'Oh, Anna!' by Dasha - Lyrics & Meaning

2024 was an utterly massive year for country music on the global scale with a handful of artists going from obscurity straight into the spotlight virtually overnight.

Leading that charge was none other than Dasha, whose infectious, line dancing hit, 'Austin,' took over the charts and social media platforms far and wide. Since then, the burgeoning star has taken it all in stride, following up the blockbuster, viral sensation with one instantly beloved earworm after another and proving that she's far from a one hit wonder.

Now, 16 months or so removed from the beginning of the 'Austin' craze, Dasha has found herself as one of the most exciting and promising acts in the genre. Trying to balance the pressures of stardom and life in the public eye, she's not laying the groundwork for her highly-anticipated sophomore country record.

Following the intoxicating 'Not At This Party,' which marked the first taste of her new musical era earlier this year, Dasha now offers up a gut-wrenching peak behind the curtain with 'Oh, Anna!,' written as an open letter and plea to her younger self.

Clocking in at just over four minutes, 'Oh, Anna!' takes on a sound much different to anything that has made Dasha a household name up to this point.

Trading the high-energy dance track for an acoustic guitar and all the southern-sounding fixins, it's a stripped back moment for the California native.

As the sparse and simple arrangement plays, it perfectly mirrors the weighty prose as Dasha sings a sweet, albeit heartbreaking, tune to her younger self. With a top-notch songwriting crew consisting of Dasha, Hillary Lindsey, Emily Weisband & Chris LaCorte, it's really no wonder that 'Oh, Anna!' hurts so good.

"Empty pockets, swing in your step
Don’t know where you got it, but you got the confidence for
Flirting with the boys in a little cotton dress
That was it, innocent
Handmade tickets, putting on a show
That living room couch was always front row
Didn’t know where you were going then again you kinda did

I miss you, I need you
I left you, didn’t mean to"

The song opens with Dasha looking back on her road to where she is now. Reminiscing on her lack of stress, responsibility and being so attuned to what people think of her, childhood Dasha was carefree and confident.

As many kids do, she would put on "shows" for her family, drawing pretend tickets and setting up the living room like it was her own personal stage, and she was the main event. While little Dasha could've never known how her story would play out come 2024 with the onset of 'Austin,' we get the feeling that that little girl always kinda knew that she was destined for something big.

Speaking directly to her younger self, present day Dasha expresses how she misses that wide-eyed and innocent version of herself, while also offering her apologies for ever leaving her behind in the first place.

"I wish you would come back a little
Come back a little
Run as fast as you can
I wish you would meet me in the middle
Meet you in the middle
Take me by the hand
I feel more like a scared little kid than I ever did back then
I need you to come back a little
Come back a little
Make me that girl again, oh Anna!"

Pleading with that little girl, who we come to know as Anna, Dasha begs her to come back to her, if only a little bit to help her regain her sense of self, which has been so muddied in the last year or two.

For context, Anna is the real first name of the celebrated artist who has gone by her middle name–Dasha–throughout her entire professional career.

"You taught me that
When they talk about you, damn, you talk it right back
Now I put on an act with a smile and a laugh
Like I don’t care but I do
What happened to knowing who I am?
You were pigtail braids, never worried bout the plan
Didn’t do it cus you had to, you did it cus you can
Now I’m just worried about being skinny and getting spray tans"

Comparing the lessons she learned as a kid to how she's been taught to act now as she stands firmly in the middle of the spotlight, Dasha explains that she learned not to take shit from anyone or let anyone tell her who she is. Yet, in navigating stardom and being thrust into the public arena, she's been forced to take everything on the chin with a smile on her face.

In the midst of all of that, Dasha seemingly lost sight of who she is within herself as she was forced to be whatever everyone wanted her to be.

Where little Anna was pigtails and no worries, Dasha's sights are now set on all kinds of things that she never anticipated, including and most importantly, how everyone else perceives her.

"I didn’t even know that you were gone
Til I was drunk on broadway and they were playing our song
I was staring in the mirror in the dirty bathroom light
And I found you there in my eyes
And it hit me, you’d be dancing
Instead of crying
Getting everybody on their feet
Cus girl you got your dream
Oh Anna, oh Anna"

Reflecting on how far she’s come and the version of herself she never wants to lose sight of, we find Dasha drunk down on Broadway on the brink of a breakdown. Completely lost and losing hope, she stares into the mirror and finds that little girl with the big dream staring back at her.

