10 Best Hangover Songs In Rock Music

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Some hangovers arrive with a pounding headache, while others linger as regret, embarrassment, or the emotional wreckage left behind after a long night. These ten rock songs capture the morning after from every angle, from bloodshot eyes and blurred memories to loneliness, reflection, and the hard realization that the party is over.

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Our article, “10 Best Hangover Songs in Rock Music,” is filled with tracks that narrate the morning after. Some of these songs directly address the pain and occasional embarrassment of Saturday or Sunday mornings after a night of revelry, whether it was a blast or a bust. While most of these songs discuss hangovers in the context of drinking, there is deeper material here, too. A hangover is not always strictly about alcohol; it can also involve other issues. Nonetheless, here are ten songs that promise to serve up an entertaining read and a fun listen.

# 10 – “In a Little While” – U2

We open with a fun one by the Irish rock band U2. Without trying to get into stereotypes, although with a name such as Brian and being half Irish, I will just say that I think this was an appropriate band to start a song list about drinking and hangovers. This one starts with some great guitar work by The Edge. I could listen to him play guitar all day. Bono has said this song was written about a hangover. Although it might not sound like it because of the beautiful melody, it is in there if you listen to the lyrics: “When the night takes a deep breath, and the daylight has no air, if I crawl, if I come crawling home, will you be there?” The song was released on U2’s tenth studio album, All That You Can’t Leave Behind. The album was released in 2000 and produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois.

# 9 – “Stone Cold Sober” – Rod Stewart

If there was ever a rock and roll star who embodied the good-time party attitude, it was the legendary Rod Stewart. More recently, he talked about his old partying days, saying that at his age, he has had to slow down. “Stone Cold Sober” was a tribute to those Saturday morning hangovers, with lyrics like, “But on Thursday, prepare for your weekend, and let Friday disappear into Saturday morning, when you’re stone cold sober again.” The song was released on Rod Stewart’s Atlantic Crossing album.

# 8 – “Sunday Morning After” – Amanda Marshall

If you are not yet familiar with this song, I highly recommend watching the video below; it is fantastic. Amanda Marshall has long been a favorite at ClassicRockHistory.com. Over the past three decades, she has emerged as one of the great rocking female vocalists who has somewhat flown under the radar. Although she has a loyal fan base, her exceptional talent truly merits a broader audience. Do not just take our word for it; watch the video below and see for yourself. The song is from her album Everybody’s Got a Story. There is no need to explain this one.

Read More: Top 10 Amanda Marshall Songs

# 7 – “Morning After” – The Criminals

There is nothing like a good hardcore punk song about being hungover to inject a little spice into the list. The entire song is about a hangover, but here is the lyric we love the most: “The evil neighbors glare at me, they want us to move away. The yard’s an apocalypse of broken glass, neighbors always complain. Only twelve o’clock in the afternoon, at least it’s cloudy again.” The song was released on the band’s 1997 album, Never Been Caught. Nice cover!

# 6 – “Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)” – Tom Waits

There is probably a lot more to this story than just a simple hangover, yet it seems to start there. The phrase “Waltzing Matilda” is associated with traveling through the country while carrying one’s belongings. There is a great deal of sadness in this song as it tells the story of someone trying to move on. Tom Waits weaves the familiar phrase into a narrative of loneliness, displacement, heartache, and wandering. The song first appeared on Waits’ 1976 album, Small Change, and its emotional landscape of alienation and sorrow gives it a depth that reaches far beyond the morning after.

# 5 – “Sunday Morning Coming Down” – Johnny Cash

“Sunday Morning Coming Down” might not be considered classic rock by some, but we do not mind; it is such a great song that we are making sure to include it on this list. If you do not see the connection between classic rock and Johnny Cash or Kris Kristofferson, then you are not listening closely enough. Written by Kris Kristofferson, the song captures the essence of a hangover through its lyrics and the mournful melody underpinning the narrative. The song opens with the singer waking up on a Sunday morning, grappling with a throbbing headache and an existential kind of solitude, evident in lines like, “Well, I woke up Sunday morning with no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt.” This immediately sets the scene of a hangover, not just through physical symptoms but also through the reflective sadness that often accompanies the morning after excessive drinking.

