Golden Road, the second solo album from Keith Urban, symbolizes the life and musical journey that has taken him from the Australian farm town of Caboolture to the top of the country music charts. It's a sojourn that has spanned nearly 9,000 miles (including the nerve-racking 10-yard trek across the famed Opry stage...

Golden Road, the second solo album from Keith Urban, symbolizes the life and musical journey that has taken him from the Australian farm town of Caboolture to the top of the country music charts. It's a sojourn that has spanned nearly 9,000 miles (including the nerve-racking 10-yard trek across the famed Opry stage to receive the CMA's Horizon Award) and more than a decade of writing, picking, living, loving and growing. "Golden Road is more of a state of mind than a place for me," Urban says.

This album offers heretofore-untapped insights into the mind and soul of Urban, a somewhat complicated, yet optimistic and light-hearted man in his observations about himself and others. Urban reveals more of himself on this project than on any recording he's ever done.

"Hopefully it covers the gamut of my personality, from thinking to completely non-thinking, to being in love, joyous love, love for yourself, love for a higher power and gratitude," says Urban, who wrote or co-wrote 8 of the album's 12 songs. "Some of these songs are about things that I wish I could be or I wish I could do; they are not necessarily things that I am. They are idealistic, but that's a good start.”

"A song like 'You're Not Alone Tonight' tells you everything I think about my spirituality.  'Song For Dad' tells you how I feel about my father. The songs like 'You Won' and 'You're Not My God' tell you how I feel about addiction and how it can really derail you. If there's a positive tone to this record, it's because I feel so grateful to still be on my journey. I haven't found what I'm looking for, but I feel really blessed to continue down the path to discovery."

The success of his self-titled solo debut, which was certified Gold, gave him the confidence and freedom to push his musical boundaries on this project. His last CD spawned three Top 5 hits, including the No. 1 hit "But For The Grace of God".  In addition to the Country Music Association's 2001 Horizon Award, Urban received the Top New Male Vocalist Award at the 2001 Academy of Country Music Awards and a Grammy nomination for his instrumental "Rollercoaster".  Kudos immediately poured in from music critics nationwide, from the Chicago Tribune, which included Urban on its annual list of Ten Best country albums, to the Los Angeles Times, which dubbed him a "country artist to watch." (People magazine even included him in its "Sexiest Man Alive" issue.) His image even appeared on the highly coveted cover of USA Today's USA Weekend. Long respected for his guitar playing on Music Row, (he played on albums for Garth Brooks and The Dixie Chicks and now is known for his expertise at the six-string gango), his solo debut established him as a songwriter to be admired as well.

In his highly anticipated sophomore release, Urban builds on this foundation. He's come into his own and he’s more comfortable displaying it, experimenting with different instruments, melodies and influences.  In addition to co-producing six tracks with Dann Huff, he has sole producer credit on the rest of the record. The album also features more of his guitar playing and captures the excitement of his live show.

The debut single, "Somebody Like You," has a '70's freedom, while the 12-piece string accompaniment on "Song For Dad" is reminiscent of elaborate rock orchestrations -- a "rock Opry", if you will. Urban's hip simplicity is unveiled in "You Look Good in My Shirt," while you can hear his feeling about something greater than ourselves in "You're Not Alone Tonight."

He portrays the reserved bitterness of the partner being left behind in the ballad "You'll Think of Me," but he also unveils driving on the backroads country in "Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me." Urban takes his influences from several decades, genres and continents, but puts his own spin on them, combining contagious rhythms with irresistible lyrics and melodies to create a sound that's brand new.

"I think a little bit more of my Aussie pub influence has come back into my playing." It has a certain primal rawness to it and I think I'm starting to let that come out again. When I came here, that's the way I played and it freaked everybody out so I toned it down radically in order to let people know me slowly. So the last record was more about letting people get to know me a little bit, and this one is hopefully letting more of myself out. It's kind of like the sixth time you meet your girlfriend's parents."

Urban began playing the guitar at age six. When not coaxing his tiny fingers to master chords, he was listening to his father's Don Williams, Glen Campbell and Charley Pride albums.  At age seven, he knew that one day he would to move to Nashville to play country music. He started winning country music talent shows by age eight and four years later was steadily booking his band at local clubs. He mimicked every note on the Dire Straits records and soon developed his now-signature style of playing.

