As you can already tell, we at Suburban Home enjoy our drink. We love to drink and we love songs about drinking. To me, a true measure of a band’s live performance is their ability to inspire you to drink. There have been times when I have gone to see Drag the River or the Gamits not intending to drink, saw the bands play, and next thing you know I am tossing back Jager shots.
I am looking for your help. I want your feedback on some of the best drunk songs ever written. I am hoping to put together a free downloadable compilation containing some of the best drunk songs with the purpose of promoting the re-release of Drag the River’s Closed. Drag has the song, “Get Drunk” and if you haven’t heard it, it is a drinking anthem. I figured if I could track down and get permission from labels that have released some of these incredible drunk songs, I could give away the greatest drinking compilation on the planet. I will definitely be including tracks by Tim Barry, The Gamits, and Love Me Destroyer. I will also be asking the permission of labels to use songs by Lucero, Dillinger Four, NOFX, Flogging Molly, and more.
Now, I need your help. What independently released songs do you think are essential for this project? Leave your suggestions in the comments. Thanks.
First couple, off the top of my head…”You’re Tripping”-The Queers. “Come Dance with Me” -Teen Idols.
ahem… if ANYONE posts ANY bullshit about “let’s get drunk and screw” I will hunt you down and stab you in the face with a soldering iron. That said, happy posting. Off the top of my head I would pick “The Only Time” by NIN.
…and while that’s not indie, I live and die by Scooter James so my obvious picks are already covered…
whiskey in a jar – local denver potcheen folk band covers it, as did metallica (rolleyes)
potcheen also has a few originals about drinking and pirating. you should contact them fo sho.
oh yea, reach them at http://www.myspace.com/thepotcheenfolkband – chris blochinger,the drummer usually answers that
Songs about getting drunk are overplayed. Everyone gets drunk, it’s like writing a song about brushing your teeth. There is no element of danger or originality in any song about getting drunk. Congratulations, you drink all the time, you’re gonna be fat and eat a lot, you should probably take up jogging.
Give me “Heroin” by The Velvet Underground or “Cocaine Blues” by George Thurgood. Those dudes knew how to party beyond the typical weekend binge drinking that every frat boy in America engages in ritualisticly.
Rock is dangerous
Drinking is boring
Eat my ass.
Ok seriously though,
Jumping the Shark by the Lawrence Arms.
I’m bored
There not indie so probably impossible to get for the purpose of this compilation, but hands down the greatest writer of drunk songs has got to be Shane MacGowan of the Pogues. Classics include, Streams of Whiskey, the Sickbed of Cuchulainn, the Irish Rover (with the Dubliners), Whiskey in the Jar, A Pair of Brown Eyes, and Nancy Whiskey just to name a few. Hell any drinking compilation that doesn’t at least recognize the masters of the modern drunk ballad isn’t worth the cd its recorded on. Of course if that fails theres always “Beer” by Suicidal Supermarket Trolleys, “The Alcoholic” by Chaos U.K. and of course “Banned From the Pubs” by Peter and the Test Tube Babies, and of which should be fairly attainable.
Well, Alkaline Trio’s “Cooking Wine” certainly has to be up there…
Bob – NOFX
The Battle of New Orleans – Johnny Horton
The Ballard of Ira Hayes – Cash or Williams
Take it on the chin – William Elliot Whitmore
Fist full of Tears – Lucero
Dirty Lips – Drag the River
Whiskey Bent and Hellbound – Hank Williams Jr.
Heartache and Hangovers – George Jones
My Buckets’s Got a Hole In it – Hank Williams
Bartender’s Blues – George Jones
I’m a Rambling Man – Waylon Jennings
these are my recommendations. all country… cause country rules.
i would say of the top of my head “wonder beer” by naked raygun and i think 88fingers louie had one or two good ones.
Uncle Tupelo- “Moonshiner” or Aganist Me- “Pints Of Guinness make you strong”…a song that makes you want to drink and quit drinking at the same time.
