Whiskey Lullaby

"Whiskey Lullaby" is a very sad song about a man who gets his heart broken so bad, he drinks himself to death - it's the musical equivalent of Leaving Las Vegas. His ex blames herself for his death and also starts drinking, eventually killing herself with the whiskey as well. The key line in the song is "He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger," a striking metaphor for what happens when drinking away one's sorrows will no longer work, and it becomes a method of suicide. The song is a duet with Alison Krauss, who sings the second verse in the role of the woman and also plays viola on the track.

"Whiskey Lullaby," released in 2003 as part of his third album, Mud On The Tires, is Brad Paisley's most famous song, but it's not typical of his work, which is much more upbeat. He'll often perform the song in concert, but his shows are feel-good affairs loaded with funs songs like "Ticks" and "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)." In 2005 Paisley released another drinking song with a very different approach: "Alcohol," a singalong tune written from the perspective of the drink.

"Whiskey Lullaby" earned the 2005 CMA for Song Of The Year and also took Video Of The Year at both the CMAs and ACMs. It was not, however, a #1 Country hit, probably because it didn't get all that much radio play - it's not the kind of song you want to hear over and over throughout the day.