Radio Favorites – Before He Cheats

I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights

As a record collector, I went out and hunted down a lot of my favorites but obviously came nowhere near getting them all. These are some of the favorites that I didn’t own at the time.

“Before He Cheats” is a country song by Carrie Underwood, released as the third single from her debut album, “Some Hearts,” in 2006. The song was written by Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear. It was originally written for Gretchen Wilson before it was recorded by Underwood. The lyrics narrate the story of a woman who discovers her partner’s infidelity and decides

to take revenge by damaging his car using various means like a key and a Louisville Slugger baseball bat. “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood performed exceptionally well on the Billboard charts. It reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, making it Underwood’s third consecutive number-one hit on that chart.

“Before He Cheats” is set in the key of F-sharp minor. It has a moderate tempo in cut time with a “shuffle” beat. The song’s main chord pattern is F♯m-E-Dsus2-C♯, and Underwood’s vocals range from F♯3-C♯5.

Additionally, the song peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, demonstrating its crossover success by entering the top ten of the mainstream chart. Carrie Underwood’s powerful vocals and the catchy chorus contributed to the song’s massive success. “Before He Cheats” received critical acclaim and won several awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 2007. Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear are highly accomplished and respected songwriters in the country music industry. Chris Tompkins has made significant contributions to the genre, co-writing hits such as “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood and “Drunk on a Plane” by Dierks Bentley. Josh Kear is known for his success with songs like

“Need You Now” by Lady A and “Drinking Class” by Lee Brice. Individually and as a duo, they have demonstrated their ability to craft chart-topping songs with relatable lyrics, earning them recognition and success in the country music scene.

I get a phone call from Chris [Tompkins] telling me that I won’t believe it, but Carrie Underwood is going to record our song. I was like, “Dude, that’s great! I don’t know who Carrie Underwood is, but that’s awesome!” He schooled me very quickly in American Idol and the fact that she had just won. I obviously didn’t watch much television at the time, and he said, “No, you don’t understand. That album is going to be HUGE!” I had no reason not to believe him, but even hearing him say it, I (still) had no idea what was coming.

Josh Kear

I’m cutting that song.

Carrie Underwood - after listening to the demo one time

The music video for “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood, directed by Roman White, complements the song’s narrative with vivid storytelling and dynamic visuals. The video portrays Carrie Underwood as a scorned woman seeking revenge for her partner’s infidelity. It showcases scenes of Underwood vandalizing her partner’s car with a key and a baseball bat,

perfectly capturing the song’s themes of anger and empowerment. The video’s cinematography and editing contribute to the intense and dramatic atmosphere, enhancing the overall impact of the song. The music video’s success played a role in the song’s popularity, providing a visually striking accompaniment to the emotionally charged lyrics.

Roman White is a highly accomplished music video director known for his impactful visual storytelling. In addition to directing the music video for “Before He Cheats”, White has worked on a diverse range of projects, collaborating with various artists across genres. His impressive portfolio includes directing music videos for Taylor Swift (“Love Story” and “You Belong with Me”), Justin Bieber (“One Less Lonely Girl”), and Kelly Clarkson (“Because of You”),

among others. Roman White’s creative and cinematic approach to music videos has earned him recognition in the industry, making him a sought-after director for artists aiming to bring their songs to life visually.

One of the most interesting bits in the video involves a drunk who stumbles out in front of Underwood as she walks along and sings the vengeful lyrics. In the video, she simply shoves him out of her way, giving him a sidelong glare that’s perfectly in keeping with the tone of the song. As it turns out, that man was not an actor; he was a real-life drunk guy who stumbled into the star’s path as she was walking down a crowded sidewalk singing on camera, and she was forced to move him out of her way as quickly as possible.

Before He Cheats written by Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear

Right now, he's probably slow dancing
With a bleached-blond tramp
And she's probably getting frisky
Right now, he's probably buying her
Some fruity little drink
'Cause she can't shoot whiskey

Right now, he's probably up behind her
With a pool-stick
Showing her how to shoot a combo
And he don't know

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 head lights
I slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats

Right now, she's probably up singing some
White-trash version of Shania karaoke
Right now, she's probably saying "I'm drunk"
And he's a-thinking that he's gonna get lucky

Right now, he's probably
Dabbing on three dollars
Worth of that bathroom Polo
Oh, and he don't know

That 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 head lights
I slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats

I might have saved a little trouble for the next girl
'Cause the next time that he cheats
Oh, you know it won't be on me
No, not on me

'Cause 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 head lights
I slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats

Oh, maybe next time he'll think before he cheats
Oh, before he cheats
Oh
Further Reading
Sources

Author: Doyle

I was born in Atlanta, moved to Alpharetta at 4, lived there for 53 years and moved to Decatur in 2016. I've worked at such places as Richway, North Fulton Medical Center, Management Science America (Computer Tech/Project Manager) and Stacy's Compounding Pharmacy (Pharmacy Tech).

Leave a Reply

Discover more from Doyle's Space

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading