FlourishAnyway believes there is a playlist for just about any situation and is on a mission to unite and entertain the world through song.

Chase Your Whiskey with a Playlist

The closest I've come to drinking whiskey is a group tour I took of the Old Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland. I was able to watch the production process and sample their wiskey, neat. Lawdy, was that some strong stuff!

I'm surely no whiskey woman, but there are plenty of dedicated whiskey drinkers around. (In fact, Jack Daniels is consistently one of the best selling spirits in the United States.) If you're one of them, why not chase your whiskey with a playlist of songs about your favorite adult beverage? We have a long list of pop, rock, and country songs about whiskey to start you out right. Bottoms up!

1. "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton

There's nothing like having your heart felt love compared to hard liquor. The narrator in this 2015 country song truly appreciates his lady friend because she's saved him from rock bottom. (An enabler perhaps?)

You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
You're as sweet as strawberry wine
You're as warm as a glass of brandy
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time.

2. "Whiskey Lullaby" by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss

One of the saddest songs you'll ever hear, this 2004 country tune tells the story of lifelong heartbreak. A couple breaks up, and the man spends the remainder of his life trying to forget her.

One day they found him lifeless, face down after "he put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger." He had used whiskey to try erase his pain. Unfortunately, his ex-lover blamed herself and repeated his tragic whiskey-assisted death.

Reader Poll

3. "Whiskey In The Jar" by Metallica

Metallica's 1999 hard rock version of this Thin Lizzy hit won a Grammy. The song is a traditional Irish tune about a bandit who steals a small fortune, only to be betrayed by his wife.

4. "Copperhead Road" Steve Earle

In this1988 country rock song is the story of a man, John Lee Pettimore III, whose grandfather and father were Tennessee moonshine brewers and bootleggers. John Lee Jr. was involved in the death of the tax man and died in a fiery car crash running his weekly shipment of alcohol.

Then, young John Lee volunteered for the Army and did two tours in Vietnam. He returned with a plan to improve on the family business by growing and selling pot.

5. "It Ain't The Whiskey" by Gary Allan

This 2011 country ditty describes the depth of heartache. A man sits in the middle of a church where a self-help group of "broken people" meet. He declares that his problems aren't due to the whiskey, cigarettes, or other stuff he smokes.

Instead, his troubles are due to the empty gaping hole in his heart that his lover created when she ripped his heart out by leaving him. And there's not enough self-medication in the world to ease that pain.

6. "Whiskey In My Water" by Tyler Farr

Tonight when the sun goes down, the narrator and his honey are going to sit around a fire and get drunk off each other's love. The guy in this 2013 country song expresses his love for his gal this way: "She's the moon in my shine, the whiskey in my water." Yes, alcohol makes you say twisted things.

7. Ain't Worth The Whiskey by Cole Swindell

There are lots of reasons to drink whiskey, but when the fella in this 2014 country tune sees his ex in a bar, he wants to assure her she isn't one of them. He'll drink to a country song, a hard week's work, a long lost buddy. But his old girfriend? She ain't worth the whiskey.

8. "Whiskey'd Up" by Jason Aldean

Beer doesn't do it to him and neither does wine. But when the guy in this 2016 country song gets whiskey'd up, he knows he's in for a long night of hurting over his former girlfriend. He drunk dials, he remembers the taste of her kiss, and it's almost like she was right back by his side. Not a good habit if you're wanting to move on.

9. "Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound" by Hank Williams Jr.

Before Bocephus became a cranky right wing old codger, he was Rockin' Randall Hank. Some say he is just as awesome as ever. The Grammy-winning superstar once fell almost 500 feet off a mountain onto his face and lived to tell about it, although now he wears sunglasses and a beard to hide his scars.

This 1979 country tune, along with "Family Tradition" and "All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)" have become staples of the country music songbook. There's no way we could leave them off this list.

10. "Whiskey If You Were a Woman" by Highway 101

A woman's husband is cheating on her in this country song from 1987, but the interloper is not another woman. He spends the night with whiskey and leaves her crying.

She imagines how she'd fight back if whiskey were a woman. But whiskey has neither heart nor feelings, and she realizes that she cannot even ask for sympathy.

11. "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'" by Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart

The broken-hearted man in this 1991 country song tried to chase away his sadness with whiskey, and it worked for awhile. But not anymore. Now he's looking to replace his dependence on whiskey with a "honky tonk angel." Sounds like a catch, girls.

12. "Your Mama Should've Named You Whiskey" by Luke Bryan

Whiskey can burn and create a strong buzz, and according to the guy in this 2013 country love song, so can his woman. She's addictive, and he claims one kiss gets him totally wasted and wanting more.

13. "Whiskey And You" by Chris Stapleton

The lonely man in this 2015 country song has been left by his wife, and he's trying to drink his broken heart away. In doing so, he compares his ex to the whiskey he's drinking:

One’s the devil, one keeps driving me insane
At times I wonder if they ain’t both the same
But one’s a liar that helps to hide me from my pain
And one’s the long gone bitter truth
That’s the difference between whiskey and you.

14. "If The River Was Whiskey" by Spin Doctors

This 2013 song is a good-timing rock ditty with a strong blues undercurrent. The narrator expresses his feelings of alcohol-enhanced invincibility: "If the river was whiskey, you'd have no trouble drowning me."

15. "Whiskey Man" by Molly Hatchet

Sometimes the odds are simply against you. Over a high stakes game of cards, one whiskey drinker imparts advice to another: don't play that (losing) hand too long. Whiskey gives the card player liquid courage, and he's unpredictable. This will likely be his undoing if he doesn't make the right choice now. "Whiskey Man" is a classic 1979 rock tune.

16. "Sunshine & Whiskey" by Frankie Ballard

The guy in this 2014 country song compares his girlfriend's kiss to a bottle of Jack to the head. She gets him fired up, like a combination of sunshine and whiskey.

17. "Whiskey And You" by Darius Rucker

The title may be the same as Chris Stapleton's, but this is a different tune.

Normally a strong man, the narrator in this country ditty from 2010 confesses two weaknesses: whiskey and the woman he loves. When he feels like his world is closing in on him, he crawls back to both of them, regardless of whether it's a healthy choice.

He describes the on-again off again relationship he has with both:

Whiskey and you
Ain't nothing I can do
But come crawling back to
Whiskey and you.

Take the Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Whiskey?

For each question, choose the best answer. The answer key is below.

1. What color is whiskey before it is stored in a barrel?
   • yellow
   • amber
   • clear
   • opaque
2. Whiskey must be aged in new barrels.
   • True
   • False
3. On his deathbed, this famous person asked for whiskey, but the nurse refused him.
   • Bejamin Franklin, founding father of the United States.
   • Teddy Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States
   • Bill Wilson, founder of Alcoholics Anonymous
   • John Wayne, American actor
   • Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister during WWII
4. Which spelling is correct?
   • Whisky
   • Whiskey
   • Both
5. In the U.S., when you buy a fifth of whiskey at least what percentage of the purchase price goes to taxes?
   • 15
   • 25
   • 40
   • 50
   • 72

Answer Key

1. clear
2. False
3. Bill Wilson, founder of Alcoholics Anonymous
4. Both
5. 50

18. "Whiskey On The Rocks" by AC/DC

This 1995 hard rock song is about hard drinking. It throws around the names of mixed drinks and brands of adult beverages with little point. It's a party song with whiskey as its slurred focus.

19. "Stronger Than Whiskey" by Jon Langston

Someone's breaking the open container laws in this 2013 country song. (Those laws apply to dirt roads, too.)

The narrator has mixed a little Jim Beam with something in a Dixie cup and handed it to his girlfriend to relax her, hoping he'll get lucky. He's excited because now they're headed down a dirt road: "Come on baby let’s rock n’ roll, get a little lost on these old back roads."

Wait. He's not drinking and driving, is he? Country music has way too much of this in it.

