‘Out of Oklahoma (From Twisters: The Album)’ by Lainey Wilson - Lyrics & Meaning

When the full line-up of country megastars featured on the Twisters: The Album soundtrack was revealed, each fan had a different song they were most excited to hear, with the project covering a range of sub-genres. Having said this, one of the most eagerly anticipated releases was undoubtedly ‘Out of Oklahoma’ from one of the most prominent figures in contemporary country music - Lainey Wilson.

The track arrived on Thursday June 20th, ahead of the full album's release the following month, accompanied by a striking music video pivoting around Lainey Wilson amidst a nostalgic, evocative wave of rural, Oklahoma-inspired scenery and imagery. The accompanying Hollywood movie is based in the Southern state, hence why so many of the songs on Twisters: The Album record contain references to Oklahoma.

‘Out of Oklahoma’ followed on from high-profile releases from the Twisters soundtrack courtesy of Luke Combs (‘Ain't No Love in Oklahoma’), Bailey Zimmerman (‘Hell or High Water’), Megan Moroney (‘Never Left Me’), Tucker Wetmore (‘Already Had It’) and Tanner Adell (‘Too Easy’), with more to come from Tyler Childers, Miranda Lambert, Conner Smith, Jelly Roll, Kane Brown, Sam Barber and more.

Similarly to how ‘Ain't No Love in Oklahoma’ represented a return to the angsty, electric-guitar-driven sound of Luke Combs’ earlier material, ‘Out of Oklahoma’ finds Lainey reverting to the haunting, stormy ambience of her Bell Bottom Country chart-topper, ‘Wildflowers and Wild Horses’, rather than the uptempo, jaunty feel of more recent releases such as ‘Country's Cool Again’ and ‘Hang Tight Honey’.

As a result, Lainey Wilson deftly builds an ethereal yet powerful atmosphere throughout ‘Out of Oklahoma’, with the Louisiana native crooning proudly about how she can never relinquish her roots. The brooding, weighty guitars combine with the delicate, airy keys to create an enchanting backdrop, against which Lainey's signature, serpentine vocals are given space to shine, bringing each wistful lyric to life.

“I been dreamin’, I been drivin’

Trying to stay between the lines of

Who I am and who I used to be

I been livin’, I been losin’

Walkin’ miles in different shoes

And findin’ out I can’t run from me”

And if I ever get a little too far

I remember where I left my heart”

Despite the fact that Lainey is not from Oklahoma and that ‘Out of Oklahoma’ does not feature on her 2024 album, Whirlwind, the themes she explores feel pertinent to the story of being homesick and feeling grounded at home, both of which drive the new record.

She opens the track by conveying how her life has been moving at 100mph, with Lainey Wilson underlining how she's been doing her best to remain the same person throughout all the successes and colossal life changes her ascent has brought with it. Lainey extends the image of driving into the second line with the clever metaphor of trying to “stay between the lines of / Who I am and who I used to be”, suggesting she often reminisces with rose-tinted glasses on how things used to be, but then catches herself and attempts to stay as present as she can.

As she builds out this vibrant description, Lainey Wilson portrays her newfound popularity as “walkin’ miles in different shoes”, implying there's a certain discomfort that comes with all the novel experiences and responsibilities she's had to contend with. Lainey reaches the realisation, though, that no matter how significantly her life alters, she'll never be able to lose track of who she truly is beneath it all.

“Can’t take the home out of Oklahoma

It’s where my soul was born to be

No matter where I’m goin’

I’m a wild wind blowin’

Just a-rollin’ like a tumbleweed

Can’t take the home out of Oklahoma

So you can’t take it out of me”

The titular lyric revolves around a witty play on how you can't say the word ‘Oklahoma’ without saying ‘home’, with the fictional protagonist using this to emphasise that she'll take her Oklahoman upbringing everywhere she goes. She describes it as “where my soul was born to be”, underlining this is where she feels most at home.

“The sky is cryin’, Mama’s callin’

Paint is peelin’, grass is tall and

I’m still feelin’ like I don’t belong

Water tower, graffiti faded

Am I older, or just jaded?

Everything and nothing changed at all”

Lainey Wilson paints a picture in the second verse of a particularly challenging day when she's missing home, with the tempestuous weather a nod to the tornado from Twisters. Lainey uses pathetic fallacy with the skies mirroring her mournful mood, adding to her feeling of being overwhelmed with a flurry of quick, internal rhymes. She explains her mother is ringing - perhaps a symbol of her childhood calling to her - while the paint peels and the grass is taller than she remembers.

It all compiles to create a sense of no longer belonging in the place where she grew up, leading Lainey to wonder whether her perspective has simply changed as she's grown older, or whether she's become jaded and lost her sense of wonder.

She concludes with a moving piece of juxtaposition, remarking, “Everything and nothing changed at all”, due to so much now being different in Lainey's life, but at the same time, “nothing” has shifted in terms of her heritage and her true self.

Equally, this line could be interpreted as a reference to how numerous surface-level things have changed about her hometown, but even so, it'll always be where she grew up.

When confirming the release date for ’Out of Oklahoma’, Lainey Wilson took to socials to share her excitement at the prospect of fans finally getting to hear the track, “‘Out of Oklahoma’ my new song and music video I created for the Twisters movie will be out Thursday at 10am ET🌪️ Y’all pre-save it now and make sure to tune in to the video premiere. Can’t wait for this to be in theaters come July 19”.

“I been dreamin’, I been drivin’

Trying to stay between the lines of

Who I am and who I used to be

I been livin’, I been losin’

Walkin’ miles in different shoes

And findin’ out I can’t run from me

And if I ever get a little too far

I remember where I left my heart

Can’t take the home out of Oklahoma

It’s where my soul was born to be

No matter where I’m goin’

I’m a wild wind blowin’

Just a-rollin’ like a tumbleweed

Can’t take the home out of Oklahoma

So you can’t take it out of me

The sky is cryin’, Mama’s callin’

Paint is peelin’, grass is tall and

I’m still feelin’ like I don’t belong

Water tower, graffiti faded

Am I older, or just jaded?

Everything and nothing changed at all

Can’t take the home out of Oklahoma

It’s where my soul was born to be

No matter where I’m goin’

I’m a wild wind blowin’

Just a-rollin’ like a tumbleweed

Can’t take the home out of Oklahoma

So you can’t take it out of me

And if I ever get a little too far

I remember where I left my heart

Can’t take the home out of Oklahoma

It’s where my soul was born to be

No matter where I’m goin’

I’m a wild wind blowin’

Just a-rollin’ like a tumbleweed

Can’t take the home out of Oklahoma

So you can’t take it out of me

Can’t take it out of me”

For more on Lainey Wilson, see below: