Posted by Tennessee Whiskey is a massive classic of American songwriting. Initially composed in 1981, it was recently reinterpreted by Chris Stapleton, and it has now become a popular song, quoted by many for its beautiful lyrics. This article will analyze the song meaning and provide the complete lyrics at the end.
You can find the official streaming of the song below.
Tennessee Whiskey: the lyrics and their meaning
Tennessee Whiskey is a love song where the singer expresses his gratitude to the girl he loves, because she saved him. Before meeting this girl, the singer admits that he used to drink too much to cope with solitude. In the song, he realizes that she helped him to stop because her love filled him with everything he needed, as alcohol never managed to do.
The chorus expressed this love by complimenting her in comparison to alcohol:
You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
You’re as sweet as strawberry wine
You’re as warm as a glass of brandy
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
Mentioning all the alcoholic drinks he used to love, he clearly states that she’s just another thing: she’s exactly what the singer needed, and now he can constantly be high under the effect of her love.
I’ve looked for love in all the same old places
Found the bottom of a bottle’s always dry
But when you poured out your heart, I didn’t waste it
‘Cause there’s nothin’ like your love to get me high
The parallel between alcohol and passion is the core of this song, and the singer is sure that he feels much better receiving her love and drowning in it instead of alcohol. It may seem a superficial thought, but as a man who filled his life with alcohol for a long time, it may be natural to use that phase of his life as the first term of comparison. And he has no doubt: now that he found love, he’s genuinely pleased.
That’s the true meaning of the lyrics inside Tennessee Whiskey: I’ve had a challenging phase of my life, alcohol was my only illusion of relief; now that I found you, I understood that love was everything I needed, and I’m happy and grateful now.
Read other popular song lyrics and their meaning on Auralcrave
The complete lyrics
Used to spend my nights out in a barroom
Liquor was the only love I’d known
But you rescued me from reachin’ for the bottom
And brought me back from bein’ too far gone
You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
You’re as sweet as strawberry wine
You’re as warm as a glass of brandy
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
I’ve looked for love in all the same old places
Found the bottom of a bottle’s always dry
But when you poured out your heart, I didn’t waste it
‘Cause there’s nothin’ like your love to get me high
And you’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
You’re as sweet as strawberry wine
You’re as warm as a glass of brandy
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
You’re as sweet as strawberry wine
You’re as warm as a glass of brandy
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
Tennessee whiskey, Tennessee whiskey
You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey
Tennessee whiskey, Tennessee whiskey
