45 Painful Songs About Cheating & Being Cheated On

“You say I’m crazy, ’cause you don’t think I know what you’ve done. But when you call me baby, I know I’m not the only one.”

Would you stay in a relationship even if you were aware that your partner was cheating on you?

In the music video of this song, a wife knows of her husband’s infidelity. She lives each day in pain, knowing where he most likely is when he’s away from home.

The lyrics of this song tell of a person who chooses to stay with their unfaithful partner.

“I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights. Slashed a hole in all four tires. Maybe next time, he’ll think before he cheats.”

When they become aware that they’ve been cheated on, some people take revenge on their partners. This song is about a woman seeking revenge on her cheating partner by vandalizing his car, highlighting the anger and betrayal felt after being cheated on.

We don’t condone vandalism, but the music video just feels cathartic.

“The other woman will always cry herself to sleep. The other woman will never have his love to keep. And as the years go by, the other woman will spend her life alone.”

People usually think about the person being cheated on, but rarely consider the person the spouse or partner is having an affair with.

In this song, Lana Del Rey sings from the perspective of the “other woman,” reflecting on the complexities and consequences of being involved in an affair.

“He talks about you in his sleep and there’s nothing I can do to keep from crying when he calls your name, Jolene.”

In this song, Dolly Parton pleads with Jolene, a woman she believes is trying to steal her partner, to not take him away. This song highlights a woman’s fear of losing someone to another, to the extent that they’re willing to beg the other person to try and prevent it from happening.

“And every time you speak her name does she know how you told me you’d hold me until you died?”

This heartbreaking song expresses the intense emotions of someone who has been cheated on. The lyrics are raw and confrontational, reflecting the anger a person feels about being betrayed.

“And I know that he knows I’m unfaithful. And it kills him inside to know that I am happy with some other guy. I can see him dying.”

This song is sung from the perspective of the one who cheated on their partner. In it, Rihanna sings about the guilt and conflict of being unfaithful while still loving her partner, capturing the emotional turmoil caused by infidelity.

“So go ahead and get gone. Call up that chick and see if she’s home. Oops, I bet you thought that I didn’t know. What did you think I was puttin’ you out for? Because you was untrue. Rolling her around in the car that I bought you. Baby, drop them keys. Hurry up before your taxi leaves.”

In this song, a woman betrayed by her boyfriend kicks him out. She knows her worth and confidently asserts her independence in the face of betrayal.

“But, girl, you make it hard to be faithful, with the lips of an angel.”

This song depicts the conflicted feelings of longing for an ex-partner while being in a current relationship. He secretly communicates with his ex and acknowledges that the temptation to have an affair is strong because of the attraction he still feels for her.

“You could have told me yourself that you love someone else. Instead, I heard it through the grapevine. Not much longer would you be mine.”

Oftentimes, it is the spouse who is last to know that their partner is having an affair. This classic soul song is about a man who learns about his partner’s infidelity through rumors.

The news leaves him feeling heartbroken and betrayed.

“Your cheatin’ heart will pine someday and crave the love you threw away. The time will come when you’ll be blue. Your cheatin’ heart will tell on you.”

In this song, Hank Williams sings about the pain and betrayal of discovering that his partner has been unfaithful. He laments the deception and heartache caused by her actions and wishes that she will experience the same pain one day.

“What is this I see? You don’t come home to me. When you don’t come home to me, can’t deal, can’t bear. You keep tellin’ me lies, but to your surprise, look, I found her red coat and you’re caught out there.”

Despite discovering that a partner is cheating, many people find themselves in a prolonged state of denial. Often, they are too emotionally invested to easily let go of their cheating partner.

The situation can be very frustrating. In this song, Kelis vents her frustration and anger after catching her partner cheating, expressing feelings of betrayal and disbelief.

“I cheated myself, like I knew I would. I told you I was trouble. You know that I’m no good.”

In this song, a woman admits that she isn’t capable of being loyal to her partner. Meanwhile, her partner is aware of her tendency to cheat on him.

