About This Quiz
It was almost 15 years ago now that a girl from Checotah, Oklahoma, took her talent to the "American Idol" stage and walked away its big winner. From her St. Louis audition of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" to her coronation song, "Inside Your Heaven," Carrie Underwood's stratospheric rise to success is nothing short of the American dream.
Her ascendancy was nearly immediate. After releasing "Inside Your Heaven," Underwood debuted at No. 1 on the "Billboard Top 100" chart, the first country music star ever to do so. Her first album, "Some Hearts," became the fastest-selling country album by a female recording artist since Nielsen started keeping track in the early 1990s. She followed it up with a Grammy for Best New Artist and awards for Single of the Year, for her second single release, "Jesus, Take the Wheel."
In 2008, she became the youngest-ever member of the Grand Ole Opry. Less than a year later, she'd won another Grammy – her fourth in three years. Over the past decade or so, she has spread her wings into other areas as well, performing the theme song for "Sunday Night Football," releasing a fitness clothing line, serving as an ambassador for Almay and even doing a little acting.
But, back to her music. How well do you know this icon who has sold 70 million albums worldwide? Can you identify "Cowboy Casanova" from "Renegade Runaway?" Match these one-liner lyrics to the songs she's recorded. You've got a "One-Way Ticket" to fun, so "Play On!"
Be warned, fellas: Underwood is putting a cheater on notice in this song, in a way that'll (hopefully) make him think twice "before he cheats" the next time. We're not sure vandalism is the way to go, but we've been mad enough before to go there ourselves.
"Jesus, Take the Wheel" is one of Underwood's most popular hits from her already-lengthy career. It recounts parallels between a treacherous drive and difficulties in the driver's life that led her to say, "Jesus, take the wheel."
Two black veils for "Two Black Cadillacs?" Sounds about right coming from Ms. Underwood. The story behind this song is a womanizer getting his just desserts from the women in his life he's betrayed.
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Carrie Underwood is airing all of his "Dirty Laundry" in this song, when she sings, "Now I'ma have to hang you out to dry, dry, dry/Clothespin all your secrets to the line, line, line." Remind us never to double-cross Ms. Underwood!
Dad-to-be thought he was getting a little boy until "... the nurse came in with a little pink blanket," and shook up his whole world. The remainder of the song tells listeners about the father's "All-American Girl."
There's "Something in the Water" in this Underwood song, which features the lines, ""And now I'm changed/And now I'm stronger," followed by, "There must've been something in the water."
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The rest of that chorus goes, "Waiting to wake up one day and find/That I let all these years go by/Wasted." It was a powerful song about the all-encompassing abilities of addiction, whether to a relationship or a substance.
Underwood recounts a crazy night where she runs off to Vegas and elopes with a guy whose last name she doesn't even know. The song, "Last Name," won Underwood a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
Movies are all about the "happily ever after," making this aptly named song a good choice. Underwood recorded this tune for the soundtrack of "Enchanted," which was released in 2007.
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Underwood sure spends a lot of time warning us about the wrong guys. In "Cowboy Casanova," this guy is, "Leaning up against the record machine/He looks like a cool drink of water/But he's candy-coated misery." You don't have to tell us twice, girl.
Underwood is longing to "Undo It" in this song, where she sings about how much better her life was before she saw an unnamed man's face and he "stole her happy." She adds, "Boy you blew it/You put me through it."
Underwood recorded this song as a tale from a daughter to her mother about her wedding day. The lyric, "And giving me away is not goodbye," speaks to a mother worried about losing her daughter to her new life with her soon-to-be husband.
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Underwood paid homage to Randy Travis in this re-do of his 1988 classic, "I Told You So." Travis wasn't too far removed from the new version, however, lending his vocals to the single of the song Underwood released in 2007.
It's "Just a Dream" in which Underwood sings about a young bride finding out her husband-to-be will never make it home from the battlefield. Listeners first think she's attending her wedding, but later discover it's actually his funeral.
