George Strait, a name synonymous with country music royalty, has crafted a discography that is as vast as it is influential. Among his many chart-toppers and timeless classics, Every Little Honky Tonk Bar stands as a particularly compelling entry.
Released in 2019 as the lead single from his album Honky Tonk Time Machine, this track is a quintessential Strait ballad, imbued with the classic country soundscape that has defined his career.
Background
The song arrives at a pivotal moment in Strait’s discography. By 2019, he was already a living legend, a figure whose impact on country music was undeniable. Yet, Every Little Honky Tonk Bar is not a mere retread of familiar territory.
Instead, it serves as a reaffirmation of Strait’s enduring connection to the genre’s core elements.
The title itself is a nod to the heart and soul of country music: the honky-tonk. A place of weathered wood, cold beer, and shared stories, the honky-tonk has long been a central motif in country songwriting.
Strait, with his innate ability to evoke vivid imagery, paints a picture of these establishments as more than just venues; they are sanctuaries, watering holes for the weary, and catalysts for human connection.
Musically, the track is a masterclass in traditional country production. The steel guitar, a hallmark of the genre, weaves its way through the arrangement, providing a melancholic counterpoint to Strait’s rich baritone.
The instrumentation is spare, allowing the lyrics and vocal performance to take center stage. This stripped-down approach underscores the song’s emotional depth and reinforces Strait’s status as a purist in an era increasingly dominated by pop-infused country.
Video
Lyrics
🎵 Let’s sing along with the lyrics! 🎤
Whiskey is the gasoline that lights the fire that burns the bridgeIce creates the water that’s no longer runnin’ under itStool holds the fool that pours the whiskey on his broken heartCigarettes create the smoke that hides the lonesome in his eyesThe jukebox plays Hank, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”Dance floor holds the folks trying to forget who they areAnd that’s what happens in every little honky tonk barFriday night, it’s a givenI’ll be L-I-V-N, livin’We’ll dance on the bar ’til we’re sleeping it off in the carMonday morning, it’s a givenI’ll be D-R-A-G-N, draggin’And that’s what happens in every little honky tonk barNeon lights flashing bright ’til you’re almost hypnotizedWaitress, short skirt, gets hit on by every guyComin’ and goin’, always rollin’ with the flowBartender, pour our drinks, Código, do a shotYou think you’re tall and bulletproof until somebody says you’re notYou step outside thinkin’ you’re gonna show ’em you areAnd that’s what happens in every little honky tonk barFriday night, it’s a givenWe’ll be L-I-V-N, livin’We’ll dance on the bar ’til we’re sleeping it off in the carMonday morning, it’s a givenWe’ll be D-R-A-G-N, draggin’And that’s what happens in every little honky tonk barYeah, that’s what happens in every little honky tonk bar
Harley