"Earl Had to Die: The 20 Finest Country Songs about Taking the Life of Your Partner"
Songs about murder have always been an important part of traditional country music. Although they may not be as common nowadays, there is still a remarkable collection of exceptional songs about men killing their female romantic partners. However, it is less frequent to find songs that depict the opposite scenario. But don't worry, country music also offers a plethora of songs about women who commit murder, and we have compiled a list to demonstrate it.
To create this list, we eliminated certain options based on specific criteria. We decided to include only one song per artist, which meant that popular country singers Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, who have multiple songs about murder, were only represented by one song each. Although songs like "Before He Cheats," "Church Bells," "White Liar," and "Kerosene" are excellent revenge anthems, they were ultimately overshadowed by even more significant songs and did not make the final selection.
The theme was sufficiently precise to further limit the selection. In order for a murder song to be included in this list, it had to involve at least one male victim. Therefore, despite being an excellent modern murder song in the genre, Ashley McBryde's "Martha Divine" did not qualify. Additionally, notable mentions should be given to Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger" and The SteelDrivers' "If It Hadn't Been for Love," but they did not meet the criteria to be included in this list.
The remaining content consists of an impressive and wicked collection of the most powerful songs in country music that express a desire to harm or kill someone. Take a look at the pictures below to discover our choices for the most impactful songs about seeking revenge and lesser-known gems related to the topic of murder, particularly when it involves getting rid of a male partner (or persuading someone else to do it on your behalf). Keep reading and don't forget to share your favorite song about eliminating your man in the comments if we happened to overlook it.
Earl's Demise: The Top 20 Country Songs Depicting the Act of Ending Your Partner's Life
Acknowledgment: Carena Liptak
Additional content from Taste of Country can be found here. For more details and updates