The song describes how the woman cheats several times, but the man does not say anything about it. Both want to appear strong, but the woman’s infidelity and the man’s incapability to confront her about it make this a very toxic relationship.

“Brown guilty eyes and little white lies. Yeah, I played dumb but I always knew that you’d talk to her, maybe did even worse. I kept quiet so I could keep you.”

Oftentimes, a person can sense that their partner is seeing someone else. In this song, a girl who thinks her partner is cheating on her confirms her suspicions about her lover’s infidelity when, the moment they beak up, the guy goes running to the other woman.

“How can I tell her about you? Girl, please tell me what to do. Everything seems right whenever I’m with you. So, girl, won’t you tell me how to tell her about you?”

In this song, a man is in a relationship with a girl who loves and is supportive of him, and knows almost everything about him. Overall, the girl seems like the perfect partner.

Unfortunately, this guy doesn’t think so. He is in love with another girl who he feels is the perfect one for him.

Many listeners throughout the years have noted the beauty of this song’s melody. However, it is a painful story of how a relationship is going to be broken by infidelity.

“A few stolen moments is all that we share. You’ve got your family and they need you there. Though I’ve tried to resist being last on your list, but no other man’s gonna do. So I’m saving all my love for you.”

This song is about a woman who is in a relationship with a married man. She suspects that he’s not really going to leave his family for her.

Even though that makes her sad, she stays in the relationship, hoping that one day he will be with her for good.

“I burned your incense. I ran a bath and I noticed a letter that sat on your desk. It said ‘Hello, love. I love you so, love. Meet me at midnight.’ And no, it wasn’t my writing. I better go soon. It wasn’t my writing.”

People often stumble upon proof of their partner’s cheating in unexpected ways. In this song, a woman visits her partner’s house, where she spends a cozy time among her lover’s possessions.

However, she finds evidence of her partner’s infidelity and realizes that she isn’t the only one who visits the house when the owner is away.

“I’m sorry that you seem to be confused. He belongs to me. The boy is mine.”

In this song, two women realize they’re dating the same guy. They confront each other and fight over him.

Eventually, both realize that they want nothing to do with the cheater and get rid of him.

“I should’ve known better than to cheat a friend and waste the chance that I’d been given. So I’m never gonna dance again the way I danced with you, oh.”

This song is about a lost love. The reason why the couple separated is that one of them cheated on the other. Would you take back a partner who cheated?

“So, I wait for you to call and I try to act natural. Have you been thinking ’bout her or about me? And while I wait, I put on my perfume. Yeah, I want it all over you. I gotta mark my territory.”

A woman is insecure in her relationship, feeling that her partner isn’t fully into her. She senses that he isn’t faithful.

She uses her perfume and sprays it so the scent stays on her partner. She does this to mark her “territory.”

“Don’t you know that people watch? Don’t you know that people talk? So when you gonna tell me you don’t want me no more?”

In this song, a woman confronts her cheating husband, telling him that friends alerted her to the fact that he was cheating on her.

“I’m not the sort of person who falls in and quickly out of love. But to you I gave my affection right from the start. I have a lover who loves me. How could I break such a heart? Yet, still, you gained my attention.”

This song is sung from the point of view of the person who has cheated, and the lyrics are a justification for why they did so. Here, Joan Armatrading says that she gave in to the temptation because of a “weakness” in her.

“Baby, I can’t help you out while she is still around.”

Here is another song from the point of view of someone who is having an affair with a man who is in a relationship with someone else. While the man tells the other woman it’s her that the man wants, the man clearly wants to appear that he’s committed to his “official” relationship.

“‘Cause when I’m with him, I am thinking of you.”

Thinking of someone else when you’re in a relationship with another person is considered as a form of cheating by some people.

This song is about a person who has not gotten over a previous relationship and can’t help but compare their current partner to their previous one.

“And that’s the thing about illicit affairs and clandestine meetings and longing stares. It’s born from just one single glance. But it dies and it dies and it dies a million little times.”