Or The Broadways-” The Kitchen Floor”.
Thousands are Sailing – The Pogues Hands Down!
Oh and Pints of Guiness Make You Strong by Against Me!
A couple years ago a music community I’m a part of put together a themed mix where everyone submitted their favorite drinking songs. I coincidentally picked “Get Drunk” for my song. Some of the good ones were:
Death Cab for Cutie – Champagne from a Paper Cup
Elliot Smith – Between the Bars
The Lawrence Arms – An Evening of Extraordinary Circumstance
The Mountain Goats – Fault Lines
NOFX – Go to Work Wasted
Les Savy Fav – Who Rocks the Party
Troubled Hubble – Jackpot Stampede Deluxe
The New Pornographers – The Slow Descent into Alcoholism
A few more good ones I came up with:
AC Newman – Drink to Me, Babe, Then
Crooked Fingers – New Drink for the Old Drunk
Earlimart – We Drink on the Job
Modest Mouse – Long Distance Drunk
Ok first off the idea is amazing. I remember Very Small Records did the Songs About Drinking series and it fucking ruled. I have just a couple off the top of my head.
I Got Drunk- Uncle Tupelo
Moonshiner- Uncle Tupelo (or the Rumbleseat cover)
I can’t help that they were the masters of drunken awesomness. lol.
Pints of Guiness Make Us Strong- Against Me!
as well as “How Low” and “You Look Like I Need A Drink”.
Almost too many Alkaline Trio songs to even mention.
Last Call- As Friends Rust. Fucking priceless.
Drunken Third-Hot Water Music. Duh?
Die Today- Off With Their Heads. Not really about drinking but if your a drunk you can relate atleast 90% percent.
Reach For The Bottle-Pinhead Gunpowder. Kinda depressing. But true. Derm.
The Songs They Sing- Scouts Honor
Cryin’ Shame-Smoke Or Fire
Drinking on The Roof- Swearing At Motorists
Thats all I got for now. I know there’s a ton more. but I’m drunk and need sleep. Night.
Maybe not about drinking but heavily referencing…
Drag the River – Medicine
Jawbreaker – Kiss the Bottle
Alkaline Trio – San Fransico
The Replacements – Beer For Breakfast
New Amsterdams – Drinking in the Afternoon
Textbook – Dear You, Dear (myspace.com/textbookmusic)
“Picker” by Rumbleseat.
Probably anything by the Pogues…Sally Maclennane, Dirty Old Town, Pair of Brown Eyes…but all in all I’d say Streams of Whiskey. Thats just me.
There was nothing better than being at the rack in boulder, drinking with your friendw and Hot Water Music’s “Trusty Chords” came on the juke box. Destination, DRINK ONE THOUSAND BEERS!
Drive By Truckers –
Dead drunk and naked
Shut up and get on the plane
Women without wiskey
Love like this
Why Henry drinks
River Ciy High –
Just a song
Bastard
Pass that riff
The Vandals –
Elvis Decanter
Anything by The Pogues!!!
Oh yeah and “Here Comes A Regular” by the Replacements is fucking awesome!
I don’t drink anymore. But when I did, I certainly liked to drink to the Replacements. The songs didn’t even have to be about drinking. “Buck Hill” and “Loveliness” were always good songs to drink to make yourself sick to.
I would imagine the youngsters feel the same way about the Trio.
If the song has to be about drinking (as opposed to just good to drink during), then here’s my 2ยข:
Husker Du – First Of The Last Calls
Spent – Excuse Me While I Drink Myself to Death
Air Miami – Neely (I suppose that the line “I’m gonna get fucked up today” could be a reference to other things, but it’s a drinking song to me)
Bright Eyes – A Line Allows Progress, A Circle Does Not / We Are Nowhere and It’s Now (also “Poison Oak” just for the line “Now I’m drunk as hell on a piano bench, and when I press the keys it all gets reversed, the sound of loneliness makes me happier”)
Motion City Soundtrack – LGFUAD
Naked Raygun – Wonderbeer
Not Rebecca – Rosenwinkel
Pedro The Lion – To Protect The Family Name
PS – I left off any Pogues, Trio, GVB or Mats songs because that is like shooting fish in a barrel.
