Cole Swindell’s “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey”
Warning: Some language
Sorry sweetheart, but you’re not even worth a shot of Evan Williams passed off to frat boy Cole Swindell as Bushmills because he’s too tanked to tell the difference. That’s the inspiring, forward-thinking message of merch guy turned misogynist Cole Swindell’s shitty new single that threatens to top the country music charts. I’m not sure I’d even piss on this pipsqueaked rat-faced mealy-mouthed condescending sexist asshole if he was on fire after hearing such a self-centered denigration of another as is evidenced in this audio embarrassment. What the hell has happened to country music, indeed.
Cole Swindell should have never been let out of his cubby beside the concession stands at Luke Bryan concerts selling overpriced pink tank tops to boozed up suburban women. That’s no dramatization: Swindell truly got his start in the music biz as a merch boy, and now he may be on track to have more country #1’s than all of the women in country in the last calendar year combined, and by cutting them down once again. Along with being the most Caspar Milquetoast and character-devoid piece of Wonder bread ever proffered to the country music public, Cole is becoming the country music equivalent of Archie Bunker—sans the topical and culturally-commentative humor.
On the heels of the success of his assholic anthem of emotional downgrading and manipulation called “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight,” Swindell is right back at it making quick work of women’s self-esteem to allow himself to feel better about his own raging insecurities in “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey.” It is an account of a man “done wrong” by a woman, but promises his whiskey-fueled night has nothing to do with drowning his sorrow, but celebrating things in life like “country songs,” which is ironic seeing how Swindell has yet to fucking sing one.
First off, I’m sure Swindell’s account of being “done wrong” leaves out the part about him being too sloshed to perform his duties as a man, or being like a petri dish of emotional maladies that finds his comfort in taking down others. Secondly the song signifies an unhealthy way of dealing with heartbreak by practicing avoidance and lying to oneself. What’s sad is this song could have gone in the direction of an emotional realization and reconciliation, and really made a worthy statement. But instead “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey” takes the most incongruous plot twist on a “country” song possibly ever by all of a sudden becoming a vehicle for a “let’s support the troops” stance.
Hey, nothing but respect for the veterans of the fighting forces, but to shoehorn this pandering sentiment into Swindell’s sexist cutdown is patronizing as all get out in this flag waver’s opinion. They don’t issue out dog tags for serving with Luke Bryan in Sigma Chi, Mr. Swindell.
The video for “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey” reinforces all of this negativity with a wispy blonde looking on forlornly as Cole Swindell shits on her with his eyes, and then of all things, portrays himself as a handsy chauvinistic slobber ass as he drunkenly exists the little boy room and uses some poor girl’s C-cups to steady himself. Now Swindell’s just overtly playing into the role of a misogynistic prick looking to prey on women with no self-esteem. And it will probably work. I’m sure this song scores high with the mainstream country music frau.
It’s not just the systematic way females are handled in the country music business that is keeping them relegated as second class citizens in the charts and in sales. It’s songs like Cole Swindell’s “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey” that reinforce women’s downgraded identity in country music in 2015.
Two guns down.
March 12, 2015 @ 11:34 am
You’re really regretting your “no rants” thing aren’t ya, trigger?
March 12, 2015 @ 11:36 am
There are some road crew members turned performing musical artists who are very talented (Bob Wayne, Tim Brennan of Dropkick Murphys, for example) and this chump is a painful embarrassment to every single one of the.
March 12, 2015 @ 11:40 am
nice free ride on the shoulders of a soldier, Cole.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:48 pm
If you ask me I think the line is ignorant a nd disrespectful
“And I’m raising my glass for those saving our @$$ overseas”
He also sounds really ignorant when he sings it like he was saying “oh yeah I don’t care about you, there are guys over there fighting for us so ill get drunk about it”
How bout you get off your lazy *** and try doin it yourself boy
March 12, 2015 @ 11:41 am
The only thing I disagree with is that the message is mysogynistic. Sure, Cole Swindell is horrible and all, but there’s somebody who I feel isn’t worth the whiskey. I’m not gonna go feeling on some chick because of it, but I don’t have s problem with the song other than it not having any country sounds. If men can insult men, and women can insult women, and women can insult men, why can’t men insult women?
March 12, 2015 @ 12:42 pm
The idea that Cole Swindell doesn’t see enough value in this woman to say that she isn’t worth a couple of shots of whiskey….but he’ll write and sing and entire song about her and how he doesn’t care, is not just a completely failed premise, but it is totally misogynistic in my opinion.
March 30, 2015 @ 9:03 am
dang Trigger you sound like a liberal with all this anti sexist stuff.
