Mitchell Tenpenny takes a cue from Carly Simon with his new song. “Bigger Mistakes” takes aim at an ex-lover, who probably thinks this song is about them. “I bet you think I’m talking ’bout you but I ain’t,” he sings. “No, you ain’t the one that got away / I’ve had so much more to lose.”

In Simon’s classic “You’re So Vain,” it’s the hook that struck Tenpenny the most. You know the line (“you’re so vain you probably think this song is about you”). “That line just cuts to the core. Some people like to think the world revolves around them and I wanted to write a song that was a reminder that isn’t the case,” says Tenpenny in a press statement. [My song] is about realizing that there are bigger and more important things in life than a breakup. The song is a reminder that you’ve gone through harder times and the future can be bright.”

Drums pound in the eardrums, lending an electric intensity to the melody. “You’re still hanging on / I don’t even think about you when I’ve had a few,” he admits in the chorus. “So get over yourself / I’ve made bigger mistakes than you.”

Anthemic in style, “Bigger Mistakes” was co-written with Chris DeStefano, Josh Kear, Jeff Braun, and Michael Witworth.

Listen to “Bigger Mistakes” below.

Mitchell Tenpenny has built his career on brazen lyrics. “Bigger Mistakes” comes on the heels of several other essentials, including “What’s It Gonna Take” (a collaboration with Cheat Codes) and “Don’t Lose Heart” with Steven Curtis Chapman. Tenpenny has also issued several versions of his song “We Got History,” originally released in 2022 as part of his This is Heavy LP.