Don't You Know You're Beautiful
Encyclopedia
"Don't You Know You're Beautiful" is the title of a song written by Chris Lindsey, Aimee Mayo
, and Karyn Rochelle
(who co-wrote her previous hits "Red High Heels
" and "I Wonder
"), and recorded by American
country
artist Kellie Pickler
. It served as the lead-off single to her self-titled second album
. Pickler debuted the song at the 43rd annual Academy of Country Music
awards, and it was officially released to radio in June as the fourth single of her career.
song, backed by electric guitar with occasional steel guitar fills, in which the narrator assures other females that they are beautiful just as they are. In the first verse, she addresses a fifteen-year old girl in tattered clothes, telling her "Now I know you'd give anything just to fit in / But your worth ain't on a price tag, it comes from within." The second verse addresses a homecoming queen, whom the narrator tells to keep her innocence. The third verse is addressed to a wife, who was left by her husband, because he preferred a younger woman: "Let him go, let him fly, keep your head up, get on with your life."
Brady Vercher of The 9513 gave the song a "thumbs down" rating. He called the first verse "a bit cheesy and generic…commendable despite being underwhelming", but considered the rest of the song both lyrically deficient and derivative of Martina McBride
's 2003 single "This One's for the Girls
" (which also contains the lyric "you're beautiful the way you are" and was also co-written by Aimee Mayo).
"Don't You Know You're Beautiful" was nominated for Female Video of the Year in the 2009 CMT Music Awards
.
A music video was released to accompany the song on July 31, 2008. It debuted at number 1 on GAC
's Top 20 music countdown and held the top spot for 4 weeks, before falling to number 2 behind Carrie Underwood
's "Just a Dream".
In the video, Pickler is seen singing with various women around her in different situations, including at the roller skating rink, a sleepover, and at a children's hospital. She also performs the song in a chair and sitting on high school athletic bleachers. Clips of a swim team, mechanic, and other girls are mixed in with these scenes throughout the video.
The video is featured on the bonus album included in the Deluxe Edition of Kellie Pickler
.
Hot Country Songs
chart in June 2008. It reached a peak of number 21 on the chart for the week of October 25, 2008.
Aimee Mayo
Aimee Mayo is an American songwriter, primarily known for writing country hits for artists such as Lonestar, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Kellie Pickler. Mayo owns her own publishing company, Little Blue Typewriter Music.-Biography:Aimee Mayo grew up in Gadsden, Alabama...
, and Karyn Rochelle
Karyn Rochelle
Karyn Rochelle is an American country music songwriter. Her credits include several hit singles by country music artists, including "I Wonder", "Red High Heels", and "Don't You Know You're Beautiful" for Kellie Pickler, as well as "Georgia Rain" and "This Is Me You're Talking To" for Trisha Yearwood...
(who co-wrote her previous hits "Red High Heels
Red High Heels
"Red High Heels" is a song written by Chris Lindsey, Aimee Mayo, Karyn Rochelle, and co-written and recorded by American country artist Kellie Pickler. The song was her debut single, and was released on September 13, 2006...
" and "I Wonder
I Wonder
"I Wonder" is the title of a song written by Chris Lindsey, Aimee Mayo, Karyn Rochelle, and co-written and recorded by American country artist Kellie Pickler...
"), and recorded by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Kellie Pickler
Kellie Pickler
Kellie Dawn Pickler is an American country music artist and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol, eventually finishing in sixth place. In 2006, she signed to 19 Recordings and BNA Records as a recording artist, releasing...
. It served as the lead-off single to her self-titled second album
Kellie Pickler (album)
-Promotion:To help promoting the album, Kellie Pickler was released in a regular edition and a Deluxe Edition, including the normal CD, along with a special DVD with 30-minute footage from Pickler on her tour and behind the scenes of the recording process , and the music video for "Don't You Know...
. Pickler debuted the song at the 43rd annual Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
awards, and it was officially released to radio in June as the fourth single of her career.
Content
The song is a mid-tempo country popCountry pop
Country pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
song, backed by electric guitar with occasional steel guitar fills, in which the narrator assures other females that they are beautiful just as they are. In the first verse, she addresses a fifteen-year old girl in tattered clothes, telling her "Now I know you'd give anything just to fit in / But your worth ain't on a price tag, it comes from within." The second verse addresses a homecoming queen, whom the narrator tells to keep her innocence. The third verse is addressed to a wife, who was left by her husband, because he preferred a younger woman: "Let him go, let him fly, keep your head up, get on with your life."
Reception
The song has received mixed reception from music critics. Matt Bjorke, in his review of Kellie Pickler for the Roughstock website, said, "'Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful' is a song that speaks right to those little girls that admire Kellie. She wanted to give them something that they could listen to and know that everything’s alright. While some traditionalists would say that the song isn’t country, I firmly believe it is because it speaks of real life." Jennifer Webb of About.com reviewed the single favorably, saying, "'Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful' is something that should be said to every little girl as well as grown up women. Don't depend on others to tell you how wonderful you are - that strength should come from within. Stay true to yourself and you can do anything you set your mind to."Brady Vercher of The 9513 gave the song a "thumbs down" rating. He called the first verse "a bit cheesy and generic…commendable despite being underwhelming", but considered the rest of the song both lyrically deficient and derivative of Martina McBride
Martina McBride
Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
's 2003 single "This One's for the Girls
This One's for the Girls
"This One's for the Girls" is the title of a song written by Chris Lindsey, Hillary Lindsey and Aimee Mayo, and recorded by American country music singer Martina McBride. It is the first single from her 2003 album Martina, and it was released in June 2003...
" (which also contains the lyric "you're beautiful the way you are" and was also co-written by Aimee Mayo).
"Don't You Know You're Beautiful" was nominated for Female Video of the Year in the 2009 CMT Music Awards
CMT Music Awards
The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on CMT. Voting takes place on CMT's website, CMT.com.-History:...
.
Music video
Great American Country
Great American Country , is a Nashville, Tennessee-based country music cable television network.-History:The station launched December 31, 1995 and Garth Brooks' video "The Thunder Rolls" was the first video to air on GAC....
's Top 20 music countdown and held the top spot for 4 weeks, before falling to number 2 behind Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005...
's "Just a Dream".
In the video, Pickler is seen singing with various women around her in different situations, including at the roller skating rink, a sleepover, and at a children's hospital. She also performs the song in a chair and sitting on high school athletic bleachers. Clips of a swim team, mechanic, and other girls are mixed in with these scenes throughout the video.
The video is featured on the bonus album included in the Deluxe Edition of Kellie Pickler
Kellie Pickler (album)
-Promotion:To help promoting the album, Kellie Pickler was released in a regular edition and a Deluxe Edition, including the normal CD, along with a special DVD with 30-minute footage from Pickler on her tour and behind the scenes of the recording process , and the music video for "Don't You Know...
.
Chart performance
"Don't You Know You're Beautiful" debuted at number 59 on the U.S. BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart in June 2008. It reached a peak of number 21 on the chart for the week of October 25, 2008.
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Bubbling Under Hot 100 |
3 |