Carolina

Album: Feels Like Carolina (2013)
Charted: 36
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Parmalee is a country music band from Parmalee, North Carolina. The quartet consists of brothers lead vocalist Matt Thomas and drummer Scott Thomas, along with their bassist cousin, Barry Knox, and childhood best friend, guitarist Josh McSwain. This song was first released on their 2008 EP, Complicated, before being remixed and re-released as their second single for Stoney Creek Records. It was sent to country radio on February 4, 2013.
  • Matt Thomas explained the song's meaning to Billboard magazine: "It's all about home," he said. "It's very autobiographical, since we're gone all the time. We always miss all the family events and everyone, so coming home is good. We were out in California for a few months and got back home to North Carolina, and it felt like home. I had this notion that reminded me of California, so I put the two together, and we flipped it into a relationship song."

    Barry Knox added: "This song kind of defines us as a group, as far as our music and lyrical content. Obviously, we're from Carolina, so it means a whole lot to us. We've been together for a few years before we wrote that song, and when we wrote it, we felt that we really hit it. Matt's voice is perfect on the song, and it just sounds like a Parmalee song."
  • The song's promo was directed by the Nashville production team of Jonathan Frazier and Zach Prichard of Rhetorik Creative on May 30, 2013. It made a little bit of history when it became the first country video to premiere on Country Now, Youtube's first Country music & lifestyle channel on June 24, 2013.
  • The song crept up Billboard's Country Airplay chart before finally hitting the Top 10 in its 38th week - the longest such climb by a duo or group in the chart's history.
  • Matt Thomas told Taste of Country that this was a make-it-or-break-it song for the band and if it hadn't been a hit, they might not have had a chance to release another single with Stoney Creek. "We kind of got here to Nashville on the song," he shared. "Everybody at the label felt like it was a hit song, so did we so it was kind of like this should be a no-brainer. We were a little nervous when we first put it out over the summer."
  • Parmalee performed this song at the Concert For Carolina, held in Charlotte a month after Hurricane Helene pounded the state. The concert, which was organized by Luke Combs and Eric Church, raised almost $25 million for relief efforts.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gary Lewis

Gary LewisSongwriter Interviews

Gary Lewis and the Playboys had seven Top 10 hits despite competition from The Beatles. Gary talks about the hits, his famous father, and getting drafted.

Jack Tempchin - "Peaceful Easy Feeling"

Jack Tempchin - "Peaceful Easy Feeling"They're Playing My Song

When a waitress wouldn't take him home, Jack wrote what would become one of the Eagles most enduring hits.

Keith Reid of Procol Harum

Keith Reid of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

As Procol Harum's lyricist, Keith wrote the words to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale." We delve into that song and find out how you can form a band when you don't sing or play an instrument.

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)

Richie Wise (Kiss producer, Dust)Songwriter Interviews

Richie talks about producing the first two Kiss albums, recording "Brother Louie," and the newfound appreciation of his rock band, Dust.

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.