3 Country Songs That Turn Every Room Into a Honky-Tonk

Honky Tonks are integral settings in country songwriting. You can’t escape songs about buzzing neon, beer-drinking buddies, or late-night romances. Like cowboy boots, horses, or dirt roads, the honky tonk is an inseparable prop for country artists. The three country songs below all revolve around this setting. Whether these artists are raising a glass with friends, two-steppin’ it up, or falling in love, these songs will have you feeling like any room could be a honky tonk.

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“Friends In Low Places” — Garth Brooks

We have to start this list with a song that basically epitomizes honky tonk culture: Garth Brooks’ “Friends In Low Places.” Every room becomes a booze soaked bar when this one comes on. It oozes party appeal and has no trouble transforming even the most boring of circumstances.

This song isn’t about two-stepping the night away like most honky-tonk tracks. Instead, it’s an ode to the community that happens in these spaces. Everyone might be slurring their words, and you might not remember the friends you made the next morning, but as Brooks reminds us, whiskey can drown out the noise, and beer can chase your blues away.

“Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” — Trace Adkins

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I mean, it’s a ridiculous song, but it’s a honky tonk staple. If you visit a line-dance bar in Music City, you will hear this Trace Adkins hit. It’s got just the right rhythm and blithe subject matter to bring up the energy.

“At that honky tonk badonkadonk / Keepin’ perfect rhythm, make ya wanna swing along,” the lyrics read. It’s not the most poetic or endearing country song ever, but it’s perfect for dancing your cares away down south, which is all that matters.

“You In A Honky Tonk” — Randall King

Randall King brought back some traditional honky tonk-ery in 2022 with “You In A Honky Tonk.” This mid-tempo track combines a love song with a two-step rhythm. Whether you want to dance or sit in the corner with the one you love while the bar comes alive around you, this song is just the ticket for setting the mood.

“Sipping and swaying and singing / Girl, all I’m saying is it fits you like a glove,” King sings, enjoying the neon haze of a honky tonk. This song might be semi-modern, but it has all the makings of a timeless classic.

(Photo by Bob King/Redferns)