It’s no secret that Country music and murder ballads go hand-in-hand. From Johnny Cash’s tales of crime to Colter Wall’s stories of cheating, you don’t have to look very far to find songs depicting dark, violent subject matter to fulfill an appetite for murder.
Here are 10 of the best murder ballads throughout the decades.
Cocaine Blues – Johnny Cash
Starting out with the Man in Black, Cocaine Blues is Cash in his wheelhouse. Cash comes out of the gates swinging, “Early one morning while making the rounds, took a shot of cocaine and shot my woman down.” There’s a certain shockingness to the blunt nature that he recounts the murder in. He’s not trying to be poetic while recounting the murder or trying to justify it, he’s simply stating how he did it. Cash’s vocal charisma while recounting the murder and the trial serves as a brilliant juxtaposition compared to his actions.
Kate McCannon – Colter Wall
Arguably the greatest murder ballad of the 21st century, Kate McCannon is an absolute masterpiece from Colter Wall. From his haunting, raspy vocals to the sparse production, the track lets the listener bask in the darkness of the lyrics of the song. Kate McCannon follows the narrator as he falls in love with the titular woman before eventually catching her cheating with another man. In response, he kills her with three bullets. The swelling of the acoustic guitar when Wall wails, “I put three rounds into Kate McCannon“ is simply chill-inducing.
Cranes of Potter – Charles Wesley Godwin
Being one of the most underrated artists and songwriters in the genre, Charles Wesley Godwin has multiple tracks that could have made this list. However, Cranes of Potter is the standout track from Godwin’s deep discography. Godwin creates a post-Civil War world in which a promiscuous mayor’s daughter, Claire, finds herself caught up in a love triangle. Claire is preyed upon by the town’s lunatic, Jeremiah, who eventually kills Claire in a jealous rage and is hanged as punishment. Between Godwin’s brilliant lyrics and vocals and the simple acoustic production, Cranes of Potter is a must-listen. Godwin detailed the inspiration behind the song in an exclusive interview with Country Chord. You can read it here.
Red Headed Stranger – Willie Nelson
It would simply be criminal (no pun intended) to leave off one of the most iconic country songs from one of the most iconic country albums of all time. Red Headed Stranger proves why Willie Nelson has remained a country legend for well over fifty years and It’s such a pleasant song to listen to. Sonically, Red Headed Stranger is incredibly soothing and waltz-esque, serving as a juxtaposition to the eventual actions the titular character commits later in the song. It’s no surprise why this song has stood the test of time the way it has; it’s country gold.
Crooked Teeth – Zach Bryan
Like Cash and Godwin, Zach Bryan has multiple songs that could have made this list. However, Crooked Teeth ultimately edged out the others. Unlike many of these songs that choose to imply the violence or lessen the blow of the action, Bryan chooses to go into explicit detail about the aftermath of the murder. He sings, “When she got to the parking lot, his knees were already blown” and “Bet he misses her floating past the barge of one eye and crooked teeth.” Simply brutal.
River – Jason Isbell
In this beautiful piano-lead ballad, Jason Isbell displays his breathtaking lyrical ability. What immediately stands out while listening to River is how it is less about the murders the narrator committed and more about the consequences they have had on him, detailing how he regrets orphaning other’s children and stealing other’s fortunes. The way that Isbell refers to the river as his savior before eventually drowning himself in it in the final verse is something you will only get from a writer as poetic as he is. River is such a wholly unique take on a murder ballad that focuses heavily on the aftermath of the crime rather than the action.
Martha Divine – Ashley McBryde
In this rocking track, McBryde sets out for revenge against her father’s mistress. The concept of killing your father’s mistress for cheating on your mother alone is enough to make the song extremely interesting and unique compared to the standard murder ballad. However, it’s the production that elevates this already lyrically sound song to the next level. From the driving drums in the first half to the incredible electric guitar work throughout, Martha Divine is the perfect blend of country and southern rock.
Knives of New Orleans – Eric Church
While many are familiar with Church’s first murder ballad, Lightning, fewer are aware of the underrated gem that is Knives of New Orleans. What sets Knives of New Orleans apart from many other murder ballads is that Church never details what he did. He never explicitly states who he killed or how he did it; he simply leaves it up to the listeners’ imagination. Much like implied horror in a horror film, the act of leaving it up to the listeners’ imagination in a song like this is incredibly effective and terrifying. It can be implied that he killed his lover with a knife due to the line, “Your auburn hair screams across the Pontchartrain” and the title itself. However, that’s the brilliant part of the song: it can be interpreted in a multitude of different ways.
Banded Clovis – Tyler Childers
From gospel songs to cocaine anthems and murder ballads, there’s not a type of song that Tyler Childers can’t write. In Banded Clovis, Childers abandons the typical verse-chorus-verse song structure and tells the story only with verses. The lack of a chorus makes this track feel much more narrative-heavy in nature. The story revolves around two men who go out to sift for valuables on the hillside. Between the moonshine and presumably cocaine, the narrator decides to kill the other man over the titular banded clovis. Though this song seems very simple on its surface, it’s the small details present in Childers’ songwriting that elevate this song tenfold. The twangy banjo present throughout the track also sets the mood perfectly.
The Nights the Lights Went Out in Georgia – Reba McEntire
The Nights the Lights Went Out in Georgia is everything a murder ballad should be. The verses have a sultry sound, immediately setting the mood for murder. The verses then crescendo into the iconic chorus. Sonically, it is a delight. Lyrically, it is equally as exciting. The narrator details how her brother was hanged for killing the man who his wife cheated on him with. Throughout the verses, it is revealed that the narrator not only killed the man but also her brother’s wife for cheating on him. The reveal is an excellent plot twist and further proves how expertly Bobby Russell wrote this track.
Honorable Mentions: Goodbye Earl – Dixie Chicks, Big Iron – Marty Robbins, If It Hadn’t Been For Love – The SteelDrivers