Carly Pearce’s 29

Photo by Alexa Campbell

give yourself some grace

is such a pivotal year. You grow up. You figure stuff out.You’re an adult, but you still have wonder... and when things hurt, you admit it. But you also know the hurt won’t kill you. It’s just part of getting stronger. That’s what I want for everyone: to build the life you want and be strong enough to get there on your own terms.

For me, 29 was mourning the death of my producer busbee. He was my first champion. He believed in me, my voice, the songs I was writing when nobody else heard them... and even when people were passing on me, saying they didn’t get it, he kept on and he kept telling me, “You’ve got it!” It hurt to think about making music again without him.

29 was also the year I got married and divorced. I never got married thinking it would end in divorce.

I did the only thing I knew how to do amid all of the grief: I turned to music. I got out all of my old records, the kind of country music I was raised on: Patty Loveless, the Judds, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton. Through all of the listening, I harnessed the strength of all those women and it made me want to explore that part of myself...

This collection ultimately came together out of that truth: Be the best woman I can be, create songs that show my roots, but also reach for the future...and give people the same glimmer of life that all the artists I loved gave me.

These songs are for anyone on a journey...especially women working hard and trying to make their place in the world. But it’s also for men who feel like they’re fighting the good fight and staying in one place. It’s for young people who’re facing a tough world but aren’t giving up. It’s for grown-ups who can’t believe how life turns out but aren’t giving in. And it’s for everyone who loves the kind of country you can find at Dollywood or the Opry on Saturday night.

29 kind of captures a whole lot of those things. It’s – I hope – a good reminder to keep going, to remember your light and to keep reaching for your dreams.

Love,

1. next girl 2. should’ve known better 3. 29 4. liability 5. messy 6. show me around 7. day one

credits

Produced by Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne (Tracks 1 – 4, 6, 7) / Produced by Jimmy Robbins (Track 5) / Recorded by Ryan Gore at Sound Stage Studios (Nashville, TN); Assisted by Kam Luchterhand (Tracks 1 – 4, 6, 7) / Additional Recording by Ryan Gore at Maverick Recording (Nashville, TN) (Tracks 1 – 4, 6, 7) / Recorded by Jimmy Robbins at The Robbins Nest (Nashville, TN) (Track 5) / Additional Recording by Derek Wells at The Tzudio (Nashville, TN) and Evan Hutchings at Evan’s Place (Nashville, TN) (Track 5) / Digital Editing by Chris Small and Brian David Willis (Tracks 2 – 4, 7) / Mixed by Ryan Gore at Maverick Recording (Nashville, TN) / Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound (Nashville, TN) / Production Coordination by Scott Johnson (Tracks 1 – 4, 6, 7) / Production Coordination by Mike “Frog” Griffith (Track 5) / Copy Coordinators: Doug Rich, Janice Soled Lead Vocals – Carly Pearce / Acoustic Guitar – Jimmy Robbins (Track 5), Ilya Toshinskiy (Tracks 1 – 4, 6, 7) / Electric Guitar – Rob McNelley (Tracks 1 – 4, 6, 7), Derek Wells (Track 5) / Fiddle – Jenee Fleenor (Track 3) / Mandolin – Ilya Toshinskiy (Track 4), Derek Wells (Track 5) / Banjo – Derek Wells (Track 5) / Dobro – Josh Matheny / Lap Steel – Josh Matheny (Tracks 2 – 4, 7) / Steel Guitar – Derek Wells (Track 5) / Bass – Jimmy Robbins (Track 5), Craig Young (Tracks 1 – 4, 6, 7) / Synth – Dave Cohen (Tracks 1 – 3, 6, 7) / Wurlitzer – Dave Cohen (Tracks 3, 4) / Keyboards – Jimmy Robbins (Track 5) / Piano – Dave Cohen (Track 7) / Drums – Fred Eltringham (Tracks 1 – 4, 6, 7), Evan Hutchings (Track 5) / Percussion – Fred Eltringham (Tracks 1 – 4, 7), Evan Hutchings (Track 5) / Programming – Fred Eltringham (Track 1), Ryan Gore (Tracks 1 – 4, 6, 7), Jimmy Robbins (Track 5) / Background Vocals – Carly Pearce (Tracks 2, 5 – 7), Josh Osborne (Tracks 1 – 4, 7), Emily Shackelton (Track 6)

click here to listen

Photography (cover photo): Allister Ann Photography (interior photos): Alexa Campbell, Allister Ann, Lexie Rucker Art Direction: Carly Pearce, Big Machine Creative: Justin Ford, Nicole Flammia Graphic Design: Katherine Graham Hair & Make-up: Mari Fandl Wardrobe/Styling: Carly Pearce

