Sequel to “I Love This Bar,” “Get Drunk and Be Somebody,” “Red Solo Cup,” “Drinks After Work,” and others we forgot to mention…
[Video][Website]
[4.33]
Thomas Inskeep: His best single in at least sixyears, and possibly a full decade, this is a song that’s not actually about drinking, cleverly masquerading as a drinking song. Give plenty of the credit to co-writers Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, who know a thing or two about writing clever songs, but give credit as well to Keith, who sells this shit better than just about anyone else. “Drunk Americans” is what Garth’s “People Loving People” wanted to be and failed so abjectly at, where “Americans” succeeds on every level. Not only are its lyrics awesome, but musically this faintly drunken waltz (with accordion!) takes you ’round the dancefloor and takes you home at night’s end.
[9]
Iain Mew: I drink alcohol sometimes and don’t have anything strongly against it. But I’ve been the guy who has been bought shots after specifically saying that I did not want them (what’s the matter with you, everyone else is), and I have plenty of familiarity with the idea of alcohol as an essential part of national identity and find it infuriating. It’s so unthinkingly exclusionary. This song is very well put together, especially musically in its gentle sway, but the choice of uniting force makes me extra reluctant to fall for its fairytales. Also I’m no American but I was under the impression that even saying the name of the Washington football team could be an issue when claiming a conciliatory centre.
[4]
Alfred Soto: In his blowsy way this scion has been the best small-d democrat in country. Ecumenical by nature, Keith strikes me as the host who prefers you’ve got a drink to drinking one himself. Since the pop crossover of “Red Solo Cup” his commercial slide mirrors his aesthetic decline, but his albums still sport a tune or two worth rediscovering. This isn’t one of them, despite its hammered “Hey Jude” chorus and choir. But recent CMA winners Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally deserve more dough, and it matters here: Keith, one of the few country artists who writes and self-produces, doesn’t often share credits. Take it as a hint to explore the catalog.
[6]
Anthony Easton: After that disastrous performance in Indiana this summer, the one that went viral, the thin line between persona and actual drinking problem seems to have settled to the left of ripping himself off. I liked this better when it was honest about whoring (the track with Jimmy Buffett), or when it had a sense of humour about the work (“Red Solo Cup”), or when it was new (“I Love This Bar”) — more than a decade ago.
[3]
Micha Cavaseno: Plodding, tiresome, and obsessed with unifying everyone in the world with something as tedious as ‘drankin’.’ I’d prefer humanity being united under something a little nicer.
[1]
Abby Waysdorf: In attempting to describe Dutch “party music” to myself, I’ve decided that it’s the Dutch equivalent of country. Or at least modern country. Sure, they don’t sound alike, as far as instrumentation or style goes, but it’s generally the same idea of music. A small town/rural idea of “for the people,” simple choruses that are good to sing along with, not particularly concerned with branching out worldwide. (Although certainly, American country does export, which kind of makes my metaphor break down.) “Drunk Americans” proves the point- in its sense of humor and its maudlinity, its celebration of drinking and its chorus designed to be sung while doing so, it could easily be Lawineboys. I’m not sure if that makes me like either more or less.
[5]
Patrick St. Michel: If you are going to head down the cynical oh-I-am-for-everyone-now road, at least do better than chicken-fried “Piano Man.”
[1]
Megan Harrington: You can tell Toby Keith didn’t write “Drunk Americans” because it’s incredibly tolerant. And you can tell it’s a Toby Keith song because the emphasis is strongly on drunk. Keith’s at his best when he’s keeping things simple and pleasantly intoxicated.
[6]
Brad Shoup: So every single person ever walks into a bar. They put a dollar in the jukebox and out comes a ragged, hellish waltz, to which every single person ever starts howling in your ear. Also, I probably should have mentioned earlier that one of these people is Toby Keith and he’s half-asleep. Anyway, the punchline is that this’ll be an Applebee’s commercial by 2017.
[4]