Kris Kristofferson’s ability to weave complex emotions into simple, relatable scenarios made this song resonate deeply with audiences, leading to widespread acclaim and cover versions by numerous artists. The most notable cover, which arguably eclipsed the original in popularity, was by Johnny Cash. Cash’s rendition brought a raw authenticity to the song that aligned with his personal struggles and Man in Black persona. His version, released in 1970, became an instant classic.

# 4 – “Cheap Sunglasses” – ZZ Top

“Cheap Sunglasses” by ZZ Top might not explicitly mention hangovers, but it is easy to see how it fits the theme of a hangover song. The gritty, blues-infused rock track from ZZ Top’s 1979 album Degüello delves into cool detachment and the need for a bit of anonymity after a wild night out, themes not far removed from the aftermath of heavy drinking.

The song’s lyrics celebrate the simple pleasure of wearing a pair of inexpensive sunglasses, which perfectly captures the morning-after scenario in which someone might want to shield their eyes from the harsh daylight after a night of excess. The sunglasses serve as a metaphor for protection and a buffer from the world, much like the vulnerability and need for a shield that can accompany a hangover. The opening riff, combined with the swagger of the lyrics, brings a rugged, carefree attitude that aligns well with the disheveled yet defiant mood often found in songs about recovering from a night of drinking.

Moreover, the act of putting on “cheap sunglasses” symbolizes a way to cover up the night’s consequences, including bloodshot eyes and a weary face, making them the perfect accessory for the morning after. In this way, “Cheap Sunglasses” can be seen as an anthem for those rough mornings, providing a rock and roll remedy for the common hangover.

# 3 – “Big Shot” – Billy Joel

I think most people will think of this one when they hear the term hangover songs. “Big Shot” by Billy Joel, from his 1978 album, 52nd Street, captures the essence of a hangover in many ways. The song recounts the story of someone who, after a night of overindulgence, wakes up to the stark consequences of their actions. Supposedly, he was talking about Bianca Jagger, but who really knows? With lyrics like, “You had to be a big shot, didn’t you? You had to open up your mouth,” Joel highlights the social and emotional aftermath of behaving arrogantly under the influence of alcohol.

However, the song also explicitly addresses the physical symptoms of a hangover. The line, “You wake up in the morning with your head on fire and your eyes too bloody to see,” directly points to the painful reality of a hangover, illustrating the headache and bloodshot eyes that often accompany excessive drinking. This dual portrayal makes “Big Shot” a compelling narrative about the repercussions of overindulgence, blending the figurative hangover of regret with the literal pain of alcohol overconsumption.

# 2 – “We All Had a Real Good Time” – Edgar Winter

Edgar Winter’s “We All Had a Real Good Time,” from his 1972 album, They Only Come Out at Night, captures the essence of a raucous night out with its lively and upbeat tempo. While it does not explicitly mention hangovers, the song’s celebratory tone and recollections of a night filled with fun and abandon indirectly set the stage for the inevitable aftermath of such evenings.

The lyrics, “Remember when you didn’t feel quite so bad / What happened to those times we once had,” subtly nod to the nostalgia and perhaps mild regret that often accompany the clarity of the morning after. The upbeat rock rhythms and energetic delivery suggest the highs of the night’s revelry, which are typically followed by the contrasting lows of a hangover.

In the context of a hangover song, “We All Had a Real Good Time” serves as a reminder of the good times that lead to less pleasant mornings. It is a celebration of living in the moment, yet the subtext is a playful acknowledgment of the consequences of overindulgence. This makes it a fitting track to play when reminiscing about the night before or even as a lighthearted take on nursing a hangover. The song resonates with anyone who has ever looked back on a fun night out and thought, “It was worth it,” despite the headache the next day.

# 1 – “Do You Feel Like We Do” – Peter Frampton

Some songs instantly grab you with the first couple of notes, and this one does that tenfold. The studio version of this song is pretty good, but the live version is phenomenal. Besides the incredible music featured in this song, the opening lyric, “Whose wine, what wine, where the hell did I dine?” perfectly captures the trauma, shock, and memory loss of a hangover more vividly than any other lyric we have ever heard. Of course, anyone who has been around for the past 40 or 50 years knows that this song is the highlight of a double-record set that skyrocketed in sales and changed the landscape of the music industry. It does not get more classic than this.