"Earl Had to Die: The 20 Greatest Country Songs About Killing Your Man" highlights the significance of murder ballads in traditional country music. Although they may not be as prominent in today's country music scene, there are still a number of exceptional songs that depict men murdering their female partners. Conversely, songs about women who commit murder are less common but still exist within the country genre, and we have compiled a list of such songs to showcase them.
In order to narrow down the list, we established a few criteria. We decided to only include one song per artist, which meant that popular country singers Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, who have multiple songs about murder in their repertoire, were limited to just one slot each. While songs like "Before He Cheats," "Church Bells," "White Liar," and "Kerosene" are all fantastic revenge anthems, they were ultimately excluded from the final list due to the presence of even more popular songs.
The theme was detailed enough 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, even though Ashley McBryde's "Martha Divine" is considered one of the best modern murder songs in the genre, it was not included. 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 make it onto this list.
We have compiled a collection of the most remarkable and wicked songs in country music that revolve around the idea of killing a man. Take a look at the gallery below to discover our top choices for revenge songs and lesser-known tracks centered on the theme of murder, particularly when it involves getting rid of the man in your life (or persuading someone else to do it on your behalf). Keep reading and don't forget to share in the comments if we overlooked your favorite song about eliminating your man.
Earl's Demise: The Top 20 Country Songs Depicting the Act of Eliminating Your Partner
Image Credit: Carena Liptak
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