March 30, 2015 @ 10:50 am
Folks have been attempting to assign political affiliations to me for years. The truth is I remain a completely apolitical animal.
March 12, 2015 @ 1:35 pm
The premise of the song needn’t be in and of itself misogynistic. If it were executed more deftly it might be a song with self deprecating and ultimately reflective and redemptive, et cetera. But given the artist and audience we can probably safely assume there is some misogynistic sentiment there.
March 12, 2015 @ 1:38 pm
I’m a believer in judging songs on their own merit, without regard to who the artist or audience is.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:38 pm
I agree, and that’s the problem with this song. It’s basically a cut down of a woman with no context and no resolution. There’s nothing about this review that’s coming it at it from a knee jerk hatred for Cole Swindell or his fans, and one shouldn’t be assumed or implied. Slippery Danis hit the nail right on the head. As I said in the review, for this song to have worked, it needed to resolve in some manner. It almost doesn’t even matter how it resolved specifically, but that there was some sort of change in the narrative. Instead, we inexplicably get a shout out to the troops. I mean, what?
This lack of resolution or understanding is one of the fundamental issues plaguing country songs today. I remember talking about this issue with Reba’s new single. Since songwriters are being tasked to write with only one or two verses and then double up on the catchy chorus, the lyrics are never given an opportunity to go anywhere. Hey, some songs are just not meant to convey an in-depth story and that’s totally fine. But when you start a song off talking about this girl, and there was a breakup, blah blah blah, then it better resolve into something more than flashing her a dirty look, feeling up one of her friends waiting by the bathroom, and oh! “let’s support the troops!” randomly.
July 1, 2023 @ 10:07 pm
Wow, You sounds Like Racist Bigoted Woman and Comie as well. Homophobe too? Cole somes are GREAT Bigot.
March 12, 2015 @ 4:11 pm
Eric, you’re right we should judge a song on its merit; I adhere to that in theory if not always in practice. Mea culpa. That being said, going back to what Trigger said, without a real resolution to the song I’m left to fill in the gaps and thus I jumped to the conclusions which I did.
June 2, 2015 @ 3:30 pm
Brandon I totally agree and I think it’s a great country song.
January 28, 2018 @ 2:43 am
As the writer of this song, thanks. I can respect Trigger, but we in no way meant for This song to be a woman bashing song. We just wanted the song to be a fun, “hey I can drink to this song,” kind of thing. I’ve written a lot of songs, and I’m proud to say this One I cowrote has almost sold 2 million copies; sometimes you just have to look at the numbers.
Trigger, if you read this, cole is a great guy as I know him personally obviously. I can respect your opinion on the song, but I don’t respect your opinion on Cole. He’s done slot of good with his success, things that ppl will never hear about.
I will always be proud of this song, it’s my 1st number 1 and platinum at that.
You can be a critic without bashing the “integrity” of the artist. We can accept constructive criticism, but we generally dismiss hateful criticism and what sounds like maybe a little jealousy.
It feels good to have a dream, Chase it, have the odds against you and succeed.
Good luck!!
Btw Trigger, I’d love to hear your thoughts on more of my songs and my voice; Joshmartincountry.com.
Hopefully you will meet Cole if you havnt, and I think you will change your opinion of what kind of a guy he is.
Josh Martin
March 12, 2015 @ 11:56 am
I really appreciate that you name dropped Evan Williams instead of Jack Daniels. EW is a much better whiskey for half the price of JD. Unfortunately, the country audience is stupid enough to fall for JD’s marketing campaign and assumes that it is the only whiskey. Jack is the whiskey of followers.
Today’s bros know nothing of whiskey and worship Jack Daniels. It annoys me. If I hear a country singer name drop Ezra Brooks, Old Forester or Very Old Barton I will rush to the nearest store and buy 10 copies of their album to support them.
Jack Daniels is to whiskey what bro country is to country music. Overrated, overpriced and reliant on marketing and image.
March 12, 2015 @ 1:34 pm
Anybody who’s had Jack Daniel’s has likely tried their fair share of whiskeys. It is possible to prefer it. Not really sure what your issue with it is. Some people prefer whiskey that has a bite over super-smooth shit.
March 13, 2015 @ 11:05 am
First off, I worded my comment way too strongly so I am sorry for that.
I don’t agree that anybody whose had JD has had their share of whiskeys. In my experience many people who aren’t whiskey drinkers but want to try some always buy JD because it’s the one brand they know. I think anybody whose had, say Old Charter or Buffalo Trace, probably knows their whiskeys because those aren’t household names so you need to know whiskey to know them.