PPS – to AFT… If you don’t think that drinking can be as dangerous as smack and cocaine, then you’re just not doing it right.
Rancid – The Bottle
Leatherface – Springtime
Lucero – aint so lonely
anything by Drag the River.
anything by Tim Barry
Hot Water Music – Drunken Third
Saw Wheel – Trainwreck (this one’s amazing!)
Swingin Utters – Wind Spitting Punk
honestly though… because of ya’ll… all I drink to these days is Tim & Drag… that’s really all ya need.
Sunday Morning Coming Down by Johnny Cash!!
and medicine is my all time favorite drinking song.
Stokin’ the “f*ck*ing” Neighbors.
If you put Thrashed on at the start of the drive S.t.N. should come on just as you realize you probably shouldn’t be driving!!!
Hey Tom (poster above), That’s awesome that you listed Not Rebecca. Chicago’s most underrated band ever. You should check out Dave’s post NR-band Textbook (myspace.com/textbookmusic). Also, Tom Daily has a bunch of freebies on his myspace profile (myspace.com/tomdaily) including a really cool cover of Jet Black by Jawbreaker. Anyway, cheers!
Tom is just a quitter, anyone who brags about their “drinking ability” is 15 or a loser
all of your songs are lacking, if you’ve never drank enough to be singing to “Freebird” and “Living on a Prayer”, then you never want to drink with me.
Stumbled accross this looking for Replacements chords.. what a great posting. Anyway, I can’t understand how Tom Waits has not made it on.. I would have to go with.. um.. his entire discography. “The Piano Has Been Drinking” is right at hte top of the list though.
the toy dolls – nelly the elephant !!!!!
Out of all the songs listed (an impressive list I must say, cheers to all of you!) I’m surprised no one listed a classic number:
“Have a drink on me” by ACDC
The song clearly lists a various number of alcohol related references not to mention Brian Johnson sounds plastered to the wall while singing.
Also, bleh (above poster) I think I know you.
F.Y.I., I will be using a number of these songs to update my Jukebox in my local pub, after-hours joint, ale house, bar, barroom, beer joint, bucket shop, drinkery, drinking establishment, gashouse, gin mill, inn, joint, juice joint, lounge, public house, roadhouse, saloon, suds shop, taproom, tavern.
Prost!
-G
Whoever put anything by bright eyes is right! good when shitfaced… i save those cds(Fevers And Mirrors, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn) just for drinkin.
Bright Eyes
BLUE OCTOBER
Johnny Cash(HURT cover, or NIN’s version)
Toby Keith
ALKALINE TRIO
George Thorogood
The Matches
Tech Nine(Caribu Lou, Tech 9 Experience, Lets Get Fucked Up)
Nickelback
Dropkick Murpheys
H.I.M.
3-6 Mafia
anything with the words “drinking” or “drunk” in the title are mainly overplayed and are about drinking but arent good while drunk. Unless its anything by Floggying Molly(Drunken Lullibies CD) or Bar Room Hero – Dropkick Murpheys
Oh man, and i couldnt listen to The toy dolls – Nelly the elephant, if i was high, drunk, tired and on shrooms. that song is terrible sorry.
We used to vacation by Cold war kids is hands down my favorite song about drinking. Probably not one I’d listen to when I was drunk though.
The Who – A Quick One While He’s Away
or anything by the who of this era
best two drunk songs are def crazy bitch by buckcherry and thunderstruck by ACDC no matter what any of you say
Not An Alcoholic – Beefcake
Work Makes Me Drink – Beefcake
Too Much Blood – Wednesday 13
I have more, I just cant think of them…
well…the classics
walking in Memphis – Marc Cohn
Don’t stop believing – Journey
Free Falling – Tom Petty
what are all those songs that make you go crazy while your drunk?