The Ice Road hit Netflix yesterday. The movie focuses on an ice road trucker who has to rescue miners from a collapsed diamond mine. On the other hand, it’s an excuse to give Liam Neeson some guns and a big rig. Either way you look at it, the movie is a fun way to kill a couple of hours. However, the real strength of the film is the soundtrack. With folks like Miranda Lambert, Jason Isbell, and Carly Pearce involved, it’s easy to see why it’s getting so much buzz.
The team that put this soundtrack together had a great ear for music. They took some of the best names in modern country music and had them cover classic country songs. For instance, Miranda Lambert covers Hank Snow’s “I’m Movin’ On,” for the soundtrack.
Looking at Miranda Lambert’s “I’m Movin’ On,” Cover
Miranda Lambert’s cover serves to highlight the excellence that can come from the blending of generations. Hank Snow penned the song back in the late forties. Then, he cut it in 1950. It became his first number one hit. Additionally, it was the song that helped Snow become a full-fledged member of the Grand Ole Opry. So, “I’m Movin’ On,” was a big deal for the Canadian country singer over seven decades ago. Check out the original below:
Miranda Lambert has added her voice to the country music standard. Lambert lends her trademark fiery delivery to the classic and updates it for a new generation. However, she didn’t change much about the tune at all. The tempo is a hair faster. At the same time, Lambert’s version takes out the steel guitar and puts an electric in its place.
Now, I would usually bemoan the lack of steel guitar. It is, in my opinion, one of the greatest instruments ever created. However, the killer fiddle in the cover really makes up for the missing steel. In fact, I may like the fiddle in Miranda Lambert’s version better than the one in Snow’s cut. It’s a close call, really.
In all actuality, it’s Miranda Lambert’s expressive vocals that make all the difference. Hank Snow’s voice is smooth. So you don’t really feel the anger and resentment in his delivery. However, Lambert sounds like she’s moving on with a purpose.
At the end of the day, Miranda Lambert did a great cover of a killer classic song. You could debate all day about which one is better. However, I say throw them both on a playlist. The underlying songwriting makes it hard to make a bad version of the tune. Even if The Ice Road isn’t a cinematic masterpiece, the soundtrack is incredible.
