Miranda Lambert is one of country music’s most dynamic songwriters. She can seamlessly transition from the fiery spirit of “Gunpowder and Lead” to the heartbreaking “Tin Man,” running the gamut of emotions in her songwriting. She’s provided some of the best lyrics country music has had to offer over the past 20 years, her words solidifying her as a modern country icon. Check out some of her best lyrics below.
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1. By the way there, Mr. Tin Man/If you don’t mind the scars/You give me your armor/And you can have my heart (“Tin Man”)
Written in the wake of Lambert’s divorce from Blake Shelton, “Tin Man” tragically, yet beautifully, captures the agony of a broken heart. From start to finish, the song doesn’t sugarcoat the searing pain from a heart that’s left in pieces after a devastating breakup. No lines prove this more than the ones above, as Lambert paints a picture of a scarred heart, making “Tin Man” one of the best songs across her entire catalog.
2. And if the whole wide world stops singing/And all the stars go dark/I’ll keep a light on in my soul/Keep a bluebird in my heart (“Bluebird”)
Though she often brings a spitfire personality into her songs, “Bluebird” shows off Lambert’s gentler tone. This sweet song written by Lambert, Natalie Hemby and Luke Dick finds the singer looking on the brighter side of life, as evidenced by the poetic lyrics above. I’ll keep a light on in my soul/Keep a bluebird in my heart, are easily some of Lambert’s most poignantly written lyrics.
3. His fist is big/But my gun’s bigger/He’ll find out when I pull the trigger (“Gunpowder & Lead”)
There are several noteworthy sets of lyrics in one of Lambert’s signature hits, “Gunpowder & Lead,” but the line above is the most striking. While the chorus also packs a punch, these three lines get to the heart of what the song is about: a woman who is taking her power back from an abusive man, even if it means taking him out. When Lambert sings these lines, you believe her, making for some of her most tough and confident lyrics.
4. I thought if I could touch this place or feel it/This brokenness inside me might start healing/Out here, it’s like I’m someone else/I thought that maybe I could find myself/If I could walk around, I swear I’ll leave/Won’t take nothin’ but a memory/From the house that built me (“The House That Built Me”)
Even though she didn’t write it, Miranda Lambert truly made “The House That Built Me” her own when she cut it for her album, Revolution. The song quickly became one of her signature hits, and arguably one of the best country songs ever. This gem penned by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin perfectly captures the nostalgic feeling of home – and the lyrics above represent that feeling the best.
5. And somehow you made me smile when I was sad/You took a chance on a bruised and beaten heart/And then you realized you wanted what you had/I guess I should’ve been more like that (“More Like Her”)
In this solo written ballad, Lambert leaves her broken heart beating on the table. Released as the final single off her breakthrough 2007 album Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, “More Like Her” proved Lambert to be a powerful songwriter all on her own, and the lyrics above reflect that. Here, she plays the role of a heartbroken ex-girlfriend well, masterfully weaving bitterness and humility together in one of her best ballads.
6. I’m not in pain, I’m not on pills/But I’m still hanging out in dark bars/On the barstool for the cheap thrills/Watchin’ drunks all drown with no lifeguard/’Cause I know a thing or two about broke hearts/Neon truth can hit real hard/In a dark bar (“Dark Bars”)
This deep cut off Lambert’s 2019 album, Wildcard, truly shows off her ability to write a truthful and observant country song. Penned by Lambert and Liz Rose, “Dark Bars” transports the listener directly into this dark, dingy place where people go to escape their troubles. The lyrics of the chorus above demonstrate this point. Though Lambert is largely acting as an observer of the people around her, she also subtly hints that she’s one of them, making “Dark Bars” one of her best written deep cuts.
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