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"
Settlin
Sugarland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For mister right now, not mister forever
Don't know why I even try when I know how it ends
Looking like another: "maybe we could be friends."
I've been leaving it up to fate
It's my life, so it's mine to make
I ain't settling for just getting by
Tired of shooting too low, so raise the bar high
Just enough ain't enough this time
I ain't settling for anything less than everything, yeah
With some good red wine and my brand new shoes
Gonna dance up a blue streak around my living room
Take a chance on love and try how it feels
With my heart wide open, now you know I will
Find what it means to be the girl
Change her mind and change her world
I ain't settling for just getting by
I've had enough so-so for the rest of my life
Tired of shooting too low, so raise the bar high
Just enough ain't enough this time
I ain't settling for anything less than everything
I ain't settling for just getting by
I've had enough so-so for the rest of my life
Tired of shooting too low, so raise the bar high
Just not giving up this time
I ain't settling for just getting by
I've had enough so-so for the rest of my life
Tired of shooting too low, so raise the bar high
I ain't settling, no, no, no, no, no, no
So raise the bar high
"Sugarland's song 'Settlin'' is about a woman who is tired of settling for less in her romantic relationships. She only has fifteen minutes to get ready to meet a man who is not looking for a long-term commitment, but rather a casual fling. Despite the odds, the woman asserts that she is determined not to settle for anything less than love and passion that lasts. The lyrics are about taking control of one's life and not leaving things up to chance. The singer is determined to be the mistress of her own fate and find the kind of love that makes her heart soar, not just settle for mediocre relationships."
The song's first verse, with lines like "Don't know why I even try when I know how it ends" and "Looking like another: 'maybe we could be friends,'" suggest that the woman is used to unsuccessful romantic relationships. She's accepted that her dates start with the idea of seeing her as a friend, hoping it will become something more, but ultimately always ending in disappointment. Sugarland drives home the fact that she's "not settling for just getting by" and that she's "tired of shooting too low" in the chorus, making clear that the woman is determined to find the kind of love that truly sets her heart on fire.
One of the most powerful lines in this song is "I ain't settling for anything less than everything," which speaks to the desire to have it all, rather than just a piece of what one wants in life or love. The song stands as a testament to the idea that settling for less doesn't have to be the norm; that it is okay to strive for the love and happiness that one truly desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Fifteen minutes left to throw me together
Only a little time left to compose myself
For mister right now, not mister forever
For someone to spend time with now, not necessarily forever
Don't know why I even try when I know how it ends
Not understanding why to attempt when there's an obvious conclusion
Looking like another: "maybe we could be friends."
Seeming like another person to simply be friends with
I've been leaving it up to fate
I've been allowing destiny to take charge
It's my life, so it's mine to make
Since it's my life, it's my decisions to create
I ain't settling for just getting by
I'm not happy with barely surviving
I've had enough so-so for the rest of my life
I am not going to put up with mediocracy for the remainder of my life
Tired of shooting too low, so raise the bar high
I'm tired of not aiming higher, so I must aim higher
Just enough ain't enough this time
It's not enough to have only just enough now
I ain't settling for anything less than everything, yeah
I'm not going to accept anything less than everything I can achieve
With some good red wine and my brand new shoes
With some delicious red wine and my new shoes
Gonna dance up a blue streak around my living room
Going to dance intensely around my living room
Take a chance on love and try how it feels
Attempt to feel love, risking potential consequences
With my heart wide open, now you know I will
I'm going to give it my all, you know that now
Find what it means to be the girl
Discover what it means to be truly me
Change her mind and change her world
Alter my mindset and transform the world around me
Just not giving up this time
I'm just not giving up this time
I ain't settling, no, no, no, no, no, no
I am not settling, not at all
So raise the bar high
Therefore, aim higher and increase the standard
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KRISTIAN BUSH, TIM OWENS, JENNIFER NETTLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MrMister2463
My Uncle produced this video and he was telling me how she is the nicest most humble person he has ever met. that is a true artist
Camellia Christopher
I'm from Texas so you know I love me SUGARLAND IT'S around the corner in my neck of the woods. 👖🐄🐮🤠😎
Dean James
Ya sure he did...
nalinux
I m sure she is a nice person. I'm just afraid about religions.
She's been brain washed.
Daniel Owens
Then he should know Tim Owens the writer. My uncle!!
beking4
Not a fan of the video, but I am of the editing. The budget for the video appears to have been small. The result was good given confines. Jennifer Nettles is amazing. But I would like to hear more about Kristian Bush and Kristen Hall and the roles they played in forming the group, writing songs, etc.
Alyssia Davis
2022 and I still come back to old Sugarland when I need pick me up music! 💜
James Hancock
2023 and still blasting this great tune.
historyraven
New Year's Eve 2022 and and ringing in 2023 with Sugarland! If you haven't seen her in The Righteous Gemstones, check it out! She 8s great! Happy to know it's not just me dancing a blue streak across my living room! Happy New Year! Here's to 2023🎉🎉
Lori lin Mayol
Me also. I Love Sugarland. Wish they were still together.