About the song
Background:
- Released in 2016, “Dirty Laundry” wasn’t written by Carrie Underwood herself, but by songwriting trio Hillary Lindsey, Zach Crowell, and Ashley Gorley.
- Interestingly, it was their first time collaborating, although they had all written previous hits for Underwood.
- While the song title refers to literal laundry, Underwood has clarified it’s not about housework, though she does relate to the feeling of having endless laundry!
Themes:
- Infidelity: The central theme is discovering a partner’s cheating. Lyrics reference classic signs like lipstick on a collar and unfamiliar perfume.
- Empowerment: There’s a twist, though. Unlike a ballad about heartbreak, the woman in the song takes control.
- Public Humiliation: She exposes her partner’s infidelity, “airing the dirty laundry” for everyone to see.
- Moving On: The overall tone is more nonchalant than angry, suggesting she’s done with the relationship and ready to move forward.
Video
Lyrics
That lipstick on your collar, well, it ain’t my shade of pinkAnd I can tell by the smell of that perfumeIt’s like forty dollars too cheapAnd there’s a little wine stain on the pocketOf your white cotton thread (ah-ah)Well, you drink beer and whiskey, boyAnd you know I don’t drink red
Found it over in the cornerWadded up on the bedroom floorYou shoulda hid it in a closetYou shoulda burned it, you shoulda lost it
Now, I’ma have to hang you out to dry, dry, dry (dry)Clothespin all your secrets to the line, line, lineLeave ’em blowing in the wind, to say goodbye to you(Ah-ah, oh oh, ah-ah, oh oh)All those midnights sneaking in“I’m late again, oh, I’m so sorry”All the Ajax in the world ain’t gonna clean your dirty laundry
If the neighbors get to asking, I won’t cover nothin’ upI’ll tell ’em every little detail, how you drug me through the mudI’m gonna string up your old button down and slide it on the porchJust in case you get the nerve to come knockin’ on my door
Yeah, I’ma have to hang you out to dry, dry, dry (dry)Clothespin all your secrets to the line, line, line (line)Leave ’em blowing in the wind, to say goodbye to you(Ah-ah, oh oh, ah-ah, oh oh)All those midnights sneaking in“I’m late again, oh, I’m so sorry”All the Ajax in the world ain’t gonna clean your dirty laundry
Ah-ah, oh oh, ah-ah, oh ohFound it over in the cornerWadded up on the bedroom floorYou shoulda hid it in a closetYou shoulda burned it, you shoulda lost it
Now I’ma have to hang you out to dry, dry, dry (out to dry)Clothespin all your secrets to the line, line, line (to the line)Leave ’em blowing in the wind, to say goodbye to you(Ah-ah, oh oh, ah-ah, oh oh)All those midnights sneaking in“I’m late again, oh, I’m so sorry”All the Ajax in the world ain’t gonna clean your dirty laundryOut to dryTo the line(Ooh ah, ooh ah, ooh ah)