Introduction:
In the annals of country music, few names resonate with heartache and hard living quite like Merle Haggard and George Jones. These two giants of the genre, known for their powerful vocals and songs that chronicled the struggles of blue-collar America, joined forces in 1982 for a collaborative album titled A Taste of Yesterday’s Wine. This project, a testament to their mutual respect and musical kinship, yielded a collection of poignant and traditional country tunes, one of which stands out for its humorous yet relatable depiction of failed promises – “Must’ve Been Drunk”.
Haggard, a prolific songwriter known for his Bakersfield sound (a twangy, working-class brand of country), had already established himself as a country music legend by the early 1980s. Jones, nicknamed “The Possum” for his distinctive high tenor and penchant for portraying heartache, had built a career of his own with a string of chart-topping hits. A Taste of Yesterday’s Wine, produced by the legendary Billy Sherrill (known for his polished “countrypolitan” sound), brought these two icons together for the first time on a full-length album.
While the album itself wasn’t a major commercial success, it garnered critical acclaim and remains a cherished gem for fans of both artists. “Must’ve Been Drunk”, written by Vern Gosdin and Max D. Barnes, perfectly encapsulates the classic country themes of regret and the allure (and pitfalls) of alcohol.
The song opens with a shared admission of inebriated folly, with Haggard and Jones lamenting, “Well, we must’ve been drunk / When we said we’d stop drinking.” This opening line sets the stage for a humorous exploration of good intentions gone awry. The singers trade verses, each detailing their failed attempts at sobriety, punctuated by a shared refrain that acknowledges their drunken state as the root cause of their woes.
“Must’ve Been Drunk” stands out not just for its relatable theme but also for the sheer star power of the vocal performances. Haggard’s characteristic baritone and Jones’ unmistakable high tenor intertwine beautifully, creating a harmonious lament that perfectly captures the song’s sentiment. While the song doesn’t delve into the depths of despair often explored by these artists, it offers a lighthearted (though undeniably truthful) look at the consequences of overindulgence.
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Lyrics:
I remember a girl from the Salvation ArmyWalked into the barroom last nightWell, she took out her bible and sat down beside usAnd proceeded to show us the light
Well, we must’ve been drunkWhen we said we’d stop drinkingA double shot over the lineOh, we had to be drunkLord what were we thinkin’Well, we must have been out of our minds
Well, I rolled a smoke, as she read us a scriptureSt. Peter, St. Luke and St. PaulAnd I said, now how come your talkin’ about walkin’ on waterto two drunks who can’t even crawl
Well, we must’ve been drunkWhen we said we’d stop drinkingA double shot over the lineOh, we had to be drunkLord what were we thinkin’Well, we must have been out of our minds
I was down on my knees the last I rememberShe was prayin’ me back to the foldAnd I might have promised that I’d give up the bottlebut Jack Daniels walked off with my soul
Well, we must’ve been drunkWhen we said we’d stop drinkingA double shot over the lineOh, we had to be drunkLord what were we thinkin’Well, we must have been out of our minds
Well, we must’ve been drunkWhen we said we’d stop drinkingA double shot over the lineOh, we had to be drunkLord what were we thinkin’Well, we must have been out of our minds
Well, we must have been out of our minds