Top 10 Drinking Songs In Rock Music

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This Top 10 Drinking Songs list looks at the best songs while primarily focusing on the classic rock format. There are many songs people can listen to, as there are more than enough reasons to enjoy some bubbly while cranking up the volume to take in the full experience. Aside from folk songs that are notorious picks for drinking songs, what about songs that talk about drinking but not in a bad way? With so many drinking songs that have something to do with a beverage, how do we know which ones are the best? This is subject to opinion as not everybody will share the same taste. As there are many versions of some of the classic cocktails known to exist, so are there rock songs that focus on drinking either an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage.

Top 10 Drinking Songs

# 10 – Go for Soda – Kim Mitchell

Released in 1984 as the lead single from his album Akimbo Alogo, “Go for Soda” peaked at number twenty-two on the Canada Top Singles chart and a number twelve hit on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks. It was also the only time Kim Mitchell charted a hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 as it peaked at number eighty-six. Instead of going for a beer, Mitchell opted for a soft drink instead as he felt it had less social consequences than consuming something that had alcoholic content in it.

#9 – Have a Drink on Me

From the album Back in Black, AC/DC released the ironic drinking song “Have a Drink on Me” five months after the former frontman of the band, Bon Scott, literally drank himself to death, according to the official cause of death report of acute alcohol poisoning. Stories have it the Royal Marines used this AC/DC song as part of a drinking game, seeing who among the drinkers could still walk a straight line after a series of various liquor shots were taken. While the song itself did not chart, it still serves up one mean drinking song worth raising a glass to.

#8 – Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar) – The Doors

In 1966, Jim Morrison and The Doors recorded “Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)” as a rock-carnival quest to find a liquor establishment where they could drink the night away and have some fun doing it. The inspiration behind the recording of this song came from the 1930 opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahogany. The Door’s psychedelic and ska influences in “Alabama Song” were a somewhat comedic approach to finding a whiskey bar. At the same time, the keyboard bass, organ, and saxophone played in the background. There is also a 1979 David Bowie version that peaked as high as number twenty-three on the UK Singles Chart that had a stripped-down version of his hit, “Space Oddity,” serve as background music while he sang his desire to find a whiskey bar.

#7 – Kiss the Bottle – Jawbreaker

Jawbreaker’s “Kiss the Bottle” was a 1992 punk rock performance featuring Blake Schwarzenbach’s raspy vocals as he and the group lyrically discussed alcohol. In this classic and unique song, the three-man band made a living under a bridge with liquor and smokes as the way to live seems like fun. “Kiss the Bottle” can be found on Jawbreaker’s compilation album, Etc., released on July 23, 2002. For a song out of the ordinary but still suited to the theme, “Kiss the Bottle” definitely fits the bill.

#6 – Have Another Drink – The Kinks

Ray Davies of The Kinks suggested “Have Another Drink” to cure the blues. From the 1975 album Soap Opera, The Kinks made the lyrical suggestion that a few good drinks may help wash away the problems and make a person feel alright. “Have Another Drink” witnessed Davies and the rest of his group agree this was a better alternative to drowning in despair and sorrow. As a song, the suggestion sounded enough to have a drink indeed.

#5 – Mas Tequila – Sammy Hagar

You can’t have a list of rock songs about drinking without including the Red Rocker. For rock and roll sake, the man made more money off booze than he has as a rock and roll star. His sale of his Cabo Wabo Brand of Tequila netted him 80 million, and he was still able to keep a twenty percent share of the brand.

#4 – Tequila – The Champs

“Tequila” is a 1958 classic performed by the Champs; along with the surf-style Mexicana flavor, the instrumentals jazzed their way clean through the entire song. It became a number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The development of this song was technically just a jam session by the Flores Trio of Danny Flores, Gene Alden, and Buddy Bruce, basing the music on a Cuban mambo beat. “Tequila” is the only word spoken in the song.

