Both of her parents are private investigators, but father Rick is also a country guitarist and songwriter. Lambert became seriously interested in country music after attending a Garth Brooks concert as a young girl, and soon began singing in talent contests under the tutelage of her father.
At 16, Miranda began appearing on the Johnny High Country Music Review in Arlington, Texas, the same show that helped launch the career of LeAnn Rimes. Miranda quickly landed a recording session in Nashville, but left the studio in tears after she became frustrated with the "pop" sound of music that was not her own. Upon returning to Texas, Miranda began writing songs and taking guitar lessons from her father.
When Miranda's aptitude for music became apparent, her parents encouraged her to aggressively pursue singing and acting opportunities. While still a high school student, Miranda made her professional singing debut and fronted the house band at the Reo Palm Isle Ballroom in Longview, Texas, a long-running venue that has showcased Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson.
Foregoing college, Miranda performed throughout Texas in 2001 and 2002. She finished first in the Texas auditions for Nashville Star and eventually placed third on the national competition.
Discography
On September 15, 2003, she signed with Sony records. She has since released three studio albums, 2005's Kerosene, 2007's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, 2009's Revolution and 2011's Four The Record; all four of which debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Kerosene,Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Revolution have been certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Miranda Lambert has release a total of fourteen singles, which includes five Top 20 hits; of these, Kerosene and Gunpowder & Lead have been certified Gold singles by the RIAA.
Awards and Critical Acclaim
In 2005, at the 40th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, Miranda won the Cover Girl Fresh Face of Country Music Award. In 2005, she was also nominated for the Country Music Association's Horizon Award and performed "Kerosene". Nashville Scene named Kerosene one of the best albums of 2005
Miranda was nominated for and won the "Album of the Year" award at the 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards for her latest album Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Runnin' Just in Case
Miranda Lambert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hate Sunday mornings 'cause they always seem to start this way
I'm looking for a lighter, I already bought the cigarettes
Guess I picked me up a habit on my way out of Lafayette
Eastbound and down, I turn it up 'cause that's sure how I feel
My mind is racin' through the pines, my hands are shaky on the steering wheel
I'm going north on 59 but I know good and well I'm headed south
'Cause me and Birmingham don't have a history of working out
What I lost in Louisiana I found back in Alabama
But nobody ever taught me how to stay
It ain't love that I'm chasin' but I'm runnin' just in case
I ain't unpacked my suitcase since the day that I turned twenty-one
It's been a long ten years since then, it's getting kinda cumbersome
The first one and the last one and the one that's got my name in ink
The smoker and the filer and the one in every song I sing
What I lost in Lubbock, Texas I looked for in all the rest
But I guess no one ever taught me how to stay
It ain't love that I'm chasin' but I'm runnin' just in case
I carried him around with me, I don't mind having scars
Happiness ain't prison but there's freedom in a broken heart
In "Runnin' Just In Case," Miranda Lambert sings about her tendency to run away from her problems and past relationships. She acknowledges that trouble awaits her wherever she goes, but she's still willing to take on the challenge. She also touches on her love-hate relationship with Sunday mornings, which often trigger feelings of restlessness and uncertainty. She mentions her habit of smoking and reflects on how her time in Lafayette, Louisiana, has left a lasting impression on her. As she drives down Highway 59, heading north but knowing she's headed south, she thinks about her past failed relationship and acknowledges that history may repeat itself with the next one.
Lambert goes on to reveal that she hasn't unpacked her suitcase since she turned twenty-one, and she's carried memories of past relationships with her throughout the years. She references a former partner who she lost in Lubbock, Texas, and reveals that she's been searching for him in every subsequent relationship. However, despite her tendency to run away and her history of failed relationships, Lambert finds solace in the freedom that comes with a broken heart.
Overall, "Runnin' Just In Case" is a poignant and introspective reflection on the struggles of trying to find love while battling one's personal demons and past baggage.
Line by Line Meaning
There's trouble where I'm going but I'm gonna go there anyway
I know there will be problems where I'm headed, but I'm determined to go there anyway.
I hate Sunday mornings 'cause they always seem to start this way
I don't like Sunday mornings because they always start with me feeling down.
I'm looking for a lighter, I already bought the cigarettes
I'm trying to light a cigarette, but I can't find a lighter even though I bought some cigarettes already.
Guess I picked me up a habit on my way out of Lafayette
I think I picked up the habit of smoking when I was in Lafayette.
Eastbound and down, I turn it up 'cause that's sure how I feel
I'm driving east and turning up the music because it reflects how I feel right now.
My mind is racin' through the pines, my hands are shaky on the steering wheel
I'm driving through the trees, but I can't stop thinking, and my hands are shaking on the steering wheel.
I'm going north on 59 but I know good and well I'm headed south
I'm driving north, but I know I'm heading to a place I've been before in the south.
'Cause me and Birmingham don't have a history of working out
I don't have a good history with Birmingham, and things never seem to work out between us.
What I lost in Louisiana I found back in Alabama
I found something in Alabama that I had lost in Louisiana.
But nobody ever taught me how to stay
I don't know how to settle down and stay in one place.
It ain't love that I'm chasin' but I'm runnin' just in case
I'm not necessarily looking for love, but I'm always ready to run away just in case things go wrong.
I ain't unpacked my suitcase since the day that I turned twenty-one
I haven't fully unpacked my suitcase since I was 21 years old.
It's been a long ten years since then, it's getting kinda cumbersome
It's been a decade, and now it's becoming too much weight to carry around with me.
The first one and the last one and the one that's got my name in ink
There have been several people in my life, but three stand out – the first one, the last one, and the one who I got a tattoo of their name.
The smoker and the filer and the one in every song I sing
The two who smoked, one who struggled to commit, and the person who I always sing about in my songs.
What I lost in Lubbock, Texas I looked for in all the rest
I was searching for something in all the other places after losing it in Lubbock, Texas.
But I guess no one ever taught me how to stay
I still don't know how to commit and stay in one place despite all my searching.
It ain't love that I'm chasin' but I'm runnin' just in case
I'm always ready to leave and run away, just in case things don't work out.
I carried him around with me, I don't mind having scars
I still carry the memories of him with me and don't mind the scars he left me with.
Happiness ain't prison but there's freedom in a broken heart
Even though being happy isn't a prison, there's freedom in having a broken heart and not holding on to any attachment.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MIRANDA LAMBERT, GWEN SEBASTIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind