"Earl Had to Perish: The 20 Greatest Country Songs Depicting the Act of Killing Your Partner"
Murder-themed ballads have always held a prominent place in traditional country music. Although they are not as common nowadays, there is still a significant collection of exceptional songs that narrate the stories of men murdering their female romantic partners. However, it is less frequent to come across songs that depict women taking a similar path. Nevertheless, country music also offers a substantial number of songs that showcase women who commit acts of killing, and we have compiled a list to showcase them.
We eliminated certain contenders for this list based on specific criteria. Our focus was on including only one song per artist, which meant that popular country singers Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, who have multiple songs about murder in their discographies, were only given one slot each. Songs like "Before He Cheats," "Church Bells," "White Liar," and "Kerosene" are all fantastic revenge anthems, but in the end, their exclusion was due to even more popular songs taking their place in the final selection.
The topic was defined in a way that made it more specific and limited the options even more. In order for a murder to be included in this list, it had to involve at least one male victim. Therefore, even though Ashley McBryde's "Martha Divine" is considered one of the best modern murder songs in the genre, it didn't qualify. Other notable mentions include Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger" and The SteelDrivers' "If It Hadn't Been for Love," but they also didn't make it to this list.
Presented here is a remarkable and wicked compilation of the most powerful songs in country music that revolve around the idea of harming or eliminating someone. Take a look at the collection below to discover our chosen songs that excel in conveying the sentiment of seeking revenge or orchestrating the murder of a significant man in one's life, or even persuading someone else to carry out the act. Continue reading, and feel free to share in the comments if we overlooked your preferred song related to getting rid of a man.
Earl's Demise: The Top 20 Country Songs Portraying the Act of Eliminating Your Partner
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
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