‘Heart Like A Truck’ by Lainey Wilson - Lyrics & Meaning

Lainey Wilson took 2021 by storm with her debut, Platinum-certified single, 'Things A Man Oughta Know.'

Nabbing the trophy for ACM Song of the Year at the 2022 ceremony and shooting all the way to the top of the country charts, the solo single was followed by a fiery duet with country hitmaker Cole Swindell.

The pair's barn-burner, 'Never Say Never,' spent two weeks reigning over country radio and further solidified Wilson as a rising force to be reckoned with in the format.

With her sophomore record, Bell Bottom Country, ready to roll and a new wave of hype in her wake, Wilson sent her third single, 'Heart Like A Truck,' to Country Radio in May of 2022.

In just under a year, the song took the top spot on the country charts; won Female Video of the Year at the 2023 CMT Music Awards; saw several television performances, including on the CMT Awards and the season 21 finale of American Idol; and led Wilson to break the record for shortest gap between No. 1 singles at Country Radio as, in the span of three weeks, she graced the top of the charts once again alongside HARDY with their stirring duet, 'wait in the truck.'

The semi-autobiographical hit has helped propel our favorite Louisiana girl into the forefront of modern day country music. Lainey Wilson continues to introduce a plethora of new listeners to her signature Bell Bottom Country sound and aesthetic, which blends traditional country with a modern yet retro flair.

Riding the wave of 'Heart Like A Truck,' Lainey Wilson has already enjoyed a brilliant first six months of 2023, notching four ACM Awards and two CMT Music Awards, completing a 28-date sold-out headlining tour, being honored as Billboard Women in Music’s 2023 Rulebreaker and supporting Luke Combs across a long string of stadiums on his 2023 World Tour.

'Heart Like A Truck' follows Wilson's signature true-to-country sound, similar to that heard on 'Things A Man Oughta Know.'

With a stripped down start featuring a steady drum beat, a thumping bass and some light acoustic guitar picking, the track gradually builds to a full-on country anthem of inner-strength and perseverance. Upon arriving at the final chorus, the smokey, gravel-slinging songstress pulls out all the stops and lets her vocals soar as the band builds around her.

The tune finds prolific producer Jay Joyce helming the soundboard, a familiar figure across much of Wilson's discography. Joyce was the musical mastermind behind Wilson's award-nominated debut project, Sayin' What I'm Thinkin', as well as her follow-up record, Bell Bottom Country.

On the lyrics side, 'Heart Like A Truck' was penned by Wilson alongside friends and frequent collaborators Trannie Anderson and Dallas Wilson. Chock-full of self-awareness and a handful of clever metaphors, the song displays Lainey's growth and evolution as a person, artist and songwriter since making her major label debut in 2021.

Comparing her heart to a sturdy, worn-out truck, 'Heart Like A Truck' reassures listeners staring into the tired eyes of inevitable heartbreak, while also encouraging them to keep moving forward.

Semi-autobiographical in nature, Wilson pulled on her experiences of moving to Nashville in 2011 and living in a beat-up camper trailer for years as she chased her neon-tinged dreams.

“I never stay in one place too long
A dirt road's singing me a siren song
I gotta find a field
I need to spin my wheels
I got a hankering for four wide tires
And I can't help it, it's the way I'm wired
'Fore you get too close
Boy you need to know"

Right off the bat, 'Heart Like A Truck' sets the stage for that of a ramblin' woman.

A familiar theme across Wilson's music, the lyrics explain how she simply can't be tied down as she finds the call of the road unavoidable, which she accepts will likely pave the way for a multitude of difficulties when it comes to potential relationships.

"I got a heart like a truck
It's been drug through the mud
Runs on dreams and gasoline
And that ole highway holds the key
It's got a lead foot down when it's leaving
Lord knows it's taken a hell of a beating
A little bit of love is all that it's needing
But it's good as it is tough
I got a heart like a truck"

In the song's chorus, Lainey draws comparisons to the hardships her heart has been through to a worn-down pickup which has taken on its own few hundred thousand miles of wear and tear.

She explains that, although her heart has seen some better days and been through more than she'd care to share, it's also weathered its fair share of storms and knows when the gettin's gone. Reflecting on her need for "a little bit of love," Wilson honestly expresses that the true key to her heart can be found on that long, unwinding highway where she's free to romp and roam as she pleases.

"There ain't no breaking when I throw it in drive
Don't always keep it inbetween the lines
If you're ready for a ride pedal down state of mind
Boy I tell you what
You better buckle up"

The song’s second verse reads like a big, red warning sign: if he wants to take a chance on this rolling stone, he'd better buckle up and know what he’s getting himself into.

"I got a heart like a truck
It's been drug through the mud
Runs on dreams and gasoline
And that ole highway holds the key
It's got a lead foot down when it's leaving
Lord knows it's taken a hell of a beating
A little bit of love is all that it's needing
But it's good as it is tough
I got a heart like a truck"

Wilson announced that 'Heart Like A Truck' was going to be her third single to country radio via Instagram last May, noting that the song was “about finding freedom in strength, and not being afraid of your scars and bruises... Nothing can hold me back from moving forward and finding a way to enjoy life, no matter what. I hope this song reminds y’all of that”.

In an interview with ABC Audio earlier this spring, Wilson unveiled that the song actually began as more of an upbeat, rock-leaning song. She explained, “At first, we kind of started with the wrong foot forward. We started writing the song in more of a rock and upbeat way, like, ‘I got a heart like a truck. Let me show you how tough I am’”.

“[My co-writers and I] kind of took a step back and said, ‘Are we being honest with ourselves? Are we being honest with the people who are going to be hearing the song‘? And the truth was, we weren't. We had to check ourselves for a second. We pulled back the layers and talked about finding freedom and strength, and it really became a song of triumph”.

With 'Heart Like A Truck' firmly placed among Lainey Wilson's greatest hits to date, the Louisiana native will follow it up with her new single at Country Radio, the Yellowstone-featured 'Watermelon Moonshine,' which is sure to quickly become a summer staple.

“[Verse 1] I never stay in one place too long
A dirt road's singing me a siren song
I gotta find a field
I need to spin my wheels
I got a hankering for four wide tires
And I can't help it, it's the way I'm wired
'Fore you get too close
Boy you need to know

[Chorus] I got a heart like a truck
It's been drug through the mud
Runs on dreams and gasoline
And that ole highway holds the key
It's got a lead foot down when it's leaving
Lord knows it's taken a hell of a beating
A little bit of love is all that it's needing
But it's good as it is tough
I got a heart like a truck

[Verse 2] There ain't no breaking when I throw it in drive
Don't always keep it inbetween the lines
If you're ready for a ride pedal down state of mind
Boy I tell you what
You better buckle up

[Chorus] I got a heart like a truck
It's been drug through the mud
Runs on dreams and gasoline
And that ole highway holds the key
It's got a lead foot down when it's leaving
Lord knows it's taken a hell of a beating
A little bit of love is all that it's needing
But it's good as it is tough
I got a heart like a truck

[Bridge] Go on and see if you can knock off the dust, yeah
Shine it up, rev it up and let it run, yeah
It gets a high riding off into the sun, yeah

[Chorus] I got a heart like a truck
It's been drug through the mud
Runs on dreams and gasoline
And that ole highway holds the key
It's got a lead foot down when it's leaving
Lord knows it's taken a hell of a beating
A little bit of love is all that it's needing
But it's good as it is tough
I got a heart like a truck

[Outro] Go on and see if you can knock off the dust, yeah
Shine it up, rev it up and let it run, yeah
It gets a high riding off into the sun, yeah
It gets a high riding off into the sun”

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