He plays acoustic guitar on the song, while producers Blake Chancey and Paul Worley, along with Charlie Robison, provide backing vocals.

Mary Ann leaves the town where they were raised (probably to pursue her fortune), 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.

[6] The character of Earl previously appeared in Linde's composition "Queen of My Double Wide Trailer", recorded by Sammy Kershaw.

[9] KRTY in San Jose, California attracted local media attention for banning the song and holding an on-air discussion on March 13, 2000, about the decision.

Rita Smith, executive director of Denver-based National Coalition Against Domestic Violence argued it fomented necessary public dialogue around a taboo subject.

[11] "Goodbye Earl" reached a peak position of number 13 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, a spot somewhat short of the Chicks' usual placings at the time.

It also made the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 19, and would become the trio's highest-charting song among pop listings until "Long Time Gone" in the summer of 2002.

As Wanda is increasingly abused by Earl, she dons dark glasses, long sleeve blouses and makeup, as conveyed in the song's lyrics, to conceal her injuries.

Finally, she hires attorney Ezekiel Kincaid (played by the video's director Evan Bernard) to handle her divorce, but Earl appears, abusing Wanda for the last time.

A few days later, two police officers (played by Adrian Pasdar and Michael DeLuise) arrive, seeking Earl but are unable to find him (after a remarkably half-hearted search).

In 2000 American songwriter and music publisher Dennis Morgan wrote a parody song entitled "Hey Girls...This Is Earl...I Didn't Die".

[22] Kelsea Ballerini stated that her 2022 single "If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)" from her fourth album Subject to Change was directly inspired by "Goodbye Earl" and the 1991 film Thelma & Louise.