With a career spanning well over a decade, Miranda Lambert has graced the eyes and ears of her fans with two very different sides of her personality – there’s the “Kerosene,” “Gun Powder & Lead,” “Baggage Claim” confident, aggressive Miranda, and the “More Like Her,” “Heart Like Mine,” “Roots & Wings” delicate Miranda. Both are powerful and honest, and it’s an individual’s taste of liking one over the other or embracing them equally. But given the Platinum road she has recently taken with singles like “Somethin’ Bad,” “Little Red Wagon,” and “Smokin’ and Drinkin’” leaning towards the tough Miranda, it’s refreshing that her next single, “Sweet By and By” reminds us of the delicate flower she is.
Featured on producer Dave Cobb’s upcoming concept album Southern Family (which also includes Zac Brown, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton, Brandy Clark and others) , “Sweet By and By” is an homage to Lambert’s parents, the importance of family and the way she grew up as a young girl in Texas. The values her family held dear, from farming to hunting to faith, and letting her parents know that she has not forgotten them:
Let your Mama know you love her
You will never have another
Daddy I have not forgotten
Lessons learned under the light of a Southern, starry sky
Family’s the light that guides us, blessed be the ties that bind us
Sweet by and by, sweet by and by
In the second verse and chorus of the song, the placement of mama and daddy within the lyrics are flipped, which adds a very personal touch that truly makes the listener feel that Lambert is singing to her parents directly as she promises that their little girl remembers all that they taught her.
One could make a case that “Sweet By and By” represents Lambert’s personal growth and maturity since “The House That Built Me.” Lambert’s 2010 hit describes a woman who returns to the house she grew up in to reconnect with who she really is, as that person has disappeared with the arrival of success and fame. Fast forward six years later, throw in some success and failures, and the more mature Lambert is secure and knows who she is because of where she came from. She no longer needs to go backwards to reassure herself for the future.
The instrumental component of the song has steel guitar prominent throughout, but especially at the start of the song (the intro is very reminiscent of “White Liar”). The simplicity and support of the instrumentation allow Lambert to showcase her delicate, yet strong, classic vocals and tell the story of this wonderful song.
“Sweet By and By” is available now on iTunes. Southern Family will be released on March 18 and is available for pre-order.