Honors College Art & Science of Emotions Fall 2017 (12:00 p.m.) The Burn Journal | Page 16

Before He Cheats
Author: Emily Molner
Music can be the perfect way to get a message across to a wide range of people in a short
amount of time. Carrie Underwood did exactly that in her song “Before He Cheats.” This song was writ-
ten in 2005 by Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear. It is about a girl who believes her boyfriend is cheating
on her and she decides to get revenge. Although the exact percentage of the population that has cheated
is not known, it is safe to say that the number is higher than it should be. This song clearly shows how
love can cause irrationality, frustration, and anger. The writers of the song had a specific goal in mind to
portray to their audience, while Carrie Underwood took a different spin on it. For many people, this
song is extremely powerful and relatable. Cheating is a major problem in society and many people ex-
press their feelings about it through anger and revenge. Some may say there is a better way to handle
anger, but the question is what is the most effective way of dealing with this anger?
In today’s society, it is becoming more common for couples to cheat. The idea of cheating is
looked down upon, but not as much as it should be. Not only is it becoming normalized in society, but
people are also becoming desensitized to it because of how common it is. There is no definitive answer
for how common it is, most likely because people who cheat are not necessarily proud of it and may
give unreliable information when taking part in a study. Although, there are several studies that have
come up with a rough estimate of the number. According to a study by YouGov, approximately one in
every five people that were surveyed reported cheating on their partner (Mackenzie). This study was
done by surveying 1,000 Americans over 18 years old (Mackenzie). It was found that 21% of 18 to 29
year olds and 17% of 30 to 44 year olds have cheated before (Mackenzie). According to the study, men
are more likely to cheat than women, which may be why Carrie Underwood’s song is so popular among
women (Mackenzie). Findings from a different study have estimated that about 30% to 60% of all mar-
ried individuals will participate in some kind of infidelity during their marriage (“Facts and Statistics
About Infidelity”). These numbers are shockingly high and clearly show that there is a problem within
society.
Although cheating justifiably makes people angry, it is possible that love can cause irrationality.
After examining Carrie Underwood’s lyrics, it is not made clear whether or not the boyfriend was
caught cheating or the girlfriend was just suspicious of it. The chorus of the song explains how the girl
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