On his third and latest album, When the Money’s All Gone, Eady delivers southern gospel stomps, New Orleans soul, and the heartbreaking tide of sin and redemption through his rich baritone voice and a raucous band. Produced by critically-acclaimed songwriter, Kevin Welch, When the Money’s All Gone comes as both a calming voice for the current times and as a timeless album of blue-eyed, southern soul music. The songs sound from the voice of a sage poet that’s made it through the storm to see the other side, all the while knowing it’s going to come again.
Whiskey & You
Jason Eady Lyrics
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And it's empty so right now I don't feel a thing
I'll be hurtin' when I wake up on the floor
And I'll be over it by noon
And that's the difference between the whiskey and you
Come tomorrow I can walk in any store
It ain't a problem yeah they'll always sell me more
But you're forgiveness is something I can't buy
Ain't a thing that I can do
And that's the difference between the whiskey and you
One's the devil and one keeps driving me insane
At times I wonder if they ain't both the same
One's a liar that helps hide me from my pain
And one's a long hard bitter truth
And that's the difference between the whiskey and you
I've got a problem but it ain't like what you think
I drink 'cause I'm lonesome and I'm lonesome 'cause I drink
If I don't break down and bring it on myself it'll hit right out of the blue
That's the difference between the whiskey and you
Yeah that's the difference between the whiskey and you
The lyrics of Jason Eady's song "Whiskey & You" portray the difference between the temporary ease of physical discomfort and emotional pain. The bottle of whiskey on the dresser represents a temporary solution to the emotional trauma the singer experiences. While he cannot feel any physical pain due to the numbness induced by whiskey, the hurt will surface again when he wakes up on the floor, leaving him with nothing to hold onto. In contrast to whiskey, forgiveness is not sellable. The singer can wander into any store and buy as much whiskey as he wants, but he cannot purchase forgiveness, which is the hallmark of genuine relationships.
The singer acknowledges that whiskey and emotional pain are two different things entirely. Both are driving him insane, but whereas whiskey is a liar that helps him hide his pain, it is not the way to deal with his real problem. Emotional pain is a bitter truth that he cannot avoid. The singer admits that he is lonesome, and, as a result, he drinks. He only wishes for the solace that he believes whiskey brings, but the alcohol cannot fix his underlying issue. In the last lines of the song, the singer acknowledges that the only difference between whiskey and his lonely, painful existence is that one is temporary and intangible, while the other is permanent and real.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a bottle on the dresser by your ring
The singer sees a bottle of whiskey by the listener's ring which may imply the listener drinks too much.
And it's empty so right now I don't feel a thing
The singer has been drinking and there's no more whiskey left in the bottle. The whiskey numbs the pain.
I'll be hurtin' when I wake up on the floor
The singer will feel bad in the morning having drank all night.
And I'll be over it by noon
The artist will start to feel better by noon hence throwing the pain away.
And that's the difference between the whiskey and you
Whiskey will only numb the pain temporarily while the person causing it may not go away.
Come tomorrow I can walk in any store
The singer can easily get more whiskey from any store.
It ain't a problem yeah they'll always sell me more
Buying more whiskey won't pose any challenge to the singer.
But you're forgiveness is something I can't buy
The listener's forgiveness cannot be bought the way whiskey can be bought.
Ain't a thing that I can do
The artist is helpless and can't do anything to make amends.
And that's the difference between the whiskey and you
Whiskey may suppress the pain, but it leaves the cause of the pain untouched.
One's the devil and one keeps driving me insane
Whiskey is like the devil as it brings pain and does harm to the singer. The person causing the pain though is what drives the singer insane.
At times I wonder if they ain't both the same
The artist wonders if whiskey and the person causing the pain are not one in the same.
One's a liar that helps hide me from my pain
Whiskey is a liar that lets the singer believe they are without pain while in reality, the pain persists
And one's a long hard bitter truth
The person causing the pain is the truth that the singer must face.
And that's the difference between the whiskey and you
Whiskey may let the singer forget the pain, but it cannot solve the underlying issue that the person causing the pain represents.
I've got a problem but it ain't like what you think
Although the artist has a problem with alcohol, it is caused by the loneliness they feel as opposed to an addiction.
I drink 'cause I'm lonesome and I'm lonesome 'cause I drink
The artist drinks because they are lonely and they are drinking to compensate for their loneliness which becomes a vicious cycle.
If I don't break down and bring it on myself it'll hit right out of the blue
If the singer does not actively bring on or invite the pain and loneliness, it will come just the same.
That's the difference between the whiskey and you
Whiskey can be controlled by the singer but the loneliness caused by the listener is not in their power to control.
Contributed by Eliana A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.