Songfacts®:

• Sharon Little is a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After performing with local bands and independently releasing an album, Little signed to CBS Records in early 2008. She was subsequently chosen as the opening act for Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on their North American Raising Sand tour. Her first album with CBS, Perfect Time for a Breakdown, was released on May 27 of that year. This is the title track from Little's sophomore CBS release, which was produced by Grammy-winner Don Was.
• Little told AntiMusic the story behind this song: "'Paper Doll' is a really personal story that I wrote in response to women being labeled or held back in various ways… particularly in the music business. It just seems like female artists these days are all party girls, or the-girlfriend-of-someone-famous, or reality stars or whatever. I just want people to accept me as a singer! It's a shame that because of the pressure that artists feel, many turn to drugs or alcohol.
  
  I've been so lucky - my first tour was with Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and T Bone Burnett's Raising Sand, and then I just got out of the studio with Don Was, who produced my new album Paper Doll. The whirlwind excitement of the past two years has been incredible, but also very educational. I've grown up a lot, and learned how to hold my own – even with some of the biggest names in the music world – and I want to share that strength with others who might feel that they have to be a Paper Doll in order to make it.
  
  I've always followed my heart and tried my best to stay true to myself and my art. My goal is to be a part of keeping honest music alive."