"Don't Forget to Remember Me" recounts the story of a mother whose daughter is moving out and moving on. She reminds her about a map and a Bible before saying, "Don't forget to remember me."
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Underwood's "Temporary Home," released in 2009, won acclaim from both secular and sacred music audiences for its handling of concepts such as the afterlife and a place beyond the "temporary home" of this world, told through relatable life stories.
Not only is there not enough rain in Oklahoma, but Underwood follows it up with, "There's not enough wind in Oklahoma." For what? Well, a daughter is riding out a tornado in safety while her drunken father lies passed out in the path of the storm. Karma is ... well, you know.
Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley teamed up on this tune, written by Paisley himself, which recounts a love that was once burning that has since cooled off. Underwood and Paisley hosted the CMA Awards together prior to combining their voices on this song.
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There's a child in a closet listening to her parents fight in this Underwood song, which continues, "She's saying, she's praying./I wish words were like little toy guns/No sting, no hurt no one, just a bang bang."
Underwood issues a warning for all of the "good girls" out there in the song, "Good Girl." You know the girl ... the one who thinks she's found a good man, only to discover much later that she's been hoodwinked.
Underwood teamed up with rapper Ludracris to release, "The Champion," in conjunction with Super Bowl LII. She also attached the song as a bonus track on her album titled, "Cry Pretty."
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Underwood sure sings a lot about getting married, doesn't she? In this song, titled "Church Bells," she tells the story of a poor girl who marries a rich man. Sounds great, right? Further into the song, the tide changes, though, and the girl "slipped something in his Tennessee whiskey." You can probably guess the ending.
Called a duet between Underwood and Hunt by some, "Heartbeat" was said to be a song in tribute to Underwood's husband, former professional ice hockey player Mike Fisher. The pair have been married since July 2010.
"Drinking Alone" came from Underwood's sixth album titled, "Cry Pretty." The story behind the song centers on two people who have just had relationships end, when fate has them meeting in a bar. She continues by singing, "We should be drinkin' alone together."
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In "Smoke Break," Underwood starts by singing about the plight of a single mom who doesn't drink or smoke, but could use a break, equating it to a "smoke break." We've all been there at one point in our lives, haven't we?
"Southbound" tells the story of a place where people can get, "southbound, unwound," and enjoy "... a pontoon boat with a Yamaha/People dressed like they're in Panama." It sounds like a good time to us!
In this tune, Underwood sings about life's so-called biggest challenges being insignificant in the face of finding love. This song is a good reminder not to get so wrapped up in small things that you make a bigger deal of them than is warranted.
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Underwood sings about being reunited with loved ones who have passed away in the song, "See You Again." She adds, "But I won't cry/'Cause I know I'll never be lonely/For you are the stars to me/You are the light I follow."
Underwood proclaims, "love wins," in this song of the same name, urging listeners, "... We'll never fall if we walk hand in hand/Put a world that seems broken together again/Yeah I, I believe in the end love wins."
"Get Out of This Town" is a song about a pair of lovers escaping town, "Gone by morning light." It was part of her "Carnival Ride" album that was released in October 2007, Underwood's second studio album release.
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"Little Girl Don't Grow Up Too Fast" is Underwood's song about slowing down and enjoying life as it comes rather than trying to grow up too quickly. It was part of Underwood's 2015 album, "Storyteller."
"Inside Your Heaven" was first introduced on "American Idol," as the song given to contestants to perform near the show's finale. Underwood's version of the tune was later released as a single and debuted as a No. 1 hit.
After a lifetime of having no luck, Underwood is finally singing, "Some hearts, they just get all the right breaks/Some hearts have the stars on their side/Some hearts, they just have it so easy/Some hearts just get lucky sometimes." You go, girl!
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Sometimes, there IS "Good in Goodbye," right? Remember all those times you didn't get what you thought you wanted ... and it turned out for the best? Yeah, that's the general consensus in this Underwood hit.
Carrie Underwood's "Quitter," from her 2009 release, "Play On," details the love life of someone who has been unlucky in love – a "quitter" – until she meets someone who makes her want to change and fall in love forever. Awww!