Behind the Meaning of Kelsea Ballerini’s Intimate Ballad, “Sorry Mom”

Sometimes fame comes at the cost of other areas in your life. Between flying from show to show, living in the studio, and promoting your music in every spare moment, there isn’t much time to live normal, everyday life. Kelsea Ballerini touches on that idea in “Sorry Mom.” Amongst other things, Ballerini apologizes to her mom for not being around. There were dreams to chase / And songs to play, she sings. Dive into the meaning behind this song, below.

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Behind the Meaning of Kelsea Ballerini’s Intimate Ballad, “Sorry Mom”

In the opening lines, Ballerini reminisces on teenage rebellion. Sorry, Mom, I smelled like cigarettes / And my eyes were Casa red / With a poundin’ in my head, she sings. It sets the pace of this song. We all likely have a good amount of things to apologize to our parents for. But, then again, that’s part of growing up.

Sorry, Mom, I smelled like cigarettes

And my eyes were Casa red

With a poundin’ in my head

Showin’ up again on Sunday mornin’

You just made the eggs

And turned your head

She continues in that vein in the second verse. Sorry, Mom, you know that I had sex / ‘Fore I bought the white dress, she sings. It’s in the next verse that she focuses in on fame and the negative effects it has had on time spent with her mom.

Sorry, Mom, I missed your fifty-eighth / I was on another plane / Goin’ to another stage, she sings.

Sorry, Mom, you know that I had sex

‘Fore I bought the white dress

I know you’re not impressed

With my lack of stickin’ to the Bible

Yeah, I got regrets

But you did your best

——–

Sorry, Mom, I didn’t graduate

After two years and some change

And that money went to waste

I know it wasn’t cheap tuition

There were dreams to chase

And songs to play

In the chorus, she promises to be the best version of herself for her mom. I turned out alright / So you can sleep good at night, she sings. She strives to become a woman that her mom is proud of and thanks her for her “tough love.”

I turned out alright

So you can sleep good at night

Maybe I ran all the red lights

Maybe we got into a few fights

It’s a different cloth we cut

But underneath wе’re the same blood

So I know it took a littlе tough love

To become the woman that you’re proud of

Check out this Ballerini track, below.

Featured Image by Hunter Berry/Country Music Association