Kellie Pickler – “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You”
Songwriters: Chris Lindsey, Aimee Mayo & Troy Verges.
The most powerful songs are often born from exposing a simple truth that is the root of a given emotion; they are born when their writers break through the barrier of convolution that stands between what we know how to say and what we feel, when clouded and distorted context makes way for raw essentiality.
There is no more essential post break-up question than this one: Didn’t you know how much I loved you?
It’s a question that comes from an emotional wellspring that runs far deeper than anger or resentment. Didn’t you know how much I loved you? Even in wake of the singer’s broken heart and her realization that she must move on, even after her attempts to “make sense of it all,” the remnant pain seeps through those eight words: I gave you everything I had, every bit of myself. Why wasn’t it enough? Didn’t you know how much I loved you?
There can be no heart more painfully broken than one that breaks with a sharp shot; the long goodbye prepares us for the inevitable, but a strike from the blindside leaves us disoriented. And while Pickler’s performance on most of this song is thin but pleasant, there is a great disparity between the song’s verses and chorus–when Pickler hits the song’s melodic peak she’s soaring, squeezing out every bit of power and emotion her voice can muster. She connects with this question like someone whose heart has been so genuinely torn apart.
“Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You” is not a great song, because outside of the chorus it is entirely disposable and generic. But “Didn’t you know how much I loved you?” is a great hook. Great enough that we’re not going to remember how average the rest of the song is, only the tremendous power of those words.
Didn’t you know how much I loved you? We will remember that line thanks to Pickler, who knocks it out of the ballpark.
Listen: Kellie Pickler – “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You”
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August 25, 2009 at 9:39 am Permalink
I can’t get past the cliches in the lyrics. I don’t like it.
August 25, 2009 at 9:45 am Permalink
Yay Kellie finally releases this song. About time she seporated herself from her Swift incorperated girly anthems and did something a little more generic for once. It’s funny though, it took her two albums to release this, that seems to be the thing lately. I mean look at this past years track record: Paisley’s “Waitin’ On A Woman”, Urban’s “You Look Good In My Shirt”, Jake Owen’s “Eight Second Ride”, all released on two albums and then put out as singles the second time around. Interesting little trend we’ve got started here, I like it.
August 25, 2009 at 9:55 am Permalink
I agree whole heartedly with this review except for one thing, the single version of the sone should be the one from the first album not the current one. The production on this version is too over the top to allow one to truly connect with the singer.
It could be just me, cause I loved the version from Small Town Girl. It seemed much more simpler and conversational like some asking how this can be done to me in private while this version is the one where a girl screaming at her old partner on the street.
August 25, 2009 at 10:20 am Permalink
It seems like the single version will be the Small Town Girl’s one… More radio friendly, I think.
I really like this song. The emotion pass between sad and anger, and it’s such a real description of what really happens in cases like that. Simple lyrics can make great songs too.
August 25, 2009 at 11:29 am Permalink
What Dr. No said.
August 25, 2009 at 12:26 pm Permalink
I’ve had a belief since American Idol, that Pickler has the potential to be the next Dolly. Whether or not she lives up to that potential, is yet to be seen.
I really enjoy this song, and agree with the comment that it’s nice to see her stepping away from the childish Swift-ian anthems. I never liked the idea of her singing a Taylor song (Best Days Of Your Life) and it’s nice to hear something just a little bit more grown up.
August 25, 2009 at 2:02 pm Permalink
I just can’t get past the “if you don’t buy my album you hate orphans” subtext.
August 25, 2009 at 2:06 pm Permalink
Stormy,
I’m not a Pickler fan, including this song, but I don’t get where you get that subtext. It’s not like it’s a running theme in her singles, anyway save one song that hinted at an estranged mother.
August 25, 2009 at 2:15 pm Permalink
Noeller, I have to correct you. Ashley Monroe is the next Dolly, and Kellie Pickler is just Kellie Pickler. Kellie’s enhanced cleavage is about as close as she comes to being another Dolly. Like Dolly did Ashley writes great songs and Kellie does not. Kellie is a mid level talent at best, kind of like a female Sucky Covington who can at least sing.
I haven’t heard the earlier version of this song, but if the chorus is less bombastic I know I would prefer it over this.
August 25, 2009 at 2:26 pm Permalink
I love Ashley Monroe, but I’d hardly classify her as the next Dolly. Not yet, anyway.
