Country/pop singer Kelly Lang has released a new album, Jealous Green Eyes, featuring 11 self-penned or co-written songs that leave no stone unturned, exploring life, love, heartbreak, and divorce through Lang’s signature storytelling.
Lang has been performing since her teens, and singing/entertaining comes as naturally to her as breathing. Though she is no longer quite as young, she is as beautiful as ever, while her voice is stronger than ever.
She stated, "Most people think, 'Oh, she should be retired by now.' But I probably have more to say now. I have more life experience and beefier topics to cover than I might have if I were younger. I'm enjoying myself much, much more now than I ever did before because of the freedom and confidence. There is so much to be said for freedom and being older."
In 2017, Lang released a self-penned album called Obsession. Not only that, she is also an award-winning songwriter whose songs have been recorded by various artists. Now her newest album, Jealous Green Eyes, features some older songs that she has resurrected and/or rerecorded.
The title track was written when she was still a teen. She recalled, "I wrote 'Jealous Green Eyes' when I was just 17 years old, but it was forgotten in a drawer for years. After my mom passed away, I remembered how much she loved this song and how she used to encourage me to do something with it." The song is as relevant today as it was when she wrote it, as she calls out her two-timing man.
A friend inspired the song “I Reach For Red,” a tongue-in-cheek tune that hat-tips the 80s, bringing back the steel guitar and blending some iconic red wine. It was the first single released from the album.
“I Know Me” flips the switch on heartbreak, as she knows she’s the one who will ultimately leave. What inspired the song was talking with Johnny Lee about whether he would ever get back together with Charlene Tilton. Although he still loves her, he emphatically stated, “Oh, God, No. I know me.” Lang wrote the song in 30 minutes.
“HollyWould” tells a naughty story about a fictional character who would do anything to get ahead in the entertainment industry. The track dives into the kind of storylines often reserved for movies or headlines, exploring the darker side of chasing fame.
Years ago, Lang wrote the beautiful song, “If I’d Only Known,” about a real person we all know. (But won’t say who.) She stated, “I happened to have been on a blind date with a very boring man, like the most boring date I've ever been on in my life. I excused myself and wrote that whole song in the bathroom stall at Ruth Chris Steakhouse in Nashville. It was about a couple who should have never been together.”
The most fun song on the record is “Never Met A Man I Didn’t Love.” It was written in response to husband’s T.G. Sheppard’s mega hit, “I Loved ‘Em Everyone.” She wrote the song years ago after someone in an interview asked her, “How does it feel to be with a man that's loved ‘em, everyone?"
Refusing to be rattled, she penned the humorous song, and Sheppard loved it. “He thought it was a great twist on something that needs to be said from a woman's perspective,” Lang recalled.
Produced with a Spanish flair, “Make Love To Me” is downright spicy and steamy. It shows the confidence of a woman who knows what she wants and is unafraid to pursue it. As the words state, “I’ll be gone by morning,” this exotic yet tasteful song ought to be in a James Bond movie.
Jealous Green Eyes concludes with three more heartbreak songs, “I Thought He'd Be Here By Now,“ “When I'm Gone,” which was a fair warning to T.G. not long before they got married, and “100% Chance of Pain” featuring the soaring vocals of her pal, Jimmy Fortune. Although songs don’t often fix relationships, it does help to know that someone has experienced the same thing as what you are feeling.
However, Lang saved best for last with her song, “This Too Shall Pass.” Written after having and overcoming breast cancer, this song has ministered to many. “This Too Shall Pass” offers comfort and encouragement to listeners from every walk of life, serving as an uplifting reminder to keep faith through life’s challenges and trust that brighter days are ahead.
She shared, “It seems like everyone is carrying some storm these days. I wrote ‘This Too Shall Pass’ as a reminder to hold on just one more day because brighter days are ahead. But one of my favorite parts of the song is the reminder to hold on to the good times, too, because they also pass by so quickly. At its heart, it’s a song of hope, encouragement, and resilience, something I think we could all use a little more of these days.”
Besides releasing this magnificent album, Lang is a member of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Her music has also reached national audiences through television, with her song “I’m Not Going Anywhere” serving as the official anthem for Ascension Hospital, and her autobiography of the same name is available in print and as an audiobook. Her popular song “Under a Tennessee Moon” was named an official state song of Tennessee, and she made her solo debut on the Grand Ole Opry stage in 2023.
Beyond music, Lang is a painter, speaker, and entertainer, drawing on her journey as a 20-year breast cancer survivor to create music and art that inspire and uplift audiences nationwide. She really is the whole package, as her songwriting and singing inspire many.
You can follow Kelly Lang on her website, Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and all streaming services.
– – –
Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and TikTok.