1.

next girl

Written by Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne Hey next girl, you don’t know me I’m just the one he says went crazy on him That’s just what he does But once upon a time I was The next girl, I’ve been where you’re at You overlook a lot when he looks like that He’ll charm your mama with that smile Hide the red flags for a little while

I bet you probably met him at a bar Let him walk you to your car, I bet He said he never falls this hard Yeah I remember that part He knows how to say all the right things Knows how to get you outta that dress Knows how to make you think you’re the best thing But I know what happens next

I bet you probably met him at a bar Let him walk you to your car, I bet He said he never falls this hard Yeah I remember that part He knows how to say all the right things Knows how to get you outta that dress Knows how to make you think you’re the best thing But I know what happens next, girl

You’re gonna think it’s all your fault It’s just a switch that he turns off He’ll make you think it’s love But I promise you it’s not Oh no it’s not, no

Hey next girl, you think that you know better Maybe the last girl was just a little bitter And jaded, yeah there ain’t no doubt But if he ever talks about the ex girl She tried like hell, it was too late to save herself So now she’s just trying to help the next girl

Oh, and I bet you probably met him at a bar Let him walk you to your car, I bet He said he never falls this hard Yeah I remember that part He knows how to say all the right things Knows how to get you outta that dress Knows how to make you think you’re the best thing But I know what happens next, girl

© 2020 BMG Gold Songs / For The Kids Gold (ASCAP). All Rights Administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC./ Smackwood Music / Tempo Investments / Warner Geo Met Ric Music (GMR). All rights o/b/o Smackwood Music and Tempo Investments administered by Warner Geo Met Ric Music./ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC / Smackborne Music. All rights o/b/o Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC and Smackborne Music administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 424 Church Street, Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37219. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Photo by Alexa Campbell

Photo by Allister Ann

2.

should’ve known better

Written by Carly Pearce, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Shackelton I am my mother’s daughter I watched her with my father I saw it all, the good and bad Should’ve known better than that You found me at the right time I loved you from that first night Bet everything on what we had Should’ve known better than that I gave you my heart, you let it go to waste You made me do the leaving and you made me take the blame Does it make you feel good to make me feel bad Yeah you should’ve known better, should’ve known better Than to break what you couldn’t fix Boy what a shame, what you’re gonna miss Why’d you go and do what you can’t take back Yeah you should’ve known better, should’ve known better than that You sold me on the fantasy Dammit it all felt real to me Thought you were the man in the photograph Should’ve known better than that Oh, I should’ve known better than that I gave you my heart, you let it go to waste You made me do the leaving and you made me take the blame Does it make you feel good to make me feel bad Yeah you should’ve known better, should’ve known better Than to break what you couldn’t fix Boy what a shame, what you’re gonna miss Why’d you go and do what you can’t take back Yeah you should’ve known better, should’ve known better than that Still some nights I’m crying on the floor But I’m not sleeping in the bed you made no more I gave you my heart, you let it go to waste You made me do the leaving and you made me take the blame Does it make you feel good to make me feel bad Yeah you should’ve known better, should’ve known better Than to break what you couldn’t fix Boy what a shame, what you’re gonna miss Why’d you go and do what you can’t take back Yeah you should’ve known better, should’ve known better than that Oh you should’ve known better than that © 2021 BMG Gold Songs / For The Kids Gold / Redfeather Publishing (ASCAP) / BMG Platinum Songs US (BMI). All Rights Administered By BMG Rights Management (US) LLC./ Jreynmusic / Buckeye26 / WC Music Corp. (ASCAP). All rights o/b/o itself, Jreynmusic and Buckeye26 administered by WC Music Corp. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Photo by Alexa Campbell

3.

