Song of the Day #5,060: ‘Carousel’ – Miranda Lambert

Continuing my ranking of the songs from Miranda Lambert’s new album Palomino

#6. ‘Pursuit of Happiness’

This charming bluegrass number finds Lambert embracing the restlessness of a life on the road. She has often been compared to Dolly Parton, and the sweet vocals and old-school twang of this track definitely call Dolly to mind.

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Song of the Day #5,059: ‘Actin’ Up’ – Miranda Lambert

Continuing my ranking of the songs from Miranda Lambert’s new album Palomino

#9. ‘If I Was a Cowboy’

The album’s first single, and a song that might have been inspired by Beyoncé’s ‘If I Was a Boy,’ given Lambert’s professed love of Queen Bey. This song tackles gender roles, with Lambert imagining herself as a “legend at loving and leaving” in the Old West.

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Song of the Day #5,058: ‘In His Arms’ – Miranda Lambert

Continuing my ranking of the songs from Miranda Lambert’s new album Palomino

#12. ‘Country Money’

A clever song rich with wordplay about rural entrepreneurs, like “Connie Johnson” with a “farm in Wisconsin” and the “best beef in the cheese state, baby.” The track’s sleek production and chill-out vibe make it a real grower. I could see this one moving up my list over time.

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Song of the Day #5,057: ‘Wandering Spirit’ – Miranda Lambert

Friday, April 29, was akin to a national holiday here at Meet Me in Montauk, as it marked the release of a brand-new Miranda Lambert album.

Palomino is the country superstar’s ninth solo studio album, and her first since 2019’s Wildcard. Last year, she released The Marfa Tapes, a lo-fi collaboration with fellow singer-songwriters Jack Ingram and Jon Randall, an album that — like this one — was inspired by our COVID times.

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Song of the Day #5,056: ‘To Be the One’ – Ryan Adams

My appreciation and affection for Mandy Moore makes me loathe to spend blog time on Ryan Adams, the man who badly mistreated her during their 6-year marriage, even though he released some truly great music before his career was derailed by numerous accusations of misconduct.

So, while presenting a lovely track from Adams’ excellent 2000 album Heartbreaker, I will use this space to advocate for an Emmy nomination for Moore honoring her amazing work in the ABC show This is Us.

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