Thinking about how Anna would be taking on all of these pressures if she was in the spotlight, Dasha explains that she'd be dancing and celebrating because she had gotten everything she'd ever wanted and more.

With that newfound perspective in mind, Dasha finally walks away feeling a little more emboldened and much more in tune with who she really is.

"I wish you would come back a little
Come back a little
Run as fast as you can
Swear that you’ll meet the middle
Meet you in the middle
Take me by hand
I feel more like a scared little kid than I ever did back then
I need you to come back a little
Come back a little
Make me that girl again, oh Anna!
Oh Anna, Oh Anna, Oh Anna"

Commenting on the incredibly vulnerable track, the country queen herself says, “I’ve had these dreams of doing exactly what I’m doing now since I was a little girl. I just knew I was going to be a songwriter, I’m going to tour the world—it’s going to happen. But when everything blew up last year, I felt like I lost myself. It was scary. I was insecure, my confidence was gone.”

Written as a way to get back in touch with that little girl with a big dream, Dasha adds, “I was in a write and told my co-writers, ‘I don’t even know who I am anymore.’ So I decided to write a song that reconnects me with little me—Anna. My full name is Anna Dasha, and I miss her. I need her back.”

Diving in even deeper to the song's meaningful message and its importance to her, Dasha explains, “When my career took off last year, everything changed so fast—and in the whirlwind, I felt like I lost myself. It was disorienting and, honestly, scary. I faced a lot of hate in the middle of my success, and for a while, my confidence disappeared.

"So I wrote a song—not just for who I am now, but for the fearless little girl I used to be. The one with big dreams, unshakable pride, and a clear sense of self. This song is a reminder of her strength, her clarity and her joy."

When it comes to what she hopes people take away from the tune, she's adamant in 'Oh, Anna!' not merely being for here, but being for us all. "I hope when people hear it, they reconnect with their own younger selves—the purest versions of who they are. And if they’re feeling lost, I want them to know: sometimes the way forward is found by remembering where you started."

She says simply, "My name is Anna Dasha—and I’m proud to say, she’s back.”

Empty pockets, swing in your step
Don’t know where you got it, but you got the confidence for
Flirting with the boys in a little cotton dress
That was it, innocent
Handmade tickets, putting on a show
That living room couch was always front row
Didn’t know where you were going then again you kinda did

I miss you, I need you
I left you, didn’t mean to

I wish you would come back a little
Come back a little
Run as fast as you can
I wish you would meet me in the middle
Meet you in the middle
Take me by the hand
I feel more like a scared little kid than I ever did back then
I need you to come back a little
Come back a little
Make me that girl again, oh Anna!

You taught me that
When they talk about you, damn, you talk it right back
Now I put on an act with a smile and a laugh
Like I don’t care but I do
What happened to knowing who I am?
You were pigtail braids, never worried bout the plan
Didn’t do it cus you had to, you did it cus you can
Now I’m just worried about being skinny and getting spray tans

And I miss you, damn I need you
I left you, hope I don’t lose you

I wish you would come back a little
Come back a little
Run as fast as you can
Swear that you’ll meet he middle
Meet you in the middle
Take me by hand
I feel more like a scared little kid than I ever did back then
I need you to come back a little
Come back a little
Make me that girl again, oh Anna!
Oh Anna, Oh Anna, Oh Anna

I didn’t even know that you were gone
Til I was drunk on broadway and they were playing our song
I was staring in the mirror in the dirty bathroom light
And I found you there in my eyes
And it hit me, you’d be dancing
Instead of crying
Getting everybody on their feet
Cus girl you got your dream
Oh Anna, oh Anna

I wish you would come back a little
Come back a little
Run as fast as you can
Swear that you’ll meet the middle
Meet you in the middle
Take me by hand
I feel more like a scared little kid than I ever did back then
I need you to come back a little
Come back a little
Make me that girl again, oh Anna!
Oh Anna, Oh Anna, Oh Anna

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