Miranda Lambert has released a short and sweet solo acoustic rendition of her latest single “Settling Down,” which originally appeared on the 2019 album Wildcard.
Written by Lambert with her regular collaborators Natalie Hemby and Luke Dick, “Settling Down” is a study in contrasts. Lambert’s narrator seemingly sits at a crossroads and considers the decision that’s weighing on her: “Am I looking for comfort?/Am I looking for escape?/Am I looking for you?/Am I looking the other way?” she asks at one point. There’s never a definite answer, because compromise is inevitable where relationships are concerned.
For her solo rendering, Lambert is seated in front of a microphone with her acoustic guitar. Stripped of all the instrumental support on the Wildcard recording, it centers Lambert’s contemplative lyrics and lops off 45 seconds of run time. The song is currently inside the Top 20 at country radio and follows the Number One hit “Bluebird.”
Though Lambert is repurposing a couple of her previously recorded songs for her stripped-down new project, “Settling Down” is not one of them. On the upcoming Marfa Tapes with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall, the three Texas natives rework “Tequila Does” (also from Wildcard) and “Tin Man” from The Weight of These Wings. That project arrives in full on May 7th, around the same time Lambert is set to play a series of shows at Billy Bob’s Fort Worth.