Miranda Lambert has steadily risen to country music superstar since making her major-label debut in 2005. With seven No. 1 hits and more awards than we can keep count of, she's one of the greatest female songwriters in country music history, dominating the country genre next to artists like Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, and Chris Stapleton.
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But before she became Miranda Lambert, the country legend, she was a young aspiring singer, trying to get her start in the music industry. She tried to get her name out there in 2001 by independently releasing a self-titled debut album. And a couple of years later, she was contestant on the singing show Nashville Star,
Through Nashville Star, where she ended up playing third, Lambert gained more than the connections that would lead to getting signed by a major label. She built a friendship with fellow contestant Travis Howard that would end up being a pillar in her career as a songwriter. The duo penned three songs for Lambert's debut album, Kerosene, and six for her sophomore record, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, including "Famous in a Small Town."
In an interview with The Boot, Howard recalled writing "Heart Like Mine" with Ashley Monroe and Lambert, one of the most memorable songs from her third album Revolution.
"Miranda and I started writing together almost immediately when we met in 2003 on the set of 'Nashville Star,'" Howard recalls. "We were both just drawn to each other's interests and writing style."
Howard explained that the Lambert family takes a trip to float the river in South Texas every year, and he always tagged along. "One afternoon, between drinking and floating, [Lambert and Monroe] came out of a cabin and said, 'Hey, we started this song, but we can't find a good way through the chorus.'"
The women had written the first half of the song, and they basically threw it at Howard to finish. Lambert told Howard, "Great, we each wrote a verse, so the last one and the bridge are on you." Howard joked, "Writing with Miranda is either easy as pie or impossible. This song was joyous."
When introducing the song, Lambert said, "This song tells my story a little bit. I grew up in church, grew up a Christian, and then got in a country band and saw the real world a little bit. It's just my interpretation of how God would be and how Heaven would be. I think Jesus would like hanging out with my band."
The song became Lambert's second No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and it's easy to see why. Not only does the easy tempo perfectly show off her amazing vocals, but the fact that it's actually based on her upbringing makes you feel like you get to know the superstar a bit more. The addition of the electric guitar makes it a bit funky with the personal lyrics really drawing you in for the entire song.
You can add "Heart Like Mine" to your Miranda Lambert greatest hits playlist along with other memorable songs like "The House That Built Me," "Bluebird," "Mama's Broken Heart," "Settling Down," "Somethin' Bad" and "Tin Man." She has so many incredible songs and is continuing to release more, but "Heart Like Mine" is a prime example of one of her early hits that will really stand the test of time.
"Heart Like Mine" Lyrics
I ain't the kind you take home to mama
I ain't the kind to wear no ring
Somehow I always get stronger
When I'm on my second drink
Even though I hate to admit it
Sometimes I smoke cigarettes
The Christian folks say I should quit it
I just smile and say, "God bless." '
Cause I heard Jesus, he drank wine
And I bet we'd get along just fine
He could calm a storm and heal the blind
And I bet he'd understand a heart like mine
Daddy cried when he saw my tattoo
But said he loved me anyway
My brother got the brains of the family
So I thought I'd learn to sing
'Cause I heard Jesus, he drank wine
And I bet we'd get along just fine
He could calm a storm and heal the blind
And I bet he'd understand a heart like mine
I'll fly away from it all one day
I'll fly away
These are the days that I will remember
When my names called on a roll
He'll meet me with two long stem glasses
Make a toast to me coming home
'Cause I heard Jesus, he drank wine
And I bet we'd get along just fine
He could calm a storm and heal the blind
And I bet he'd understand, understand a heart like mine
Oh yes, he would
Read More: Miranda Lambert's 'Palomino': A Song-by-Song Guide
Editor's Note: Thisarctile was originally published on October 12, 2021.
