The Drinking Songs That Built Country and Western Music

Long before playlists and streaming apps, honky-tonk was the birthplace of both bad decisions and great country music. It was here that the drinking songs that built country and western music were born. These weren’t just tunes about booze; the tracks also talk about love lost, pride swallowed, and a little liquid courage to help lower inhibition to continue line dancing.   

In this article, we’re raising a glass to the classic songs and artists that defined this tradition.  

Honky-tonk music was born in working-class bars where laughter was loud, tempers were short, and whiskey flowed freely. These “honky-tonks” started as rough-and-tumble drinking establishments catering to laborers, a place where they could unwind after a long day of work.   

From variety theaters and so-called “hurdy-gurdy shows” of the late 19th century, these venues evolved and became breeding grounds for a new style of country music. Musically, honky-tonk is described as a full rhythm section with a two-beat rhythm, dominated by steel guitar and fiddle, from how it began with the rhythmic energy of ragtime piano.   

By the 1940s and 1950s, especially in Austin, honky-tonks were everywhere: ramshackle buildings made of scrap lumber and tar paper. From these humble beginnings, honky-tonk became the heartbeat of country and western music.  

Historians agree honky-tonks originated in Texas and its neighboring states, with the earliest newspaper records from Texas and Oklahoma supporting this claim. The Lone Star State became a crucial hub for the development of honky-tonk music, especially with major Texas artists who contributed to the genre.   

These classic honky-tonk drinking songs emphasized gritty urban life, heartbreak, and solace found in alcohol.   

Ernest Tubb’s “Walking the Floor Over You” was responsible for the birth of the honky-tonk subgenre. The original version, released in 1941, only includes Tubb’s vocals and acoustic guitar; he later re-recorded it with his band, the Texas Troubadours.  

The original was a hit and reached the No. 23 spot on the charts. In 1998, the 1941 recording was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.   

Originally recorded by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys in 1947, “Bubbles in My Beer” later became a standard, performed by other country music artists. Modern Drunkard Magazine called the track “the ultimate self-pitying song,” with lyrics that go, “A vision of someone who loves me / Brings a lone silent tear to my eye / Oh I know that my life's been a failure / Just watching the bubbles in my beer (yeah).” The magazine also considered the track would set “the tone for a whole genre of songs about drowning sorrows in the barroom.”  

Floyd Tillman’s “Slippin’ Around” might not be the first cheating song, but it’s one of the first to become a hit. The track follows a person cheating on their spouse: “Though you're tied up with someone else / And I'm all tied up, too / I know I've made mistakes, dear / But I'm so in love with you.”  

Tillman wrote a follow-up song, “I’ll Never Slip Around Again.” The song is about the same cheater in the first song who is now married to the person they cheated on. However, they’re worried that they’re being cheated on: “I’ll never slip around again / I’ve learned a lot somehow / The one I slipped around with then / Is married to me now / I know just how it feels to live in lonely misery / The one I slipped around with then / Was slipping round on me / I guess I had it coming / There’s nothing I can do.”  

Lefty Frizzell, an American singer-songwriter, died of a stroke at age 47. However, he already made an impact on the subgenre with the track “If You’ve Got the Money (I’ve Got the Time),”one of the finest honky-tong songs ever recorded.  

One of the most influential country music vocal stylists, he was also considered by country singers, including George Jones, Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard, as a musical influence.  

Johnny Bush’s “Whiskey River” is a classic and is recognized as one of his most significant hits. Released in 1972, Bush included it on his album of the same name and later re-recorded it in 1981.  

The track follows the singer drowning their memory in whiskey: “Whiskey River, take my mind / Don't let her memory torture me / Whiskey River, don't run dry / You're all I got, take care of me.”  

Jukebox culture is important in preserving and spreading honky-tonk drinking songs. The jukebox also served as both a cultural anchor and a means of musical discovery in honky-tonk establishments. Certain songs became essential selections that distinguished one honky-tonk from another.   

Contemporary honky-tonk venues, specifically the Honky Tonk clubs of Lower Broadway in Nashville, evolved into a must-see attraction for visitors while still trying to maintain a welcoming atmosphere, particularly for emerging talents. Notable country music icons, including Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Dierks Bentley, and Gretchen Wilson, had their start performing in these honky-tonk venues.  

Honky-tonk drinking songs perfectly captured the essence of working-class experiences and provided a soundtrack not only for celebration but also for commiseration. Listen to these classic songs and experience the musical tradition firsthand by visiting modern honky-tonks.