"Earl Had to Die: The 20 Greatest Country Songs About Harming Your Partner"
Murder-themed songs have always been a significant part of traditional country music. Although they are not as abundant in modern times, there is still a notable collection of exceptional songs that portray men killing their female lovers. On the other hand, songs depicting women committing similar acts are less common. However, there is no need to worry, as country music also offers numerous songs about women who take the life of their partners. And we have compiled a list to showcase these songs.
We had to narrow down the options for this list by considering a few factors. Our focus was on including only one song per artist, which resulted in Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, both known for having multiple murder songs in their repertoire, only getting one slot each. While songs like "Before He Cheats," "Church Bells," "White Liar," and "Kerosene" are all excellent revenge anthems, they were ultimately surpassed by even more popular songs and didn't make it into the final selection.
The chosen theme was quite specific, which helped to narrow down the selection even more. In order for a murder song to be included in this list, it had to involve at least one male victim. Unfortunately, Ashley McBryde's "Martha Divine" did not meet this criteria, even though it is considered one of the best modern murder songs in the genre. Other notable mentions include Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger" and The SteelDrivers' "If It Hadn't Been for Love," but they also did not qualify for this list.
The remaining content consists of an impressive and sinister collection of the most powerful songs in country music that convey the desire to harm or kill someone. Take a look at our selection of the top revenge tracks and lesser-known gems that revolve around the theme of murder, particularly targeting the male figure in your life (or persuading someone else to carry out the act). Keep reading and don't forget to inform us in the comments if we failed to include your favorite song about eliminating your significant other.
Earl Had to Die: A Collection of the Top 20 Country Songs Portraying the Act of Killing Your Partner
Image Source: Carena Liptak
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