I Drink Alone

"I Drink Alone" is a rock song by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released as a single from the 1985 album Maverick by EMI America. It was written by George Thorogood.

The song describes a man who, as the name of the song suggests, spends most of his time alone drinking. It name-checks various alcoholic beverages - Wiser's (or alternately Budweiser), Jack Daniel's, Jim Beam, Johnnie Walker (Black and Red Labels), and Old Grand-Dad - in the verses. (In some live versions, the Old Grand-Dad verse is replaced with a verse referencing Wild Turkey).

Thorogood says that the song "is about a loner who wants to be alone.",^[1] and that I Drink Alone is meant to be a comedy song.^[2]

George Thorogood wrote I Drink Alone as a dedication to American film and television actor Lee Marvin.^[3] Thorogood originally wrote it as a country song, and wanted George Jones to record it, but EMI wanted the Destroyers to record it, so they ended up recording the song instead.^[4]

The intro pauses were influenced by J. Geils.^[5]

I Drink Alone was first released as the second track on the Destroyer's sixth studio album Maverick.^[6] It was then released as a single in February 1985. The song peaked at number 13 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.^[7][8]

The video starts with Thorogood riding on a motorcycle with a guitar case on his back, he stops at a gas station, lights a cigarette and looks around, before picking up his guitar case and entering the bar at the gas station. When he enters the bar, he finds it empty. He sits down, and starts lip syncing the song. Thorogood then opens his guitar case, and takes out an alcoholic beverage, and glass and starts drinking. The video then cuts to Thorogood playing the solo on his guitar, after which he goes back to drinking alcohol and singing. The video ends with Thorogood taking a shot, when he notices a woman next to him. He gets up, walks to the door and mutters the words "I drink alone" before leaving. The whole video is in black and white.^[9]

"I Drink Alone" is often considered to be one of Thorogood`s best songs, and is played often in live performances, and is included in many live and compilation albums.^[6]

AllMusic critic James Christopher Monger called "I Drink Alone" one of Thorogood's "high points".^[10]

• George Thorogood – guitar, vocals
• Hank Carter – saxophone
• Billy Blough – bass
• Jeff Simon – drums