Drinkin' Back
Billy Joe Shaver Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hello barroom, my old friend
Yeah, it′s me, I'm drunk again
Like I′ve been ever since she went away
Now I'm just drinkin' back the part
Oh, that used to be my heart
′Cause after all, I just drank it away

I′m drinkin' back the memory
Of a sweet little woman
So, Mr. Bartender, please let me stay
I′ve already drank back about a year ago this Monday
She'll be mine Tuesday
If I can drink back yesterday

A little girl I drank away got hung up in yesterday
I didn′t know time could move by this fast
Now, yesterday seems far away
Life just moved up another day
So I'm just thinkin′ Lord and drinkin' back the past

Yeah, I'm drinkin′ back the memory
Of a sweet little woman
So, Mr. Bartender, please let me stay
I′ve already drank back about a year ago this Monday
She'll be mine Tuesday
If I can drink back yesterday





She′ll be mine Tuesday
If I can drink back yesterday

Overall Meaning

The song "Drinkin' Back" by Billy Joe Shaver is a poignant ode to heartbreak and coping with the pain of lost love. Through the lyrics, the singer reveals that he has been drunk since his lover left him and he's focusing on drinking back the memories of better times when she was with him. The lines "Now I'm just drinkin' back the part/Oh, that used to be my heart/Cause after all, I just drank it away" express how alcohol has become a source of solace for him, even though it's ultimately causing more harm than good.


The verse "I′ve already drank back about a year ago this Monday/She'll be mine Tuesday/If I can drink back yesterday" also reflects on the sense of desperation the singer feels, as he's trying to numb the pain of losing his lover by drinking away the past. He believes that if he can somehow undo his mistakes and relive the good times, he might be able to win her back. However, the sad reality is that he's just spiraling deeper into his addiction and that's not going to help his cause.


The chorus "Yeah, I'm drinkin’ back the memory/Of a sweet little woman/So, Mr. Bartender, please let me stay" portrays the sad portrayal of a broken person trying to forget the world, but not being able to. The singer wants to stay at the bar because he doesn't want to face his reality or the fact that his lover is gone. Ultimately, the lyrics of the song depict how people drown themselves in alcohol and try to change their past, but the past is written, and all we can do is reflect and hope to move forward while accepting our mistakes.


Line by Line Meaning

Hello barroom, my old friend
Addressing the barroom, where the singer comes often to drink and drown his sorrows.


Yeah, it's me, I'm drunk again
Acknowledging his constant state of alcohol inebriation due to his broken heart.


Like I've been ever since she went away
Revealing that the reason behind his drinking binges is his lover leaving him.


Now I'm just drinkin' back the part
Drinking alcohol to try to forget the painful part of his heart that was taken away with his lover's departure.


Oh, that used to be my heart
Referring to his ex-lover as the person that used to have his heart.


'Cause after all, I just drank it away
Admitting that his constant drinking made him lose his lover and ultimately drove him insane.


I'm drinkin' back the memory
Using drinking to revisit fond memories of his ex-lover.


Of a sweet little woman
Describing his lover as someone he fondly remembers.


So, Mr. Bartender, please let me stay
Appealing to the bartender to let him stay and continue drinking in the bar.


I've already drank back about a year ago this Monday
Revealing he has been drinking for a year and is trying to relive the time he spent with his lover.


She'll be mine Tuesday
Looking forward to the day he can finally have his lover with him once again.


If I can drink back yesterday
Hoping that he can drink enough to forget the past and move on towards a future with his lover.


A little girl I drank away got hung up in yesterday
Acknowledging that his drinking habit is responsible for him losing his lover, and how he is still stuck in the past.


I didn't know time could move by this fast
Realizing how time seemingly flies by when one is in a constant state of loneliness and regret.


Now, yesterday seems far away
Noting how far away yesterday seems due to the passage of time and his constant drinking.


Life just moved up another day
Noticing how time passes by quickly, and how life carries on despite his sorrow.


So I'm just thinkin' Lord and drinkin' back the past
Reflecting on his life and using alcohol to try and forget the past.




Writer(s): Billy Joe Shaver

Contributed by Ella F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions