Miranda Lambert made her name with songs that strike a powerful emotional chord. From tunes about the nostalgia of home to the painful draw of a vice, Lambert isn’t afraid to cut deep. She has many lyrics that feel like a sobering wake-up call, but the three verses below feel like a straight-on punch to the gut.
Videos by American Songwriter
I carried him around with me / I don’t mind having scars / Happiness ain’t prison but there’s freedom in a broken heart (“Runnin’ Just in Case”)
Lambert gets candid on “Runnin’ Just in Case.” She puts on her most outlaw-ish persona and sings about the shadier sides of love. In the lines above she wears her broken heart proudly and finds a sense of freedom in being single. It’s the kind of “grin-and-bear-it” attitude that we all would love to emulate when nursing our own broken hearts—though we can’t all muster it.
Another vice, another call / Another bed I shouldn’t crawl out of / At 7 AM, with shoes in my hand / Said I wouldn’t do it, but I did it again / And I know I’ll be back tomorrow night (“Vice”)
[RELATED: Shane McAnally Delves into the Vulnerability of Miranda Lambert’s “Vice”]
It takes a truly confident artist to reveal their rough edges. In “Vice,” Lambert finds that confidence, revealing the habits she has that are normally kept behind closed doors. In the lines above, Lambert lays it pretty bare. Said I wouldn’t do it, but I did it again / And I know I’ll be back tomorrow night, she sings, succumbing to temptation.
I know they say you can’t go home again / I just had to come back one last time / Ma’am, I know you don’t know me from Adam / But these hand prints on the front steps are mine (“The House That Built Me”)
“The House That Built Me” is one of Lambert’s calling cards for a reason. Few songs of hers hit harder than this one. In the opening lines above, Lambert sets a homecoming scene. She introduces herself to the house’s new occupant with the kicker of a line: Ma’am, I know you don’t know me from Adam / But these hand prints on the front steps are mine.
Photo by Terry Wyatt/WireImage