People cheat for various reasons, but the outcome is often the dissolution of their primary relationship.

In this song, Taylor Swift contemplates the nature of infidelity and its painful aftermath.

“I’m ready to forgive you, but forgetting is a harder fight.”

This song is told from the points of view of both partners in a relationship. In this case, the man cheated on his partner. Now, the woman is afraid to fully trust and forgive him.

Both people understand that full reconciliation takes time. They profess their love for each other, signifying that they are both willing to work through their issues until their relationship is fully mended.

“What he should be asking is, ‘Where did our love go?’ then I wouldn’t be basking in another man’s afterglow.”

This song is about a couple whose passion for each other and their relationship has fizzled out. The woman seeks solace in the arms of another person. She justifies this by stating that her dissatisfaction in their relationship led her to have an affair.

“I found out that you care for another guy. I found out that you want for another smile. We are alone as two different people can be and it’s hurting me so just to know that you don’t care for me.”

Here’s a song from the point of view of a husband whose wife is in love with another man. He counts the ways that he and his wife are perfect for each other. He is willing to overlook her infidelity and tries to convince her to give their marriage another chance.

“Plain gold ring on his finger he wore. It was where everyone could see. He belonged to someone, but not me. On his hand was a plain gold band.”

Meanwhile, this song is from the point of view of a woman in love with a married man. She expresses her sorrow because she knows from the ring on the man’s finger that his commitment will be to his wife and family. She declares her undying love for him, even though she’s aware that he cannot reciprocate.

“How long has this been goin’ on? You’ve been creepin’ ’round on me while you’re callin’ me baby. How long has this been goin’ on? You’ve been actin’ so shady. I’ve been feelin’ it lately, baby.”

In this song, a guy apologizes to his girlfriend for being unfaithful. The girlfriend wants to know how long he’s been cheating on her because she already sensed that he was doing it for some time.

“Who do you remind me of? Join me for a smoke. Feel a little different. Tell me ’bout your wedding. Inch a little closer. Ask me for my number.”

This song is similar to Nina Simone’s Plain Gold Ring, as there’s a reference to a ring, symbolizing that the man the narrator is attracted to is married.

However, unlike in Plain Gold Ring, where the narrator keeps her distance from the man, in this song, the narrator directly interacts with the man.

Her intention is to seduce him. She uses alluring tactics to bring him closer to her and entices him to ask for her number and give her a call.

“I’ll always remember feeling like I was no good. Like I couldn’t do it for you like your mistress could. And it’s all because you lied.”

This song highlights the damaging effects of infidelity on a person’s self-confidence. In it, a woman expresses her resentment over her partner’s infidelity. With her self-confidence shattered by her partner’s cheating, she feels unsure where she stands in their relationship.

She compares herself to the other woman, thinking that the other woman is better than her.

“He ain’t yours so don’t play for keeps. Baby, she’s got the crown. Honey, she holds the key and a signed piece of paper and a diamond ring. And that’s all you need to know where you stand with a married man.”

Here’s a song sung from the point of view of a third party. The song lays down some hard truths about having an affair with a married person.

“Me and Mrs. Jones, we got a thing going on. We both know that it’s wrong but it’s much too strong to let it go now.”

In this song, a man reveals his affair with a married woman. He provides details of their activities whenever they meet up, saying that they both know it’s not right, but the attraction between them is strong that they gave in to it.

“Your cheating heart will make you weep. You’ll cry and cry and try to sleep. But sleep won’t come the whole night through. Your cheating heart will tell on you.”

This song highlights the distrust and pain caused by cheating. It is about a woman with an unfaithful lover. The song highlights the consequences of infidelity.

“I might as well have cheated on you, as much as you accused me of cheatin’. I might as well have lied to you, as much as you accused me of lyin’. I might as well have gone to the club, as much as you accused me of clubbin’. I might as well have thrown away my love, as much as you accused me. I should have cheated.”

In this song, a woman is gaslighted by her partner, accusing her of the things that he himself did, like cheating. The woman is beginning to see how toxic the relationship is. Perhaps, as revenge, she wishes that she did what her partner accused her of.