August 25, 2009 at 2:59 pm Permalink
I love Kellie but I loathe this song. It is sung 90%+ outside her best range with too quiet verses and too loud choruses, which is also very repetitive on the STG version. Also, 1.11m people have already bought one or other versions of this song, so it will be difficult to sell in great numbers for chart purposes to offset Country Radio’s barely disguised disregard for her.
August 25, 2009 at 3:11 pm Permalink
The audio clip provided is for her debut album version, since then its been re-recorded, lengthened, and been given a different production – fyi
Anyways, I love this song =D Its a great single choice, and I hope it does really well.
August 25, 2009 at 3:21 pm Permalink
Dolly is the next Dolly.
August 25, 2009 at 4:47 pm Permalink
Sorry, I don’t like this song. Kellie needs songs with better writing keeping out of a top range that’s starts grating on the nerves. She also can do a lot without all the studio background fill in music. I like Kellie as a funny comedian but just haven’t took to her yet as a serious singer (with the exception of one song, “I Wonder..”) The Swift World Domination has helped her in sales but has not helped her grow musically.
She is no Dolly.
August 25, 2009 at 5:28 pm Permalink
I think Kellie and Julianne Hough should book a bunch of concert dates together and call it “The Blonde Bimbo Tour”! They could include Whitney Duncan, and Sarah Darling, and Joey Daniels, and well, the list could be endless! (lol)
August 25, 2009 at 6:03 pm Permalink
Um, Jim? It’s *Troy* Verges, not Tony.
August 25, 2009 at 6:16 pm Permalink
Hopefully you’ll start spending as much time editing Roughstock as you spend editing The 9513.
August 25, 2009 at 6:21 pm Permalink
Jim, what do you have against Roughstock (other than the obvious)? I mean, really?
August 25, 2009 at 6:31 pm Permalink
Yeah, well, this review sure could have used some editing.
August 25, 2009 at 7:07 pm Permalink
All I’m saying is that if you’re going to constantly roll your virtual eyes at our editing methods, make sure your own copy is clean and coherent first.
August 25, 2009 at 7:38 pm Permalink
Well, I don’t ever comment on editing methods of this or any site but will ‘correct’ a miss-labeling of a name, as Ten Pound Hammer did. As for the content at Roughstock (I hate to call it copy as it’s not a newspaper), It seems pretty clean and coherent to me, as the stuff here does.
August 25, 2009 at 8:19 pm Permalink
I think Kellie and Julianne Hough should book a bunch of concert dates together and call it “The Blonde Bimbo Tour”! They could include Whitney Duncan, and Sarah Darling, and Joey Daniels, and well, the list could be endless! (lol)
Or they could just call themselves Bomshel … no wait, that name’s already taken. Never mind …
August 25, 2009 at 8:23 pm Permalink
Ha, Razor X.
August 26, 2009 at 8:03 am Permalink
How about “The Blonde (lack of) Ambition Tour”…
Also, good insight Jon, no wonder you consider yourself a genius…
August 26, 2009 at 1:01 pm Permalink
Blog Wars!! Woohooo – this is way more fun than the usual programming.
August 26, 2009 at 8:11 pm Permalink
Razor X, do you mean BOMSHEL?
August 26, 2009 at 8:40 pm Permalink
Yes, I think I do mean BOMSHEL? Is that an acronym and if so, what does it stand for? Blondes On Mission for Songs to be Hits Everyone Loves??
August 26, 2009 at 9:46 pm Permalink
That’s very creative Razor, but I suspect they originally wanted BOMBSHELL until they found out another group was already using that name. Either that or someone involved with name selection did really poorly in spelling tests back in grammar school…
August 27, 2009 at 12:25 pm Permalink
Either that, or Kellie proofread their name.
August 28, 2009 at 8:12 am Permalink
Worse than awful. Overproduced and sounds like she is screaming not singing.
September 5, 2009 at 6:37 am Permalink
I actually like the song, more mature than “Best Days of Your Life”
September 29, 2009 at 2:15 pm Permalink
The song is ok, but man does she look HOT in the Video.
October 19, 2009 at 2:40 pm Permalink
i LOVE this song!!!!!!!!!
October 19, 2009 at 3:48 pm Permalink
Can’t stand this song
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