Reflecting On Miranda Lambert’s Career-Defining Single: ‘The House That Built Me’

On this day in 2010, Miranda Lambert released “The House That Built Me,” a track that would go on to become one of the most important songs of her illustrious country music career. 

When Did Miranda Lambert Release “The House That Built Me?”

Released via Columbia Nashville on March 8, 2010, “The House That Built Me” served as the third single from her third studio album, Revolution. 

It was written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin, and while Lambert didn’t have a hand in writing it, she connected with the song immediately. What some people may not know is that the song was actually pitched to her ex-husband, Blake Shelton, first. Lambert was in the room when he listened to it and the song had such an emotional impact on her that she broke down crying after hearing it. At that point, Shelton knew she was the one who had to record it. 

What Is “The House That Built Me” About?

“The House That Built Me” tells the story of someone returning to the home that they grew up in. Taking a chance and knocking on the door of the home, the narrator asks to come inside for a chance to re-live the memories of her childhood with hopes of finding herself again. 

“Up those stairs in that little back bedroom/ Is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar/ And I bet you didn’t know under that live oak/ My favorite dog is buried in the yard,” she sings. 

The chorus goes, “I thought if I could touch this place or feel it/ This brokenness inside me might start healing/ Out here, it’s like I’m someone else/ I thought that maybe I could find myself/ If I could just come in, I swear I’ll leave/ Won’t take nothin’ but a memory/ From the house that built me.” 

Minimal production elements highlight the poignant narrative of the song, allowing Lambert’s flawless vocals to take center stage.

Her Parents Were Shocked To Learn That She Did Not Write The Song

Due to the song’s emotional and seemingly real-to-lie storyline, her parents, Rick Lambert and Bev Lambert, were shocked to learn that their daughter didn’t write the song. In an interview with the TODAY show in 2020, her father admitted, “It’s like the persons that wrote that song were channeling into our lives…”

“The House That Built Me” took Lambert’s career to exciting new heights. It became the fastest-rising single of her career at the time and ultimately became her first-ever No.1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, where it held the top spot for four consecutive weeks. 

“The House That Built Me” Music Video

Lambert brought the song to life in a music video directed by Trey Fanjoy. The clip follows the song’s storyline as it features Lambert arriving to her childhood home in her tour bus. The clip proceeds to show her walking around the house and performing the song on acoustic guitar in what appears to be her childhood bedroom.  

“This was one of those videos that needed to be really obvious … [The director] found a house that looked a lot like the house I grew up in. There’s no drama in the video. It just is what it is. It represents the song in such a great way,” Lambert told The Boot of the simple, yet impactful music video. 

A GRAMMY-Winner

Lambert performed the song during several high-profile appearances, including the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards. That same night, Lambert took home her very first GRAMMY award with Best Female Country Vocal Performance for “The House That Built Me.” She was also nominated for Best Country Album for Revolution and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for “Bad Angel” with Dierks Bentley.  

To this day, “The House That Built Me” remains a staple in Miranda Lambert’s set and is truly one of the best country songs ever released.