Carrie Underwood is closing in on the top of the charts with her latest single, the gorgeous “Mama’s Song.” It’s one of seven tracks that Carrie co-wrote for her Play On album, and Carrie says that she has developed the utmost respect for songwriters. As challenging as writing can be, Carrie says it’s been so rewarding for her to move from album to album and feel that she’s more than just the voice to the song, she’s “part of the creation.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

• So far, Carrie has had a hand in writing six of her 13 number-ones, including “Cowboy Casanova,” “Undo It,” and “Temporary Home,” also all featured on her Play On collection.
• While the lyric in “Mama’s Song” is about a conversation between a mother and daughter — reassuring Mom that her little girl is marrying the right guy — Carrie says that any relationship, marriage or otherwise, will be that much stronger when you just start with the fundamentals. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

  Carrie Underwood talks about songwriting. (:52)
“I’ve gained a huge respect for songwriters, especially country music songwriters. Because, country music, it’s kind of like, ‘Oh, my gosh, like, these words have to make sense,’ you know? These words have…they have a story. They have a feeling. They have something that they really need to express — a thought, idea, a feeling, whatever it is. And you have to do that to where everything completely 100% not only makes sense, but it makes people think or smile or, you know, it has to evoke some emotion in them. I have developed the biggest respect for songwriters in this music industry because they have the hardest jobs. It’s not just people who do lend their voices to them, it’s the story, you know, it’s the feeling. Before I was a writer, I would consider myself the decoration, and now I really do feel like I’m part of the creation, and that’s amazing.”

  Carrie Underwood talks about relationships and her latest hit, the beautiful “Mama’s Song.” (:40)
“I think a lot of relationships end up failing because the basics are missed. So when you do find somebody that’s good, and that treats you…every woman is somebody’s little girl. So he treats that little girl just like a protective, strong man should. And he’s good. He makes promises he keeps. I mean, that’s really important in any relationship, whether it be between a man and a woman or friends or family or whatever. And he’s never gonna leave. Knowing that, that comfort that you have something in your life that is always gonna be there no matter what, that means the world.”