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Drinking Soundtrack
November 24th, 2008 | Dean Arrindell
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You could go to any bar in America – probably the entire English-speaking world – and some of the same songs will be heard in all of them. I'm not talking about a down-home country bar or a fancy New York lounge. I'm talking about a straight-up bar: Your local T.G.I.Friday's; the sports bar down the block; your favorite neighborhood pub or favorite Friday night hot spot.
These songs that come out of the jukebox – or more likely, an iPod – won't seem strange in any of those bars. They aren't corny, but a few are silly enough to make you smile. They probably bring back a particular memory, too: your first love; that regrettable hook-up; an exciting trip or a shitty time of your life. And just as the song makes you feel something familiar, everyone around you in the bar knows the song and it does something similar for them, too.
If you've listened to pop music on a regular basis for any part of the last 40 years, you know the songs. It sounds silly, but these songs are the soundtrack of our lives. They're a mix of rock, pop, RnB, not-too-hardcore rap, not-too-heavy metal, disco, big acts, one hit wonders, and they could all arguably be termed "classics." Whether you're 25, 35 or 45, this pop music canon is part of our cultural currency. A song could have been released in the 1970s, but a listener born in the 1980s won't necessarily consider it old.
After a while, these songs we repeatedly hear over alcohol could be termed "drinking songs." We hear them getting ready to go out, having friends over, or meeting friends in a bar. Since we've all heard them, let's get a list going. What songs do you think are in our Drinking Soundtrack? (There are, of course, different soundtracks depending on what you're doing: dancing at a club; at a store or doctor's office; on road trip or chillin' at home.) I especially want to hear from those of you who socialize a lot. You must hear this Soundtrack at least once a week!
My first instinct was to impose some rules. I didn't want anything too old or too new. Songs that are too old may not be relevant our generations (that would be Generations X and Y). Songs that are too new may not have established the staying power to be argued for as a classic. But screw it. Some new songs are instant classics, and some old songs stay fresh. All songs are eligible.
It's not clear what we'll do with this list – I do have a few ideas – but first, let's get it together, have a few laughs, then go from there.
So, what are our drinking songs? Contact us or leave your suggestions in the comments section below.
While you think about it, here's a list to get some musical thoughts brewing:
- ABBA – Dancing Queen
- Bell Biv Devoe – Poison
- Dexy's Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen
- The Bee Gees – Stayin' Alive
- Bob Marley – Anything from the album "Legend"
- Bon Jovi – Livin' on a Prayer
- Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me
- Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
- Guns N' Roses – Sweet Child O Mine
- Hootie and the Blowfish – Hold My Hand
- Jackson 5 – ABC
- Justin Timberlake – SexyBack
- New Radicals – You Get What You Give
- No Doubt – Just A Girl
- The Notorious B.I.G. – Hypnotize
- OutKast – Hey Ya!
- The Outfield – Your Love
- The Sugarhill Gang – Rapper's Delight
- Rihanna – Umbrella
- The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil
- Will Smith – Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
Related Topics: Bars, Music
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Dean Arrindell | 8 Comments »
Drinking Soundtrack
(via Facebook, MySpace, Digg, email and more)
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:51 am
You left off the best one!!!!
Journey- Don't Stop Believing!
No night of drinking is complete without singing along to this tune.
December 2nd, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Queen….Don't stop me now!
I have so many more if your interested!
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:03 pm
I know the 80's retro thing needs to be buried at this point, but I pretty much freak out when I hear Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again." Oh my got I'm freaking out just thinking about it…especially the ballad-y beginning and then the chorus…it's magical.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:12 pm
'Shut Up and Drink' by Joe Hurley & Rogue's March. A NYC Irish dive classic!
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:06 am
what about Boston More than a feeling or Wham wake me up before you go go, or for christmas time Pouges feat kirsty macholl fairy tale of new york and who could forget the evergreen classic sweet home alabama !!!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:31 pm
and also alice cooper poison, jacksons blame it in the boogie and another oldie but goodie the classic that is rainbow since you been gone !!!
December 5th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
C'mon! numero uno has to be, "I'VE GOT FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES"!!!
December 14th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Don't forget Sweet Caroline. Tends to become more bar karaoke!