Gaslighting is one of the ways narcissists manipulate their partners. They’re also the ones most likely to cheat in relationships.

Check out this post to find out why you can’t trust a narcissist to be faithful.

“Someone else’s eyes. Someone else’s arms. Someone else’s obvious moves. I’m a jealous guy. I hear people talk. And it isn’t hard to believe. I think you cheated on me.”

In this song, a man has previously been cheated on. Now, he cannot completely trust the person he’s currently having a relationship with.

It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy. He thinks he’ll end up alone and does things to provoke his partner into leaving him.

In the end, his actions and distrust drive his partner away and into someone else’s arms.

“The infrastructure will collapse. Voltage spikes. Throw your keys in the bowl. Kiss your husband goodnight and forget about your house of cards. And I’ll do mine.”

This song hints at a clandestine relationship between a man and woman. Both are married to other people.

Their respective marriages are probably loveless or unstable (like a house of cards). The man is trying to convince the woman to leave her husband, and says he’ll also do the same to his wife.

“Let me tell you ’bout your boyfriend. Yeah, he’s got another girlfriend.”

In this song, a guy reveals to a girl that her boyfriend is cheating on her. This guy puts the boyfriend in a bad light, hoping that they’ll break up.

The guy who spills the beans on the cheating boyfriend also has his own agenda, which is to be chosen as the girl’s next boyfriend.

“At first I thought that I could take it, boy, but I don’t know. You told me you were gonna leave her for me long ago. Eventually I will, but I just gotta take it slow. Don’t wanna break her heart, although I gotta let her go.”

This song features a conversation between a man and a woman having an affair. The woman is uncertain if the man will truly leave his wife for her, while the man keeps trying to convince her that he eventually will.

But should anyone really believe such a promise?

“It’s too much pain to have to bear to love a man you have to share.”

Here is another track from the point of view of the “other woman”. She suffers and feels so used, hoping that her lover will eventually leave his wife for her.

“I would stop breathing if you told me to. Now you’re busy loving someone else. Eleven years out of my life. Besides the kids, I have nothing to show. Wasted my years, a fool of a wife.”

This song is about a wife whose husband is cheating on her. The man is finally leaving her, so she reflects on her life being married to her husband. She rues the years that she helped build him up to become a success.

This song is seething with the anger the woman feels for being cheated on. She also expresses her frustration for the 11 years that would have yielded success for her if she didn’t choose to be the wife of the man who’s leaving her now.

“’Cause I know you cheated on me.”

In this song, a guy is ending his relationship with his girlfriend because she cheated on him multiple times. He isn’t willing to give her another chance because he suspects she never really loved him anyway.

“Don’t look so lonely, don’t act so blue. I know I’m not the only girl you run to. I know about Lolita, your little Spanish flame. I’ve seen you around with Rita, the redhead down the lane.”

Looking for a song about confronting a cheater? In this country classic, a woman has had enough of her partner’s lies and confronts him, laying out the proof she’s gathered about his infidelity.

“Oh, stealing moments just to be with you. Though it’s wrong, it’s hard to tell the truth, oh no. She don’t have to know….”

In this song, two people are cheating on their respective spouses. They have a conversation justifying their affair and attraction for each other.

“You’ve come to tell me something you say I ought to know that he don’t love me anymore and I’ll have to let him go. You say you’re gonna take him, oh but I don’t think you can. ‘Cause you ain’t woman enough to take my man.”

Sometimes, the other person has the audacity to confront the spouse of the person they’re having an affair with. What would you do if that happened to you?

In this song, a mistress is put in her place when she confronts the wife of her lover. The wife confidently dismisses the mistress’ threats.

Although cheating is often glorified in film and music, it destroys many relationships.

Hopefully, these songs about cheating can help people navigate the turbulent waters of infidelity.

We wish you all the best in your own relationships.

Finally, if you’re looking for more song collections about specific topics, you might want to check out the following posts: