2020 Q1 Spirited VA - 41

in their Grammy award-winning
country music song, "Tequila"
(2018), recognize the power of
taste to stimulate memory. "I
can drink whiskey and red wine,
Champagne all night, little Scotch
on the rocks and I'm fine, I'm fine.
But when I taste tequila, baby I
still see ya."

LOVE SONGS
There's nothing to compare to
the buzz of love, as scores
of singers and songwriters
can attest.
Inspired by an
evening of drinking
moonshine, Bruno
Mars and his fellow
musicians created
"Moonshine" (2012):
"Moonshine, take us
to the stars tonight,
take us to that special
place."
Country singer Chris
Stapleton covered
"Tennessee Whiskey" in
2015 (originally recorded in
1981 and again in 1983).
Country singer/songwriter Luke
Bryan shared similar sentiments
in "Drunk on You" (2016). Similarly,
country singer- songwriter Brett
Eldredge sang "Drunk on Your
Love" (2015). "The second she
walked through the door, I caught
a buzz ... It's not in the whiskey,
tequila or the wine. It's all about
the touch and the fire in your eyes
... Wish I could bottle you up and
drink you in all day long."
"Every time you dance in front
of me, I feel dizzy like tequila
running through my brain," sing

Michael Franti & Spearhead
in "My Favorite Wine Is Tequila"
(2016). "My favorite wine is
tequila. It makes me feel fine, just
like you, girl."
Gazzo's dance-electronic
production of "Love Drunk"
(2016) shared a similar sentiment.
"I don't need no whiskey as long
as she's with me," sang Matt
McAndrew, then, joined by a
female vocalist: "I don't need no
Jack or Johnnie, I've got my honey.
He's my Southern Comfort. Kind
o' hangover that don't hurt. And I
don't need no silly umbrella, 'cause
nothing is sweet as my fella."
Sometimes the liquor receives
more than just a passing mention.
Instead, some songs prominently
feature a spirit, cocktail or brand.

SPIRITS IN SONGS
Liquor companies and musicians
have realized the power of
banding together-or shall we
say "branding" together. When
musicians sing of specific brands or
cocktails, the brands can capitalize
on the song's popularity, as José
Cuervo Tequila did with the
popularity of the "Tequila Sunrise"
song and drink, despite not being
named in the song.
Hennessy also gets prime
airtime in hip-hop and rap songs
such as Tupac's "Hennessy" (1992)
and Snoop Dogg's "Hennessy 'n'
Buddha" (2000). And then there's
the sultry song from DeJ Loaf and
Lil Wayne's "Me U & Hennessy"
(2015): "Can we stay home tonight?
Try something new tonight? This
drink got me feeling right. I'm
'bout to lose my mind. You, me
and Hennessy, look what you did
to me."

A rich cocktail of musicians -
Buddy Guy, Keith Richards and
Jeff Beck, with a tip of the hat to
Muddy Waters-came together
for "Cognac" (2018). "Talkin' 'bout
cognac, liquid gold in every sip...
I'm talkin' about cognac ... Rémy
Martin XO."

COCKTAILS IN SONGS
Back in 1979, Rupert Holmes
reconnected with his lover in
"Escape (The Piña Colada Song)."
His personal ad (the ancient
equivalent of online dating)
stated, "If you like Piña Coladas
and getting caught in the rain ...
I'm the love that you've looked
for."
In 1987, the Beastie Boys
showed how cocktails can connect
friends-especially a cocktail
made with equal parts dark rum,
vodka and orange juice: "Me and
the crew, we're drinking Brass
Monkey ... that funky Monkey."
Snoop Dogg recorded "Gin
and Juice" (1993), referencing
Seagram's and Tanqueray. During
an interview with Vice magazine,
Snoop Dogg had a Laid Back
Cocktail on the rocks-one part
gin, one part apple vodka, two
parts fresh pineapple juice and a
splash of soda.

B

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2020 Q1 Spirited VA

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