About The Song
In the annals of country music, few artists have captured the depths of heartache and despair with the raw authenticity of George Jones. With his whiskey-soaked vocals and emotive delivery, Jones painted vivid sonic portraits of lost love, shattered dreams, and the relentless grip of addiction. Among his vast repertoire of country classics, “If Drinkin’ Don’t Kill Me (Her Memory Will)” stands as a towering masterpiece, a ballad that delves into the abyss of heartbreak, the torment of unrequited love, and the desperate solace sought in the depths of a bottle.
Released in 1981 as the third single from Jones’ album I Am What I Am, “If Drinkin’ Don’t Kill Me (Her Memory Will)” is a heart-wrenching tale of a man drowning his sorrows in alcohol, haunted by the lingering memory of a love lost. The song opens with a somber piano melody, setting the stage for Jones’ world-weary vocals as he weaves a tapestry of regret and despair.
The lyrics, penned by Harlan Sanders and Rick Beresford, are raw and unflinching, laying bare the protagonist’s emotional turmoil. The opening lines, “The bars are all closed/It’s four in the morning/I must have shut ’em all down,” paint a picture of a man seeking refuge from his pain in the bottom of a bottle. The imagery is vivid and evocative, capturing the desperation of a man teetering on the brink of self-destruction.
As the song progresses, Jones’ voice takes on a haunting quality, his words echoing the depths of his despair. The chorus, a simple yet profound declaration, serves as the song’s emotional core: “If drinkin’ don’t kill me (her memory will).” In these lines, Jones captures the essence of addiction, the self-destructive yearning to escape the torment of reality, even if it means succumbing to the poison that slowly destroys him.
The bridge offers a glimmer of hope, a fleeting moment of clarity amidst the darkness: “Lord, it’s been ten bottles/Since I tried to forget her/But the memory still lingers/Lying here on the ground.” In these lines, Jones exposes the futility of the protagonist’s actions, the realization that no amount of alcohol can erase the love that still burns brightly in his heart.
The final verse brings the song to a poignant conclusion, as the protagonist accepts the inevitability of his fate: “If drinkin’ don’t kill me/Her memory will.” With these words, Jones acknowledges the power of love, its ability to transcend time and circumstance, even in the face of heartbreak and despair.
“If Drinkin’ Don’t Kill Me (Her Memory Will)” is a powerful and heartbreaking ballad that resonates deeply with listeners, offering a glimpse into the depths of human emotion. Jones’ masterful delivery and the song’s poignant lyrics make it a timeless classic, a testament to the enduring power of music to touch the human soul.
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Lyric
The bars are all closedIt’s four in the mornin’I must have shut ’em all downBy the shape that I’m inI lay my head on the wheelAnd the horn begins honkin’The whole neighborhood knowsThat I’m home drunk againIf drinkin’ don’t kill meHer memory willI can’t hold out much longerThe way that I feelWith the blood from my bodyI could start my own stillBut if drinkin’ don’t kill meHer memory willThese old bones, they move slowBut so sure of their footstepsAs I trip on the floorAnd I lightly touch downLord, it’s been ten bottlesSince I tried to forget herBut the mem’ry still lingersLyin’ here on the groundAnd if drinkin’ don’t kill meHer memory willI can’t hold out much longerThe way that I feelWith the blood from my bodyI could start my own stillBut if drinkin’ don’t kill meHer memory will