# Songs set entirely in bars **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2019, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238 "2019-08-06T14:19:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/41 "2019-08-06T18:58:29Z")
“I Never Talk To Strangers,” a duet between Bette Midler and Tom Waits on her Broken Blossoms album is one of my favorites. Tom Waits also wrote the song. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/42 "2019-08-06T19:03:33Z")
“[Old City Bar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcJKQs5hVdQ)” - Trans-Siberian Orchestra ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/43 "2019-08-06T19:03:52Z")
(We Ain’t Going) “Home Alone Tonight” by Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/44 "2019-08-06T19:08:54Z")
This one tugs at the heartstrings. When the Smoke Clears by Due West. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gBqS6nmBjRk/maxresdefault.jpg "Due West - When the Smoke Clears") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBqS6nmBjRk) This one is just a rollicking good time, TROUBLE by Travis Tritt. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hgzND2t-2ng/hqdefault.jpg "Travis Tritt - Trouble") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgzND2t-2ng) ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/45 "2019-08-06T19:47:55Z")
Tom Waits has been name-checked multiple times already, but without his absolute best bar song, in my humble opinion: [A Sight for Sore Eyes](https://youtu.be/1j5ecdHpxTU). I dare you not to love that song - it’s got the word “palookas” in it, for gods’ sake! ---
**Author:** ![MollyCatherine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc79bd/32.png) [@MollyCatherine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MollyCatherine)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/46 "2019-08-06T19:50:11Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > (We Ain’t Going) “Home Alone Tonight” by Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild That’s the one I was just trying to remember. Also “Came Here to Forget” by Blake Shelton, which is the same song but released a couple months later and not as good. “Half Empty” - Old Dominion “I Don’t Know About You” - Chris Lane ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/47 "2019-08-06T20:00:21Z")
Well, I’m having the impression that half of the songs posted are country songs, and the other half Tom Waits songs. May there be a pattern? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/48 "2019-08-06T20:06:18Z")
Slim Dusty [A Pub With No Beer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1l40SUGabg) [Three Rivers Hotel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4LHmN8sqig) [Mad Jack’s Cockatoo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhVVtwl1miU) [Joe Maguire’s Pub](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21rYuyIATVQ) [Pay Day At The Pub](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z7SwA0d3TI) [G’day Blue](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B2y22w_Yhk) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/49 "2019-08-06T20:24:50Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > “Hey Bartender” (the version I’m familiar with is by [The Blues Brothers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzP0GCILr7c)) Here’s the original. Jake and Elwood stayed pretty close to it. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LWTbNV_gwDk/hqdefault.jpg "Hey Bartender / Floyd Dixon") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWTbNV_gwDk) ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/50 "2019-08-06T20:27:38Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Nearly all songs are set entirely in bars. 😉 Or _measures_ will surely be involved… 😉 [spoiler]Probably a pun for musicians… [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar\_(music)[/spoiler]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_(music)%5B/spoiler%5D) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mr.Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Bill)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/51 "2019-08-06T21:20:09Z")
David Olney is one of the best little-known songwriters around. His “Barrymore Remembers” fits this thread. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNB3pBN0rsw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNB3pBN0rsw) ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/52 "2019-08-06T21:23:25Z")
“Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” takes place in a bar, they just talk about sailing and the sea. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/53 "2019-08-06T21:29:24Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” takes place in a bar, they just talk about sailing and the sea. Ok, I rechecked the lyrics and turns out Brandy walks home in the last verse. ☹ So instead I submit [Paralyzer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJk6gZuPKRE) by Finger Eleven, unless a club != a bar, in which case I got nothing ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/54 "2019-08-07T13:23:13Z")
Les Miserables has two really good ones: The ABC Cafe/Red and Black and Empty Chairs at Empty Tables. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/55 "2019-08-07T13:56:21Z")
Al Stewart [Modern Times](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLUxn5DdqmE) ---
**Author:** ![Southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@Southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southpaw)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/56 "2019-08-08T19:28:00Z")
George Strait - _The Chair_ ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/57 "2019-08-08T20:54:08Z")
“Dive Bar” by Garth Brooks and Blake Shelton ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/58 "2019-08-08T21:27:30Z")
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - O’Malley’s Bar. It’s not the kind of bar you want to be in, however. Edit: I guess the very end takes place in a car. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/59 "2019-08-08T23:08:46Z")
Does “Picture Postcards from L.A.” by Joshua Kadison qualify? ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238/60 "2019-08-08T23:42:35Z")
OK, Tom Waits has been mentioned several time… My Fave, used to play it when I was a closing bartender; _ **Closing Time** _ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-set-entirely-in-bars/838238.md?page=4)