A Bar Has a Longer History than a Country: songs about barlife

BARLIFE: 

Socializing, philosophizing, hiding away, meeting people, intermingling, withdrawing, partying, singing, listening to music, spending time - in bars

"Meanwhile, at the Bar, a Drunkard Muses" - Arab Strap (2003)

From the Scottish overlords of slowcore, one of their many small vignettes on sex, drugs, barlife, and hangovers, sprinkled with their dry humour on eventually hopeless efforts for some sort of relationship. The musical background is a purely original mix which Arab Strap invented: basic drum patterns made from drum machines and electronic loops with minimal guitar figures on top, and Aidan Moffat's vocals somewhere between singing, mumbling and speaking. 

Cause lover, when I drink, I'm dozy but I fancy getting cozy
And I heard a rumor that I might have caught your eye
So come on darling, break my heart
Mess me around and shag all my friends

"Lived in Bars" - Cat Power (2006)

One of Chan Marshall's best and most loved songs from what many consider her best album ('The Greatest'). A soulful and tender ballad with piano, organ and horn arrangement which picks up the tempo on its coda to close with beautiful piano arpeggios. Sounds like it could be made on any era from the 60s and beyond - that's always a great compliment and a testament on the strength of the songwriting. Marshall had some issues at that time and the song kind of hints towards it. 

We've lived in bars
And danced on tables
Hotels, trains and ships that sail

"Between the Bars" - Elliott Smith (1997)

Smith was a terrific singer-songwriter - arguably the best of his lifetime. All albums from his discography are worth visiting but Either/Or in particular is an understated masterpiece. 

In 'Between the Bars' Smith sings in his feathery, soft voice with the bottle being the narrator talking to him and trying to lure him by claiming to be his only friend; but also revealing that this road leads to his lost potential - a life wasted. Elliott Smith's suicide adds tragic weight to the sad undertow of the lyrics. 

Drink up, baby, stay up all night
With the things you could do, you won't but you might
The potential you'll be that you'll never see
The promises you'll only make

"The Piano Has Been Drinking" - Tom Waits (1976)

Tom in his boho / hobo / barfly persona, listing one after the other all sorts of funny-but-sad things in a bar where nothing goes right. Among the most representative songs of the first phase of his career, before his famous shift which started with Swordfishtrombones in 1983. Take a look in the video performing the song below from a tv appearance in 1981. 

And you can't find your waitress
With a Geiger counter
And she hates you and your friends
And you just can't get served

Without her 

"Draining the Bar" - Everything But The Girl (1986)

The beloved duet in one of their unknown gems. It can be found in their compilation 82-92 Essence and Rare which could very well be among their top 3 releases. 130 seconds of pure piano bliss though the lyrics paint a different picture:

This time you went just a little too far
Now I don't mind picking you up from some bar
And I'm used to dealing with the ways of most men
But I won't come and get you from the jailhouse again

"Some Bartenders Have the Gift of Pardon" - Mark Eitzel (1996)

In the music world of the mid-90s, the debut solo album of Mark Eitzel, after the end of American Music Club, was - and still is - an anomaly. 60 Watt Silver Lining belongs in my favourite albums of the 90s and begs to be discovered. Jazz, folk, downtempo sounds with Eitzel's soulful, crooning voice.

A bar has a longer history than a country
What keeps the moon chained
Are ridiculous acts of faith
And after a couple of drinks
Visionary eyes all burn
The drunks seem saint-like
In their disillusion

"A Man Walks into a Bar" - Jens Lekman (1996)

Jens Lekman is now an established singer-songwriter but back in 2005 he was the Swedish wunderkind who caught our indiepop hearts and the blogosphere by surprise and filled us with joy and wonder (what do they eat in Sweden and produce continuously indiepop marvels?) Oh You're So Silent Jens was his early singles/b-sides collection and is among the best and most honest pop music anyone can find in the last twenty years. Orchestral pop; wonderful arrangements enhanced by unexpected and clever samples showing a true music lover of wide taste; and a gifted, playful storyteller with a romantic heart. Oh, you're so adorable Jens! 

A man walks into a bar
Orders a scotch and a bottle of coke
But the laughter is gone in his heart
You never told me the end of the joke

"Bar Italia" - Pulp (1995)

Jarvis is taking us on a night out clubbing. If they get out of this night alive, the song's protagonist asks their partner in crime to meet again next week, same place, same time, repeat. By the end of the song, it's morning and they don't want go to bed so they'll head to Bar Italia instead. Apparently, it's a cafe in the heart of Soho (and not a bar).

And now it's morning
There's only one place we can go
It's 'round the corner in Soho
Where other broken people go
Let's go

"Wine" - Closer (1998)

Closer were one of the best alternative rock in Greece and my personal favourite, ever. 

In 1998 and in 2000 they released two amazing albums highlighted by the utterly captivating guitar arrangements of John Ververis and the violin riffs of Tasos Papastamou. Their explosive live performances are the stuff of legend in the alternative scene of Athens. I still remember how they upstaged poor Doves in their first (and only) gig here back in 2000. 

'Wine' is arguably their most favourite song from their debut In the Market. What a band.

I met a girl in a bar she was drinking wine
I kept a close watch on her
I was amazed

The way she talks

The way she smiles

The way she's drinking her wine

 

"Closing Time" - Leonard Cohen (1992)

The song with which each bar should close the night/morning. 

Ah, we're drinking and we're dancing
And the band is really happening
And the Johnny Walker wisdom running high