Alcohol
Barenaked Ladies Lyrics
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Alcohol, a party-time necessity
Alcohol, alternative to feeling like yourself
Oh alcohol, I still drink to your health
I love you more than I did the week before
I discovered alcohol
(That's what I'm talkin 'bout)
Forget the cafe latte
Screw the raspberry iced tea
A Malibu and Coke for you, a G and T for me
Alcohol, your songs resolve like
My life never will
When someone else is picking up the bill
I love you more than I did the week before
I discovered alcohol
Oh alcohol, would you please forgive me?
For while I cannot love myself
I'll use something else
I thought that alcohol was just for those with
Nothing else to do
I thought that drinking just to get drunk
Was a waste of precious booze
But now I know that there's a time
And there's a place where I can choose
To walk the fine line between
Self-control and self-abuse
I love you more than I did the week before
I discovered alcohol
Would you please ignore that you
Found me on the floor
Trying on your camisole?
Oh alcohol, would you please forgive me?
For while I cannot love myself
I'll use something else
Would you please forgive me?
Would you please forgive me?
Barenaked Ladies' song "Alcohol" is a comedic take on the various ways alcohol affects individuals. The opening lines of the song, "Alcohol, my permanent accessory, alcohol, a party-time necessity," highlight the idea that alcohol can be a constant companion, helping individuals to cope with uncomfortable or boring situations. The chorus reinforces this idea, with the vocalist proclaiming his love for alcohol more and more each week.
However, the song delves deeper into the topic by questioning whether alcohol is the best way to cope with life's struggles. The line, "I thought that drinking just to get drunk was a waste of precious booze," demonstrates that the singer recognizes the possibility of overindulgence and acknowledges that there are healthier ways to drink. The climax of the song, "Would you please forgive me? For while I cannot love myself, I'll use something else," suggests that the despondency that alcohol may cause can lead to an individual using other forms of coping mechanisms.
Overall, "Alcohol" is a fun and at times, darkly comedic look at how individuals can use alcohol to navigate the ups and downs of life. The lyrics of the song provoke discussion on the negative aspects of coping with alcohol while also celebrating the way that alcohol can bring people together and make life more fun.
Line by Line Meaning
Alcohol, my permanent accessory
Alcohol is always with me, it's like a part of me.
Alcohol, a party-time necessity
I need alcohol to have a good time at parties.
Alcohol, alternative to feeling like yourself
Alcohol helps me feel like someone else, and I prefer that to being myself.
Oh alcohol, I still drink to your health
I still drink to celebrate alcohol, even though it's not always good for me.
I love you more than I did the week before
I discovered alcohol
(That's what I'm talkin 'bout)
My love for alcohol grows every week, and I'm excited about it.
Forget the cafe latte
Screw the raspberry iced tea
A Malibu and Coke for you, a G and T for me
I don't want coffee or tea, I want alcohol. I'll have a Malibu and Coke, and my friend will have a G and T.
Alcohol, your songs resolve like
My life never will
When someone else is picking up the bill
Alcohol makes me feel good with its songs, and I wish I could feel like that all the time. It's even better when someone else is paying for it.
Oh alcohol, would you please forgive me?
For while I cannot love myself
I'll use something else
I ask alcohol to forgive me for using it to replace self-love.
I thought that alcohol was just for those with
Nothing else to do
I thought that drinking just to get drunk
Was a waste of precious booze
But now I know that there's a time
And there's a place where I can choose
To walk the fine line between
Self-control and self-abuse
I used to think alcohol was only for people who were bored, and that getting drunk was a waste of alcohol. But now I understand that there's a time and place for drinking, and that I need to be careful not to cross the line into self-abuse.
Would you please ignore that you
Found me on the floor
Trying on your camisole?
I'm embarrassed about what I did while I was drunk, please don't judge me for it.
Would you please forgive me?
Would you please forgive me?
I ask for forgiveness again, because I feel guilty about my relationship with alcohol.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Stephen Duffy, Stephen Page
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel Schetrompf
Alcohol, my permanent accessory.
Alcohol, a party-time necessity.
Alcohol, alternative to feeling like yourself.
Oh, alcohol, I still drink to your health.
I love you more than I did the week before
I discovered alcohol.
Forget the cafe latte, screw the raspberry iced tea.
A malibu and coke for you, a G and T for me.
Alcohol, your songs resolve like my life never will,
When someone else is picking up the bill.
I love you more than I did the week before
I discovered alcohol.
Oh alcohol, would you please forgive me?
While I cannot love myself
I'll use something else.
I thought that alcohol was just for those with nothing else to do.
I thought that drinking just to get drunk was a waste of precious booze.
But now I know that there's a time and there's a place where I can choose
To walk the fine line between self-control and self-abuse.
I love you more than I did the week before
I discovered alcohol.
And would you please ignore
That you found me on the floor
Trying on your camisole.
Oh alcohol, would you please forgive me?
While I cannot love myself
I'll use something else.
Would you please forgive me?
Would you please forgive me?
spamspanker123
This was my first CD. My aunt always gave me the best presents because she was able to see my list to Santa. "I love Barenaked Ladies!" I screamed. "Me too!" she said. She came out of the closet on New Year's Eve.
arimightspeak
That’s a funny joke bahahaha 😂
Trish Smith
I ADORE the way this song sounds. I love how well BNL puts together words and sounds. This song is perfect
Pabler Arav
Dahlia, the ASMR girl? So random to find you at a BNL song... keep up the good work! Maybe do an ASMR with one of their songs, haha
Not Sure
This is one of those songs that I didn't understand as a kid but I totally relate to now.
Joman
This song has been stuck in my head for over two decades.
Corey-bird
I love this song more than alcohol itself.
StrawberryBoy100
These songs are as familiar to me as my parents' voices. I grew up on BNL. <3
Octavio Bannach
This was one of my depression drinking songs during my late teens early adulthood.
ruvalca2
This song is both really nostalgic and a guilty pleasure... <3