"Goodbye Earl", written by Dennis Linde, is a country music song. Initially recorded by the band Sons of the Desert for an unreleased album in the late 1990s, the song gained fame when it was recorded by the Dixie Chicks on their fifth studio album, Fly. After charting from unsolicited airplay in late 1999, the song was released as that album's third single in 2000, peaking at #13 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts. The CD single includes an ironic 'B-Side' cover of "Stand By Your Man" by Tammy Wynette.

Linde had written several songs that included a character by the name of "Earl," most notably "Queen of My Double Wide Trailer" by Sammy Kershaw (wherein Earl is the "other man" of the narrative, described as a man who rebuilds automobile engines and is nicknamed "the Charlie Daniels of the torque wrench," which stems from his rather fast ability at his profession). This song was (in part) an effort to kill off the "Earl" character that had been used in past songs.

The song uses black comedy to tell the story of two best friends from high school, and what became of them after graduation. Mary Ann leaves the town where they were raised, while Wanda settles on marrying a man named "Earl," who physically abuses her repeatedly. Wanda files for divorce based on the domestic violence, but "Earl walked right through that restraining order and put her in intensive care." Mary Ann flies in from Atlanta, Georgia, and after a discussion, the women decide "that Earl had to die," and they kill him, by poisoning or drugging his black-eyed peas. The song plot has been described as a cross between the films Fried Green Tomatoes and Thelma and Louise.

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