The best Carrie Underwood lyrics take more twists and turns than a mountain road. She's a multi-faceted vocalist, capable of singing heartfelt love songs, tragic breakup songs or dangerous stories about revenge. All three types are featured in this list of her best lyrics of all time. While she didn't help write any of these five, she took ownership of each one like it was a page from her diary.

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    5

    'Wasted'

    "For one split second / She almost turned around / But that would be like pouring rain drops / Back into a cloud / So she took another step and said / I see the way out and I'm gonna' take it"

    This No. 1 Gold single isn't one of Underwood's most successful, but it contains some of her most poetic lyrics, especially in the first verse. "One tear hit the hard wood / It fell like broken glass," she sings before telling the story of two lovers. Hilary Lindsey, Marv Green and Troy Verges wrote this 2007 hit, which began getting airplay as an album track before being released as the final single from Underwood's debut album.

  • Sony Music Nashville
    Sony Music Nashville
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    4

    'Before He Cheats'

    "That I dug my key into the side / Of his pretty little souped up four wheel drive / Carved my name into his leather seat / I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights / Slashed a hole in all four tires / Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats"

    One of the best cheating songs of all time holds nothing back lyrically. Underwood wisely stays away from metaphor and subtleties in this hit from 2006. Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins penned the song that is one of her most successful of all time. In addition to the striking chorus, her second verse -- "Right now, she's probably up singing some white-trash version of Shania karaoke / Right now, she's probably saying 'I'm drunk' and he's thinking that he's gonna get lucky" -- is a gem.

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    'Jesus Take the Wheel'

    "Jesus, take the wheel / Take it from my hands / ‘Cause I can't do this on my own / I'm letting go / So give me one more chance / To save me from this road I'm on"

    In contrast to 'Before He Cheats,' 'Jesus Take the Wheel' is one big metaphor -- and it's wonderful. Underwood uses the story of a spin-out to reveal a woman whose life is also spinning out of control. "Fifty miles to go and she was running low / On faith and gasoline," she sings in this Hillary Lindsey and co.-penned debut country hit. It's a great lyric that is normally passed along to superstars, not newcomers.

  • Arista Nashville
    Arista Nashville
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    2

    'Just a Dream'

    "Then they handed her a folded up flag / And she held on to all she had left of him / Oh, and what could have been / And then the guns rang one last shot / And it felt like a bullet in her heart"

    Without a doubt, this is Underwood's saddest song. The ballad from 2008 takes a heart-wrenching turn toward the end of the first verse, and from there it leads one down a descriptive trail of ears. Gordie Sampson led the way in writing this song, but an emotional performance from the singer turns it into one to remember.

  • Arista Nashville
    Arista Nashville
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    1

    'Blown Away'

    "Dry lightning cracks across the skies / Those storm clouds gather in her eyes / Her daddy was a mean old mister / Mama was an angel in the ground / The weather man called for a twister / She prayed blow it down"

    Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear wrote this song, too. The title track from Underwood's 2012 album tells the story of an abused daughter who takes advantage of an opportunity to get away from her alcoholic father. The picture they paint is eerily dark and vivid -- these Underwood lyrics are by far the best. The singer admits to enjoying these type of theatric performances, something that's clear upon a single listen to this No. 1 hit.

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