Understand the story in Kashus Culpepper’s “Alabama Beauty Queen.” The song’s lyrics paint a portrait of a young woman’s escape from a troubled hometown.
The lyrics for Kashus Culpepper’s “Alabama Beauty Queen” form a complete narrative about a young woman seeking escape. The song tells a specific story of a person leaving a stagnant and tense environment, symbolized by her Greyhound bus journey to New Orleans. The recurring prayer for the Pontchartrain rain to “wash her clean” is a central metaphor for seeking renewal and freedom from her past.
kashus culpepper act i
The structure moves from fond memories to present hardships, justifying her decision to leave. Details like a ’96 Malibu, rollerblades, and a father’s brown liquor create a tangible sense of place and character. The chorus acts as a haunting, admiring refrain for the subject, celebrating her courage. The lyrics avoid abstract confusion, instead offering a clear, empathetic portrait of a person in motion, making the song highly relatable for anyone who has sought a fresh start.
Produced by Brian Elmquist, Anderson East
January 23, 2026
1 song, 4 minutes
℗ 2026 Big Loud Records, under exclusive license to Mercury Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lyrics
She had a 96 Malibu
She had them golden brown eyes
Used to be we would sit on the roof
Talk to spirits on a Saturday night
Yeah, that’s where she told me
“Baby, this town ain’t shit
I know we were both born here
But it ain’t no place to live”
Oh, Alabama beauty queen
Oh, finest thing I’ve ever seen
She left town on a Greyhound
Headed south to New Orleans
Praying that Pontchartrain rain gonna wash her clean
Last summer, it was rollerblades
She was dancing in the sun
Now them boys up the street
Get to talking with their 9 millimeter guns
And her daddy been leaning on the bottle
With brown liquor on his breath
They got to fighting, he was spitting out lies
She decided it was time she left
Well, oh, Alabama beauty queen
Oh, finest thing I’ve ever seen
She left town on a Greyhound
Headed south to New Orleans
Praying that Pontchartain rain gonna wash her clean
Let it rain, let it pour
Let it fill every void
Till she finally finds that peace
Hope she’s out there being free
Let it rain, let it pour
Let it fill every void
Till she finally finds that peace
Hope she’s out there being free
Oh, Alabama beauty queen
Oh, finest thing I’ve ever seen
Oh, Alabama beauty queen
Oh, finest thing I’ve ever seen
She left town on a Greyhound
Headed south to New Orleans
Praying that Pontchartain rain gonna wash her clean
Praying that Pontchartain rain gonna wash her clean
Alabama beauty queen
