Why Don't We Get Drunk
Encyclopedia
"Why Don't We Get Drunk" is a novelty song
written and performed by American
popular music singer-songwriter
Jimmy Buffett
. It was a b-side to the first single
("The Great Filling Station Holdup") from his 1973
album
A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean
. The song is a fan favorite and, up until the 2007 Bama Breeze tour, was almost always performed at Buffett's live concerts.
Buffett wrote the song under the pseudonym Marvin Gardens, derived from a property on the original Atlantic City version of the Monopoly game board.
The song is a parody of standard country music
love songs. Buffett states that he made the song "as a total satire [and] wasn't even going to put it on the album. We did it foolin' around in one take. But immediately that song became controversial, and there were jukebox sales." Buffett further notes, "I was hearing a lot of very suggestive country songs-in particular, Conway Twitty
's "Let's Go All the Way." I figured I would write a song that would leave no doubt in anybody's mind. I thought back to a late night in an Atlanta
diner where I was eating and watching this out-of-focus businessman trying to pick up a hooker
. That's all the inspiration I needed."
Soon after the release of the single "The Great Filling Station Holdup"/"Why Don't We Get Drunk", it was reported that it had sold over 50,000 copies just to jukebox operators, according to B.J. McElvee, country promotion manager for ABC-Dunhill Records. Billboard magazine reported that only the A-side, "The Great Filling Station Holdup," was promoted to country radio, because the word "screw" was not generally acceptable in country radio programming at the time; however, "Why Don't We Get Drunk" was played by some "underground" stations on FM radio. "Why Don't We Get Drunk" was identified by Billboard as a "jukebox favorite" more than three years after its original release.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Buffett frequently sang the song in concert with one of the choruses replaced with "why don't we get stoned and screw." This can be heard on the 1978 live album release You Had to Be There, where Buffett declares "I just bought some Colombian herb and we'll smoke it all, me and you."
On the other hand, in the 1990s, Buffett modified the lyrics to include references to using condom
s and getting a designated driver
if necessary. He was quoted as saying, "It's my way of saying this is the nineties and that I don't want any of the fans to get drunk and drive, and to remind them about using a condom. By sticking the message in the song, it's a way to get the point across subtly, using some humor."
During the Havaña Daydreamin' Tour in 1997/98 and Party At The End Of The World Tour in 2006/07, Buffett sang the lyrics as "Why don't we get lunch in school", usually prefacing the song by acknowledging the fact that children are now attending his concerts alongside their adult parents and he wanted to make the song more family friendly. For the first time, after several years of criticism by fans of being overplayed and/or too obscene, the song was dropped from the opening-show in Texas
and hadn't been played until, on 24 April 2008, in 'the year of still here' concert in St. Louis, Missouri, Buffett played this song.
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
written and performed by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
popular music singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
. It was a b-side to the first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
("The Great Filling Station Holdup") from his 1973
1973 in music
-January–April:*January 9 – Mick Jagger's request for a Japanese visa is rejected on account of a 1969 drug conviction, putting an abrupt end to The Rolling Stones' plans to perform in Japan during their forthcoming tour.*January 14...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean
A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean
A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean is the third album by American popular music singer–songwriter Jimmy Buffett and the first major-label album in Buffett's Don Gant-produced "Key West phase"...
. The song is a fan favorite and, up until the 2007 Bama Breeze tour, was almost always performed at Buffett's live concerts.
Buffett wrote the song under the pseudonym Marvin Gardens, derived from a property on the original Atlantic City version of the Monopoly game board.
The song is a parody of standard country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
love songs. Buffett states that he made the song "as a total satire [and] wasn't even going to put it on the album. We did it foolin' around in one take. But immediately that song became controversial, and there were jukebox sales." Buffett further notes, "I was hearing a lot of very suggestive country songs-in particular, Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
's "Let's Go All the Way." I figured I would write a song that would leave no doubt in anybody's mind. I thought back to a late night in an Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
diner where I was eating and watching this out-of-focus businessman trying to pick up a hooker
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
. That's all the inspiration I needed."
Soon after the release of the single "The Great Filling Station Holdup"/"Why Don't We Get Drunk", it was reported that it had sold over 50,000 copies just to jukebox operators, according to B.J. McElvee, country promotion manager for ABC-Dunhill Records. Billboard magazine reported that only the A-side, "The Great Filling Station Holdup," was promoted to country radio, because the word "screw" was not generally acceptable in country radio programming at the time; however, "Why Don't We Get Drunk" was played by some "underground" stations on FM radio. "Why Don't We Get Drunk" was identified by Billboard as a "jukebox favorite" more than three years after its original release.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Buffett frequently sang the song in concert with one of the choruses replaced with "why don't we get stoned and screw." This can be heard on the 1978 live album release You Had to Be There, where Buffett declares "I just bought some Colombian herb and we'll smoke it all, me and you."
On the other hand, in the 1990s, Buffett modified the lyrics to include references to using condom
Condom
A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...
s and getting a designated driver
Designated driver
The terms "designated driver" and "designated driving" refer to selecting a person to remain sober, as the driver of a vehicle, while others are allowed to drink to excess . A designated driver is a person who abstains from alcohol on a social occasion in order to drive his/her companions home safely...
if necessary. He was quoted as saying, "It's my way of saying this is the nineties and that I don't want any of the fans to get drunk and drive, and to remind them about using a condom. By sticking the message in the song, it's a way to get the point across subtly, using some humor."
During the Havaña Daydreamin' Tour in 1997/98 and Party At The End Of The World Tour in 2006/07, Buffett sang the lyrics as "Why don't we get lunch in school", usually prefacing the song by acknowledging the fact that children are now attending his concerts alongside their adult parents and he wanted to make the song more family friendly. For the first time, after several years of criticism by fans of being overplayed and/or too obscene, the song was dropped from the opening-show in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and hadn't been played until, on 24 April 2008, in 'the year of still here' concert in St. Louis, Missouri, Buffett played this song.