‘Sheltered’ by The Castellows – Lyrics & Meaning

First teasing the new track ‘Sheltered’ back on 21st March, The Castellows posted a clip on social media of the three sisters doing what they know best: picking, singing, and storytelling. Captioned “Just 3 homeschooled girlies”, the snippet of the new song sees them singing about being “wild and free” as they sit by the water in, presumably, their beloved home state of Georgia.

Following up with new acoustic videos of the song, The Castellows returned to the silo where so many of the girls’ early viral clips were recorded, their harmonies as tight and bright as ever. On 6th April, another acoustic clip was gifted to us with the sisters in classic blue denim, before they posted the first glimpse of the studio recording two days later, just in case we weren’t excited enough already!

With captions like “It is what it is” and “Call me sheltered but we don’t get any Spongebob references”, it’s looking like this track will be a personal one for the girls, but not without the levity and humour they get into their social media posts. The single cover sees the three sisters in typical brown school uniforms out in the country - evidently not what they grew up wearing judging by their confused looks, but they still make it work! The Castellows clearly had a lot of fun with this track.

And are we excited? Fellow country cowgirl Maggie Antone definitely is, commenting “lovinggggggggg” on one of the posts - us too, Maggie! ‘Sheltered’ appears on The Castellows’ Homecoming EP, which is set to arrive on May 30th, 2025.

Following on from their latest release ‘You Don’t Even Know Who I Am’, the new song has a breezy feeling running through it. With their gorgeous sister harmonies front and centre on the chorus, there’s a warmth throughout the song that feels classic Castellows, shining straight from Georgia. However, switching up from previous releases, a percussive intro with a smooth electric guitar riff pulling us in before the first verse gives this a slightly new sound from the trio.

The girls may have already incorporated some broader vintage elements into their music so far, and in their style, but ‘Sheltered’ feels like a pointed nod to 70s country-rock - an exciting taste of what could come in the future from the sisters. The banjo is still there, but sits gently in the background with electric and percussion taking the front seat this time - it’s a nice new take on the vintage sound.

“Sleeping on a blow-up mattress

In a town where no one knows my name

Nothing but a dream and a Blue Ridge

And a cloth in a picture frame

Went to college for a piece of paper

I didn't even learn a thing

I went to school at home, so I taught myself to sing”

The girls said this was a personal one, and they were right. Kicking off the storytelling, our lead singer Lily seems to be somewhere far from home - and a home that she’s missing. Everyone knows the feeling of being homesick, and when you’re staying somewhere temporarily - like the kind of place that comes with a ‘blow up mattress’ - that feeling can hit even harder.

As she recalls going to college for “a piece of paper” where she “didn’t learn a thing”, it’s clear that it just wasn’t the right fit for her. We all have different values, and Lily didn’t find hers at college, but at home she found who she was. Being homeschooled allowed the girls to grow into who they are now, allowing them to learn to sing and have an opportunity to turn to music - which worked out well for all of us!

“Maybe I'm sheltered, maybe I'm foolish

Maybe I don't understand

Maybe I'm a princess in your El Camino

Driving through the Promised Land

Through the Promised Land, past the silos

That's where we go

Running wild and free, but you can shelter me”

Having been labelled all kinds of naive as a result of those homeschooled stereotypes, the girls have heard it all. They’re not accepting that it’s a bad thing though, in fact, they seem to be pretty confident in what and who they are. Being called “a princess” often has a fair bit of condescension attached to it, but with a sarcastic tone, the girls are taking that label and heading all the way back home with it.

The “Promised Land” has been referenced and used endlessly in music, but for the Castellow girls the promised land might just be the country where they feel the most them. Heading out of the city, we realise that the “you” they’re directing their comfort towards is not a person, but a place. Being sheltered has many different meanings, but ultimately, having the chance to bring someone “shelter” is to bring them warmth, safety and a place that they can call home. With a reference to those now infamous silos that the sisters first recorded their stunning harmonies in, we can envision exactly where this home is for these three country girls.

“I've got rhinestones sewn on a Sunday dress

And light shining off the dirt

My sisters say that you're a little too wild

They don't want me to get hurt”

“Rhinestones sewn on a Sunday dress” suggests that the girls might have struggled a little bit to find where they fit into the world; perhaps too many rhinestones for a traditional country Sunday, but too traditional for a night full of rhinestones? But who’s to say that they can’t have a little bit of both sides?

Anyone with sisters knows just how valued their advice is, and there might not be a closer sisterhood than the Castellows. Again, personifying the place, the city might just be “a little too wild” for our main character, Lily, and with her sisters staying in the country they can’t help but be concerned.

“I'll take my soul on this rabbit trail

I'll take off in this plane

Even though those city lights don't call my name”

A “rabbit trail” typically refers to a story with no real purpose, a path with no clear destination, a discussion that just can’t stay on one topic. From the sounds of it, Lily has a wandering soul and even she’s not quite sure where it’ll take her; we know this is a personal song, so perhaps all the touring and travelling that’s come along with The Castellows’ newfound fame has simply made her realise where she feels she most belongs.

Even though the city lights don’t feel right, it can be worth the trip anyway - it just further emphasises where home is. But when you have sisters to travel with, home can never be that far away. Being “sheltered” is so often used as an insult to homeschooled kids, but The Castellows are letting us all know that it's the path that led them to being the confident, independent country stars they are now.

Other than the string of social media teases the girls posted about ‘Sheltered’, they’ve been relatively quiet about the details of the song itself - perhaps letting the music do the storytelling. However, their excitement has shone through saying “Can’t wait to get this one out to yall” along with one of those social posts.

On April 14th, the song was available to pre-save and the girls shared that “This is one of our more personal songs”. The sisters put a lot of themselves and their stories into this one and it makes a wonderful addition to their work so far. Sitting alongside ‘You Don’t Even Know Who I Am’, and ‘Place They Call Home (feat. Flatland Cavalry)’, ‘Sheltered’ appears on The Castellows’ 2025 Homecoming EP.

“Sleeping on a blow-up mattress

In a town where no one knows my name

Nothing but a dream and a Blue Ridge

And a cloth in a picture frame

-

Went to college for a piece of paper

I didn't even learn a thing

I went to school at home, so I taught myself to sing

-

Maybe I'm sheltered, maybe I'm foolish

Maybe I don't understand

Maybe I'm a princess in your El Camino

Driving through the Promised Land

-

Through the Promised Land, past the silos

That's where we go

Running wild and free, but you can shelter me

-

I've got rhinestones sewn on a Sunday dress

And light shining off the dirt

My sisters say that you're a little too wild

They don't want me to get hurt

-

I'll take my soul on this rabbit trail

I'll take off in this plane

Even though those city lights don't call my name

-

Maybe I'm sheltered, maybe I'm foolish

Maybe I don't understand

Maybe I'm a princess in your El Camino

Driving through the Promised Land

-

Through the Promised Land, past the silos

That's where we go

Running wild and free, but you can shelter me

You can shelter me

-

Maybe I'm sheltered, maybe I'm foolish

Maybe I don't understand

Maybe I'm a princess in your El Camino

Driving through the Promised Land

-

Through the Promised Land, past the silos

That's where we go

Running wild and free, but you can shelter me

You can shelter me”

––

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