Drove Me to the Whiskey
Casey Donahew Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It′s just this memory in my head
You know you always want the ones that you can't have
But still I tear myself apart
Knowing you're the one that breaks
I pray every night that you don′t hear the phone
But I still call her when I get drunk
When I′m drownin' in a memory that ain′t her
Staring at her windshield, headed home
And praying she don't see she′s not the one
That drove me to the whiskey
Now, if I wasn't scared I′d let her go
But I don't wanna be alone
Why can't the one that′s in your arms be in your heart?
One day she′ll give up on me too
And I'll be the man she looks right through
She′ll wonder why she gave so much and why she cared
But I still call her when I get drunk
And she shows up and drives me home
When I'm drownin′ in a memory that ain't her
Staring at her windshield, headed home
And praying she don′t see she's not the one
That drove me to the whiskey
And I still call her when I get drunk
She shows up and drives me home
When I'm drownin′ in this memory that ain′t her
Staring at her windshield, headed home
And praying she don't see she′s not the one
That drove me to the whiskey
And I'm not the one
That drove me to the whiskey
And I still call her when I get drunk
She shows up and drives me home
When I′m drownin' in this memory that ain′t her
Staring at her windshield, headed home
And praying she don't see she's not the one
That drove me to the whiskey
And I′m not the one
That drove me to the whiskey
The song “Drove Me to the Whiskey” by Casey Donahew is a melancholic track that talks about a man who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that the woman he loves is not in his life anymore, and he has to rely on alcohol to get over the pain. The opening lines “It's not your fault that you're not her, It's just this memory in my head” acknowledge that the current girl he is with is not the one he wants, but there is still something about her that keeps him coming back.
The singer acknowledges that he should let go of the girl he cannot have, but he just cannot bring himself to do it. He worries that he may be alone if he lets her go. This is evident from the lines, “Now, if I wasn't scared I'd let her go, But I don't wanna be alone, Why can't the one that's in your arms be in your heart?” The song talks about the pain of unrequited love and how drinking becomes a way for the main character to cope with the hurt.
The chorus of the song highlights the fact that whenever the singer feels low, he calls the girl he cannot have, and she drives him home. This is a testament to the fact that their bond is still there, and even though they cannot be intimate, they can still rely on each other.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not your fault that you're not her
I understand that you're not the person I want and it's not your fault
It's just this memory in my head
The memory of someone else is keeping me from being content
You know you always want the ones that you can't have
It's a common feeling to desire what is unattainable
But still I tear myself apart
I can't help but feel broken and conflicted
Knowing you're the one that breaks
I'm aware that my own thoughts and desires are causing my pain
I pray every night that you don't hear the phone
I hope you don't answer when I call in a vulnerable state
But I still call her when I get drunk
Despite my hopes, I reach out to her when I'm intoxicated
And she shows up and drives me home
She is kind enough to help me even though she's not the one I truly want
When I'm drownin' in a memory that ain't her
I'm lost in thoughts about someone else when I'm with her
Staring at her windshield, headed home
As she drives me home, I can't help but feel distant and disconnected
And praying she don't see she's not the one
I hope she doesn't realize that she's not the person I wish was with me
That drove me to the whiskey
It's my own inner turmoil and loneliness that led me to drink
Now, if I wasn't scared I'd let her go
If I didn't fear being alone, I would end things with her
But I don't wanna be alone
I'm not ready to face the idea of being by myself
Why can't the one that's in your arms be in your heart?
I wish I could feel the way about her that she feels about me
One day she'll give up on me too
I'm afraid that she will eventually see through my facade and leave
And I'll be the man she looks right through
I fear that I will become invisible to her, like I feel towards the person I truly want
She'll wonder why she gave so much and why she cared
She will question why she invested so much into someone who couldn't reciprocate
And I'm not the one that drove me to the whiskey
It's not her fault that I turn to alcohol to numb the pain of unrequited love
Writer(s): Casey Joe Donahew
Contributed by Dylan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.