The Meaning Behind Miranda Lambert’s “Tin Man”

Miranda Lambert’s “Tin Man” takes inspiration from the classic film, The Wizard of Oz. In that memorable tale, Dorothy and her companions are all in search of something. She wants to find a way home, The Cowardly Lion wants courage, The Scarecrow wants a brain, and the Tin Man wants a heart. While Lambert can get behind the other characters’ pursuits, she struggles to understand why the latter would want something bound to fall apart. Uncover the meaning behind this unique breakup tale, below.

[RELATED: Miranda Lambert Seeks To Help Families Affected by Hurricane Helene With Relief Fundraiser, $100,000 Donation]

The Meaning Behind Miranda Lambert’s “Tin Man”

Hey there, Mr. Tin Man
You don’t know how lucky you are
You shouldn’t spend your whole life wishin’
For somethin’ bound to fall apart

Lambert opens this song by addresses the titular character. She makes him think twice about his dream of having a heart. You shouldn’t spend your whole life wishin’ / For somethin’ bound to fall apart, she sings.

Lambert’s position on this matter has bene informed by a heartbreak she has suffered. What sounds more appealing than being born without a heart in the wake of a breakup? Much like the Tin Man is jealous of all of us, Lambert is jealous of his lack of feeling.

Every time you’re feelin’ empty
Better thank your lucky stars
‘Cause if you ever felt one breakin’
You’d never want a heart

Later on in the song she sings about loving being hard. It’s so hard, in fact, that dreams of never having to feel love in the first place. She gives the Tin Man hard-earned advice: Take it from me, darlin’ / You don’t want a heart, she sings.

You ain’t missin’ nothing
‘Cause love is so damn hard
Take it from me, darlin’
You don’t want a heart

“Whatever influenced you the most at whatever time of your life, it some way or another comes out in your art,” Lambert once said of this song. “The ‘Tin Man,’ I guess going through a lot of times where I felt pretty empty, I understood a whole new meaning. I mean, how many times have we seen The Wizard of Oz? But, something that the world shares is everyone knows what the Tin Man represents; cold, and empty, and loneliness, and heartless. And it just opened my eyes to it even more, going through pain myself.”

Revisit this track, below.

(Photo by Jason Davis/WireImage)