It was not intended to be released as a hit as it was on the “B” side for “Train to Nowhere.” However, an Ohio-based DJ flipped the record and played “Tequila” on the air. It quickly became a number-one hit and an all-time cult favorite. In addition to the original 1958 “Tequila,” there is a sequel song titled “Too Much Tequila,” and it became a number thirty hit on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 2020, Dave Burgess and his fellow The Champs group recorded a partied-up version of “Tequila” that still pays homage to that one drink known to put many drinkers under the table.

#3 – Whiskey in the Jar – Thin Lizzy

“Whiskey in the Jar” was a 1972 recorded version by Thin Lizzy that was decent enough as his version of a traditional Irish drinking song. However, in 1998, Metallica’s amped-up version was good enough to win a Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy Award in 2000. On the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, it peaked at number seven, and it was a number one hit on the UK Rock & Metal chart. Globally, it was at least a top forty hit among the nations of Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Scotland, and Sweden. Who says traditional drinking songs can’t rock it up? Thin Lizzy made a good start in 1972, but Metallica brought that “Whiskey in the Jar” single home as a genuine smash. Still, we will always prefer the Thin Lizzy original.

#2 – Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers – ZZ Top

In 1973, ZZ Top released the album, Tres Hombres. From it, “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers” was a song that featured Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill trade vocal lines as they praise the culture of beer-loving people who love to raise a little hell from time to time. Although the song was not released as a single, it has become a cult favorite and still holds a special place in the hearts of “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers.”

#1 – TIE – I Drink Alone / One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer – George Thorogood And The Destroyers

There was no way we would end this drinking song list with any other song but one of these two. Everything about these are legendary. From the opening guitar riffs to the bad a** lyrics to the iconic videos, these two hits a 10 in all aspects.

Released on February 1, 1985, as a standout single from the album Maverick, the track delves into the narrative of a man who finds solace in his own company, accompanied only by an array of spirits. Thorogood’s gritty vocals and signature guitar riffs paint a vivid picture of a solitary drinker, name-dropping iconic brands such as Wiser’s—or Budweiser in certain renditions—alongside Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam, and Johnnie Walker, with both its Black and Red Labels making an appearance. In some live performances, Thorogood swaps out the Old Grand-Dad reference for a nod to Wild Turkey, adding a dynamic twist to the song’s alcoholic anthology.

Produced by Terry Manning, “I Drink Alone” resonated with audiences and critics alike, peaking at an impressive number 13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1985. The song’s enduring appeal lies not only in its catchy melody and Thorogood’s robust performance but also in its unapologetic portrayal of drinking culture. Accompanied by Hank Carter on the saxophone, Billy Blough on bass, and Jeff Simon on drums, Thorogood delivers a performance that is both powerful and introspective.

In a bold move that marked his entry into the music world, George Thorogood infused his 1977 debut album, George Thorogood and the Destroyers, with a rendition of “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” that would come to define his musical style. Thorogood’s version stands out as a medley, masterfully blending John Lee Hooker’s original with “House Rent Boogie,” another Hooker classic, to create a narrative arc that delves into the protagonist’s backstory and his ensuing plight.

This creative decision to combine the two songs was not made lightly; Thorogood sought and received Hooker’s blessing before proceeding. Hooker’s response, “Okay, go ahead,” granted Thorogood the artistic license to weave these two blues numbers into a single, cohesive story. The result is a track that not only pays homage to Hooker’s influence but also showcases Thorogood’s ability to reinterpret and enliven the blues tradition for a new audience.

Thorogood’s rendition has not only become a staple in his live performances, as evidenced by its inclusion on Live (1986) and 30th Anniversary Tour: Live (2004), but it has also transcended the music industry to make a significant cultural impact. Its feature in the soundtrack of the professional wrestling video game WWE 2K18 attests to the song’s enduring appeal and Thorogood’s successful fusion of classic blues with rock’s rebellious energy.

Legal notice: This article does in no way promote drinking but just looks at the way musical artists have responded to drinking culture. The information and material contained in this article is for entertainment information purposes only and does not constitute advice and does not promote drinking.