Maren Morris, unapologetically liberal and unafraid to speak her mind, has never been a great fit for country music. Now, ten years and three successful albums after she first arrived in Nashville, she is leaving behind the genre for good.
‘The Tree,’ a track from a new EP titled The Bridge, is about that decision. She describes taking an axe to a metaphorical tree with rotting roots and heading to greener pastures. In her case, that means working on a new album with Jack Antonoff, who produced another track on this EP.
Morris’ beef with the country music establishment is rooted in the treatment of gay artists and artists of color, making Morris — who is neither — one hell of an ally. I’ve always enjoyed her music, and this decision makes me like her even more as a person.
I’m done fillin’ a cup with a hole in the bottom
I’m takin’ an axe to the tree
The rot at the roots is the root of the problem
But you wanna blame it on me
[Verse 2]
I hung around longer than anyone should
You’ve broken my heart more than anyone could
Tryin’ to stop me won’t do you no good
I’ve already planted the seeds
[Chorus]
Ooh, do you hear that?
It’s the sound of a new wind blowin’
Ooh, do you feel that?
Heart lettin’ go of the weight it’s been holdin’
I’ve made miracles in the shadows
But now that I’m out in the sun
I’ll never stop growin’, wherever I’m goin’
Hope I’m not the only one
[Verse 3]
I’m done fillin’ a cup with a hole in the bottom
And screamin’ the truth to a liar
Spent ten thousand hours tryna fight it with flowers
And the tree was already on fire
Yeah, the tree was already on fire
[Chorus]
Ooh, do you hear that?
It’s the sound of a new wind blowin’
Ooh, do you feel that?
Heart lettin’ go of the weight it’s been holdin’
I’ve made miracles in the shadows
But now that I’m out in the sun
I’ll never stop growin’, wherever I’m goin’
Hope I’m not the only one
[Post-Chorus]
Ooh, ooh, hey
Ooh, ooh
[Bridge]
Ooh, do you see that?
It’s the light of a better day dawnin’
Ooh, do you hear that?
It’s the sound of a tree fallin’
[Chorus]
Ooh, do you hear that?
It’s the sound of a new wind blowin’
Ooh, do you feel that?
Heart lettin’ go of the weight it’s been holdin’
I’ve made miracles in the shadows
But now that I’m out in the sun
I’ll never stop growin’, wherever I’m goin’
Hope I’m not the only one
[Outro]
Hope I’m not the only one
Hope I’m not the only one
Meet Me In Montauk 
Seems like she is following in the footsteps of another little known liberal female artist who moved away from country to broader genres with the assistance of the same producer… Taylor Swift.