The Great Drunk (Driving) Post of 2006

I really like this song. It is, however, unforgiveably unseasonable by now (despite the blustering NYC snowstorms), and posting Christmas music in the middle of February will only encourage friends and strangers to send strange exploding packages to my home. So, let's get this clear: this is not a post about Christmas music. It's a post about a whale! No, I mean it's a post about drinking and driving songs.

The Youngsters--also known as the Preludes, and then as the Tempters--were a minor R&B group on the west coast in the late 50s. They had a fairly big local hit with their first recording as the Youngsters ("Shattered Dreams") in 1956, and then later in the year they recorded this terrific slice of Christmas anti-cheer as the b-side to their genuine R&B hit "Dreamy Eyes," which was subsequently covered by numerous b-list R&B acts. Like a lot of similar groups, they dissolved not long afterwards, however, due to their little label folding; most members fled to other, similar west coast bands like the Shields.

You don't hear this song on the radio too often. Or, well, ever. Maybe because humorous songs about drinking and driving during the holidays just rub folks the wrong way? Whatever, it's a wonderful song.

The Youngsters - Christmas in Jail



1983 was a year when British Oi! music still had legs as something other than a vehicle for white supremacist doggerel. Sadly, that wouldn't hold out much longer (or not so sadly; it's a pretty limited genre), but this album still has a few gems on it, most notably this cute little paean to the titular activity. The only lyrics I can ever remember from this song are "Knocking em back, have another one, drinking and driving is so much fun." That may be all the lyrics in the song, who knows. The anthemic qualities of Oi! were a bit of a double-edged sword.

The Business - Drinking and Driving



The Maddox Brothers & Rose wrote some of the most raucous, fun, energetic country music you are likely to ever hear. This song's a little uncharacteristically melancholy, though. Actually, now that I've uploaded and I'm thinking about it, I don't think there's any reference to booze at all. It's just a song about careless drivers running over little kids on the street. They're not drunk, they're just assholes I guess.

The Maddox Brothers & Rose - Careless Driver



It was the whiskey punching my commonlaw wife in the face (not me)!

Jerry Lee Lewis - It Was the Whiskey Talkin' (Not Me)



Hey, it's everybody's favorite screaming black guy! Is there still anyone who hasn't heard and learned to love Screamin' Jay Hawkins? God, I hope not. If so, perhaps this post will remedy that shameful state of affairs.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Baptize Me in Wine



The picture says it all. (It better; I'm running out of time here, I gotta go home and start cooking dinner!)

Merle Haggard - Wine Takes Me Away



Yeah, whoo, is that he time? Jesus. Anyway as a parting gift I decided to use the photograph of Gram Parsons that most makes him look like a retarded child. Enjoy!

Also please someone get plastered and call me so I can enjoy the vicarious drunk.

Gram Parsons - Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down