Story Behind The Song
This song is based on being married to an alcoholic. My husband always put a higher priority on the alcohol than on me. The irony I saw was that he didn't even drink expensive booze. So I felt very low, being replaced with "house" liquor.
Song Description
"Top Shelf" refers to high quality liquor as opposed to house brands. The woman in the song is first replaced by "cheap" alcohol by her alcoholic man.Next she is replaced by a "cheap" woman by her next lover. She describes how it might have been easier to handle if she was at least replaced with something good, i.e. Top Shelf.
| Song Length |
3:30 |
Genre |
Country - Contemporary, Country - Honky Tonk |
| Lead Vocal |
Female Vocal |
Mood |
Content, Annoyed |
| Subject |
Alchohol, Beer, Wine, Dysfunctional Relations |
Similar Artists |
Miranda Lambert, Shania Twain |
| Language |
English |
Era |
2000 and later |
Lyrics
Top Shelf
Verse 1
Well he drank Pabst and Old Milwaukee
And sometimes he'd buy a big jug of Chianti
I didn't mind, hell it saved me money
But that gin soaked life each day became less funny
And oh how bad I felt about myself
When he didn't even replace me with Top Shelf
Chorus
Top Shelf I might have understood
Everybody wants some, everybody knows it's good
But he ordered house, or the cheapest thing
When you're not Top Shelf you're gonna feel that sting
Verse 2
Well she was sorta pretty, at least from a distance
And that so called man of mine had no resistance
He just had to try it, he didn't even fight it
And I suppose with his eyes closed he might have liked it
Repeat Chorus
Bridge
They say temptation has no measure
Cause one man's trash is another man's pleasure
Verse 3
Now I've given up on men altogether
So I packed my bags flew off to warmer weather
Lying on the beach life couldn't be much sweeter
Unless I knew the name of the sexy thing making margaritas
Repeat Chorus