10 Country Songs About Cheating – Lies and Secret Affairs
When you venture into the world of country music, be prepared to hear a bevy of country songs about cheating. It’s as American as apple pie. So in this article, I’m going to provide you with my favorite songs about cheating in the country music genre, and hopefully you’ll find a few gems to throw onto your playlist if you’re personally dealing with a cheating husband or wife (or boyfriend or girlfriend).
The Best Country Songs About Cheating
Let’s begin with a very famous Carrie Underwood song: “Before He Cheats.”
“Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood
“Before He Cheats” is one of the most iconic country songs about cheating. Even people who do not listen to country music regularly have probably heard this song. Carrie Underwood has become famous for her signature, powerful belt voice. Her songs are regularly about women’s empowerment and strength.
So, if you want to just channel your rage about a cheating partner, this is a great place to start. You can feel the visceral wrath when Underwood almost growls when she sings, “and I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive.”
If you are feeling less like flying into a blind rage and instead channeling a cold, calculating revenge, Carrie Underwood has a song for that too. Check out “Two Black Cadillacs,” which Underwood says she loves because of the “drama” that “sucks you in.”
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“Stay” by Sugarland
Sometimes, when your partner is unfaithful, you can’t help but wonder why they will not just stay with you. “Stay” by Sugarland tells the story of a woman whose lover is always running back to his other woman, and she just wishes he would stay with her instead.
The song begins a cappella, and it almost sounds like the singer (Jennifer Nettles) is bursting through a moment of silence while she waits for her lover to return. You feel bad for her in the first few verses.
But, luckily, by the end of the song, she finds healing. Instead of begging him to stay with her, she decides to move on and tells him to stay with his other woman instead, so she can move on. The end is quite empowering to those who feel they are better off with a cheater than alone.
“Jolene” by Dolly Parton
“Jolene” is another one of the most popular country anthems about cheating. Dolly Parton sings about the cunning, stunning woman, Jolene, who has luscious auburn hair and an affinity for Parton’s man.
Parton revealed that the song was about a beautiful teller at the bank with red hair who seemed to flirt with Parton’s husband.
“Jolene” evokes the feeling of desperation when knowing that someone could take the person you love, no matter how much you love them. Parton begs Jolene not to “take [her] man.”
“The Thunder Rolls” by Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks’ low, booming voice mimics the thunder that rolls when someone discovers infidelity when he sings “The Thunder Rolls.” He perfectly paints the picture, so you do not even need a music video to imagine the entire scene playing out in front of you.
The song tells of a woman waiting for her man to return as a thunderstorm rages outside. In her heart, another storm rages as she admits he was “somewhere he never should have been.” When he finally returns and smells of a strange perfume, her worst fears are confirmed.
In addition to being a song that shows the dramatic, painful picture of cheating, it also sets the mood for a perfect thunderstorm. Listen to this song as a storm draws in and you feel your love “grow cold.”
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“Wish I Didn’t Know Now” by Toby Keith
This song is perfect if you are going through the “denial” stage of discovering infidelity. Toby Keith sings throughout the song how he wishes he could just turn back time to before he discovered the truth.
While Toby Keith is famous for his party songs and up-tempo hits, this song gets deeper and shows a vulnerable side. His deep voice and country drawl soften your heart. You can hear through the song how much he wishes he did not know about his partner’s infidelity.
“You Lie” by The Band Perry
“You Lie” is a perfect anthem for when that cheating ex comes crawling back with a half-baked apology. The lead singer leans into her youthful, sassy energy when she sings about how much this ex lied and cheated. While she says he lies “like a coon dog basking in the sunshine,” I doubt the cheating man is very comfortable being told off like this.
Channel some of that strength as you listen, even if you are not yet to the point that you are ready to call your ex a liar in 50 different ways.
“Someone Else Calling You Baby” by Luke Bryan
Luke Bryan sings this heartbreaking song about just wanting to know the truth. He sings, “Goodbye ain’t ever easy, so break it to me hard.” If you’re experiencing infidelity, you may feel like you are going crazy or overreacting. Luke Bryan channels those feelings. As he scoops into each chorus, you can hear how he just wants to cut through all the drama and get to the truth.
This song has a faster beat, so even though you can hear the sadness in how Bryan sings it, it is not mournful. The drums and intense beat of the chorus make you feel like Bryan just wants to start moving on, and he cannot do that if she keeps lying.
“Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” by Shania Twain
For an upbeat twist, check out “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” by Shania Twain. With fiddles, jazzy piano, and a rumbling bass line, Shania employs her country twang to create a song that makes you want to country line dance. Whether you were just cheated on or not, this song gets into your ear. By the end, you will find yourself tapping your boots.
Shania Twain is not mourning her unfaithful lover. She knows what he has done, and she is over it. Instead of wondering if he is cheating, she knows he is, and she almost mocks him for it, by asking about all of the women he has flirted with.
Shania Twain knows how to get you up and partying, with many of her classic hits like “Man! I feel like a woman!” and “Any Man of Mine.” You can create a story with “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” by imagining the same Shania singing “Any Man of Mine” after dumping her cheating ex.
“White Liar” by Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert is famous for her feisty spirit, especially in her songs like “Gunpowder and Lead” and “White Liar.” In white liar, she knows her partner is unfaithful, and she goads him into telling the truth, as she insists that the truth keeps coming out anyway. She meticulously calls out each of his “little white lies” that reveal the large truth.
Lambert revealed in an interview that when she wrote “White Liar,” she hoped it would help her finally make it to the top five since much of her other music was just outside of what the radio stations considered “popular.” While “White Liar” is not complicated in terms of chords, there is wit in the words and clearly, the radio stations took note this time.
I love the twist ending when after tearing the lying ex apart, Lambert reveals that two can play that game.
“Brokenheartsville” by Joe Nichols
“Borkenheartsville” features Joe Nichols singing about losing his girlfriend to a man who drove her away in his shiny red car. Now, he sits in “Brokenheartsville” and laments his loss.
Joe Nichols is famous for having one of the lowest voices in the country realm today. He loves to dip into those low notes that seem to make your entire body rumble, and he leans into them in this mournful ballad about losing his love.
The words of this song have always struck me as poetic and rich. The wordplay when he says, “Here’s to the past, they can kiss my glass,” always struck me with the cynicism this man must be feeling.
The line I can never get out of my head is, “I think the devil drives a Coupe de Ville,” because it evokes the feeling of seeing something that reminds you of someone you hate. Even an inanimate object can make your blood boil.
This song is great if you are feeling bitter and sad about your loss and want to mourn with someone else.
Conclusion
Breakups are never easy, and they’re made worse by someone’s cheating or lying. As you work to heal your broken heart, these country songs about cheating can help you heal. Some, like Shania Twain, can help make you laugh and cheer you up. Others, like Toby Keith, can give you a chance to cry and let all of the pain out, knowing you are not the only person to feel this way.
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