Country songs can rip you heart out. Between the poignant lyrics and the sentimental delivery by the singer, you will weep. Or come mighty close. These touching tunes from Miley Cyrus, Wynonna Judd, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, and Carrie Underwood are all surefire tear-jerkers about seriously lovelorn ladies.
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The emotion they convey is so real and raw that it's not over the top. It's relatable. Who has not known the agony of a relationship that cannot be saved? And the pain of seeing the person you built your life around walking away for the last time, never to return? The four songs described here encapsulate that searing anguish very well. Maybe too well. See if you agree. And grab a hanky.
'Jolene' by Miley Cyrus
"Jolene" is one of Dolly Parton's signature songs. It's right up there with "I Will Always Love You" and "9 to 5." Per Good Housekeeping, the 1973 song came out of a chance encounter that Parton had with a sweet, pretty young fan. Per the outlet via NPR, the autograph-seeker who Parton met was about eight years old, Her stunning beauty amazed Parton. She asked the child what her name was, and she said, "Jolene." The lovely name seemed like apt material for a song.
Then, an appealing bank teller with flaming red hair started eyeing Parton's husband, Carl Dean, not long after their wedding in 1966. That got Parton's back up. She cleverly put all the makings of the smash hit song together. The name "Jolene" referred to a gorgeous potential home-wrecker looking to swipe a man away from his devoted lady. The narrator implores her to back off. "...Please don't take him just because you can...."
Miley Cyrus' cover of the song is remarkable. She throws everything she has into it. You can feel the torrent of emotion she exudes in each line. Her backing band is outstanding, too.
'Is It Over Yet' by Wynonna Judd
From Judd's 1993 album, Tell Me Why, "Is It Over Yet" is absolutely piercing in its simplicity and directness. Each time I hear it, I can picture a woman trying to act brave but truly dying inside as she bids farewell to the treasured love of her life. Wynonna Judd is a superb vocalist. She wrings every single drop of meaning and truth and honesty from this track. Her voice is so pure and unfettered that she instantly commands our attention. Listen carefully to the lyrics. Think hard about them. And soak up this song.
"Tell me when I can open my eyes
'Cause I don't want to watch you walk out that door
There's no easy way to get through goodbye
I'd probably try and talk you into staying once more
Or I'd lie and say it's all for the best
Wish you luck and say I have no regrets
But I'm not up to being strong
So I'll wait until you're gone
Is it over yet, is it over yet?...."
'Stay' by Jennifer Nettles (Sugarland)
Nettles wrote "Stay," which appears on the album Enjoy the Ride. Not surprisingly, it scooped up a bunch of prestigious awards, including two Grammys, plus more hardware from CMA, CMT, and ACM. Per American Songwriter via The Washington Post, Nettles talked about the song and its triumphant success.
"I thought [the song] was really special. It had a wonderful moment of redemption and it was a twist on a classic story. It was fresh and new. Now, that wasn't the intent when I started writing it. The intent was, hey, I want to express another side rather than rehashing the same old thing, and see how that feels emotionally. The fact that it resonated with people the way it did, that was a surprise."
Per Taste Of Country, the song is narrated by the "other woman." "The mistress expresses her feelings about the emotional rollercoaster she endures every time the cheating man comes around and then leaves again, heading home to his wife." Finally, weary of the drama and misery, she throws in the towel on the relationship. No more being a lovelorn, lonely lady for her!
'Someday When I Stop Loving You' by Carrie Underwood
Sometimes the excruciatingly crystal-clear images in a song are what really stick with me. In this breakup tune, it's the thought of this couple laying in bed dreaming of the kids they might have and what their names will be. All that vanishes when he boards a bus right out of the narrator's life. Or this piercing line: "I'll move on baby, just like you / When the desert floods and the grass turns blue...." Carrie Underwood has very few peers in the industry when it comes to singing with feeling that overflows. There is an intimacy whenever she performs that helps make her a genuine superstar.