29

Written by Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne 29, that’s when you’re supposed to find yourself Start drinking whiskey from a higher shelf Stop calling your mom for help 29, you start paying mortgage instead of rent Should be picking out a picket fence Instead of wondering where it went and wondering why But for me 29 is the year that I got married and divorced I held on for dear life but I still fell off the horse From a Miss to a Mrs. then the other way around The year I was gonna live it up Now I’m never gonna live it down 29, by now I thought I’d have it figured out But I’ve never felt as lost as I do now And everybody says you’re only 29 But I feel like I’m running out of time

If youth is wasted on the young, have I wasted mine ‘Cause for me 29 is the year that I got married and divorced I held on for dear life but I still fell off the horse From a Miss to a Mrs. then the other way around The year I was gonna live it up Now I’m never gonna live it down Seems like everybody else is hanging on to it But I swear to God I’ve barely made my way through it Oh 29 is the year that I got married and divorced Yeah I held on for dear life but I still fell off the horse From a Miss to a Mrs. then the other way around The year I was gonna live it up Hey let’s just call it what it was Now I’m never gonna live it down

© 2021 BMG Gold Songs / For The Kids Gold / Redfeather Publishing (ASCAP). All Rights Administered By BMG Rights Management (US) LLC./ Tempo Investments / Smackwood Music / Warner Geo Met Ric Music (GMR). All rights o/b/o Tempo Investments and Smackwood Music administered by Warner Geo Met Ric Music./ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC / Smackborne Music. All rights o/b/o Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Smackborne Music administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 424 Church Street, Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37219. All rights reserved.

Used by permission.

4.

liability

Written by Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne Midnight you crawl back swearing you lost track How can you say that with a straight face Your phone is glowing, you say it’s no one It’s funny no one calls me this late You tell me I’m crazy yeah I know But I gotta see how far you’re gonna go The way those words roll off your silver tongue Your fabricated love’s become a liability And oh it’s killing me How you stand there oh so confidently Can’t believe your look-me-in-the-eye ability Your lie ability, yeah I’ll give you credit, you really sell it The way you tell it, just sounds so good The poison’s in the apple, the snake is in the grass The truth about a lie is that it ain’t ever made to last The way those words roll off your silver tongue Your fabricated love’s become a liability And oh it’s killing me How you stand there oh so confidently Can’t believe your look-me-in-the-eye ability Your lie ability, yeah Oh the way those words roll off your silver tongue Your fabricated love’s become a liability And oh, it’s killing me How you stand there oh so confidently Can’t believe your look-me-in-the-eye ability Your lie ability, yeah Oh it’s killing me, your lie ability, yeah © 2021 BMG Gold Songs / For The Kids Gold / Redfeather Publishing (ASCAP). All Rights Administered By BMG Rights Management (US) LLC./ Tempo Investments / Smackwood Music / Warner Geo Met Ric Music (GMR). All rights o/b/o Tempo Investments and Smackwood Music administered by Warner Geo Met Ric Music./ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC / Smackborne Music. All rights o/b/o Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Smackborne Music administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 424 Church Street, Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37219. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Photo by Alexa Campbell

Photo by Alexa Campbell

5.

messy

Written by Carly Pearce, Sarah Buxton, Jimmy Robbins Cigarettes in the ash tray Sitting on the porch Two empty bottles of cabernet From the night before A couple of texts I wish I hadn’t sent But at the time Had a good buzz and it felt innocent

Moving on is messy It ain’t always gonna be a clean break and it’s okay Whatever it takes these days ‘Cause heartbreak isn’t sexy And there ain’t no wearing it well, going through hell So give yourself some grace Moving on is messy

Moving on is messy It ain’t always gonna be a clean break and it’s okay Whatever it takes these days ‘Cause heartbreak isn’t sexy And there ain’t no wearing it well, going through hell So give yourself some grace Moving on is messy

You’re fine ‘til you’re falling apart Over it, back to the start It ain’t on your mind ‘til you’re replaying every memory

Little black dress in the bathroom From last Friday night Thought I was ready, it was too soon God I wasn’t right Mascara stains on pillowcases Can’t stop my mind From going back to broken places

