"Earl Must Perish: The 20 Greatest Country Songs Depicting the Act of Killing Your Partner"
Murder-themed ballads have always been a prominent feature in traditional country music. While they may not be as common nowadays, there is still a remarkable collection of exceptional songs that portray men ending the lives of their female romantic companions. In contrast, songs that depict women committing such acts are not as widespread. However, do not fret, as the country genre also offers a considerable number of songs that delve into the realm of women who take the life of their partners. We have compiled a list to demonstrate this.
We eliminated certain contenders from this list based on specific criteria. Our focus was on including only one song per artist, which led to Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, who have multiple murder songs in their discography, each earning only one spot. Although songs like "Before He Cheats," "Church Bells," "White Liar," and "Kerosene" are excellent revenge anthems, they were ultimately overshadowed by even more popular songs and did not make the final selection.
The topic of the list was very specific, which made it even more specific. In order for a murder song to be included, it had to involve at least one male victim. This meant that Ashley McBryde's "Martha Divine," despite being a great modern murder song, was not eligible. Other songs that deserve recognition include Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger" and The SteelDrivers' "If It Hadn't Been for Love," but unfortunately, they did not make the final list.
What remains is a truly remarkable and wicked collection of the most powerful songs in country music that express the desire to kill a man. Take a look at the gallery below to discover our choices for the top revenge songs and lesser-known gems that revolve around the theme of murder, particularly targeting the man in your life (or persuading someone else to do it on your behalf). Keep reading, and make sure to inform us in the comments if we overlooked your favorite song about getting rid of your man.
Earl's Demise: The Top 20 Country Songs Depicting the Act of Eliminating Your Partner
Credit for Image Collection: Carena Liptak
Additional content from Taste of Country
Details
Connect with Us