Country songs are full of drinking one kind of alcohol or the other. Usually, beer songs are about having a good time with friends or potential hookups. Country songs about whiskey are different, though. Sure, some whiskey-soaked songs are about good times. More often than not, though, the whiskey comes out when times get hard.
“Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound” by Hank Williams Jr.
Hank Williams Jr. released this as the title track and lead single from the 1979 album of the same name. More than an absolute classic, this illustrates the difference between country songs about beer and those about whiskey. When he’s drinking beer, everything is fine. Then, he switches to whiskey to escape the memory of losing his dad. This leads to cheating on his partner and drinking to dull the guilt. The latter will likely reset the cycle of hurting, drinking, cheating, and regret.
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“Bourbon Legend” by Jason Boland & the Stragglers
Jason Boland & the Stragglers originally released “Bourbon Legend” as the title track of their 2005 album. However, the live version from their 2010 release, High in the Rockies, is available on streaming services and may be a better rendition. This one lives somewhere between a fun country song about whiskey and a song about a legendary hard-living barfly. No matter how you look at it, “Bourbon Legend” is the kind of song that makes alcohol go down smoothly.
“Me and the Whiskey” by Whitey Morgan & the 78s
White Morgan & the 78s included “Me and the Whiskey” on their 2010 album Sonic Ranch. It’s a more realistic example of something that countless country songs have romanticized over the years: using whiskey to heal a heartache. The narrator loses his lover, his religion, and his mother before the song is over. On the bright side, he gave up the devil’s dandruff. So, it’s not all bad.
“Rye Whiskey/Time to Switch to Whiskey” by Corb Lund
This medley from Canadian country great Corb Lund packs two whiskey songs into one track. It was the perfect way to close his 2009 album Losin’ Lately Gambler. The first half is an ode to the drink. The second half is a toe-tapping barnburner full of booze, good times, and bad decisions.
Featured Image by Jim Shea/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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