About The Song
In the realm of country music, Miranda Lambert stands as a towering figure, her voice a siren’s call that resonates with both heartache and defiance. Her music is a raw and honest reflection of the female experience, unflinchingly exploring themes of love, loss, and the indomitable spirit of women. Among her vast repertoire of hits, “Gunpowder & Lead” stands out as a searing anthem of female empowerment, a raw and unflinching tale of a woman reclaiming her power in the face of abuse.
Released in 2007 as the third single from Lambert’s sophomore album Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, “Gunpowder & Lead” immediately struck a chord with listeners, becoming her first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The song’s incendiary lyrics and Lambert’s impassioned delivery painted a vivid portrait of a woman pushed to her breaking point, her patience worn thin by a toxic relationship. With a simmering intensity that builds throughout the song, Lambert unleashes her fury, her voice echoing the desperation and determination of a woman reclaiming her dignity.
A Song of Survival and Self-Reclamation
“Gunpowder & Lead” is not merely a song of anger; it is a song of survival and self-reclamation. Lambert’s lyrics chronicle the journey of a woman who has been pushed to her limits, her spirit battered and bruised by an abusive partner. The song’s title, “Gunpowder & Lead,” serves as a potent metaphor for the woman’s newfound resolve, her willingness to take back her power by any means necessary.
The song’s opening lines, “I’ve been pushed to my limit / I’ve been pushed to the edge / I’ve been pushed to the brink of falling apart,” establish the woman’s desperation, her sense of being trapped in a cycle of abuse. As the song progresses, the woman’s simmering anger builds, culminating in the explosive chorus:
“I’ve got gunpowder and lead / I’m ready to blow your head / I’ve got a whole lot of nothin’ to lose / And I’m gonna set you on fire.”
These lines are not a threat of physical violence; they are a declaration of the woman’s newfound strength and independence. She is no longer a victim; she is a survivor, ready to reclaim her life and her dignity.
A Country Anthem for the Modern Woman
“Gunpowder & Lead” is more than just a personal story of heartbreak and resilience; it is a powerful anthem for women everywhere. Lambert’s lyrics capture the universal experience of female empowerment, the struggle to break free from the shackles of oppression and assert one’s own identity. The song’s message of self-reliance and determination resonates deeply with women who have faced similar challenges, offering them a sense of validation and empowerment.
In a genre often dominated by male voices, “Gunpowder & Lead” stands as a bold and unapologetic statement from a female artist. Lambert’s fearless delivery and the song’s raw emotional power have cemented its place as a modern country classic, a song that continues to inspire and empower women worldwide.
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Lyric
County Road 233 under my feetNothin’ on this white rock but a little ol’ meI got two miles ’til he makes bailAnd if I’m right, we’re headed straight for hellI’m goin’ home, gonna load my shotgunWait by the door and light a cigaretteHe wants a fight, well, now he’s got oneAnd he ain’t seen me crazy yetSlapped my face, and he shook me like a rag dollDon’t that sound like a real manI’m gonna show him what a little girl’s made ofGunpowder and leadWell, it’s half past ten, another six-pack inI can feel the rumble like the cold black windHe pulls in the drive, gravel fliesBut he don’t know what’s waitin’ here this timeHey, I’m goin’ home, gonna load my shotgunWait by the door and light a cigaretteHe wants a fight, well, now he’s got oneAnd he ain’t seen me crazy yetSlapped my face, and he shook me like a rag dollDon’t that sound like a real manI’m gonna show him what a little girl’s made ofGunpowder and leadHis fist is big but my gun’s biggerHe’ll find out when I pull the triggerI’m goin’ home, gonna load my shotgunWait by the door and light a cigaretteHe wants a fight, well, now he’s got oneAnd he ain’t seen me crazy yetSlapped my face, and he shook me like a rag dollDon’t that sound like a real manI’m gonna show him what a little girl’s made ofGunpowder and, gunpowder and leadGunpowder and lead, yeah, yeahHey!
