Do Country Music Singers Approve Of Driving Drunk?

Flip on any modern country (or vintage country, for that matter) station and, within a song or two, you'll likely hear some mention of alcohol. Is this because the gods of country music (Hank Williams Sr., Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings) all have been known for their substance abuse? Maybe...

Today, I landed on a modern country station and got a little more of an eye-opener. Folks, I pretty much despise modern country; songs written about hangin' out on the farm in the backs of pickup trucks. Not for the content, mind you (don't forget I grew up on a farm in central Missouri), but because the songs are usually written by a professional songwriter, then sung by a professional musician - neither of which have ever, EVER probably been in the country! But, I digress...

Today's eye-opener was a tune by Alan Jackson. Not sure the official title, but something close to, "I'm in Love With You Baby And I Don't Even Know Your Name." In the tune, he stops into a restaurant for coffee and gets an ugly waitress. However, he sees a beautiful waitress serving a different area of the restaurant. Being a bit socially awkward, he knocks back some liquid courage in the form of tequila. Next thing, he's drunk, proposing marriage to the beautiful server. He even gets to hug her as she's helping him stagger to the car. In the end, he's standing at the alter with a veiled woman. But when he lifts her veil? It's the fugly waitress again. Ah, what a cute country song! NOT!

Hey, I've got no problem with falling in love with some trashy waitress. I may have done it once or twice myself! However, he blatantly talks about how he needs help to get to his car, presumably due to the Cuervo Gold and not a snafu of food poisoning from the tarter sauce.

In this song, there is no mention of a sober driver. There's no reference to "just one more." There's nothing mentioned about temperance in any shape or form. And he's headed to his car... nice.

Songwriting is a true, true talent. I greatly respect someone that can tell an entire story in 10 sentences, three of which are the chorus and say the same thing. I just wish artists would think a little more what message they're sending to their listening audience.