When you think of Miranda Lambert songs, it’s almost impossible not to think of “Mama’s Broken Heart”, which ended up being Lambert’s highest-charting song at the time. That is, until her “Somethin’ Bad” duet with Carrie Underwood took that spot in 2014. “Mama’s Broken Heart” sings of heartbreak, small-town gossip, and the lengths one will go to get revenge (even if it means ruining reputations). The song is undeniably perfect for Miranda, who had achieved similar success with songs like “Kerosene” in years past. However, it actually almost went to another country star.
For those that don’t know, “Mama’s Broken Heart” was written by Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, and Kacey Musgraves. As Miranda explained in an interview, she almost had to beg Musgraves to let her record it. At her own rehearsal dinner, no less.
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“I don’t think I was supposed to be pitched the song, but [Kacey’s] sister actually shot some pictures at mine and Blake [Shelton]’s wedding,” Lambert explained. “And she was there, too. At our rehearsal dinner, I went over and asked her; I was like, ‘Are you gonna cut this song, or can I have it?’ And she was like, ‘I’ll think about it for a couple of days.’”
A few short days later, Kacey sent Miranda an email. She would let her record the song, but there was a condition. Kacey wanted to sing harmonies.
Miranda continued, “So that’s her singin’ the harmonies on it… I had to actually beg for this song, and so I’m thankful that she gave it to me ’cause I love ‘Mama’s Broken Heart.’”
Kacey Musgraves Tells Her Side of the Story
In a recent NPR interview, Musgraves spoke about how letting go of “Mama’s Broken Heart” affected her relationship with Lambert. According to her, the song was actually pitched to Miranda without her knowing.
“It was gonna be my first single, and I loved the song so much,” Musgraves shared. “I had been a staff writer for years at that point, writing for other people, and had finally felt like I was collecting songs that felt like me that I didn’t wanna pitch to anyone else.”
Musgraves continued, “Then, the song gets pitched to her without my consent or knowledge. It was a tricky situation. She ended up loving the song, and she really wanted it. And I had other co-writers to consider.”
The upside to all of this, however, was that giving up the song forced Musgraves to reevaluate her first single. Ultimately, she would release “Merry Go ‘Round” for her debut in 2012, which Musgraves admitted made more sense for her “aesthetically and lyrically.”
She added, “So in the end, everyone won because I was able to let go of something.”
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