Song Lyric Sunday: 99 Bottles of Beer

Helen’s theme for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday is alcohol. For me that song will be 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall. It is a folk song that can be traced back to the mid-20th Century.

I grew up as an army brat; generally moving every three years. We also visited my grandparents in Florida. That combination made for a lot of cross country car trips. Singing this song was one of the ways my brothers and I passed the time. When I think about it now, it seems like a very strange song for children to sing. Hmmmm, I wonder if I taught it to my children using beer as the object. I’ve never drunk beer, don’t even like the smell.

Lyrics:

99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer.
Take one down, pass it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall…

Every time you sing it, you take off a number, i.e. 98, 97, 96, 95 etc. There are several variations for the ending. I don’t remember how we ended it.

I found a fun country video to share. It is by Zane Williams. Wikipedia describes him as an “anomaly in today’s country music scene, a modern-day “throwback” who is equal parts bar-room entertainer and introspective poet.”

Lyrics

On a day hot enough to make the Devil cuss
I walked into a bar so thirsty I was spittin’ dust Barkeep asked me what’ll it be?
I said whatcha got?
He said well let’s see, we got

Lone star, PBR, Rolling Rock, Shiner Bock
Moose Drool, O’Doul’s, Hefeweizen, Ziegenbock
Keystone, Coors Light, ‘course we got Red Stripe
Amstel, Amsterdam in the tall can,

Michelob, Miller Light, Guiness by the pint glass
Doppelbock Lager, take a swaller ‘cause it’s goin’ fast
Oatmeal stout and a lot of Leinenkugel’s
Open up your wallet, no time to be frugal there’s

99 bottles of beer on the wall
99 bottles of beer
Take one down, pass it around
98 bottles of beer on the wall

Well needless to say I was pretty impressed
As he handed me an ice cold beer from a chest
I said, Not bad for a hole in the wall
Barkeep grinned, said That ain’t all, we got

As he handed me an ice cold beer from a chest
I said, Not bad for a hole in the wall
Barkeep grinned, said
That ain’t all, we got

Rio Grande, River Rock, Tecate with a twist top
Dos Perros, Dos Equis, Foster if yer Aussie
Bud Light in the new Zane Williams coozie
A dozen wheat beers on tap if you’re choosy, got

Heineken, Killian’s, Labatt’s and Beck’s
Ice cold na with the limes in the necks
Yuengling chilling with the Old Milwaukee’s best
Sam Adams and that ain’t even half of the rest of them

98 bottles of beer on the wall
98 bottles of beer
Take one down, pass it around
97 bottles of beer on the wall

Well I settled down with my favorite brew
I ordered me another and before I knew
It was 2 AM and I was under a table
Bein’ choked by a dude that smelled like a stable

And finally I was able to throw him through the screen door
Pick up my hat off the hardwood floor
Get on back to the barkeep’s daughter who was
Puttin’ “Pop a Top” on the jukebox, dancin’ non-stop

And sippin’ on a beer that I bought her
We were drinkin’ it like it was water
There were cowgirls everywhere wearin’ their
Pretty hair down to their derriere and there were

2 more bottles of beer on the wall
2 more bottles of beer
Took one down and passed it around
1 more bottle of beer on the wall

1 more bottle of beer on the wall
1 more bottle of beer
We raised it up high and drained it dry and there were
No more bottles of beer on the wall
So we started on the

Cuervo, Bacardi Gold, margaritas, straight tequila
Jim Beam, George Dickel, then we wet our whistle with a
single malt scotch, peach schnapps in a jello shot
Captain Morgan, pour some more of them
Cider Sliders, Flyin’ Tigers
Dr Pepper for the designated drivers
Everclear, Absolut and Amaretto I
don’t remember much but I never will forget those

99 bottles of beer on the wall
99 bottles of beer
There ain’t nothin’ finer than an ice-cold Shiner and
99 bottles of beer on the wall