“Bottle of Whiskey”, my attempt at a drinking song, is one of a handful of pieces which paying (and not-so-paying) customers would actually request and sing along with. It is easy to perform solo because of the simplicity and directness of the lyrics. It is also easy to perform in a band, or impromptu with other musicians, because there is nothing complicated about the music.
This version features only two instruments, a lap steel and an overdubbed rhythm guitar ... hence the count-in … which, made after the recording of the lap steel, sounded so odd and out of time that I couldn't resist keeping it.
Another version, made a few years ago with Bill Kavanagh's Blues Affliction, can be found at: https://soundcloud.com/kcm069/01-bottle-of-whiskey
The cover image is from Pixabay, a free download site, at: https://pixabay.com/photos
PS: I know Gabriel is gonna “blow his trumpet” and not “ring his bell”, but I couldn't think of a suitable rhyme with “trumpet”, and no-one ever seemed to notice anyway.
Lyrics:
bring me a bottle of whiskey, bring me a bottle of wine
I’ll make my way to heaven some other time
bring me a bottle of whiskey, bring me a bottle of wine
let’s drink to my salvation one more time
now I believe in heaven, and I believe in hell
and I believe that judgment day is nigh
and I believe that Gabriel is gonna ring his bell
and I believe that pigs might fly
so bring me a bottle of whiskey, bring me a bottle of wine
I’ll make my way to heaven some other time
bring me a bottle of whiskey, bring me a bottle of wine
let’s drink to my salvation one more time
I guess I should consider what the gospels say
you know I know you know the righteous way
but bring me a bottle of whiskey, bring me a bottle of wine
I’ll make my way to heaven some other day
