and which hands you hold
In my hand-me-down Mercury, ready to roll
She knew that I had to go
And hangout, make lots of noise
And lay out late with a boy
Make the mistakes that she make 'cause she knew all along
I was already gone
I was already gone
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on
They say the first time won't ever last
But that didn't stop me the first time he laughed
All my friends tried to warn me the day that we met
"Girl, don't you lose your heart yet"
But his dark eyes dared me with danger
And sparks fly like flame to a paper
Fire in his touch burning me up, but still I held on
'Cause I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on
The last time I saw him, we packed up my things
And he smiled like the first time he told me his name
And we cried with each other
We split the blame for the parts that we couldn't change
Pictures, dishes and socks
It's our whole life down to one box
There he was waving goodbye on the front porch alone
But I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
Hangout, make lots of noise
And lay out late with a boy
Make the mistakes that she made, life is a runaway train
My mama mapped out the road that she knows
Which hands to shake, which hands you hold
In my hand-me-down Mercury
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on
The song "Already Gone" by Sugarland is a powerful ballad about growing up, making mistakes, falling in love, and ultimately leaving the past behind. The lyrics describe the journey of a young woman leaving home, ready to take on the world, but also aware that mistakes will inevitably be made along the way. The first verse describes the advice of the singer's mother, who prepares her for the road ahead. The second verse describes the singer falling in love despite warnings from her friends about getting hurt. The final verse is about the singer leaving her lover and moving on with her life.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I was already gone" three times, emphasizing that the singer was already moving forward with her life before she physically left her hometown. The lyrics suggest that life is a runaway train that you can't wait to jump on, urging the listener to take risks and live life to the fullest. The song's haunting melody is accompanied by guitar and strings, adding to the emotive power of the track.
Overall, "Already Gone" is a poignant reminder that life is about taking risks, making mistakes, and moving forward, even when it's difficult. It encourages listeners to embrace the unknown and enjoy the ride of life.
Line by Line Meaning
My Mama mapped out the road that she knows
My mother prepared me for life and showed me the way she knows best.
Which hands you shake and which hands you hold
Mom guided me on building relationships and who to trust.
In my hand-me-down Mercury, ready to roll
In my old car, I am prepared to start my journey.
She knew that I had to go
Mother knew I had to leave and experience life on my own.
And hangout, make lots of noise
She encouraged me to have fun, socialize, and be heard.
And lay out late with a boy
She warned me of this mistake she made but still wanted me to discover the world at my own pace.
Make the mistakes that she make 'cause she knew all along
Mom knew that I couldn't avoid the mistakes she made, so she prepared me to learn from those mistakes.
I was already gone
I had already left for my adventure and was ready to embrace everything coming my way.
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on
Life is like a speeding train that you cannot stop, so you have to take risks and jump right in.
They say the first time won't ever last
People suggest that first experiences don't always end up lasting.
But that didn't stop me the first time he laughed
I ignored the warning and fell in love with someone because of a fleeting moment of joy.
All my friends tried to warn me the day that we met
Even my friends warned me, but I took my own path in life.
"Girl, don't you lose your heart yet"
They warned me not to fall in love too soon and not to give my heart without hesitation.
But his dark eyes dared me with danger
The man I fell in love with gave me glimpses of risk-taking and adventures with his mesmerizing eyes.
And sparks fly like flame to a paper
Every moment shared together was like a fire that burned so hot between us.
Fire in his touch burning me up, but still I held on
His touch ignited all my senses, but I still chose to hold on to the relationship.
'Cause I was already gone
Since I was already on a journey, I could not help but stay committed to my decision.
The last time I saw him, we packed up my things
During the last meeting, we were packing as I was about to leave.
And he smiled like the first time he told me his name
I recall the smile, the first time he introduced himself to me.
And we cried with each other
We both had a heartful of emotions to express, and we cried together.
We split the blame for the parts that we couldn't change
We shared the responsibility of the things we could not alter and moved on with life.
Pictures, dishes, and socks
These were some of the things we were dividing before I left.
It's our whole life down to one box
Our whole life together fit in one box, symbolizing the end of the relationship.
There he was waving goodbye on the front porch alone
He waved me goodbye, standing alone on the front porch.
Hangout, make lots of noise
Mom wanted me to have a social life even though it might lead to some mistakes.
And lay out late with a boy
She wanted me to learn from the mistakes she made in her life.
Make the mistakes that she made, life is a runaway train
Life is precarious, and experiences are a crucial part of learning even from mistakes.
My mama mapped out the road that she knows
Mother provided me with a blueprint of life according to her understanding.
Which hands to shake, which hands you hold
She taught me who to trust, who my circle should be, and who should not.
In my hand-me-down Mercury
The car represents a special and unique memory of childhood that helped me start a new phase of life.
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on
Life is fleeting, and one should take opportunities as they come since they might not ever come back again.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bobby Pinson, Jennifer Nettles, Kristian Bush
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bexsailo2643
My Mama mapped out the road that she knows
Which hands you shake and which hands you hold
In my hand-me-down Mercury, ready to roll
She knew that I had to go
And hangout, make lots of noise
Lay out and hang with the boys
Make the mistakes that she made 'cause she knew all along
I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on
They say the first time won't ever last
But that didn't stop me. the first time he laughed
All my friends tried to warn me the day that we met
"Girl, don't you lose your heart yet"
But his dark eyes dared me with danger
And sparks fly like flame to a paper
Fire in his touch burning me up, but still I held on
I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on
The last time I see him, we packed up my things
And he smiled like the first time he told me his name
And we cried with each other
We split the blame for the parts that we couldn't change
Pictures, dishes and socks
It's our whole life down to one box
There he was waving goodbye on the front porch alone
But I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
Hangout, make lots of noise
Lay out late with a boy
Make the mistakes that she made, life is a runaway train
My mama mapped out the road that she knows
Which hands to shake, which hands you hold
In my hand-me-down Mercury
Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on
Source: LyricFind
@MyJudoman
Timeless music, that will last forever. So much talent, musically, vocally, and lyrically.
@robv4936
I still to this day absolutely love her voice
@erictaylor5462
Not just a great voice. A great song writer too.
@thearmouroflight102
The most incredible singer ever!
@erictaylor5462
@THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT Have you ever heard Karen Carpenter?
@thearmouroflight102
@Eric Taylor yes used to listen to her as well!
@CraigTodd924
She's so dreamy 😍😍😍
@annatarnowski7198
Thank you Sugarland for getting me through my cancer when I was 6 and 7, and for still having the best music I have ever heard.
@patrickflohe7427
I hope you’re still doing well!
@jihanwilliams3837
I pray you are still doing well!! You're a survivor! 🙏🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