Alcohol
Buster Poindexter Lyrics
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He used to be a winner who enjoyed a life of prominence and position,
But the pressures at the office and his socialite engagements,
And his selfish wife's fanatical ambition,
It turned him to the booze,
And he got mixed up with a floosie
And she led him to a life of indecision.
The floosie made him spend his dole
A drunken lag in some Salvation Army Mission.
It's such a shame.
Oh demon alcohol,
Sad memories I cannot recall,
Who thought I would say,
Damn it all and blow it all,
Oh demon alcohol,
Memories I can't recall,
Who thought I would fall a slave to demon alcohol.
Sad memories I can't recall,
Who thought I would fall a slave to demon alcohol.
Bargain wine, pink gin,
He'll drink anything,
Port, pernod or tequila,
Rum, scotch, vodka on the rocks,
As long as all his troubles disappear.
But he messed up his life, when he beat up his wife,
And the floosie's gone and found another sucker
She's gonna turn him on to drink
She's gonna lead him to the brink
When his money's gone,
She'll leave him in the gutter,
It's such a shame.
Oh demon alcohol,
Sad memories I can't recall,
Who thought I would say,
Damn it all and blow it all
Sad memories I can't recall,
Who thought I would fall,
A slave to demon alcohol.
The song "Alcohol" by Buster Poindexter tells the story of a successful man who falls victim to the pressures and temptations of his high-status life. The pressures at work and his wife's fanatic ambition lead him to turn to alcohol as a way to cope. This leads him to a life of indecision and he becomes involved with a "floosie" who encourages his excessive drinking and spending. Eventually, he hits rock bottom and ends up in a Salvation Army Mission, as his wife leaves him for good. The lyrics express regret and sadness for the self-destructive path the man has taken due to his addiction.
The repetition of the phrase "Oh demon alcohol" throughout the song reinforces the idea that alcohol is a powerful force that can lead to destruction and loss of control. The lyrics show the harmful consequences of alcohol addiction, including the loss of money, relationships, and self-respect. The line "Sad memories I can't recall" further highlights the negative impact of alcohol on one's memory and judgment.
Overall, "Alcohol" serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of alcohol abuse and the importance of finding healthy ways to cope with stress and pressure in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's a story about a sinner,
Let me tell you a tale of a man who lost his way
He used to be a winner who enjoyed a life of prominence and position,
He was successful and had it all, living a life of luxury
But the pressures at the office and his socialite engagements,
The stress of work and keeping up appearances wore him down
And his selfish wife's fanatical ambition,
His wife's greedy desire for more only added to his troubles
It turned him to the booze,
He turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism
And he got mixed up with a floosie
He got involved with a woman of questionable morals
And she led him to a life of indecision.
She led him down a path of uncertainty and confusion
The floosie made him spend his dole
The woman made him spend his money
She left him lying on Skid Row
She left him broke and homeless
A drunken lag in some Salvation Army Mission.
He ended up in a shelter, drunk and helpless
It's such a shame.
It's a tragic story
Oh demon alcohol,
Alcohol personified as a demon
Sad memories I cannot recall,
He can't remember the unhappy events due to drinking
Who thought I would say,
He never expected to lose control to alcohol
Damn it all and blow it all,
He curses and spends all his money on alcohol
Memories I can't recall,
He can't remember anything due to excessive drinking
Who thought I would fall a slave to demon alcohol.
He became a slave to drinking, something he never expected
Bargain wine, pink gin,
He will drink anything to get drunk
He'll drink anything, Port, pernod or tequila,
He will drink any type of alcohol to numb his problems
Rum, scotch, vodka on the rocks,
He drinks rum, scotch, and vodka on ice
As long as all his troubles disappear.
He drinks to forget his problems
But he messed up his life, when he beat up his wife,
He ruined his life by physically abusing his spouse
And the floosie's gone and found another sucker
His mistress found another victim to exploit
She's gonna turn him on to drink
She will encourage him to drink
She's gonna lead him to the brink
She will push him to the edge
When his money's gone,
When he runs out of money
She'll leave him in the gutter,
She will abandon him, leaving him homeless
Sad memories I can't recall,
He can't remember anything due to excessive drinking
Who thought I would fall,
He never expected to lose control to alcohol
A slave to demon alcohol.
He became a slave to drinking, something he never expected
Contributed by Elijah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@desTroyeth999
Wow.
@DalyTheThird
Ray Davies is a fucking genius. David Johansen ain't far behind.
@ChrisNeufeldMusic
4:10 Short hidden track.
@scottsoloway
Doesn’t really add anything to the original version by The Kinks.
@mikusalbus9539
Thats because no one is gonna top the original kinks
@anotherjoshua
it's a tighter, more intimate performance. both are great.
@mikeydread62
Both would owe a great deal to Kurt Weil and Bertolt Brecht, but that's a round for another time
@kevinappleman848
David's attempt at TOM WAITS LITE.... blah