84 Creative Project
DJ Statement: I chose to make a playlist using songs surrounding alcoholism and alcohol abuse. The reason I chose this subject is because I have family members and friends who are struggling with alcohol abuse, so I made this playlist for people who also have loved ones who are suffering from alcohol abuse/alcoholism. It’s interesting to see that there are a good amount of songs in the country genre that surround alcoholism; from the perspective of the alcoholic and the perspective of the family of an alcoholic.
It is important to remember that alcoholism is a disease, and the people who are sick from it can’t just get better overnight. These songs deep dive into different perspectives, allowing outsiders to get a sense for different effects of knowing/being an alcoholic. These songs can help family members or friends of alcoholics heal by feeling what the alcoholic may be feeling, and then relating to the tracks towards the end of the playlist.
The first three tracks are songs about using alcohol to cope. I included these in hopes that loved ones listening can understand how pain may be the cause of alcohol abuse and get exposed to some of the internal thoughts and feelings an alcoholic using alcohol to cope may be experiencing. In these tracks the alcoholics often don’t feel like they have a problem yet, they feel as though they are just using alcohol as a coping method.
Tracks 5 and 6 have to do with drunk driving. Drunk driving is a very tough subject. The reason I included these in the playlist is because two of my very close friends got in a horrible drunk car crash and are lucky to be alive. I wanted to bring awareness to this topic and to make sure that people stop drunk driving. It is important to emphasize getting sober rides!
Tracks 7 and 8 show remorse. These songs are important because sometimes alcoholics can seem selfish and like all they care about is the booze, but again it is important to remember that alcoholism is a disease that cannot easily be cured. People suffering with alcohol abuse still love their people, even if that’s not always expressed well.
Tracks 9 and 10 are really for the family members. These two songs are written from the point of view of people who have family members with alcoholism. It is my hope that these two tracks bring some comfort to family and friends of alcoholics.
As a huge music enthusiast I really enjoyed creating this playlist. Overall, if I were to actually share this playlist to people who have a loved one struggling with alcoholism, I hope that it would bring them some comfort and support, as well as better help them understand what the alcoholic is going through.
Song 1: Drinkin’ Problem
Artist: Midland
What does this song say?: This song is from the perspective of an alcoholic, he mentions how he’s the first one into the bar and the last one out. The people in his town tell him he has a drinking problem, he rebuttals with “But I got no problem drinking at all”. This song tells me that the drinker is either unaware or ignorant to the fact that he drinks too much, but it is apparent to the people who spend time around him. He says “People say that I’ve hit rock bottom, just ‘cause I’m living on the rocks.”, this shows that he is still not aware of his problems and that he lets alcohol control his life. At the end he then goes on to say “They call it a problem, I call it a solution.” This tells me he uses the alcohol to cope with the hard things in his life and is aware of that, but has no intention to fix it. This song displays the refusal to accept when drinking has become a problem that can occur in alcoholics.
Song 2: Whiskey Lullaby
Artist: Brad Paisley feat. Allison Kraus
What does this song say?: This song describes a woman who broke up with her partner, which in an attempt to “cure” his broken heart and forget about his ex he started drinking heavily. One day, he ultimately drank enough to kill himself and left a note saying “I’ll love her ‘til I die.” This overwhelmed the woman with guilt, so she too started to drink heavily to cope. One day years later, after drinking heavily and not being able to forget him, she ended up drinking enough to pass away too and she was found face down clutching a picture of him. This song describes two people who used alcohol to cope, ultimately taking both of their lives. It also shows one effect an alcoholic can have on their loved ones.
Song 3: hole in the bottle
Artist: Kelsea Ballerini
What does this song say?: This song starts out with a woman speaking: “There are many people who drink in moderation, with no problems social, moral, or medical. They have learned to enjoy liquor without letting it upset the function of their body and mind.” This acts as a disclaimer that alcohol can be enjoyed healthily and safely. The song then starts and starts describing “a hole in the bottle of wine” and tells about the entire bottle being gone before dinner. Of course this is the alcoholic in denial about how much they’re drinking. The artist goes on to sing about how she doesn’t miss her ex-lover, in fact he “slipped her mind”. This is yet another example of someone using alcohol to cope with pain and heartbreak.
Song 4: Family Tradition
Artist: Hank Williams Jr.
What does this song say?: This song is about the singer himself, named Hank. He sings “Hank, why do you drink? Hank, why do you smoke?” This is him repeating the questions that people ask him. He then answers with “It’s a family tradition.” Later on he sings, “Lordy, I have loved some ladies, and I have loved Jim Beam [whiskey], and they both tried to kill me in 1973.” Hank Williams sings about his alcoholism and substance abuse and pins the cause of it on his genetics. This is a real factor when it comes to alcohol abuse, and although this song is pretty light-hearted it’s a good reminder that alcoholism usually doesn’t stem from a specific life event and genetics can largely affect a person’s substance abuse.
Song 5: Drunk Driving
Artist: Koe Wetzel
What does this song say?: The main lyrics of this song are “I’m drunk driving again, running away from my sins, tell my mama I love her and take care of my friends” and “Everybody’s gotta die somehow, why not for me right now.” Obviously this song has a horrible theme and nobody should drive drunk, especially not with the intention of crashing. Drunk driving is not only dangerous for the driver, but is also extremely hazardous for everyone else on the road. I included this song though because it demonstrates a call for help. Drunk driving shows extreme carelessness so when someone is doing this, their well-being should be checked in on.
Song 6: Flowers
Artist: Chris Young
What does this song say?: This song opens up with “I should have taken you dancing, a little candle light romanticizing with roses, but I was up on a bar stool.” He then goes on to sing “It took losing you to find myself. Oh I wish that you could see me, steady hands without the whiskey, you’d be so proud. He then sings about how it has been a year since he drank and then sings “I still see you on your knees begging me not to drive, but I took the keys and made you climb inside, and I’d take your place in this field of stones if only I had the power.” In that part of the song he is describing how he made his girlfriend get in the car with him while he drove drunk and he ended up crashing the vehicle, killing her. He then sings “look what it took for me to finally bring you flowers.” Meaning it took her dying for him to bring her flowers. This song demonstrates how alcoholism can have a huge toll on relationships and that alcoholics aren’t often good partners. It also demonstrates the horrible outcomes of driving drunk. This song is very sad and I hope it is eye opening to people who drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Song 7: Let You Down
Artist: Zach Bryan
What does this song say?: This song is an alcoholic’s apology to his lover. He starts the song by saying “I know that you’ll stay out of pure sympathy” This says to me that the singer knows his drinking is hard on his girlfriend and he feels bad about that, but he knows she’ll stay. He then goes on to repeat over and over “I’ll let you down darling”. He feels badly about his behavior, but is too alcoholic to stop. I chose this song because it shows how some alcoholics can feel horrible about their actions but are too lost in the addiction to fix their actions. It becomes a cycle for alcoholics to feel bad, but not be able to say no to alcohol.
Song 8: You Don’t Know Jack
Artist: Luke Bryan
What does this song say?: This song describes an encounter with a man asking for a dollar. The singer responds with “Go get a job.” The man says “I don’t blame you.” but then goes on to describe how he lost his kids and his wife due to Jack Daniels, “You don’t know Jack.” This is a play on words and the name of a popular whiskey brand, Jack Daniels. The man is explaining how whiskey took over his life and caused him to lose everything and by saying “you don’t know Jack” he means that people don’t understand how something like whiskey can cause such horrible things. This is a good point of view from an alcoholic who knows they have a problem, and have realized how alcohol ruined their life, and is educating people on the street about that.
Song 9: Walk a Little Straighter
Artist: Billy Currington
What does this song say to you?: The singer says “walk a little straighter Daddy, you’re swaying side to side, your footsteps make me dizzy.” This songs tells me that the boy’s dad is always drunk and it makes him very upset. He goes on to sing about how his dad was very drunk at his high school graduation and he left before he even walked the stage. He goes on to say “you’re leading me”, saying that he wants to look after his dad but his dad isn’t a good role model. I chose this song because it shows the perspective of someone who has an alcoholic in their life which is good to see. I like how it shows the disappointment and let down that can come with having an alcoholic as a loved one.
Song 10: From a Lover’s Point of View
Artist: Zach Bryan
What does this song say?: As the title says, this song is from a lover of an alcoholic’s point of view. The first line is “you don’t have to drink tonight, why don’t we just get some sleep?” He then sings later “I’ll be there to wipe the vomit when you cannot lift your head, because a lover doesn’t leave when times like these get dark.” The last verse then goes “you don’t have to drink tonight, why don’t we just get some sleep? ‘Cause I’m tired of crying in driveways as you slur the words you speak.” This song does a great job of showing how hard it can be to love an alcoholic, and displays the love and strength displayed by these lovers.