What are some songs that portray alcohol in a somewhat derogatory manner?

Question

Such as: Natalie Merchant's line "The bottle has been to me my closest friend, my worse enemy." and Whiskey Lullabye, "She put the bottle to her head and pulled the trigger."

Answer 1

Hmmmm..."Sunday Mornin' Comin' down"...Kris Kristofferson (made famous by Johnny Cash)

"Tin Pan Alley" (SRV's version is best)

"That's why I'm Here" (I believe it's by Kenny Chesney) is a really good song about AA

"Life by the Drop" by Stevie Ray Vaughan tells the truth about alcoholism but brings some hope.

Answer 2

Here's one from the Temperance era.
The
DRUNKARD'S LONE CHILD.

Out in the gloomy night sadly I roam,
I've no mother now, no friends, no home;
Nobody cares for me, no one would cry,
Even if poor little Bessie should die!
Barefoot and tired, I've wandered all day.
Asking for work--but I'm too small, they say;
On the damp ground I must now lay my head--
Father's a drunkard, and Mother is dead!

Chorus: Mother, oh! why did you leave me alone,
With no one to love me, no friends, and no home!
Dark is the night and the storm rages wild;
God! pity Bessie, the drunkard's lone child.

We were so happy--till father drank rum:
Then all our sorrows and troubles begun;
Mother grew paler, and wept every day;
Baby and I were too hungry to play--
Slowly they faded, and one summer's night
Found their sweet faces all silent and white--
And, with big tears slowly dropping, I said:
Father's a drunkard, and Mother is dead!

Chorus.

Oh! if some temperance men only could find
Poor wretched Father, and speak very kind:
If they could stop him from drinking: why, then
I would feel very happy again!
Is it too late? Men of temperance, please try:
For, little Bessie will soon starve and die:
All the day long I've been begging for bread--
Father's drunkard, and Mother is dead!

Chorus.

Answer 3

"alcohol" by a country music singer. I just forgot the name of the singer. but the song is halarious. If you want a sad song, then try "wiskey lulaby" by the same guy along with Alison Craus.

Answer 4

Dream Theater's "The Glass Prison" is about the downfalls of alcoholism.

Answer 5

"The Bottle"....classic tune from Gil-Scott Heron:

See that black boy over there, runnin' scared
his ol' man's in a bottle.
He done quit his 9 to 5 to drink full time
so now he's livin' in the bottle.
See that Black boy over there, runnin' scared
his ol' man got a problem
Pawned off damn near everything, his ol'
woman's weddin' ring for a bottle.
And don't you think it's a crime
when time after time, people in the bottle.

See that sista, sho wuz fine before she
started drinkin' wine
from the bottle.
Said her ol' man committed a crime
and he's doin' time,
so now she's in the bottle.
She's out there on the avenue, all by herself
sho' needs help from the bottle.
Preacherman tried to help her out,
she cussed him out and hit him in the head with a bottle.
And don't you think it's a crime
when time after time, people in the bottle.

See that gent in the wrinkled suit
he done damn near blown his cool
to the bottle
He wuz a doctor helpin' young girls along
if they wuzn't too far gone to have problems.
But defenders of the dollar eagle
Said "What you doin', Doc, it ain't legal,"
and now he's in the bottle.
Now we watch him everyday tryin' to
chase the pigeons away
from the bottle.
And don't you think it's a crime
when time after time, people in the bottle.