Chords
Goodbye Earl

Goodbye Earl, written by Dennis Linde, is known for its tale of domestic abuse and revenge. The song was recorded by The Chicks (formerly known as The Dixie Chicks) and sparked controversy due to its theme of vigilante justice. It tells the story of Wanda, who endures abuse from her husband Earl. After manifold cycles of abuse, her friends Mary Anne and Wanda decide Earl had to die to end the cycle of abuse. The song touches upon themes of friend ... ship, justice, and liberation within the context of domestic violence. See more [+]

Key: C

Introduction:  C   F   C   G   F   C   F   C   G   F  

difficulty
very easy |||||
 C                              F 
Mary, Anne and Wanda were the best of friends
 C                              G 
All through their high school days
 C                    F 
Both members of the 4H Club
      C              G  C 
Both active in the FFA
 C                      F 
After graduation Mary Anne went out
  C                        G 
lookin'  for a bright new world
 C                 F 
Wanda looked all around this town
     C        G          C 
And all she found was Earl

 C 
Well, it wasn' t two weeks
        F 
After she got married that
 C                      G 
Wanda started gettin'  abused
            C                 F 
She put on dark glasses and long sleeved blouses
     C           G        C 
And make up to cover a bruise
 C                                   F 
Well, she finally got the nerve to file for divorce
 C                             G 
She let the law take it from there
     C                                 F 
But Earl walked right through that restraining order
     C               G        C 
And put her in intensive care

      Am                    G 
Right away Mary Anne flew in from Atlanta
      F                 C 
On a red eye midnight flight
          Am 
She held Wanda' s hand as they
 G 
Worked out a plan
        F                         G 
And it didn' t take ' em long to decide

                  C    F   C 
That Earl had to die
     G    F 
Goodbye Earl
                  C     F    C 
Those black-eyed peas
                          G    F 
They tasted all right to me Earl
                C       F    C 
You' re feelin'  weak
               G 
Why don' t you lay down
     F 
And sleep Earl
          C    F    C 
Ain' t it dark
                    G     F     C   F    C   F 
Wrapped up in that tarp Earl

 C                    F 
The cops came by to bring Earl in
 C 
They searched the house
          G 
High and low
           C 
Then they tipped their hats
           F                         C              G       C 
And said "thank you ladies, if you hear from him let us know"
 C 
Well, the weeks went by and
 F 
Spring turned to Summer
 C                      G 
And Summer faded into Fall
        C                   F 
And it turns out he was a missing person
     C         G         C 
Who nobody missed at all

        Am 
So the girls bought some land
       G 
And a roadside stand
 F               C 
Out on Highway 109
           Am 
They sell Tennessee ham
     G 
And strawberry jam
          F 
And they don' t
                   G 
Lose any sleep at night ' cause

             C   F    C 
Earl had to die
    G     F 
Goodbye Earl
           C 
We need a break
 F         C              G    F 
Let' s go out to the lake Earl
              C   F   C 
We' ll pack a lunch
                      G      F 
And stuff you in the trunk Earl
                   C     F     C 
Well, is that all right
                      G        F 
Good, let' s go for a ride
 C     F      C     G      F        C 
Earl Hey