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"If The Whisky Don't Get Me ( The Mem'ries Will )"

When I started out with this bottle, it was full... up to the top
then tears from mem'ries grabbed me,now I can't seem to stop......
Ev'ry swallow I take reminds me, of somethin from my past
ev'ry tear I shed finds me... reachin for another full glass

(chorus)
If the whisky don't get me the mem'ries will... sure as I'm sit--tin here.....
when the tears start fallin and the bottle starts callin,those
heartaches re--appear........
I guess it's my addiction or my affliction that brings me down so low
whatever it is... that's got me me hooked, guess I'll never know

Maybe it's her sweet luvin that's had my world, turned upside down
hope I'll find my answer before I'm too drunk or I drown.......
I guess I couldn't see it coming ,I was too busy ....making plans
when it hit my mind went runnin, lookin for soothin hands ......

(chorus)
If the whisky don't get me the mem'ries will sure as I'm sit--tin here.....
when the tears start fallin and the bottle starts callin,those
heartaches re--appear........
I guess it's my addiction or my affliction that brings me down so low
whatever it is... that's got me me hooked, guess I'll never know

This bottle's gettin lighter, but the mem'ries are startin to weigh
the sun's comin up thru my window ....another long lonesome day.....
Maybe if I'd told her,exactly what was in my heart
then I could still be holdin her.... 'stead of us bein apart

(chorus)
If the whisky don't get me the mem'ries will sure as I'm sit--tin here.....
when the tears start fallin and the bottle starts callin,those
heartaches re--appear........
I guess it's my addiction or my affliction that brings me down so low
whatever it is... that's got me me hooked, guess I'll never know

© O6-24-2008 by Gary D. Gray All Rights Reserved (BMI)

Really love the chorus and the use of the hook. Says it all with no effort to read between the lines.

Great lyric.

Douglas

thanks Doug sometimes they fall out and I catch them

"reachin for another full glass"

Unless someone else was pouring, he wouldn't be "reaching" for another full glass. You might say pouring up another full glass

"If the whisky don't get me the mem'ries will sure as I'm sit--tin here.....
when the tears start fallin and the bottle starts callin,those
heartaches re--appear........
I guess it's my addiction or my affliction that brings me down so low
whatever it is... that's got me me hooked, guess I'll never know"


I'm having trouble making sense of the chorus. It's somewhat convoluted.

In the 1st line you acknowledge that either the whiskey or memories will get you, but in L3 you say "I guess it's my addiction (drinking) or affliction (his woman) that brings...GUESS I'll never know" He DOES know...see line 1.

1. The tears start falling
2. He starts drinking
3. THEN the heartaches reappear. Isn't that what started the tears falling in the first place?

thx for looking and commenting Frank or Furter whichever one of you that looked, these are all problems that a drinker would have in a relationship with a woman or it could be a woman with a man, either way, he doesn't know if you'll re-read you will see he's confused and the more he thinks the more he drinks and back and forth with the tears from his sadness or the drinking or both , he is really confused and on his way to being drunk or passed out or what's next he don't even know, so how can I fill in the blanks when that up to each listener that relates to it a little different but that's good (kinda like a hitchcock movie)

Hi Gary,

Been a long time since I've been around, but your title caught me. Sounds sorta familiar, I don't know.

Other than some of the things Frank (or is it Furter) pointed out, I think one of your main obstacles may be the length of this lyric. Unless you've got some really up-tempo music a-la Garth Brooks "Ain't Goin Down Till the Sun Comes Up", I think you might be looking at an Epic Song. Maybe too long for a single, but could make a nice album cut.

If you're looking towards a single, there's probably some trimming and tightening you might want to do.

Just my opinion, keep or sweep.

Take care,
Cindy

thx Cindy nothing is set in stone , the tempo I had in mind is pretty fast should be total of around 3:25 secs

Very good writing Nubbin. It reminds me of the old George song..If Drinking don't kill me her memories will...:) Kim

Thanks Kim, yeah ol George was another Texan , I wrote one about a guy with an obsession of George's old ways called "party with the possum" perhaps you saw it on one of the forums ? if not please take a look , you'll get a kick outta it LOL

Hi Gary (and I thought you really were Nubbin. Explain please ).

You know, at first I thought the lyric was a little long, too, and sort of rambled on. But then it occurred to me that when people drink excessivley, especially with something weighing heavy on their minds, they do tend to ramble and often speak incoherently. I can hear the vocals being sung, almost slurred, showing the effects of alcohol.

You've got some really cool lines scattered throughout. I really liked:

hope I'll find my answer before I'm too drunk or I drown
and
This bottle's gettin lighter, but the mem'ries are startin to weigh

One line I do think I'd change just because it reads kind of strangely, even for a drunk guy , is this:

then I could still be holdin her.... 'stead of us drove apart

How about

then I could still be holdin her.... 'stead of us SPLITTIN' apart

All in all, this was a fun read. Good luck with it.

Greg

thx Greg(nickname was nubbin ) that line is flexible , it could work that way, the word drove I guess sounds kinda harsh?I visualized this guy sitting in the kitchen at the dining room table(maybe an old 60's style chrome rim table)with a full bottle of jack daniels or southern comfort and he's running all sorts of ideas through his head of was it his fault or her fault and bawling his head out trying to make sense of it and that just drives him further into the tunnel of confusion which leads him back to the bottle for resolution back and forth all nite

Hi Gary Nubbin

I thought this read very smoothly...and flowed well...!!...
The only spot..that stood out...when I read this over the weekend...was drove... It did stop me, Gary...I don't know if it's the grammar...maybe it is correct? ....and being country,
maybe it doesn't matter...just saying it made me pause too.

Even so...nice job!...
best..
Kaley

thx Kaley , the word "drove" is used quite alot for example: she drove him to drinkin, then he drove her mad enough to kill 'im LOL(just a plain country word used )you oughta see some of the others like d'jeet, d'ju , momback, 'c'mere, wallerin, smiggin, tadd, and many more

Yeah....I know..I know ...I think I know what was buggin me now....there isn't a word in between drove and apart like drove him to drinkin ...drove her mad... drove me out of my mind......maybe that's what my ear was missin'?..don't know...like I said..well written song...just DROVE in this fer' instance drove me just a wee bit batty ..... but only for a minute!...

You know what Gary? I'm wrong....If Drove is ok...instead of Driven...than...just ignore.....because..it'sprobably...fine!!!......

still best...to you...
Kaley

by doggies I think you're right!So I added the word "bein" that aughta do'er

No offense, but I personally can't get past your hook/title being so close to the previously mentioned "If Drinking Don't Kill Me, (Her Memory Will)." That said, I don't need a lecture on how you can't copyright a title, but my goodness . . . were talking a legendary singer with a downright classic song here. Perhaps you could tweak that line just enough . . . just a little more . . .

thx we all got our opinions, I will consider all

Yea, I have to say that the "drove apart" drove me crazy when I read it. It is improperly used there -- and it seems like a real easy fix. Since the singer would want to change that, you might as well address it now.

Kevin

Enjoyed the read.remember reading this at another site.Enjoyed it then still do.~ (;Yrral Mallik;)

it has been changed

thanks I got more on here so please give them a look also

Just wondering how the 4 yellow stars gets next to your and others song? thanks Kim:)

Kim I don't know