The heart of country music is love itself. There are thousands of love songs about marriage, making babies, and meeting the one who changes your entire world. But what about when love goes wrong? Thankfully, there are also a thousand cheating songs. From Hank Williams to Taylor Swift, country music will be there to hold you up when someone is unfaithful and you end up with a broken heart.
Here are the 15 best songs about cheating to add to your cheater, cheater playlist.
"She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)," Gary Stewart
Though he was a very successful singer and songwriter, "She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)" was Gary Stewart's only No. 1 hit. This song is country to its core: cheatin' and drinkin', what more could you need?
"Picture To Burn," Taylor Swift
As Taylor is famous for writing songs about people in her life who have wronged her, this tune is no different. Even though he cheated, she got a No. 1 out of this heartbreak.
"Your Cheatin' Heart," Hank Williams
Hank said it best:
When tears come down like fallin' rain
You'll toss around and call my name
You'll walk the floor the way I do
Your cheatin' heart will tell on you
"Whoever's In New England," & "Does He Love You," Reba McEntire
Reba is so marvelous that she gets two songs on our cheater, cheater playlist! "Whoever's In New England" and "Does He Love You" are two of Reba's 24 No. 1 hits from the Billboard charts. Not to mention, both have amazing music videos.
"Blame It On Your Heart," Patty Loveless
"Blame it on your lying, cheating, cold, dead, beating, two-timing, double-dealing, mean mistreating loving heart" are the lyrics you can scream at your steering wheel, thanks to the songwriters Harlan Howard and Kostas Lazarides. The tune was used in the 1993 film The Thing Called Love and peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard chart.
"On The Other Hand," Randy Travis
Now, we don't condone cheating, but Randy Travis makes it sound so tempting in his hit No. 1 song "On The Other Hand."
"The Window Up Above," George Jones
This song was a No. 2 hit in 1961 for country music legend George Jones. Mickey Gilley took the song to No. 1 in 1975.
"She Just Started Liking Cheatin' Songs," John Anderson
John Anderson released "She Just Started Liking Cheatin' Songs" on his self-titled 1980 album. The song peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Alan Jackson released the song on his 1999 record Under The Influence.
"You Ain't Woman Enough," Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn wrote "You Ain't Woman Enough" in the dressing room at one of her shows in support of a fellow woman. The girl confessed to Lynn that "the other woman" in her relationship would be at the show that night. Lynn knew what she had to do. She wrote and performed the song that night. The tune became a huge hit for Lynn, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard chart.
"Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" Shania Twain
From Shania Twain's 1995 album The Woman In Me, "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under" peaked at No. 11 on the US Hot Country Songs chart. Twain calls out the man in her song for running around on all the women he's with.
Whose bed have your boots been under?
And whose heart did you steal I wonder?
This time did it feel like thunder, baby?
And who did you run to?
"White Liar," Miranda Lambert
I know we talk a lot about one person being cheated on here, but what happens when BOTH people in the relationship are cheating? Miranda Lambert's "White Liar" attests to that.
Here's a bombshell just for you
Turns out that I've been lying, too
"Stay," Sugarland
There's a lesson to be learned in this No. 1 heartbreak song by Sugarland: don't ever beg for someone to stay.
"Before He Cheats," Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood is all about getting revenge in her Grammy-nominated song "Before He Cheats."
I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive
Carved my name into his leather seats
I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights
I slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats
"Lyin' Eyes," Eagles
This is arguably one of the most beautifully written cheating songs there is. The beautiful melody and perfect storyline are what songwriting is all about.
You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes
"Jolene," Dolly Parton
When I think of country songs and cheating, "Jolene" is the first song that comes to mind. The song about confronting the woman your man talks about in his sleep is a bold move — bold enough to land the tune at the No. 1 position on the US Country Songs chart.
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can
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