Songful Style Link Party #37: “Need You Now” by Lady A

It was Suzy’s turn to choose this month’s songful inspiration. She chose “Need You Now” by American country music group Lady A (formerly known as Lady Antebellum) because it has been one of her favorite songs for a very long time. It is also a favorite of mine with a really special story behind it.

The Lyrics

"Hey, sorry I missed your call, just leave a message after the beep"
"Hey, yeah, it's me, just been thinking about everything tonight
And I don't know, I just miss you so much
Give me a call back if you can?"

Picture perfect memories
Scattered all around the floor
Reachin' for the phone 'cause I can't fight it anymore

And I wonder if I ever cross your mind
For me, it happens all the time

It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now
Said I wouldn't call, but I've lost all control and I need you now
And I don't know how I can do without
I just need you now

Another shot of whiskey
Can't stop lookin' at the door
Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before

And I wonder if I ever cross your mind
For me, it happens all the time

It's a quarter after one, I'm a little drunk and I need you now
Said I wouldn't call, but I've lost all control and I need you now
And I don't know how I can do without
I just need you now
Whoa, oh

I guess I'd rather hurt than feel nothin' at all

It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now
And I said I wouldn't call, but I'm a little drunk and I need you now
And I don't know how I can do without
I just need you now

I just need you now
Oh baby, I need you now

About the Band and the Song

Lady A, formerly known as Lady Antebellum, is an American country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2006. The band members include Hillary Scott , who is the daughter of country music singer Linda Davis, on lead and background vocals; Charles Kelley, who is the brother of pop singer Josh Kelley, on lead and background vocals as well as guitar; and Dave Haywood on lead and background vocals, guitar, piano, and mandolin. 

Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood were middle school classmates in Georgia. In adulthood, Kelley was working in construction with his brother in North Carolina before moving to Nashville in mid-2005. The following year, Kelley convinced Haywood to join him in Nashville so they could write music together. Scott is a Nashville native who recognized Kelley from MySpace and began talking with him at a local night club. Subsequently, Kelley and Haywood invited Scott to join their new musical group. The group assumed the name Lady Antebellum after a photoshoot where they wore historical costumes in antebellum houses. Interestingly, Scott revealed in an interview that she had been rejected twice from participating in American Idol.

Just after signing with Capitol Nashville in July 2007, the band debuted as guest vocalists on the single “Never Alone” by Jim Brickman . They have since released six albums with Capitol Nashville with the first three albums certified platinum or higher. Sixteen Lady A singles have charted on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts with nine of those songs reaching number one. “Need You Now” was their longest lasting number one single, sitting at the top of the charts for five weeks. “Need You Now” along with the band’s 2011 single “Just a Kiss” also reached number one on the Adult Contemporary charts.

“Need You Now” was the band’s fourth single released on August 11, 2009, as the lead-off single and title track on their second studio album. Their second single to reach number one, the tune debuted at number 50 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, claiming the number one spot on November 28, 2009, and remaining there for five consecutive weeks. The song became a crossover hit when it reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot Adult Contemporary chart.

“Need You Now” was co-written by the band with Josh Kear and produced by Paul Worley. Featuring lead vocals by both Scott and Kelley, the song won the 2010 Academy of Country Music Award for Single of the Year and Song of the Year as well as the 2010 CMT Music Award for Group Video of the Year. Upon reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of November 30, 2010, “Need You Now” officially reached the status of a crossover hit. It was the first country song to reach the top of that chart in a decade with Lonestar‘s 1999 hit “Amazed” being the last in 2000. “Need You Now” has been certified 11x platinum.

After its release, “Need You Know” quickly gained international prominence as a crossover hit. By April 17, 2011, the song became the ninth most downloaded song in history and the most downloaded country song in history, surpassing Taylor Swift‘s 2008 hit “Love Story”. Over six million copies of the single have been sold in the United States alone.

The song along with the album of the same name were awarded the 2011 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Country Song, and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. “Need You Now” is also considered by music critics to be one of the best country songs of the 2000s.

In 2020, the band attempted to remove the negative associations of slavery and the Antebellum South by shortening their name to Lady A. This change inadvertently caused a legal dispute with blues and gospel singer Anita White who had been using the name Lady A for more than two decades. It seems the dispute has been settled since the band is still using the name Lady A.

In 2025, Lady A continues to make music as well as partnering with a variety of charities. The list of awards and nominations received by the band is long enough to justify a separate Wikipedia page.

If you were paying any attention to contemporary music between 2009 and 2011 then you are probably familiar with this song. In fact, it is likely that “Need You Now” is ear worming you at this very moment (it is stuck in my ear, for sure).

During the summer of 2010, “Need You Now” could be heard basically anywhere you went in public that played the radio. I was working as an assistant coach at a swim club in Pennsylvania and that song would come blasting over the airwaves at least twice per practice session. Since it has such a strong ear worm quality to it, the coaching staff could not resist singing along whenever the song was heard.

In particular, it was me and another coach Mark who became really obsessed with this song. Whenever it would play, he and I would start singing the duet to each other from across the pool. Because it was a love song and we sang it to one another on a daily basis, the kids we were coaching all started thinking Mark and I were having an affair! It was a really laughable accusation since Mark is about 20 years younger than me and we never viewed one another as anything more than great friends.

Mark moved to South Carolina many years ago and has a beautiful wife and family now. Interestingly, when I made my very first road trip to North Carolina in 2019 (about 8 years after I stopped coaching), I attended a Lotus concert and Mark happened to be there! It is so fun running into old friends in unexpected places far from home. Despite being a love song, “Need You Now” has a different meaning for me and will always trigger wonderfully special memories of a lovely friendship.

About My Outfit

I was really kind of stumped when it came to styling an outfit for this song. The sartorial inspiration from the video is all black and white with black being the dominant color scheme. I had first considered wearing a little black dress similar to the one Hillary Scott is wearing in the video. But I have such a difficult time photographing all black outfits.

To avoid the struggle of adequately capturing the details of a black dress in photographs, I flipped it around and went with my white “Marilyn Monroe dress” instead. This is the same little white dress that I styled for another one of Suzy’s Songful Style song picks. I welcomed the opportunity that this challenge presented me with to style this fancy white dress in a third way.

The dress doesn’t require much to be fabulous. It really reminds me of Marilyn Monroe’s iconic white dress from the 1950s and can stand alone without much help from accessories. However, I love accessories so I added a few. First, my necklace and earrings were inspired by the pretty pieces that Hillary Scott is wearing with her little black dress in the video. Next, my black motorcycle jacket (thrifted) was inspired by the jacket Charles Kelley is wearing in the video. It was still too cold for bare legs so I added nude tights with a fishnet pattern and my very old Stuart Wetizman boots (circa 2001). Taking a cue from the masquerade ball at the end of the video, I wore a black headband with a veil.

I don’t have many opportunities to wear my fancier clothes these days so it is really fun to play dress up simply for the sake of playing dress up every now and again. It keeps me in touch with my inner child and it brings me joy so I will continue doing it until it stops bringing me joy!

About Songful Style

Songful Style is an ageless style challenge series hosted by Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Marsha of Marsha in the Middle, and Suzy of Suzy Turner, The Grey Brunette (formerly The Grey Brunette).

Each month we will share a song with the lyrics and video and we invite you to use whatever aspect of the song that inspires you to create an outfit. 

It is similar to Style Imitating Art where we use artwork to inspire our outfit creations. Except Songful Style gives you lyrics, music, video, and album artwork to inspire your fashion creativity. You may even find inspiration in a memory triggered by the selected song. It is all open to your own personal interpretation and just a fun way to discover new music and get a little bit more creative with your wardrobe.

Anyone is welcome to join us on a permanent basis or you can just play along without any obligation to do anything other than feel inspired. We are flexible and fun and just want to find more ways to play dress up because it’s what we enjoy doing! 

We will be posting on the last Monday of each month and will announce our song choice for the following month at the end of each post. You are welcome to style your own song inspired outfit and add it to the link party or link anything that you want to share even if it has nothing to do with the song. 

I hope you will check out how my songful friends have styled their outfits inspired by Lady A’s “Need You Now.”

• Marsha of Marsha in the Middle
• Suzy of Suzy Turner, The Grey Brunette

Featured Favorite from Songful Style Link Party #36: “Wish I Knew You” by The Revivalists

If you enjoyed our musically inspired outfits for this round, please come back on May 26, 2025, to see how we style Marsha’s next song choice, “Love Shack” by the B-52s. You are welcome to join us and link your outfit below. It is a great way to view your wardrobe from a totally different perspective! 

Keeping it on the edge, 

Shelbee

Link Parties to Join!