Songs

19 Great Songs About Bars

songs about bars
Written by Corey Morgan

Whether you’re a regular at your favorite hangout or just like to go out for a drink every now and then, there’s no denying that bars offer a unique and interesting musical environment. Bars provide an ideal setting for storytelling, from the thrill of being out and about to the allure of alcohol. Here are 20 of the most memorable songs about bars, ranging from the happy to the sad.

19 Songs About Bars:

1. Toby Keith ` I love this bar

Toby Keith - I Love This Bar

Ranking first on our list of songs about bars is Toby Keith ` I loe this bar. The song is about a man who spends his nights drinking at his favorite bar and how the bar is the only place where he feels comfortable.

Bartender, bouncer, and regulars are all depicted in the song’s lyrics, along with a few others. Beer, whiskey, and champagne are just a few of the alcoholic beverages mentioned in the song.

Many artists have recorded versions of the karaoke hit “I Love This Bar.” The song has also been adapted into a successful country musical, which has been well received.

2. Lady Antebellum – Bartender

Lady Antebellum - Bartender (Official Video)

Next on our list of songs about bars is Lady Antebellum’s “Bartender,” you can expect to hear about the perils and pleasures of life in the bar. Bartender narrator recounts her battles against the advances of her patrons, all of whom are men. When she’s with them, she plays a “dangerous” game of flirting and leading them on before she finally rejects their advances.

In the song, she sings the refrain “I can’t resist a bartender” over and over again, indicating her ongoing battle with self-control. When all is said and done, she decides to give up her job and leave the bar scene forever. As a cautionary tale, Lady Antebellum’s “Bartender” teaches listeners to be aware of their actions and desires.

3. Luke Bryan’s “Drinking Beer and Wasting Bullets”

Luke Bryan - Drinkin' Beer and Wastin Bullets

Luke Bryan’s song “Drinkin’ Beer and Wastin’ Bullets” is a tribute to the American pastime of visiting bars. sThe narrator begins the song by describing how much he enjoys going to bars and how it allows people to be who they are.

In his subsequent verses, he discusses how bars serve as havens for people to unwind and forget about their problems for the evening. An upbeat and memorable chorus describes the narrator as “wastin’ bullets” at a bar, but he doesn’t seem to mind because he is having so much fun.

In this song, bars and the people who frequent them are satirized in a lighthearted manner. For anyone who enjoys going out and having a good time, this song is ideal.

4. AC/”Have DC’s a Drink on Me”

AC/DC Have a Drink on Me

An Australian rock band, AC/DC, released the song Have A Drink on Me. An allusion is made to bars and their patrons in the song As the band’s fourth single from their album Back in Black, it was released on September 15, 1981.

Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Brian Johnson collaborated on the song’s composition. The lyrics are sung from the point of view of a bar owner who encourages his customers to drink until they feel they have had enough. AC/classic DC’s song “A Drink on Me” has been featured in a slew of films and shows over the years.

5. Mr. Good Bar.` LL Cool J

This ode to one of life’s simple pleasures extols the joys of sitting at a bar with a cold drink. Bar life and the people who frequent them are celebrated in this upbeat song.

Bars offer a unique and enjoyable way to spend time with friends or simply observe the world around you. “Ain’t nothin’ like a good bar,” as LL Cool J puts it. What better way to kick back and relax than by heading over to your local bar to toast to Mr. Good Bar.

6. Chris Brown – Open Bars

Chris Brown - Open Bar (Freestyle) [4 Bars 4 Topics]

In Chris Brown’s song “Open Bars,” the nightlife of the city is depicted as a seductive ode. To entice listeners to come “drink all night” and “party hard” in the song, Brown sings about the allure of the open bar. A pounding bassline and slick production values power this track, making it an instant club hit.

Despite the song’s emphasis on having a good time, there is a melancholy undertone as Brown muses on love lost and regrets. Brown’s “Open Bars” is one of his most engrossing songs about bars because of this contrast in moods.

7. Sonia Leigh, “Bar”

Sonia Leigh - "Bar" (Live) (Feat. Zac Brown Band)

It is in “Bar,” by Sonia Leigh, that she sings about all of the bars she has visited and the individuals she has met there. Bars, as depicted by this song, are a place where people can escape their daily woes and meet new people.

People can be taken advantage of in bars, and Leigh advises her listeners to be aware of their surroundings. However, despite the potential dangers, Leigh still enjoys going to bars and meeting new people.

She also encourages her listeners to do so. Since the bar scene has both excitement and danger, “Bar” is an excellent song to capture both. This is one of the best songs about bars.

8. LMFAO – Shots

LMFAO - Shots ft. Lil Jon

LMFAO’s song Shots is about a bar in Hollywood, California called the Shot Bar. First line: “I’m at the shot bar, and I’m feeling high.” The song begins with this line: The rest of the song, which is all about having a good time and letting loose, is set off by this. Later, the protagonist promises to “get me some” of the “a hundred girls” in the bar.

People go to bars to have a good time and maybe meet someone to go home with, and this portrays a typical night at a bar in that regard. “Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots! Shots! Everybody!” is one of the most memorable lines in the song’s chorus. Let loose and have fun with this line, which perfectly captures the party atmosphere of the song.

9. Cat Power – Lived in Bars

Cat Power - Lived In Bars

Cat Power’s 2006 album The Greatest includes the song “Lived in Bars.” When it comes to finding meaning and companionship, bar-room dwellers often face a world that is often depressingly dreary. Even though the song is depressing, the singer expresses optimism about the future, saying they can “leave this place behind.”

