“I wrote ‘Shirley Temples’ about my last summer in Vermont before moving to Nashville,” Pless explains. “For the first time, I felt so grateful for where I grew up and how it shaped me. I feel happiness, sadness, and hope when I listen to it. I hope others feel the same way.”
It begins with a bright acoustic guitar and flows into a smooth rhythm, letting Pless's storytelling take center stage. Pless has a unique talent for writing lyrics that resonate, thanks partly to her linguistics background from Wellesley College.
In “Shirley Temples,” Pless reflects on her childhood with a wise perspective, acknowledging the challenges and the beauty of looking back. She captures that feeling perfectly in lines like, "I wish I could teleport to my college friends, but at least it doesn’t hurt to be here anymore." This expresses the mix of emotions that come with leaving home. The song ends on a powerful note with the repeated line, "Nothing left to prove," which is a fitting conclusion to a coming-of-age story.
"Shirley Temples" is the last single before Pless’s much-anticipated debut album, Workhorse, set to release. If this song is any indication, the album promises to be a deeply personal and reflective collection of music from an artist who knows how to express her feelings beautifully.