Alcohol
Howlin’ Maggie Lyrics
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Alcohol, oh alcohol, oh in between inhibitions I can't feel anything at all oh la la oh la la.
Alcohol, oh alcohol, you love me like a bitter girl whose face I can't recall.
Alcohol, I hope you know Im needing more affection cause your sweetness have already gone oh gone oh gone yeah.
Oh death defying alcohol, really want you, yeah death defying alcohol really want you you.
Oh alcohol, alcohol, oh the warmth of your personality is a wonder to behold.
Alcohol, oh my love, I'm gone, I'm in your arms, lease take me as you are oh are oh are.
Alcohol, oh bless my soul, you tempted me with laughter when you caused me have to crawl.
Oh death defying alcohol, really want you,
Oh death defying alcohol really want you yeah.
Oh death defying alcohol really want you, really want you yeah.
Sleep in the bar, oh I go sleep in the bar.
I go sleep in the bar, oh I go sleep in the bar oh. oh.
end
The lyrics of Howlin’ Maggie’s song “Alcohol” tell a story of someone who is struggling with loneliness, hunger, and the monotony of being boxed in by their four walls. This person turns to alcohol as a means of escape, a way to break down their inhibitions and feel something, anything at all. The singer describes alcohol as being like a lover, one who is bitter and whose face they can’t remember, but one who still provides a sweetness that is sorely needed. However, the sweetness soon fades, and the singer is left wanting more affection. Despite this, the singer cannot help but be drawn back to alcohol, willing to defy death for another taste.
The lyrics showcase the dangers and allure of alcohol as a coping mechanism, a way to escape the harsh realities of life. The repeated phrases of “death defying alcohol” emphasize the risk that the singer is taking in relying on alcohol to provide them with a temporary sense of comfort. The final lines of the song, “sleep in the bar, oh I go sleep in the bar,” suggest that the singer has reached a point of desperation, where the only respite they can find is in the numbing, artificial embrace of alcohol.
Line by Line Meaning
Alcohol, alcohol I'm lonely and I'm hungry and tired of These four walls.
The singer is bored and isolated, craving alcohol to escape their mundane surroundings.
Alcohol, oh alcohol, oh in between inhibitions I can't feel anything at all oh la la oh la la.
The singer is so drunk they are numb to their surroundings and feeling uninhibited.
Alcohol, oh alcohol, you love me like a bitter girl whose face I can't recall.
The singer is comparing the love of alcohol to a fading memory of a past relationship.
Alcohol, I hope you know Im needing more affection cause your sweetness have already gone oh gone oh gone yeah.
The singer craves more alcohol because the initial effects have worn off and they need more to feel the same level of comfort.
Oh death defying alcohol, really want you, yeah death defying alcohol really want you you.
The singer is fully aware of the dangerous effects of alcohol but still wants it regardless.
Alcohol, alcohol, oh the warmth of your personality is a wonder to behold.
The singer is romanticizing the effects of alcohol, seeing it as a comforting presence with a warm personality.
Alcohol, oh my love, I'm gone, I'm in your arms, lease take me as you are oh are oh are.
The singer has fully surrendered to the effects of alcohol and sees it as a lover who accepts them for who they are.
Alcohol, oh bless my soul, you tempted me with laughter when you caused me have to crawl.
The singer sees alcohol as a deceptive force that brings temporary joy but also instability and physical harm.
Alcohol, oh alcohol, you left me Here undead with my head inside a stall.
The singer feels like they are in a zombie-like state after drinking too much alcohol, possibly physically ill in a bathroom stall.
Oh death defying alcohol, really want you,
The singer reiterates their desire for alcohol despite the known risks and dangers.
Oh death defying alcohol really want you yeah.
The singer repeats their desire for alcohol, emphasizing the dangerous but alluring effects.
Oh death defying alcohol really want you, really want you yeah.
The singer passionately desires alcohol, acknowledging the risks but disregarding them for the temporary comfort it brings.
Sleep in the bar, oh I go sleep in the bar. I go sleep in the bar, oh I go sleep in the bar oh. oh.
The singer is so drunk they want to sleep in the bar instead of going home, emphasizing the negative effects of alcohol on decision-making and responsibility.
Contributed by Isaac L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@webinarprofessor
Today I'm one year sober - and able to say that this powerful song says it all. Blessings to HowlinMaggie!
@cbus
I hope you still are!
@adtonezpresentation2229
I've been looking for this song for over 17 years since I first heard it on a Real World episode and I finally found it!!
@lisbetlustylocks8549
a DTONEZ Presentation omg lol i just said the same thing almost lol!!!!!
@mykol404
Not even kidding, same here. I remember hearing it all the time as a kid on our alt rock station in the 90s, and remembered the chorus. Now in 2019, and I'm 33, I finally found it (as I am sipping some alcohol too, no doubt). Good shit.
@raymondsolisjr.1262
It Real World Hawaii when Ruthie is drunk right
@kalvin2211
Jackpot
@AstridMartin666
Did you hear it on that cd that came with a music magazine in the 90's because thats where i heard it
@buckmelanoma5473
Saw these guys in C-bus back in the day, such an underrated bad-ass little jam!
@chrissmith256
Powerful subject, and they nailed it. Love ya, Harold!!!