Earl Had to Die: The 20 Greatest Country Songs Depicting Homicide Towards Men
Songs portraying acts of murder have always held a significant place in traditional country music. Although they may not be as common in present times, there still exists a collection of exceptional songs where men eliminate their female romantic partners. However, songs that reverse the roles and showcase women killing men are not as frequent. Nevertheless, country music has a substantial number of such songs, and we have compiled a list to demonstrate it.
We had to consider certain factors to narrow down the options for this list. Our main criterion was to include only one song from each artist. This meant that popular country singers like Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, who have multiple songs about murder in their collection, were only given one spot each. Although songs like "Before He Cheats," "Church Bells," "White Liar," and "Kerosene" are all fantastic revenge anthems, they were ultimately overshadowed by even more successful songs and didn't make the final selection.
The specific theme of the list required that each murder song included at least one male victim. Therefore, although Ashley McBryde's "Martha Divine" is considered one of the best modern murder songs in the genre, it did not qualify for this list. 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 the final list for the same reason.
Presented here is an impressive and sinister collection of the most impactful songs in country music that revolve around the theme of causing harm to another individual. Take a look through the gallery displayed below to discover our top choices for revenge-filled hits and lesser-known tracks that explore the concept of murder, specifically targeting the male figure in one's life. As you continue reading, feel free to share your favorite song about eliminating a man in the comments section, in case we overlooked it.
"Earl Had to Die: The 20 Greatest Country Songs about Taking Revenge on Your Partner"
Credit for the gallery goes to Carena Liptak.
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