Beer at Christmas has a downside: forgotten presents, uninhibited opinions, vomit in the hanging fern….
Angry songs usually just lean into punk, like Fear’s “Another Christmas Beer.” Few actual accidents of mischance trouble this number, though.
And Bah and the Humbugs’ “Christmas Beer” extols the magical powers of the brewski, but the suburban-dad punk sounds a bit tetchy.
Sunny Sweeney changes the tempo with sloshy honky tonk in her “1 More Christmas Beer.” The stink of life’s limitations and regret swings and sways like a denizen of the tavern two past cut-off.
Banging the guitar with heartfelt country David Hutchins wails (more coffee house than dive bar) “I’ll be Drinking for Christmas.” Mostly just about keeping the glass full. But we all know he’s a beer guy with poor decision-making skills.
Slightly more upbeat country with a far more hopeless message is “Christmas in a Beer Joint” by Red State Update. The boys are just having fun, but can we laugh at their depiction of rural pain? Me first.
Let country do what it does best, reflect on the broken life of the lower class. And wink. Gord Bamford tells the old tale of family tragedy in “Daddy’s Beer.” Follow the stages of grief through this toe tapper.