microphone. Her favorite pastime instantly became singing along with country tunes by artists like Barbara Mandrell and Loretta Lynn. She preferably sang in front of an audience, with her older brothers' help.
Over the next few years, she gained experience singing at her family's church. At age 12, she entered a local talent contest and won. With a newfound confidence, she entered more contests, winning over and over. While still in her teens, she put together a band of her own called TC Country. The group appeared at fairs, weddings, and clubs.
She finished high school and took vocational training to be a secretary. In 1991, she moved to Nashville with her parents. In 1996 she married, but divorced after a few years. In 1998, she was introduced to Shane Decker after one of her performances. Decker worked for Warner-Chappell Music as a songwriter. He offered to help her get a demo ready. He also helped her land a job writing songs at Warner-Chappell. She signed to Sony Music Nashville, which released her first single, the very traditional "If You Can," in 2000. After a second single stalled, "Angels in Waiting" cracked the Top 10; Cochran co-wrote the song about her two brothers, who had died of cystic fibrosis. Her follow-up album included the single "Life Happened," but didn't sell well and she parted ways with the label shortly afterwards.
So What
Tammy Cochran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Should be painless but it's not
Should've seen the truth in you but i didn't
Should'a done a lot of things
So what, so what
If it hadn't been for losing you I'd still be back in Jackson
Settlin' for settlin' and gettin' what I got
Guess you could say I learned a lot
Yeah, you broke my heart
So what
Could've cried a river for you but I wouldn't
Could'a just laid down and given up
Could'a tried to be somebody I wasn't
I could have asked her name
For what, for what
If it hadn't been for losing you I'd still be back in Jackson
Settlin' for settlin' and gettin' what I got
But where I am and who I am is well worth every lesson
Guess you could say I learned a lot
Yeah, you broke my heart
So what
So what if it hurt me for a little while
So what if some teardrops had to fall
So what if I never thought I'd love again
I know I'm better for it all
If it hadn't been for losing you I'd still be back in Jackson
Settlin' for settlin' and gettin' what I got
But where I am and who I am is well worth every lesson
Guess you could say I learned a lot
Yeah, you broke my heart
So what
The song "So What" by Tammy Cochran is about a woman who reflects on a past relationship that didn't work out. She acknowledges that although it was painful, losing that person actually brought her to a better place in life. The opening lines of the chorus "Should've been easy but it wasn't, should be painless but it's not" highlight the fact that the breakup was difficult, however, in the end, the singer is able to shrug it off and affirm "So what."
The song communicates a message of resilience and empowerment, emphasizing the importance of learning from past experiences and growing from them. The phrase "settin' for settlin' and gettin' what I got" in the second verse suggests that the singer was previously stuck in a complacent and unfulfilling lifestyle, but the end of the relationship allowed her to move forward and become a better version of herself. The repeated phrase "yeah, you broke my heart. So what" further emphasizes the singer's ability to move past the pain and become stronger as a result.
Line by Line Meaning
Should've been easy but it wasn't
I thought this would be effortless, but it's been harder than expected.
Should be painless but it's not
Just because this should be easy doesn't mean it is. In fact, it hurts quite a bit.
Should've seen the truth in you but i didn't
In hindsight, I should have recognized the problems with you, but I was blind to them at the time.
Should'a done a lot of things
There are a lot of things I should have done differently in my past.
So what, so what
But what's done is done, and dwelling on it won't help me now.
If it hadn't been for losing you I'd still be back in Jackson
Losing you was painful, but it helped me escape a life where I was settling and not truly happy.
Settlin' for settlin' and gettin' what I got
I was content with mediocrity, and never pushed myself to be something better.
But where I am and who I am is well worth every lesson
I've grown so much since then, and I wouldn't be who I am today without those struggles and lessons.
Guess you could say I learned a lot
The trials and heartaches I've gone through have taught me more than any textbook ever could.
Yeah, you broke my heart
You hurt me deeply, but...
So what
...I refuse to let that define me or hold me back in life.
Could've cried a river for you but I wouldn't
It would have been easy to succumb to despair and sadness for you, but I chose not to.
Could'a just laid down and given up
I could have let my heartbreak defeat me and stop me from progressing in life.
Could'a tried to be somebody I wasn't
I could have pretended to be someone else in order to win your affection, but that wouldn't have been genuine or fulfilling.
I could have asked her name
It's possible that I could have found someone else, but...
For what, for what
...there's no real point in dwelling on these hypotheticals. It's better to focus on the present.
So what if it hurt me for a little while
Yes, I felt pain and sorrow after losing you, but...
So what if some teardrops had to fall
...shedding some tears along the way is a natural and healthy part of the healing process.
So what if I never thought I'd love again
At the time, it felt like the end of the world, but looking back, I realize that there are other opportunities for love and happiness in my future.
I know I'm better for it all
Overall, the struggles I've faced in my past have made me a stronger and more resilient person today.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMIE O'NEAL, ROXIE DEAN, SONNY TILLIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind