TV To Drink To

Drinking and songs have long been tied together. But why?

Drinking songs basically come in two flavors: 1) Songs that specifically mention knocking back a few, and 2) Songs that you enjoy at your local watering hole's coin-operated music box. But how many of these songs are actually catalysts for a good time? Sure Hank III has a ton of songs with "Drunk" or "Whiskey" in the title, but most songs are fading out in roughly three and a half minutes. That's about the same amount of time the waitress has left my drink sitting after the bartender poured it.

I've never had a Gin 'n Juice while listening to Snoop. I gag when the entire bar starts singing "Friends in Low Places." "Margaritaville"!? Two words, Buffet: Banned List. "8 Ball"... here we go.

The real reason to go to a bar is for the drinking buddies (which went #4 overall in our anything mock draught). Most other reasons are probably just the warning signs that 12 step brochure was talking about. Would you really be that interested in the game if you were by yourself? I've done it while on the road for work, and it's depressing enough that I'm surprised I didn't scratch out a sappy drinking song myself.

But now since babysitting is an issue, my opportunities to go out without special occasion are few and far between. Most of the time I'm with my best drinking buddy TwoPints, and queuing up "Don't Stop Believing" on the iPod speaker doesn't really conjure up the urge to pop open that Brass Monkey, er, I mean Golden Monkey in the beer fridge... but watching the Soprano's surprisingly does. How I Met Your Mother, Top Chef, and Dallas (TwoPints has all the DVDs… I don't know who shot J.R.) surely make this list. Certain TV shows elicit an almost Pavlovian response in me when I hit play on the TiVo.

Drinking and songs are like wine and cheese. These traditional pairs have stood for so long that no one ever questions whether they are any good together. If you want to enjoy all three minutes and fifty-eight seconds of "Have a Drink on Me" by AC/DC and pass it off as "It's what we do," then more power to you. However, might I suggest you compare the experience to Eastbound and Down with a Southern Star Bombshell Blonde or Z Rock with a Brooklyn Local 1. Pair the latter combo with some mascarpone and you will be glad you stayed in for the evening.