One listens to Kelsea Ballerini’s “Peter Pan” and thinks “How has no one written this song before?” The heartfelt, ultimately inspiring lost-love song compares an ex to the famous Disney character. It’s a perfect metaphor.

Forest Glen Whitehead and Jesse Lee helped Ballerini write “Peter Pan,” the third single from her The First Time album. The singer either performs the ballad with someone in mind, or she’s country music’s best actress. Her words are heavy with first-person memories. You sense more than just fleeting teenage love was taken from her, shaken, burned and scattered. This is the relationship she looks back on almost daily ... for life.

After two light-hearted releases, it was important for Ballerini to show some emotional depth. “Peter Pan” represents the another side of her personality, talents and debut album. Spiteful critics may have wanted to dismiss her as a frothy pop-wannabe, but this song proves she’s as good with a pen and paper as she is a microphone. The 22-year-old is a multi-dimensional artist completely capable of leading the resurgence of women in country music, something she unwittingly started doing nearly one year ago.

Did You Know?: Whitehead wrote six songs on Ballerini's debut album, but also penned "Lights of My Hometown," a song on Brantley Gilbert's Just as I Am album.

Listen to Kelsea Ballerini, “Peter Pan”

Watch: Kelsea Ballerini Talks About Her First Times

Kelsea Ballerini, “Peter Pan” Lyrics:

“The smile, the charm, the words, the spark / Everything you had it / I guess I had a naive heart, cause boy I let you have it / You said I was your only / Never thought you’d leave me lonely.”

Chorus:
“You’re just a lost boy, with your head up in the clouds / You’re just a lost boy, never keep your feet on the ground / Always gonna fly away, just because you know you can / Never gonna learn there’s no such place as Neverland / You don’t understand / You’ll never grow up / You’re never gonna be a man / Peter Pan.”

“Deep down I knew that you were too good to be true / But every piece and part of me, wanted to believe in you / Now it’s happily ever never, I guess now I know better.”

“You’re just a lost boy, yeah I know what you are / You don’t know what you lost boy, too busy chasing stars.”

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