Moving on is messy It ain’t always gonna be a clean break and it’s okay Whatever it takes these days ‘Cause heartbreak isn’t sexy And there ain’t no wearing it well, going through hell So give yourself some grace Moving on is messy Moving on is messy Moving on is messy Oh it’s messy

© 2021 BMG Gold Songs / For The Kids Gold (ASCAP). All Rights Administered By BMG Rights Management (US) LLC./ Songs by Big Dolphin Energy (BMI). All rights reserved and administered by Downtown DMP Songs./ Round Hill Songs II / JRM3 / Muse Magic (ASCAP). All Rights Administered by Round Hill Songs II. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

6.

show me around

Written by Carly Pearce, Emily Shackelton, Ben West I heard you got a brand-new place Feels like at least a million miles away I hope I get to meet you there someday And we’ll pick back up like no time passed Yeah I pray it happens like that I bet you’re up there right now Making plans and writing out All your favorite places That you just can’t wait to take us And we’ll get to spend forever talking ‘bout whatever When I get there, promise you’ll track me down And show me around I heard that there’s no growing old And now you only walk down streets of gold I’ve only read about what you’ve seen, what you know And I’m still here missing you Oh I wonder what you’re getting into I bet you’re up there right now Making plans and writing out All your favorite places That you just can’t wait to take us And we’ll get to spend forever talking ‘bout whatever When I get there, promise you’ll track me down And show me around I hate how much that losing you hurts I hope you know you left your mark on this world And I swear that I’d give anything on this earth To see your face but for now I’ll wait I bet you’re up there right now Making plans and writing out All your favorite places That you just can’t wait to take us And we’ll get to spend forever talking ‘bout whatever When I get there, promise you’ll track me down And show me around And show me around I heard you got a brand-new place © 2020 BMG Gold Songs / For The Kids Gold (ASCAP) / BMG Platinum Songs US / For The Kids Platinum / Songs Of Yellow Room Music (BMI). All Rights Administered By BMG Rights Management (US) LLC./ Active Noun Publishing / Altadena Songs of Woodbury / WarnerTamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI). All rights o/b/o itself, Active Noun Publishing and Altadena Songs of Woodbury administered by WarnerTamerlane Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. Used By permission.

Photo by Lexie Rucker

Photo by Alexa Campbell

7.

day one

Written by Carly Pearce, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey By tomorrow I bet I can crawl out of bed And I might even open the shades Then the weekend’ll fly, some friends will drop by And tell me I’ll be okay

By Tuesday the hurt won’t keep me from work And I’ll hide it from everyone Sounds easy to do if I just get through day one In a week or so, all the neighbors’ll know When they don’t see your car outside By day seventeen, I won’t need a drink To help me close my eyes On day twenty-eight, I’ll go on a date And he’ll think I’m having fun Sounds easy to do if I just get through day one I know I’ll be better off alone Give it time, broken hearts have a mind of their own I wish I knew a way to skip over the pain but I don’t There’s no way to say how long it’ll take Till the damage comes undone All I can do is try to get through day one

By day forty-five, I won’t have to drive By your house on my way home By day ninety-two, if I run into you It won’t kill me if you’re not alone By fall or by winter, I’ll barely remember How hard this first night was When all I could do Is try to get through day one I know I’ll be better off alone Give it time, broken hearts have a mind of their own I wish I knew a way to skip over the pain but I don’t There’ll come a time, waking up on your side Of the bed won’t feel so strange Right now it seems crazy, it won’t even phase me When someone says your name It might take a while but I might even smile When that day finally comes You’ll just be someone I knew, if I just get through day one Yeah I’ll get over you if I just get through day one

© 2021 BMG Gold Songs / For The Kids Gold (ASCAP). All Rights Administered By BMG Rights Management (US) LLC./ Tempo Investments / Smack Hits / Warner Geo Met Ric Music (GMR). All rights o/b/o Tempo Investments and Smack Hits administered by Warner Geo Met Ric Music./ Songs of Black River (ASCAP), a division of Black River Entertainment, LLC./ Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP). Administered by Spirit Music Group./ Sonic Geo Music (ASCAP) administered by Calhoun Enterprises. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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Photo by Alexa Campbell