Miranda Lambert‘s new song “Dammit Randy” is right in the country superstar’s wheelhouse — independent, story-focused and country as heck — but it’s clearly a step in a new direction, too.
For one thing, the song features a co-writer that fans haven’t seen from her before, even though he’s very familiar. It’s the singer’s husband, Brendan McLoughlin, whom she wed in early 2019.
McLoughlin doesn’t have much experience in country music. He’s a former police officer from New York City, who grew up very differently from Lambert’s country-steeped childhood in Texas. But ever since he married into its A-List, he’s embraced the country format: He often accompanies Lambert on red carpets and at industry events, and he starred in music videos for two of her songs, “Settlin’ Down” and the Telemitry remix of “Tequila Does.”
He is also a talented singer. A couple of years ago, he hopped onstage with her at her downtown Nashville bar for a karaoke-style duet of the Grease hit “Summer Nights.”
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Lambert’s two other co-writers on “Dammit Randy” are frequent fliers. One is Audra Mae, who helped write “Little Red Wagon” as well as the star’s latest single, “Wranglers.” The other is Jon Randall, who is one of Lambert’s most frequent collaborators. He and Jack Ingram are her partners on The Marfa Tapes, a stripped-down collection of songs the trio wrote and performed in Marfa, Texas.
READ MORE:Miranda Lambert’s Best Songs
For Lambert, “Dammit Randy” is a steppingstone between what’s familiar and what’s next in her career. When she released it, she explained that the song was inspired by her decision to leave Sony — her label home of 20 years — and make her next album under Republic and Big Loud Records.
“We were talking about how excited we were to be starting this journey with a new label family…and how supported we felt by them,” Lambert explains, “Which turned into chatting about situations where you might not feel so supported by someone — in this case, an unappreciative Randy. So, this one’s for anyone with a Randy they need to move on from.”
Lambert’s catalog includes no shortage of songs about leaving a lover, but “Dammit Randy” takes a more mature, subdued approach to a breakup than her fiery early hits like “Kerosene” and “Gunpowder and Lead.”
This song is still about a breakup, but instead of the death threats and pyrotechnics that came along with her early-career heartbreak songs, “Dammit Randy” is all about self-awareness and acknowledging that she’s outgrown a dead-end relationship.
Here Are the Lyrics to Miranda Lambert’s “Dammit Randy”:
Well, dammit Randy, did you ever hear me at all? / You were standin’ bone dry in the middle of a waterfall / You were livin’ in the dark but you couldn’t see the light of day / We were picture perfect but you couldn’t put it in a frame
Chorus:
Yeah, now that I made it to other side / I hope you’re countin’ singles in your double wide / Smokin’ cigarettes like they’re goin’ out of style / Turnin’ me up on your radio dial / You gave up ’til the very last minute / Now that I’m gone, I’ve got your attention
I was flyin’ a kite in the middle of a hurricane / Tied to the tracks like a penny waitin’ on a train / You were lookin’ for something that you’d already missed / Well, dammit Randy, there’s some things that you can’t fix
Repeat Chorus
I’m a rearview rollin’ off the map from Tennessee / Well, lighting in a bottle ain’t what it used to be
Repeat Chorus
And a man might call it a woman on a mission / Now that I’m gone, I’ve got your attention, hey
Carena Liptak is an Associate Editor and staff writer at Taste of Country. She specializes in breaking country music news, interviews and lists. In particular, she’s got a soft spot for sad songs — check out her roundup of the 50 Saddest Country Songs of All Time!
