Released in 2023, “A Lot More Free” is a country track from Max McNown that tackles the full cycle of emotions after a relationship ends. It’s about dealing with the sadness of losing someone while also recognizing the relief that comes with moving on.
Below is a line-by-line interpretation of the lyrics in “A Lot More Free.”
- Song: A Lot More Free
- Artist: Max McNown
- Songwriters: Max McNown, Steve Fee, Jesse Reeves
- Released: 2023
- Album: Wandering
- Genre: Country
What is “A Lot More Free” About?
Verse 1: The Seasons of Recovery
Leaves start falling when the cold wind blows
And soon get covered by the winter snow
He opens with a winter scene where everything’s dying off and getting buried.
He’s using the harshness of winter as a stand-in for the early days after breakup, when everything feels frozen and lifeless.
Birds start singing when the spring rolls ’round
Flowers blooming through the thawing ground
Spring arrives and brings life back. He’s describing how recovery works, using seasonal change as a metaphor for moving from darkness to hope.
After the numbness wears off, he’s starting to feel hopeful again.
Verse 2: Letting Go of What Went Cold
When you love somebody and the love grows cold
The sun starts shining when you let it all go
He’s describing that phase near the end of a relationship where the couple starts drifting apart.
Once he stops holding onto the past and looks forward, he can start feeling optimistic about the future again.
Letting go is what finally allows him to feel okay again.
There’s a certain kinda hurting only time can heal
That’s a pretty good picture of the way I feel
Some pain can’t be rushed or fixed with quick solutions. He knows he’s in one of those waiting periods where all he can do is ride it out.
The hurt is real, but so is the fact that it won’t last forever.
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Chorus: Pain and Relief
I’m a little bit hurt but a lot more free
I ain’t saying that you never took a toll on me
The breakup did damage, but what’s more important right now is that being out of the relationship makes him feel like he can breathe again.
He’s definitely hurt, but the freedom outweighs it.
For what it’s worth, I can finally see
That I’m a little bit hurt but a lot more free
He now has a clearer perspective. What once felt like losing everything now looks more like gaining himself back.
The perspective shift is what makes the pain bearable.
Verse 3: Grateful for the Scars
From this mountain, I can see so far
Rivers running like deep, deep scars
Carrying the lifeblood through my veins
Now with a clearer perspective, he can look back at everything that happened and make sense of it.
The scars from the relationship are still there, but they’ve become part of who he is rather than defining him completely. They’re woven into him now, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Is it crazy that I’m grateful for all the pain?
He’s grateful for what he went through because now he knows what he wants and what he doesn’t.
After recovering from the breakup, he sees things more clearly than he did before.
“A Lot More Free” Song Meaning: Finding Strength in the Aftermath
“A Lot More Free” is about realizing that breaking up with someone was the right call because you actually feel better now. The freedom outweighs whatever sadness is left over. There’s still some hurt, but the relief of being out is what matters most.
He’s grateful for the pain because it forced him to grow in ways he wouldn’t have otherwise. The freedom he feels now only exists because he went through all of that first.
Songs Like “A Lot More Free”
Here are a few more songs about post-breakup relief and growth:
1. “Burn Out” by Midland
This 2017 country track is about choosing to leave before a failing relationship destroys you completely.
2. “Space Cowboy” by Kacey Musgraves
Musgraves’ 2018 hit is about walking away from something that’s over and finding peace in the decision.
3. “Prayed for You” by Matt Stell
Stell’s 2019 song reframes past heartbreaks as necessary stepping stones that led to something better.
Conclusion: Growth Through Letting Go
There are plenty of good breakup songs out there, but I like the way McNown covers it in “A Lot More Free.” It’s filled with metaphors that do a great job of describing the phases that a lot of people go through post-breakup. It’s definitely relatable to anyone who realized after a breakup that getting out of the relationship was the best choice.
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