Living in bars is a lonely and desperate existence, which is beautifully portrayed in “Lived in Bars,” a haunting song. Cat Power takes us on a three-minute journey into the lives of people who are often overlooked by the rest of the world, and it serves as a poignant reminder of the universality of the human condition.

10. “There’s A Tear In My Beer”. ` Hank Willian jr.

Hank Williams Jr - Tear In My Beer (Official Music Video)

The subject matter of the song is nightlife, specifically bars and the people who frequent them. The song’s lyrics describe a man’s encounter with his ex-girlfriend and another man in a bar. He drinks because he’s brokenhearted. Alcohol can be used to dull the pain of losing a loved one, according to the song. Sad and reflective, it’s a hit with a wide audience.

11. I Like Beer. ` Tom Hall

This song celebrates the simple pleasures of a night out on the town with a few beers and a good time. The narrator of Hall’s story is just a regular guy who likes to hang out with his buddies, listen to music, and drink cold beer.

All he needs is a good bar where he can unwind and have a few beers without being distracted by flashy lights or expensive drinks. To a degree, this song is about the camaraderie that can be found in dive bars and watering holes all over the world, despite its apparent focus on beer.

Bars can be a gathering place for old and new acquaintances alike, whether you’re raising a glass to old times or making new ones.

12. Restaurant Bar Oscar Jr.

Baskery - Oscar Jr Restaurant Bar

Baskery’s Oscar Jr Restaurant Bar is a song about one such establishment. The song’s lyrics describe a man who seeks solace and companionship in a bar by escaping from the monotony of his everyday life.

In the song, drunken patrons and sexual tension are depicted as the seedy underbelly of the bar scene. However, the appeal of the bar as a place to forget one’s woes and just relax for a while is also evident. Whether you love or loathe bars, Oscar Jr Restaurant Bar By Baskery perfectly captures the essence of our culture.

13. Elliott Smith’s Between the Bars

As a singer-songwriter in the early ’90s, Elliott Smith made a name for himself by penning songs that were both deeply personal and deeply reflective. As one of his best-known songs, “Between the Bars” perfectly reflects his ability to convey the full range of human emotions.

As the title suggests, the song is primarily about “bars” – both literal and figurative – that separate us from one another. Even when we’re not trying to escape our own demons, the simplest pleasures can take on a new significance when we’re caught up in our own lives.

14. Prescilla Block – My Bar

Priscilla Block - My Bar (Official Music Video)

Block used to go to a bar called “My Bar,” which inspired the song. In downtown Nashville, Tennessee, the bar was a popular meeting place for country music stars and fans alike.

The song focuses on Block’s fond memories of the bar and the people she met while there. Also, the song mentions that the bar has been replaced by a new establishment.

15. Morgan Wallen – This Bar

Morgan Wallen - “This Bar” | Whiskey Glasses Roadshow Tour 2020 Cleveland

“This Bar” by Wallen is a song about, you guessed it, bars. In addition, there’s a lot more to it. The song captures the essence of life in a small town, with its mix of hardworking residents and rowdy revelers who seek refuge in the local watering hole.

A sense of belonging permeates the song, as if the characters are all getting together for a night out on the town. There’s a tinge of sadness and loss in the lyrics, despite their lightheartedness. When people go to the bar, it’s to forget about their problems, but it’s also a reminder of all they’ve lost.

“This Bar” is ultimately a complex and nuanced portrayal of small-town life and the people who live there. It’s a song that captures the highs and lows of living in such a place, while also honoring the tenacity and fortitude of those who do.

16. Jimmy Buffett. ` Why don’t we get drunk

Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw?

This is a song about bars. Bars, according to Buffett, can be a place where you can forget about your problems and have a good time. He sings about how bars can be a great place to meet new people and build a sense of community.

That being said, he also cautions against overindulgence in bars, as they can be dangerous places. To sum it up, Why Don’t We Get Drunk celebrates how a night out at a bar or club can provide a much-needed respite from daily stress.

17. Restless Road – Bar Friends

Restless Road - Bar Friends (Official Video)

As a mainstay of the city’s nightlife, bars are a great place to make new friends and socialize. Restless Road’s song “Bar Friends” is about just that. They meet up every night at their local bar to drink, dance, and have a good time together in the song’s imagery.

In addition to the partying, the song also discusses the bonds that are formed between bar-goers. It’s not uncommon for these connections to lead to long-term friendships.

18. When I was Drinking. ` Hems

Hem-When I Was Drinking

“When I Was Drinking” is the first song to truly capture the love/hate relationship people have with alcohol. The protagonist of the song is reminiscing about a wild night out with a former flame (and drinking buddy) who is no longer in his life.

It’s a difficult decision to give up a life of drinking with your significant other in favor of sobriety and solitude, but Sally Ellyson sings the melancholy lyrics with such grace that they might just stop you in your tracks.

19. The Piano Has Been Drinking” by Tom Waits

Tom Waits - "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me) (An Evening With Pete King)"

Concluding our list of songs abou bars is Waits’ “The Piano Has Been Drinking,” When you listen to you can hear the hazy, inebriated state that he portrays so well.

All of the problems of both the drinker and the world can be found in objects found around a pub in Waits’ song. Even though it may sound depressing, there’s a charming charm to this sour ballad, like the smile of a tattered wino on the street.