Barstool
Wisdom Poured in Whiskey: Barstool Revelations
Lyrics
Old man on a barstool watching TV
Observation of an old man sitting on a barstool, watching TV.
Got up and came over to sit closer to me
The old man approached and sat closer, initiating a conversation.
He said "you look familiar to someone I knew
The old man finds a resemblance to someone from his past.
But when were your age we were older than you
Reflecting on the past when the speaker's generation seemed older at a younger age.
Jimmy was twenty and I seventeen
Introducing characters - Jimmy at twenty, the speaker at seventeen.
And to us there was nothing but girls and machines
The carefree perspective of youth, focusing on girls and machines.
Jimmy got married and I went to war
Juxtaposing paths: Jimmy getting married, speaker going to war.
I still don't know what we were doing it for
Reflecting on the uncertainty and purpose of their actions during the war.
But if you'll buy me a drink, a turkey on ice
The old man requests a drink, offering advice in return.
Then I could give you some advice
The advice is contingent on receiving a drink, creating a transaction.
"You just stay in the bar
Instructions to stay in the bar for as long as possible.
For as long as you can
Emphasizing the benefits of remaining in a drinking environment.
'Cause as long as you're drinking
Linking drinking to having control over the world.
Then you've got the world in your hand"
The connection between continuous drinking and empowerment.
"There's no shame in hanging your world by a string
Acceptance of a carefree lifestyle, hanging the world by a string.
And you know there's no harm in not thinking a thing
Highlighting the innocence in not pondering too much.
But trying to find a place for yourself in this world
Acknowledging the difficulty of finding one's place in the world.
Is like trying to make a wife of an American girl
Comparing it to the challenge of making a wife of an American girl.
If you'll trade me a drink for a story or two
Proposing a trade of a drink for stories and advice.
Then you'll know what you need to do"
Implying that stories will guide the listener on what to do.
"You just stay in the bar
Reiteration of the advice to stay in the bar.
For as long as you can
Linking love to weakness and whiskey to manhood.
You know love is for sissies
Emphasizing the toughness associated with whiskey.
It's whiskey that makes you a man"
Now the old man got up and stumbled out in the street
The speaker is left with the old man's bar tab.
He'd been drinking all day and left his bar tab with me
The speaker lacks funds to cover the tab.
I didn't have the money to cover his bill
A strategy to pass the tab to a younger-looking person.
But I found me a man who looked like me, younger still
Expressing the speaker's successful evasion of responsibility.
And said "buy me a drink and I'll tell you a tale
Engaging a new person with the same exchange - a drink for a tale.
About the old man who taught me so well"
The promise of a story about the old man's wisdom.
You just stay in the bar
Reiteration of the advice to stay in the bar.
For as long as you can
Highlighting the camaraderie and friendship in the bar.
Hell I know you're a friend
Recognition of a friend based on shared struggles.
I can tell by the shakes in your hand
Identifying a friend through physical signs of drinking.
You just stay in the bar
Encouraging the listener to stay in the bar for as long as they dare.
For as long as you dare
Connecting the duration of staying with tipping.
As long as you're tipping
Emphasizing the value of having a good friend while drinking.
Then you've got a good friend somewhere
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