Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Martina McBride Brought Everyone’s Attention to Child Abuse in “Concrete Angel”

by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Martina McBride had country music fans reaching tears when she released her powerful ballad, “Concrete Angel,” packed with a serious punch of emotion and heartache.

The song was released in 2002 as the fourth and last single off McBride’s Greatest Hits compilation album. It reached No. 5 on the U.S. Hot Country Songs charts and was ranked No. 1 by Rolling Stone on its list of the 40 Saddest Country Songs of All Time in 2019.

One Of The Saddest Songs You Will Ever Hear

Written by Stephanie Bentley and Rob Crosby, “Concrete Angel” tells the tale of a young, school-aged girl who endured physical abuse at the hands of her parents. The child in the song showed signs of abuse like wearing the same clothes every day, making an effort to cover her bruises, and crying out in the night.

RELATED: 35 of the Saddest Country Songs to Make You Cry

Though the neighbors and her teacher noticed that there might be a problem, no one ever attempted to ask the child or intervened on her behalf. Because of their reluctance to get involved, the girl sadly died from abuse.

“Through the wind and the rain. She stands hard as a stone. In her world that she can rise above. But her dreams give her wings. And she flies to a place where. She’s loved. Concrete angel,” the song goes.

Child abuse is an escalating problem in the United States. In fact, the National Child Abuse Statistics revealed that four children are dying every day from abuse. Meanwhile, three out of four of these children are still under the age of four. There are also three million child abuse cases being reported in the United States every year, though some experts believe that there are at least three times as many cases were not reported.

And no one in country music has done more to bring attention to abuse than Martina McBride. After releasing “Concrete Angel,” people started to send stories and words of thanks by email and posts to McBride’s website. Some of these people were child abuse investigators and social workers, but most were child abuse survivors. 

The song was also accompanied by an emotional music video, which received a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Music Video.

“I’ve certainly had a lot of people tell me when I’m performing at shows what the song means to them,” co-writer Rob Crosby said. “The fact that a few kids have seen the music video, which flashes the number for Child Help the USA, and have been able to escape a bad situation is a gratifying thing.”

You can watch it here below.

Latest Stories

Allie Colleen performs on stage with a big smile and acoustic guitar, showing confidence and independence as she builds her music career on her own terms—far from her father Garth Brooks’ shadow.

Garth Brooks’ Daughter Says She Doesn’t Represent Him and Wants No Part of His Shadow

In a world where name-dropping can open every door in Nashville, Allie Colleen is out here trying to slam it shut. The 28-year-old country artist and youngest daughter of Garth ...

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert Moved On, But Did They Ever Make Amends?

Country music fans watched their fairytale unfold like a damn movie until the credits rolled too soon, and the lights came up on something way messier. Blake Shelton and Miranda ...

Gwen Stefani smiles at Blake Shelton on the red carpet of the Academy of Country Music Awards—despite new song lyrics fueling speculation about trouble in their marriage.

Gwen Stefani’s New Song Is Stirring Talk of Marriage Trouble With Blake Shelton and It’s Not Just the Lyrics

It doesn’t take much to set the rumor mill spinning, but Gwen Stefani just handed it a full tank of gas and a match. Her new single “Still Gonna Love ...

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban smile on the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, showing off their unshakable bond—even if a professional collaboration isn’t on the table.

Nicole Kidman Reveals Disappointing News About Keith Urban and Why They Won’t Work Together

Hollywood’s favorite Aussie power couple just crushed a longtime fan dream with one word. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban may have the kind of private fairy tale that gives tabloid ...

Cody Johnson performs at an outdoor concert in front of an American flag, shown here during a previous show, before he paused his Tailgate N Tallboys set to address anti-Trump protests and lead the crowd in a "God Bless America" sing-along.

Cody Johnson Blasts Anti-Trump Protests and His Crowd Responds With a “God Bless America” Sing-Along

Cody Johnson doesn’t tiptoe. He stomps. During his June 14 stop at the Tailgate N Tallboys festival in Bloomington, Illinois, CoJo grabbed the mic, hit pause on the hits, and ...

HARDY performing live onstage in the U.S., shown here during a past show, ahead of canceling the European leg of his Jim Bob World Tour to prioritize family and crew.

HARDY Cancels European Leg of Jim Bob World Tour Ahead of First-Ever Headlining Dates

The long-awaited European run for HARDY’s Jim Bob World Tour just hit the brakes, and fans across the pond are understandably bummed. On the morning of June 16, HARDY dropped ...

Billy Ray Cyrus stands on the red carpet in a black leather jacket and sunglasses, unintentionally becoming the center of family drama after Trace Cyrus called him out online.

Trace Cyrus Blasts Billy Ray for Skipping Grandma’s Funeral to Chase Fame and It’s About as Ugly as It Gets

When your son calls you “the l𝐚mest man to ever walk planet earth,” it’s safe to say things have gone past the point of no return. Trace Cyrus is not ...

Holly Dunn performs passionately under soft stage lights with her guitar in hand, capturing the emotion behind her heartfelt classic “Daddy’s Hands.”

Holly Dunn Wrote “Daddy’s Hands” for Her Dad and Somehow Spoke for an Entire Generation

This is the kind of song that makes grown men stare out the truck window in silence and pretend it’s just the pollen getting to them. When Holly Dunn wrote ...

Oliver Anthony belts out raw heartbreak in a dimly lit studio session, his face scrunched in pain, strumming a resonator guitar with the kind of fury only divorce can fuel.

Oliver Anthony Poured His Divorce Hell Into “Scornful Woman” and It’s Flat-Out Devastating

You can smell the smoke coming off this one before the first note even hits. Oliver Anthony isn’t one for PR gloss or neatly packaged pain. He’s raw, gravel-throated, and ...

Brad Paisley strums his guitar under a spotlight—looking like he’s about to sing the song that breaks every stepdad’s heart wide open. Not the original performance, but you can feel the same lump in your throat.

Brad Paisley’s “He Didn’t Have to Be” Is the Ultimate Tribute to Men Who Chose to Be Dad

It’s the kind of song that sneaks up on you, then hits like a freight train made of soft memories and old regrets. Before Brad Paisley was co-hosting the CMAs ...

Leave a Comment

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.