In 1990 he signed with EMI in Australia and recorded his first solo album, which charted four No. 1 country hits. Buoyed by that success, he decided to move to Nashville in 1992. After the move, he formed a three-piece group, called The Ranch, and landed a record deal with Capitol Records after their live shows generated tremendous excitement. Although critics loved The Ranch's innovative sound, the band broke up after one album. So Urban returned to his solo career, proving immediately that this was what he was destined to do.

"I don't want it labeled in any way other than it's just me," he says of his album. "People say there are only two types of music -- good and bad -- but that's not true. There's only stuff you like and stuff you don't. That's really all that matters. If you think it's good, it probably is. So I just want people to check it out. If you dig it… give it to somebody else. That's what I do."

Somebody Like You

Somebody Like You
(John Shanks / Keith Urban)

There's a new wind blowin' like I've never known
I'm breathin' deeper than I've ever done
And it sure feels good to finally feel the way I do
I wanna love somebody
Love somebody like you

I'm lettin' go of all my lonely yesterdays
I've forgivin' myself for the mistakes I've made
Now there's just one thing, the only thing I wanna do
I wanna love somebody
Love somebody like you

(Chorus)
Yeah I wanna feel the sunshine
Shining down on me me and you
When you put your arms around me
You let me know there's nothing in this world
I can't do

I used to run in circles goin' nowhere fast
I'd take one step forward, end up two steps back
I couldn't walk a straight line even if I wanted to
I want to love somebody
Love somebody like you

Oh here we go now
Hey I wanna love you baby

(Chorus)

Sometimes it's hard for me to understand
But you're teachin' me to be a better man
I don't want to take this life for granted
Like I used to do, no no
I wanna love somebody
Love somebody like you

I'm ready to love somebody
Love somebody like you
I wanna love somebody
Love somebody like you

Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me

Who Wouldn't Want To Be
(Monty Powell / Keith Urban)

I got no money in my pockets
I got a hole in my jeans
I had a job and I lost it
But it won't get to me

'Cause I'm ridin' with my baby
And it's a brand new day
We're on the wheels of an angel
Flyin' away

(Chrous)
And the sun is shinin'
This road keeps windin'
Through the prettiest country
From Georgia to Tennessee
And I got the one I love beside me
My troubles behind me
I'm alive and I'm free
Who wouldn't want to be me

Now she's strummin' on my six-string
Across her pretty knees
She's stompin' out a rhythm
And singin' to me the sweetest song

(Chorus x2)

I got no money in my pockets
I got a hole in my jeans
We're on the wheels of an angel
And I'm free
She's strummin' on my six-string
It's across her pretty knees
She's stompin' out a rhythm
And she's singin' to me

Whenever I Run

Whenever I Run
(Shelly Peiken / John Shanks / Keith Urban)

I've seen that darkness on the edge of town
The sun come up and the rain fall down
And I've been fool, yeah I've been around

And when the world got to much for me
I took off and left a memory
Thinking I'd find something better for me somehow
Oh but now

(Chorus)
Whenever I run
Instead of running into the blue
I follow my heart
And there in your arms
Is where I find the love I need
And the best is yet to come
Baby you're the one I run to

I used to quit when it got too tough
Throw in my cards when I was down on my luck
But baby you mean too much to me
So now

(Chorus)

I never could stay in one place too long
I never could stand that still
Ah but you changed so much in me
And now I know I will

I'm gonna stay where the love is right
I'm so tired of being a bird in flight
Good love takes work
Ah but that's alright
That's alright

(Chorus)

You're the only one
Instead of running into the blue
I follow my heart
And there in your arms
That's where I find the love I need
And the best is yet to come
Baby you're the one I run to
The one I run to
The one I run to

What About Me

What About Me
(Rodney Crowell / Keith Urban)

I'm livin' in a world that won't stop pullin' on me
I'm not complaining but it's true
It's like I owe my time to everyone else
'Cause that's all I seem to do

You might not know but I need a good friend
Someone to talk to when I'm down, down, down
There's so much on my mind that I want to get out
But there's no one around

(Chorus)
Sometimes I can't help thinkin' what about me
Some days go by that I don't even see
Yeah I'm doing everything right and I can't break free
Oh is this the way it's always gonna be
What about me

Well, I'm dreamin' I'm on a highway
With the windows down
I'm burnin' up the road at my own speed
But I'm stuck here goin' nowhere in this traffic jam
And there's a woman in the car next to me
And I swear she's singing

(Chorus x2)

Ooo what about me
Hey what about me

You'll Think of Me

You'll Think Of Me
(Darrell Brown / Ty Lacy / Dennis Matkosky)

I woke up early this morning around 4am
With the moon shining bright
As headlights on the interstate
I pulled the covers over my head
And tried to catch some sleep
But thoughts of us kept keeping me awake
Ever since you found yourself in someone else's arms
I've been tryin' my best to get along
But that's OK
There's nothing left to say, but

(Chorus)
Take your records, take your freedom
Take your memories I don't need 'em
Take your space and take your reasons
But you'll think of me
And take your cat and leave my sweater
'Cause we have nothing left to weather
In fact, I'll feel a whole lot better
But you'll think of me, you'll think of me

I went out driving trying to clear my head
I tried to sweep out all the ruins that my emotions left
I guess I'm feeling just a little tired of this
And all the baggage that seems to still exist
It seems the only blessing I have left to my name
Is not knowing what we could of been
What we should've been
So

(Chorus)

Some day I'm gonna run across your mind
Don't worry, I'll be fine
I'm gonna be alright
While your sleeping with your pride
Wishing I could hold you tight
I'll be over you
And on with my life

(Chorus x2)
And your gonna think of me
Oh someday baby, someday

Jeans On

Jeans On
(David Dundas / Roger Greenaway)

When I wake up in the mornin' light
I pull on my blue jeans and I feel alright
I pull my blue jeans on,
I pull my old blue jeans on
I pull my blue jeans on,
I pull my old blue jeans on

It's the weekend, and I know that you're free
So pull on your jeans and come on out with me
Oh 'cause I need to have you near me,
I need to feel you close to me
I need to have you near me,
I need to feel you close to me

(Chorus)
You and me, we'll go motorbike ridin' in the sun
And the wind and the rain
I got money in my pocket,
I got a tiger in my tank
And I'm king of the road again

I'll meet ya in the usual place
You don't need a thing except your pretty face,
I pull my blue jeans on,
I pull my old blue jeans on
I pull my blue jeans on,
I pull my old blue jeans on
Aw, here we go mamma

(Chorus)

When I wake up in the mornin' light
I pull on my jeans and I feel all right
Hey I pull my blue jeans on,
I pull my old blue jeans on

I pull my blue jeans on,
I pull my old blue jeans on
I pull my blue jeans on,
I pull my old blue jeans on
I pull my blue jeans on,
I pull my old blue jeans on....

You Look Good In My Shirt

You Look Good In My Shirt
(Tony Martin / Tom Shapiro / Mark Nesler)

When you walked up behind me and covered my eyes
And whispered in my ear, guess who
I rattled off names like I really didn't know
But all along I knew it was you

And, the longer we talked, the more we laughed
And wondered why we didn't last
It had been a long time, but later last night
Baby, we caught up real fast

(Chorus)
And maybe it's a little too early
To know if this is gonna work
All I know is you're sure looking
Good in my shirt
That's right
You look good in my shirt

Well now I'm not saying we solved overnight
Every way that we went wrong
Oh, but what I'm seeing I'd sure love seeing
Every morning from now on

(Chorus)

C'mon now
Aww that's right
Oh you look so fine

(Chorus x2)

You're Not Alone Tonight

You're Not Alone Tonight
(Keith Urban)

We all drink to forget
Some of us more than most
When reality gets too real
And the fires of hell too close
But I'm here to let you know that
You can make it through
If you believe that someone's watchin' over you

(Chorus)
Call it an angel
Call it a muse
And call it karma that yo've got comin' to you
What's the difference
What's it in a name
What matters most is never ever losin' faith
'Cause it's gonna be alright
You're not alone tonight

We all have our days
When nothing goes as planned
Not a soul in the world
Seems to understand
And for someone to talk to
You'd give anything
Well go on and cry out loud
'Cause someone's listenin'

(Chorus)

Keep your faith alive
You're not the only one

(Chorus)

Oh you can cry if you want to, go on

You Won

You Won
(Rodney Crowell / Keith Urban)

There was a world outside my door
I wasn't in touch with anymore
There was a way I used to feel
I knew what was and wasn't real

You built a bridge, I tore it down
I felt safe on shaky ground
And I was a master of despair
Making believe I didn't care

(Chorus)
I shouldn't be standing here today
After all the crazy things I've done
I'm ready to fall and that's OK
I ran as far as I could run
You won

Out of a world turned upside down
It took some time to come around
Out of a dream you made me whole
You lit a fire down in my soul

(Chorus x2)
And you won

I thought I knew what I was doing
I thought I was in control
I thought nobody could slow me down
But what did I know
I was just a kid, a motherless child
No one to watch over me I was runnin' wild
Free of all responsibility till my life
And my love for myself caught up with me
Yeah, it caught up with me
And now I'm, yes I am
So ready

Song For Dad

Song For Dad
(Keith Urban)

Lately I've been noticing
I say the same things he used to say
And I even find myself acting the very same way
I tap my fingers on the table
To the rhythm in my soul
And I jingle the car keys
When I'm ready to go
When I look in the mirror
He's right there in my eyes
Starin' back at me and I realize

(Chorus)
The older I get
The more I can see
How much he loved my mother and my brother and me
And he did the best that he could
And I only hope when I have my own family
That every day I see
A little more of my father in me

There were times I thought he was bein'
Just a little bit hard on me
But now I understand he was makin' me
Become the man he knew that I could be
In everything he ever did
He always did with love
And I'm proud today to say I'm his son
When somebody says I hope I get to meet your dad
I just smile and say you already have

(Chorus)

He's in my eyes
My heart, my soul
My hands, my pride
And when I feel alone

And I think I can't go on
I hear him sayin "Son, you'll be alright"
Everything's gonna be alright

(Chorus)

A little more of my father in me
I hope everyday I see in me
In me
In me
I hope everyday I see

A little more of my father in me

Raining On Sunday

Raining On Sunday
(Darrell Brown / Radney Foster)

It ticks just like a Timex
Never lets up on you
Who said life was easy
The job is never through
It'll run us 'til we're ragged
It'll harden our hearts
And love could use a day of rest
Before we both start falling apart

(Chorus)
Pray that it's raining on Sunday
Stormin like crazy
We'll hide under the covers all afternoon
Baby whatever comes Monday
Can take care of itself
'Cause we got better things that we can do
When it's raining on Sunday

Your love is like a religion
A cross in Mexico
And your kiss is like the innocence
Of a prayer nailed to a door
Oh surrender is much sweeter
When we both let go
Let the water wash our bodies clean
And the love wash out our souls

(Chorus x2)
When it's raining on Sunday
When it's raining on Sunday
Let it rain

You're Not My God

You're Not My God
(Paul Jefferson / Keith Urban)

It's just a piece of paper, it says, "In God We Trust"
A little sure felt good
But a lot was not enough
And everybody loved me when I was on a roll
And I thought I had everything
When I held the gold

(Chorus)
But you're not my god
And you're not my friend
You're not the one that I will walk with in the end
You're not the truth
You're a temporary shot
You ruin people's lives and
You don't give a second thought
You're not my god

Little white lies on a mirror
Cut neatly in a row
Medicine that kept my from lookin' in my soul
I thought you were the answer
To all of my despair
And you almost had me six feet down
But, I'm still breathin' air

(Chorus)

From the cradle to the grave
Temptations all around
But no matter how good the fix
It's gonna take you down
Now some call it a weakness
Some call it a sin
But it's all the same behind each game
I see your evil grin

(Chorus x2)

Oh, oh oh you're not my god
You're not my god
Mmmmm not my god
Not my god
You're not, you're not, you're not my god