If You Don't Start Drinkin'

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"If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave)"
Single by George Thorogood & The Destroyers
from the album Boogie People
B-side "Born in Chicago"
ReleasedJanuary 1991
RecordedNovember 1990
Studio Studio Six, Memphis
Genre
Length4:11
Label EMI America
Songwriter(s) George Thorogood
Producer(s)
George Thorogood & The Destroyers singles chronology
"You Talk Too Much"
(1988)		"If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave)"
(1991)		"Hello Little Girl"
(1991)
Music video
"If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave)" on YouTube

"If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave)" is a rock song by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released in January 1991 as the lead single from their album Boogie People by EMI America. [1] [2] [3] It was written by George Thorogood. The song is one of Thorogood's most popular, it is often played live and is included on several live and compilation albums. [4]

Contents

Writing

The song describes a man trying to get his wife to start drinking alcohol with him, threatening to leave her if she does not. [5]

The music video for the song was made by David Hogan. [6]

Release

The song was released as the lead single from their eighth studio album Boogie People. [1] [2] [7] The song debuted at No. 12, [8] and peaked at No. 5 on the Mainstream Rock chart. [9] [10] [11]

Controversy

Following the single's release, Stephanine Lesky, an executive director at the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Council in Orange County, New York called for radio stations in New York to not play the song, claiming it promoted abuse and drinking and driving. [12] EMI America and Thorogood have denied this claim, with EMI America issuing a statement saying: "The song in question is meant as a tongue-in-cheek exchange between two adults in the privacy of their own home and should in no way be construed as an endorsement of indiscriminate drinking." [13]

Thorogood has said that he was afraid the song would be controversial, and that he brought it up to EMI America, but they ended up releasing it anyway. [12] [13]

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1991)Peak
position
US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks [9] 5
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary [14] 35

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Thorogood and the Destroyers discography</span> Cataloging of published recordings by George Thorogood and The Destroyers

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<i>Live</i> (George Thorogood and the Destroyers album) 1986 live album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

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References

  1. 1 2 Flick, Larry (February 2, 1991). "Album-Rock Fans Have Lots To Sing About" (PDF). Billboard . p. 12 – via World Radio History.
  2. 1 2 Rene, Sheila (February 1, 1991). "Hear And There" (PDF). The Gavin Report . p. 40 – via World Radio History.
  3. ↑ uDiscover Team (March 8, 2020). "George Thorogood - Prodigiously-Talented Boogie Blues Guitarist". uDiscover Music.
  4. ↑ "If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave) | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  5. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "Boogie People - George Thorogood & the Destroyers | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  6. ↑ "The Gavin Report - April 19, 1991" (PDF). The Gavin Report . April 19, 1991. p. 27 – via World Radio History.
  7. ↑ Rene, Sheila (March 15, 1991). "Hear And There" (PDF). The Gavin Report – via World Radio History.
  8. ↑ "Billboard - March 2, 1991" (PDF). Billboard . March 2, 1991. p. 14 – via World Radio History.
  9. 1 2 "Billboard - April 13, 1991" (PDF). Billboard . April 13, 1991. p. 18 – via World Radio History.
  10. ↑ "George Thorogood Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  11. ↑ "George Thorogood & the Destroyers Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018.
  12. 1 2 "Music Connection - May 27, 1991" (PDF). Music Connection . May 27, 1991. p. 18 – via World Radio History.
  13. 1 2 "Some Potent Thoughts On Drinking Songs; London Calling Jimmie Vaughan; Black's Biz" (PDF). Billboard . March 30, 1991. p. 36 – via World Radio History.
  14. ↑ "Item: 1053 - Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013.
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