Earl Had to Die: The 20 Greatest Country Songs Depicting the Act of Killing Your Partner
Murder ballads have always been a significant element in classic country music. Although they may not be as common today as they once were, there is still a remarkable collection of exceptional songs that revolve around men murdering their female romantic partners. While less frequent, there are also numerous country songs that portray women taking the life of their partners. We have compiled a list of these songs to showcase this side of country music as well.
We had to exclude certain contenders from this list based on specific criteria. Our focus was on including only one song per artist, which meant that popular country stars like Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, who have multiple murder songs in their collection, were given only one slot each. Although songs like "Before He Cheats," "Church Bells," "White Liar," and "Kerosene" are all fantastic revenge anthems, they were ultimately replaced by even more popular songs in the final selection.
The topic was defined in a way that made it even more specific. In order for a murder song to be included in this list, it had to involve a male victim. Therefore, despite being a fantastic modern murder song in the genre, "Martha Divine" by Ashley McBryde did not qualify. Other notable mentions include "Red Headed Stranger" by Willie Nelson and "If It Hadn't Been for Love" by The SteelDrivers, but they also didn't make it onto this list.
The remaining content is a remarkable and wicked compilation of the most powerful songs in country music that express a desire to harm or kill someone. Take a look at the selection below to discover our top choices for revenge songs and lesser-known tracks that focus on the theme of murder, particularly murdering a man in your life or manipulating someone else to do it for you. Continue reading and don't forget to share in the comments if we've overlooked your favorite song about eliminating your significant other.
Earl's Demise: The Top 20 Country Songs Portraying the Act of Eliminating Your Partner
Image Credit: Carena Liptak
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