There are a lot of songs about food, but if we tried to post a comprehensive list of songs about drink, we’d collapse the internet into a drunken singularity. That shouldn’t stop you from posting your favorites in comments, though. Here’s one of mine:
You may recognize Chris Thomas King from Oh Brother, Where Art Thou. The popularity of that movie, and of its soundtrack, launched King’s career, and a few years later he put out an album of roots blues that’s pretty good if you’re into it. It includes “John Law Burned Down the Liquor Store”, along with the one you probably remember from the movie:
Anyway, got some songs about alcohol?
The great Wayne Hancock has many. Here’s one: http://youtu.be/oYxwIhcXdL8Report
How can you not include this song?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISmgOrhELXs&feature=kpReport
Or this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpzqQst-Sg8Report
Metallica Whiskey in the Jar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIh3nO6-V_AReport
The first version I ever heard, and still my favorite, is Roger Whittaker’s:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQpavspHQLMReport
Love Chris Thomas King. What a classic voice.
How about Omar and the Howlers, Alligator Wine? (Originally, I think, by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.)
http://youtu.be/gVSkqrc0ph4Report
That drink doesn’t sound very good. The song does, though.Report
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN9dXLE15gU&feature=kpReport
That song is cool, but the video actually made me want to drink.Report
Wine and hippy punching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCDj5nuSMJMReport
Hippies spill the wine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i0DMbCKnAgReport
Nina Simone: Lilac Wine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT38CIgRse4
There’s also a surprisingly good cover by, of all people, Miley Cyrus.Report
Jeff Buckley’s covers of that song are pretty great too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C0o8YU1PnAReport
Chin Tsai: Love and Wine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8Pg9DEWf3YReport
Well, the song was an obvious choice for me, but I actually hadn’t heard this pretty-great John Doe cover of it:
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Another obvious one for me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDtrSWEBExg
I kind of have a weakness for sad drinking songs. Weird, given family history.
Or maybe not.Report
I you ever have the chance, go see John Doe. I have seen him a few times now, always a good time, and he loves to hang out at the end of the night. (The first time I saw him I was living across the street from a record store, and he and Dave Alvin did an instore acoustic event. Pure awesome.)Report
Brother, my cup is empty…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWJGzTUD1tAReport
I think of drinking songs as more participatory and fun, rather than sad songs about drinking.
For work, we’ve taken quite a few trips to Stockholm, where there’s a very common song to start things off, Halen Gar. During one trip, which happened to be during the Crayfish Festival, we had a wonderful time with many fun songs: http://sweden.se/traditions/the-crayfish-party/
I didn’t speak any Swedish, but could contribute “The Chemists Drinking Song” which went over very well.
(http://www-cs.canisius.edu/~salley/SCA/Bardbook/chemist.html )Report