I Got Drunk
Uncle Tupelo Lyrics

The lyrics of Uncle Tupelo's song "I Got Drunk" appear to be about the singer's dissatisfaction with his life and his attempts to escape it through alcohol. He takes a fifth of liquor and proceeds to drink himself into oblivion, all the while reflecting on the things in his life that he feels are missing. He spends a lot of time staring into his beer and wondering why he is still stuck in his small town. This is a common theme in many country and folk songs, where the singers often convey feelings of hopelessness and despair.

The repetition of the line "I got drunk and I fell down" hammers home the idea that the singer is trying to escape his problems through drinking, but only ends up making things worse. Falling down can be interpreted as both a physical and metaphorical fall. Physically, the singer may be so drunk that he can't stand up straight and ends up falling over. Metaphorically, falling down represents the singer's inability to overcome his problems, despite trying to escape them.

The chorus is very simple and repetitive, which adds to the song's overall feeling of hopelessness and despair. Interestingly, the song is performed in a very upbeat and lively style, which is somewhat at odds with the bleakness of the lyrics. This contrast may be deliberate, as it highlights the tension between the singer's emotional state and the external world.