3 Country Songs With Endings You Never Saw Coming

Country music has always loved storytelling. Artists of this genre know how to craft a well-written, enticing narrative. The three songs below are all prime examples of country storytelling. More than that, though, they all feature surprise endings that few saw coming.  

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[RELATED: 3 Classic Tunes That Change Perspective Mid-Verse, and Flip the Entire Song on Its Head]

“Travelin’ Soldier” (The Chicks)

Though you’d have to be living under a pretty serious rock to have never heard “Travelin’ Soldier” in any of its iterations, we can imagine the shock someone would experience hearing this for the first time.

Upon first listen to this story of love at a distance, you’ll find yourself thinking “Surely, they wouldn’t…Everything will be fine right? A happy ending is around the corner.” Of course, as most already know, the listener isn’t given that satisfaction. In a world where most songs aim to appease the audience, the ending to this classic country song is one no one would have predicted.

“Don’t Take the Girl” (Tim McGraw)

The beginning of Tim McGraw’s “Don’t Take the Girl” is a tender, lighthearted story about childhood cooties. Who would guess it ends in such a depressing way?

Each verse takes on a different point in the main characters’ lives together. From meeting in childhood to falling in love and eventually suffering through life’s trials together, this song pretty much runs the gamut of emotion. The first time you hear this song, you’d never assume McGraw is about to gut-punch you. Every time after, you ready yourself for the devastating blow.

[RELATED: On This Day in 2000, Tim McGraw Was at the Top of the Chart with His First No. 1 Single of the New Millennium]

“Ol’ Red” (Blake Shelton)

George Jones was the first artist to record “Ol’ Red,” but it was Blake Shelton who made it famous. His later version became a calling card for Shelton and even the namesake of his successful restaurant chain.

It’s no surprise this song did as well as it did. The narrative in the lyrics is classic country storytelling at its finest. Like any good song of this nature, there is a satisfyingly tongue-in-cheek ending. In this story, a prisoner plots a plan for escape, using the warden’s hound dog, Ol’ Red, against him. It’s not your typical jailbreak story, making it a welcome surprise for the listener.

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