It’s a tale as old as songwriting itself: a new song hits the airwaves, and listeners perk up, noticing echoes of a familiar tune. Recently, country music star Dierks Bentley found himself in this very situation with his song “Home,” drawing comparisons to Jason Isbell’s “In A Razor Town.” The similarities were undeniable, sparking conversations about inspiration, coincidence, and the sometimes blurry lines of musical creativity. While these situations are common, and often unintentional, they make you listen to music with a more discerning ear. For us at payoffsong.com, we never thought we’d find ourselves in the middle of such a musical déjà vu – until we heard Carrie Underwood’s powerful track, “Blown Away.”
Having had Carrie Underwood’s album, also titled Blown Away, on my desk, I finally had the chance to truly listen when she performed the title track on American Idol. The performance was captivating, showcasing Underwood’s incredible vocal talent and the song’s dramatic intensity. But as the song unfolded, a sense of familiarity washed over me, a feeling that resonated deeply, much like Jason Isbell must have felt listening to “Home” for the first time. It wasn’t just a fleeting resemblance; it felt like listening to an alternate version of a song incredibly close to our hearts: “Sirens.” Suddenly, the sirens weren’t just in the song; they were going off in my head.
Carrie Underwood delivering a powerful performance of “Blown Away” on American Idol, highlighting the song’s dramatic and emotional depth.
“Sirens” is a song my songwriting partner, DJ Potter, and I crafted years ago. We aimed to create a dark, evocative piece, drawing inspiration from Martina McBride’s impactful “Independence Day.” We envisioned it as a spiritual successor, exploring similar themes of escape and the haunting persistence of the past, perhaps with a Sleeping with the Enemy twist. The core concept revolved around someone who flees an abusive situation, seeking a fresh start, only to find that the shadows of their past are inescapable. The chorus, which came to me first, encapsulated this feeling:
A tire swing blows in the wind, a storm is brewing again. The clouds open up and pour her past life at her feet. She doesn’t seek shelter though she knows she should. She doesn’t run away though he thought she would. She won’t let the rain wash away the new life she has found. Let the sirens sound. Let the sirens sound.
This chorus felt like the nucleus of something powerful and meaningful. I immediately reached out to DJ, and together, in his living room with the aroma of his wife Nicole’s cooking filling the air, “Sirens” came to life. The storm imagery became the central metaphor, and the song seemed to pour out of us effortlessly. I vividly remember the moment we pieced together the first verse and sang it with the chorus for the first time. Nicole walked in and immediately exclaimed, “Oh my god. I love it.”
“Sirens” holds a special place in our extensive catalog of songs. It was the catalyst that propelled us to Nashville, fueled by the belief that we had something truly special to offer. While we had confidence in our songwriting abilities, “Sirens” solidified our conviction that we could create music that resonated on a deeper level. I recall sitting in David Preston’s office at BMI, a major music licensing company, demo of “Sirens” in hand. David, known for meeting with aspiring songwriters, listened intently with his eyes closed. Upon finishing, he opened his eyes and exclaimed, “Wow! That is amazing. Where does a song like that come from?” We chuckled and replied, “Well, we just kinda made it up. In the living room floor.” He was hooked. He replayed the song, filling the BMI offices with our demo. It was a moment of pure validation.
Every creator understands that intuitive sense when something “clicks.” For us, the “stormy” framework for the narrative of a woman confronting her past abuse felt perfect. It appears Carrie Underwood’s songwriters, Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins, found similar resonance in this metaphorical storm, crafting a strikingly similar stormy tale in “Blown Away.”
In an exclusive interview for American Idol‘s website, Carrie Underwood mentioned Martina McBride’s “Independence Day” as the inspiration behind “Blown Away.” This resonated deeply, reminding me of the night we first showcased “Sirens” with our talented friend Katie Beste in September 2008. As the headliner at Goldie’s Best Little Opryhouse in Kentucky, I wanted to make “Sirens” a centerpiece of my set. Knowing Katie possessed an Underwood-esque vocal range, I invited her as a special guest. Before she took the stage, I shared the backstory of “Sirens,” explicitly crediting McBride’s “Independence Day” as our inspiration. Then, Katie stepped into the spotlight and delivered a performance that was nothing short of electrifying. The audience was captivated; I had chills. That’s the magic songwriters live for – when a singer breathes life into their creation. Katie didn’t just sing “Sirens”; she unleashed it. A month later, she performed it again at her own headlining show, once again captivating the audience.
Katie Beste delivering a powerful rendition of “Sirens” live, showcasing the song’s emotional intensity and vocal demands.
However, the parallels between “Blown Away” and “Sirens” extend beyond shared inspiration. Examining the second verses of both songs reveals striking thematic and lyrical similarities. Let’s look at Carrie’s verse from “Blown Away”:
She heard those sirens screaming out. Her daddy laid there passed out on the couch. She locked herself in the cellar, listened to the screaming of the wind. Some people call it taking shelter, she called it sweet revenge.
Now, consider the second verse of “Sirens”:
The weathervane spins as the hinges shake. Leaves swirl in the yard as a window breaks. Through the howlin’ wind she hears the cellar door. But she’s not afraid of the thunder anymore. There she is, as lighting crashes all around. Hail rains from the sky, but she stands her ground.
The thematic and lyrical proximity of these verses is truly striking. Both depict a storm, sirens, and a cellar. However, a key distinction lies in the heroines of each song. In “Sirens,” the protagonist is a mother who escaped abuse and built a new life for her children. When the storm of her past returns, she confronts it with strength and resilience. She stands her ground amidst the chaos.
In “Blown Away,” the heroine is the daughter of the abuser. Her mother is gone, and she’s been defenseless against her alcoholic father. “There’s not enough rain in Oklahoma to wash the sins out of that house.” When a tornado is forecast, she doesn’t confront the storm; she seeks shelter in the cellar, hoping nature will deliver her from her tormentor. She prays for the tornado to destroy the house, and tragically, it does, with her father inside.
Shatter every window til it’s blown away. Every brick, every board, every slamming door, blown away. Til there’s nothing left standing. Nothing left of yesterday. Every tear-soaked whiskey memory blown away. Blown away.
Interestingly, when DJ and I penned “Sirens,” we envisioned a voice like Carrie Underwood’s performing it. That’s why we chose Katie, with her similar vocal prowess, to debut it. Later, when Jaclyn was recording her 2010 album Tailgater, we urged her to include “Sirens,” believing it was among our strongest compositions. Despite Jaclyn’s self-doubt about tackling such a demanding song, we knew she could bring her unique interpretation to it. Thankfully, she did, and with the help of talented Nashville musicians, skilled engineers, and our producer Matt Gray, we created a version we are incredibly proud of. Here’s Jaclyn’s rendition of “Sirens” from her album.
Jaclyn’s album “Tailgater” featuring her unique interpretation of “Sirens,” showcasing the song’s versatility and enduring appeal.
Reflecting on “Sirens,” I remember telling David Preston at BMI, and my friend Sam Cerami, a Nashville record promoter, that if Carrie Underwood ever recorded “Sirens,” it could be a Record of the Year contender at the ACMs or CMAs. Ironically, Underwood might indeed win Record of the Year, possibly with a song that shares a striking resemblance to our own “Sirens.”
Despite the similarities, there’s a sense of validation in the positive reception of “Blown Away.” Deborah Price of Billboard Magazine hailed it as an “instant classic.” Monica Pressley of RoughStock.com wrote, “Traditionalists will gripe (because it’s more pop than country) . . . but it’s a brilliant moment giving Underwood something she desperately needed.” This reinforces what DJ and I felt driving to Nashville with our demo years ago: we can write songs that resonate. Now, the quest continues to find the right artist to record “Sirens” and share its story with the world. Perhaps Kelly Clarkson is looking for a powerful, stormy ballad?