20. "She Don't Drink Whiskey Anymore" by Tim Hicks

What a hard drinking woman! The couple in this 2014 country song broke up and they're still nursing an emotional hangover for one another.

The woman used to drink whiskey on occasion and they'd end up back in one another's arms when she would drunk dial him. However, she has given up that habit, and he misses it.

Even More Songs About Whiskey

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2017 FlourishAnyway

Comments

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 19, 2020:

MG - I wish I could still drink alcohol, but I have autoimmune liver problems. Enjoy your whiskey!

MG Singh emge from Singapore on April 19, 2020:

Flourish, I love whisky especially scotch and favourite brand Macallan. Your selection rings a bell. Great.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on April 19, 2020:

Peggy - Country, pop, and definitely rock as well. Thanks for stopping by!

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on April 18, 2020:

Nothing rings a bell with me from this list. Perhaps if I heard more of the tunes, something would click. I seldom listen to country-western music and I assume that most of these songs would fit that venue.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on February 16, 2019:

Sandy, These are numbered list, NOT a ranking of best to worst. I do this so that readers can make suggestions and we can always add more songs to the list (at the end of the list).

Of course, I still might be out of my mind, but not for this reason. Have a good day!

Sandy on February 15, 2019:

I love John Mayer. But Whiskey whiskey whiskey” is #22 while Willie Nelson’s “Whiskey River”is #45? My dear you are out of your mind.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on July 03, 2017:

Genna - Thanks so much for that. Eventually, I will come to the end of ideas, I suppose. Have a Happy Fourth!

Genna East from Massachusetts, USA on July 03, 2017:

I agree with DDE...your topics are so unique -- and inexhaustible, lucky for us. I loved this music. Thank you. :-)

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on July 01, 2017:

Devika - Whiskey is good to cook with as well if you get a good recipe!

DDE on June 30, 2017:

Something different! You always think of a unique topic. Loved it!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 29, 2017:

Jo - Definitely made the list at #45. Thanks for stopping by! Have a great Fourth!

Jo Miller from Tennessee on June 29, 2017:

I didn't see Whiskey River by Willie Nelson. It's the first one I thought of.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 25, 2017:

stevarino - If you're old, then I guess that I am, too. I add it at #62. Thank you for the suggestion!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 25, 2017:

MsDora - I'm not a whiskey drinker either. I sure do thank you for reading and leaving a comment although you don't touch the stuff. You're a kind lady. Have a wonderful week.

Steve Dowell from East Central Indiana on June 25, 2017:

Well, I'm not that old am I? What about "Whiskey Night" by REO Speedwagon?

Maybe I am!

Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on June 25, 2017:

Flourish, you know it's the writer and the excellent writing that got me to read through this one, even though I know nothing and have nothing to do with whiskey. You always quote good lyrics. Thanks!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 25, 2017:

vocal coach - Hot toddies fixed right will make you forget you're sick. Thanks for stopping by!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 25, 2017:

Larry - I knew you had a big heart, but I'm sure sorry about the medical version of it. Thank you for the song suggestions which I have added, and please take care of yourself!

Audrey Hunt from Idyllwild Ca. on June 24, 2017:

A fun hub! Reminds me of when I was just a little thing and when I had a bad cough my mother would mix whisky and honey and pour it down my throat. :) It worked!

Larry Rankin from Oklahoma on June 24, 2017:

Lovely list and a topic very near my (enlarged) heart;-)

"And we lift up our glasses against evil forces, singing 'Whiskey for my friends and beer for our horses.'"

"One scotch, one bourbon, one bee-eer!"

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 24, 2017:

Rasma - Glad you enjoyed this.

Gypsy Rose Lee from Daytona Beach, Florida on June 24, 2017:

Another fantastic hub and I might say quite intoxicating. Whiskey must be very inspirational.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 24, 2017:

Linda - Thanks for that compliment. I have what seems to be an endless supply of playlist ideas. I will probably run out of steam before I run out of ideas.

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on June 23, 2017:

I'm impressed that you still have some great ideas for your playlist articles, Flourish! It was interesting to read about the music related to whiskey and to learn some facts about the drink.

Tamara Moore on June 23, 2017:

Thank you, Flourish:-) I reallly don't drink in real life, except for the rare Margarita and Bailey's. But, even this is a rarity. I suppose this is why when that rare time comes around, it only takes a little bit before I'm seeing d-d-double, and even t-t-t-triple :-) LOL...what I just said made me laugh! So glad I met you on HP, too! Love your articles and chosen songs ~

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 23, 2017:

Tamara - Although I don't drink whiskey, I sure do enjoy the Jack Daniels chicken and whiskey chockoloate cake. I'll have to check that poem of yours out. I'm glad to have met you on HP.

Tamara Moore on June 23, 2017:

Lots of fun songs here! I recall TEQUILA as being a popular song. I am fascinated by the huge collection of songs you find for all these various subjects you post about. Excellent articles!

I wrote a poem, entitled: "Double The Trouble" on Hubpage, but only found two songs :-) I used some weird imagery, though...lol...to make readers think they were seeing in double vision.

I think, we writers, all have a sort of connection with each other in the things we choose to write about. It is so much fun to be here on your site!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 23, 2017:

Linda - I thought of you when I wrote this. Lots of people may not drink whiskey but it's in a lot of good desserts and savory recipes.

Linda Lum from Washington State, USA on June 23, 2017:

The thought of whiskey gives me shivers (and not in a good way). Don't know how anyone can stand the stuff. Anyhow, this was a fun read.

I'm sure you considered American Pie by Don McLean, but it's only a casual mention and not a song devoted to drinking. I love the Dave Matthews version of Rye Whiskey and honestly those are the only two songs that came to mind. I had no idea there were so many.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 23, 2017:

Fullerman5000 - So glad you enjoyed this. Although country seems to have a corner on whiskey songs lately, I'm glad that I could find some good rock songs as well. The trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland including the tour through the distillery was unforgettable; I'm just sorry I waited so long to do it as I always assumed it would be much more expensive than it was. Thanks for stopping by!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 23, 2017:

Bill - Thanks for stopping by. I knew there were a lot of songs about whiskey but didn't know there were this many (many more if you consider casual mentions). Have a great weekend yourself, my friend.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 23, 2017:

Hi, Heidi - He's on there now as #59. Thanks for the suggestion! I bet that was a memorable show! You go to so many wonderful concerts. Have a great weekend.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on June 23, 2017:

Fiddleman - That sounds like one memorable concert! (I especially love the song "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke!") You should write an article about the history of moonshine in rural America or something of the sort, given your georgraphy and cultural connections. Thanks for stopping by.

Ryan from Louisiana, USA on June 23, 2017:

Such a great playlist. I am glad you chose Metallica's version of Whiskey in the Jar. Also, I love the Spin Doctors. I am also pretty jealous that you got to go to Ireland to an old whiskey distillery. I have also wanted to visit there and go to the Jameson distillery. This was a fun and entertaining article. Thank you for this.

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on June 23, 2017:

I'm not sure what it says about me, but my brain was flooded with songs about whiskey. LOL No stumping me on this category.

Have a great weekend!

Heidi Thorne from Chicago Area on June 23, 2017:

Can't believe George Thorogood isn't in the mix with "I Drink Alone," with his spirits including his pal Jack Daniels. BTW, I got to see him live here in Chi-town. Fun show. Cheers!

Fiddleman on June 23, 2017:

Thanks for sharing this hub on whiskey songs. About the only time I ever drank was during my military service days but recall a performance by Tex Ritter at the NCO Club at Elmendorph AFB Alaska and he sang Rye Whiskey and The Night Miss Nancy Ann's Hotel for Single Girls Burned Down and Smoke Smoke That Cigarette. I guess all those songs were about vices. Here in WNC moonshine has made it into a lot of songs. Moonshine especially during the days of prohibition was made by many and my grandpas on both sides made Corn liquor. A novel hub, enjoyed the read.