This song is about a scorned lover trashing her ex-partner’s truck for being unfaithful to her.
Underwood’s character hits you in the face with the song’s meaning – or more fittingly, hits her unfortunate ex in the face with it, to say nothing of his truck. While most of the lyrics are fairly straightforward, there are still some interesting gems to explore if you dig deeper into the song’s meaning.
These lyrics cleverly and ruthlessly express one woman’s rage when she finds out that her significant other is being unfaithful.
In one line of the chorus, “I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights,” the lyrics refer to a well-known brand of wooden baseball bat, which would surely do a number on any vehicle’s headlights.
“I might’ve saved a little trouble for the next girl / A-’cause the next time that he cheats / Oh, you know it won’t be on me / No, not on me”
In these lines between choruses on the way out, the narrator makes it clear that the relationship is over. Underwood’s character expresses hope that he’ll be more faithful to his next partner, but she won’t give him the opportunity to cheat on her again.
Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins wrote the song, but they didn’t originally intend it for the iconic artist who is forever associated with this hit. They were thinking more along the lines of Gretchen Wilson, hoping to ride the wave of the critical and public acclaim she received from a previous hit, “Redneck Woman.”
Tompkins typed up these now-famous lyrics while sitting at a computer, attempting little more than to write something as edgy and cool-sounding as possible. When he called Josh Kear over to help things along, the first two lines were fully formed. According to Kear, these opening lyrics were exactly the same as you hear them on the record.
Carrie Underwood’s character criticizes and scoffs at the beverage choice of her partner’s “other woman,” particularly her lack of tolerance for hard alcohol:
“Right now, he’s probably buyin’ her some fruity little drink / ‘Cause she can’t shoot whiskey”
Underwood theorizes that, under the pretense of mansplaining advanced technique at the pool table, her man is finding any excuse to get physically close to this woman:
“Right now, he’s probably up behind her with a pool stick / Showin’ her how to shoot a combo”
The lyric “pool stick” can easily be read as a double entendre.
Underwood is highly specific about the damage she does to his ride:
“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 headlights / Slashed a hole in all four tires”
Later, she mocks the woman’s karaoke performance:
“Right now, she’s probably up singing some / White-trash version of Shania karaoke”
“Right now, he’s probably dabbin’ on / Three dollars worth of that bathroom Polo”
Bathroom Polo is a reference to the cheap cologne that can often be found in the vending machines of bar bathrooms.
“Right now, she’s probably sayin’, ‘I’m drunk’ / And he’s a-thinkin’ that he’s gonna get lucky”
If she is truly intoxicated, the issue of consent doesn’t cross the man’s mind. However, it’s unclear whether she truly is drunk or using it as an excuse to release her inhibitions.
It should be noted that Carrie Underwood herself doesn’t endorse the type of behavior her character exhibits in the song. In an archived Rolling Stone Interview, Underwood said, “I’ve been cheated on a time or two. I wouldn’t recommend doing any property damage, though. I’m a ‘let it go, move on’ kind of person.”
Lyrics
Right now, he’s probably slow dancin’ with a bleach-blonde tramp
And she’s probably gettin’ frisky
Right now, he’s probably buyin’ her some fruity little drink
‘Cause she can’t shoot whiskey
Right now, he’s probably up behind her with a pool stick
Showin’ her how to shoot a combo
And he don’t know
I dug my key into the side (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 headlights (both headlights)
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 sayin’, “I’m drunk”
And he’s a-thinkin’ that he’s gonna get lucky
Right now, he’s probably dabbin’ on
Three dollars worth of that bathroom Polo
Oh, and he don’t know
Oh, that I dug my key into the side (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 headlights (both headlights)
Slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time, he’ll think before he cheats
I might’ve saved a little trouble for the next girl
A-’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 (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 headlights (both headlights)
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
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Josh Kear
Before He Cheats lyrics © Sony/atv Cross Keys Publishing, Big Loud Songs, Round Hill Songs Big Loud Songs, Round Hill Songs Josh Kear
