Ugly Lights

Album: The Weight of These Wings (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Miranda Lambert is heartbroken and is drowning her sorrows at the bar. She's there at happy hour and still sat on her barstool after the last call, when the bartenders switch off the dim lighting for the much brighter fluorescent "ugly lights."

    But I still go and stay too late
    And be the girl bartenders hate
    The one that doesn't need another one
    When the Romeos and Juliets
    Have bummed all of my cigarettes
    The last kiss in the parking lot is done
    I'll be sitting here alone
    When the ugly lights come on


    Lambert co-wrote this raw song with frequent collaborator Natalie Hemby and Liz Rose, who co-penned many of Taylor Swift's earlier tunes.
  • When Lambert performed this song in Evansville on January 26, 2017 during her Highway Vagabond Tour, she admitted to her fans the tune was inspired by the aftermath of her divorce from Blake Shelton:

    "I got divorced last year so I started drinking a little extra," she told the crowd, "S--t happens, you know?"

    "Anyway, I moved to Nashville and I started spending too much time at the Midtown bars, and I realized that I was taking an Uber for the third day in a row to pick up my Jeep - I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee," Lambert continued. "I smelled like smoke and I was wearing clothes from yesterday and I was like, 'This is three days in a row. This is probably a problem.'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Timothy B. Schmit

Timothy B. SchmitSongwriter Interviews

The longtime Eagle talks about soaring back to his solo career, and what he learned about songwriting in the group.

Boz Scaggs

Boz ScaggsSongwriter Interviews

The "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" singer makes a habit of playing with the best in the business.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"They're Playing My Song

The first of Billy's five #1 hits was the song that propelled Madonna to stardom. You'd think that would get you a backstage pass, wouldn't you?