Miranda Lambert’s 2013 hit single “Mama’s Broken Heart” has become one of the most recognizable songs in country music. It won the country superstar a Country Music Award and an Academy of Country Music Award for Video of the Year, and it was certified platinum with a spot in the Top 20 of the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 —but it could’ve turned out differently.
“Mama’s Broken Heart” tells the story of a woman who starts misbehaving as she struggles with the aftermath of a breakup. The popular country anthem was written by Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, and Kacey Musgraves. And a lot of people don’t know that the song was originally intended and first recorded by Musgraves.
Lambert revealed in an interview that her and Musgraves actually grew up together in Texas. The two had worked a lot together in the past, but went separate ways as their careers started to grow.
“‘Mama’s Broken Heart’ is a song that I kind of had to ask for. Kacey Musgraves is a girl I grew up with back in Texas, and we used to write together a lot and kind of went our separate ways,” Lambert explains.
She revealed that the song was never actually pitched for her to record, but Musgraves and her sister attended Lambert and her then-husband’s, Blake Shelton, wedding. Lambert heard the song and decided to make her plea to be able to take on the song from Musgraves.
“I don’t think I was supposed to be pitched the song, but her sister actually shot some pictures at mine and Blakes wedding, 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.’”
Musgraves later told Lambert that the song could be hers, as long as she was able to sing harmony on the final version, which she ended up doing.
Undoubtedly, the song would have become a country hit regardless of who made the final recording. Hopefully we can experience another collaboration with the two in the future!