Also, JD is super smooth and they often advertise it as so. Evan Williams or Ezra Brooks both have more bite than JD. JD is only 80 proof. So I don’t prefer “super smooth shit” over JD because JD is one of the smoothest on the market. But Forester is pretty smooth I will give you that.
My biggest issue is that JD is hands down the best selling whiskey in the US but doesn’t at all deserve to be. It cost typically $20-25 for a fifth but is an average whiskey at best. There are so many whiskeys that are $10 cheaper that are as good or better so I don’t understand why so many people pay a premium for JD. I think it’s just because they do the most marketing.
Finally, I began drinking while living in Kentucky so I do prefer bourbon to Tennessee whiskey. Just a regional bias that I need to keep in check.
Also, if you love JD I don’t have a problem with it. But if you’re one of those people that’s only had JD and assumes it must be the best because it’s the most popular, that tends to annoy me. But drink whatever you want. Or don’t drink that’s cool too.
Cheers!
March 13, 2015 @ 8:13 pm
“Jack Daniels, if you please.” 😉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1sDTTRjncY
March 14, 2015 @ 12:06 am
In my Cabinet:
Woodford Reserve
Makers Mark
Johnny Red
Johnny Black
The Balvenie
Jameson
Jack
Gentlemen’s Jack
Macallan 12
…
I think that’s all of it. Generally, I’m a Jack Guy, but I like options.
To your previous point about today’s douches, they seem to enjoy Fireball.
Candy is for children.
March 12, 2015 @ 4:44 pm
I’m not a drinker, but I believe part of the reason Jack Daniels is abused by country singers lives in the easy ways to rhyme Jack.
March 12, 2015 @ 12:11 pm
Ah, I disagree with you on this, Trigger.
I actually think that this is Cole Swindell’s best single and his least misogynistic one so far. The lyrics very much resemble the classic country breakup and drinking song.
The music, while not country, is among the most melodic currently on country radio. It represents the best of 90s rock.
March 12, 2015 @ 12:40 pm
I have seen you compare this song to ’90s rock before. I’m a huge ’90s fan and never could hear the similarities. Could you explain a little what you find similar between this song and the 90s? Like what bands or songs it reminds you of and why?
March 12, 2015 @ 1:19 pm
There is a minor-scale induced angsty tone to the song reminiscent of grunge and post-grunge. Here is a 90s song that seems to bear some vague resemblance to this song in terms of sonic style:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah5gAkna3jI
December 8, 2015 @ 8:53 am
I swear, I read this and Eric’s other comment in the voice of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho!!!
March 12, 2015 @ 12:58 pm
Now we’re giving gold stars out to artists for releasing songs that are their “least misogynistic so far.”
I respectfully disagree with that assessment, by the way.
January 28, 2018 @ 2:49 am
Eric, you got it buddy. This comes straight from the horses mouth; a co-writer of the song.
I’m a 90’s Country guy and that’s where we wanted to take this song. Thanks, bud.
-Josh Martin
March 12, 2015 @ 12:12 pm
With the exception of the clumsy shoe horning in of a “support the troops” statement at the end of the song (even more so in the video) I really don’t have a problem with this song.
I’m by no means putting these two songs in the same league, but how is this guy in denial idea any different than what we’ve seen in songs like She Thinks I Still Care? I’ve got no love for Swindell but I think the venom being sent his way here is a little over the top.
March 12, 2015 @ 1:07 pm
If I was asked to offer up a song to symbolize the exact opposite of “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey,” I think “She Thinks I Still Care” would be perfect. Aside from actually being a country song and being sung by the immortal George Jones, the sentiment and the writing in the song work in the exact opposite manner to this monstrosity. Where the subtleties and heartbreak inherent in “She Thinks I Still Care” make it timeless, “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey” takes an unhealthy pride in its self-centered avoidance of the other party.
I know you were not comparing the two side by side or anything, but “She Thinks I Still Care” is a perfect example of why “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey” is so diseased in its approach in my opinion.
March 14, 2015 @ 4:13 pm
I am wondering Cole Swindell next single will be Let me see ya girl?
March 12, 2015 @ 12:19 pm
This song is definitley mediocre, but honestly, I’m not hearing misogyny in it.
It is obviously a pretty bitter put-down of an ex written from a male perspective, but I don’t think there’s necessarily anything wrong with that. Women are just human beings, and the way I figure it, some of them are “worth the whiskey” and some ain’t. That’s just life.
I do agree about the “support the troops” thing, though. In the context of this particular song, that sentiment seems like a bizarre non-sequitur.
Just trying to tick off certain demographic boxes, I guess.
One thing we can probably all agree on: hopefully this merch guy’s fifteen minutes of fame are up soon.
March 12, 2015 @ 12:30 pm
The problem for me is that this is the same guy who just celebrated being an objectifying dirtbag in that I Hope You Get Lonely Night. Now, he’s trying to the object of sympathy as the guy who has been “done wrong” by a two timing woman. Check, please.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:09 pm
I guess I missed “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight.” I do remember Trigger writing a review or rant about it, but somehow the song failed to register in my brain. (Probably because it just wasn’t very memorable.) Up to this point, my main impression of Cole Swindell has been the “Chillin’ It” music video, in which he came across like a goofy goober who just won an “Imitate Luke Bryan” talent contest and couldn’t contain his excitement about it. More risible than repugnant on a personal level, in other words.
Going back and listening to “Lonely Tonight,” I would say I find it cheesy.
People keep saying country music has a sexism problem, but for the most part what I think it has is a shallowness problem. And I intend that criticism both for the songwriting, and the performances of mainstream country songs.
Although I hate bro-country, I don’t automatically object to songs with young male themes, as long as they are in proportion to songs written from other perspectives. Genre aside, the main problem I have with songs like “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey” and “Lonely Tonight” is that they don’t have enough depth to say anything interesting about the respective themes they are trying to illustrate, and a performer like Cole Swindell doesn’t have the talent, emotional depth, or self-awareness to deliver them in an interesting or intelligent way.
But we all know Swindell isn’t on country radio because he possesses any of the qualities I listed, but rather because, like all the other bro-country also-rans, he happens to be semi-competent at fitting the mold of a particular marketing image (Southern-bred country boy in a ballcap), and in his case in particular, presumably because of nepotism.
March 12, 2015 @ 12:42 pm
Ugh just looking at him makes me mad. He has no measurable talent whatsoever: he’s not a songwriter, his singing is mediocre at best, in his videos he looks awkward and out of place, and to top it all off he’s not even a looker. How men like this manage to sustain a career in country music, whilst artists as talented as Brandy Clark, Holly Williams, and Ashley Monroe struggle for mainstream recognition is beyond me.
Whether or not you think this song is misogynistic, there is CLEARLY an issue of misogyny in country music today, represented no better than by this excuse for an artist.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:29 pm
Yeah, he’s not a songwriter”¦.he only has about 300 credits as one in his catalog, and this will be his 5th #1 songwriting credit in the last 12 months, but keep on hating.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:54 pm
Exactly Ballgame, he’s not a songwriter. repeatedly doing something over and over again does not make someone good at it. just this morning I rewired a lamp; by your logic, since my lamp is not a fire hazard, it is a “Success” and therefore I must be an electrician. Applying this same logic, even though Swindell can’t write a decent song, the success of said song (I must point out that success and decency are not mutually inclusive) dictates that he is a songwriter.
March 12, 2015 @ 3:47 pm
A quick look over the songwriting credits of his music on wikipedia reveals that, yes, he is a co-writer on most of his singles and album tracks, but almost exclusively in collaboration with other well-established songwriters.
Perhaps I’m being overly cynical, but to me, any album tracklist which lists the artist in question as a co-writer on every song, but as an individual writer on none, makes that artist’s songwriting credit incredibly dubious.
Not to mention, as Fuzzy TwoShirts has already pointed out, even if Cole Swindell has written all of these tracks by himself, they’re still awful, recycled, lyrically-vapid songs.
March 14, 2015 @ 4:05 am
Aisde from Swayin, the only track on the album he didn’t co-write, could you name me one of these “established” co-writers that you are speaking of. He wrote Whiskey with Adam Sanders and Josh Martin, not exactly household names, if you will.
March 15, 2015 @ 10:37 pm
He didn’t write Ain’t Worth the Whiskey with established songwriters but if you look at the other songs on his cd you have:
Chillin’ It – Shane Minor (Beautiful Mess, She Thinks She Needs MeBrand New Girlfriend, International Harvester, Live a Little)
Hope You Get Lonely Tonight – The Florida Georgia Line douchebags
Get Up – Jeremy Stover (Wherever You Are, Fall into Me, You’re Like Coming Home, pretty much every Justin Moore single)
The Back Roads and the Back Row – Tom Shapiro (Wink, No Place That Far, I Miss My Friend, Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You)
March 12, 2015 @ 11:18 pm
In all technicality, he’s just some clown off the streets, your average joe. Have you ever seen him perform live? He cannot hold a note, and dances like he’s trying to keep shit up in his asshole. His songs are mediocre and generic, but I do find myself listening to them once in awhile. He’s overall an extremely boring, generic, bowl of vanilla ice cream and he looks boring and soul-less too.
March 12, 2015 @ 12:52 pm
I don’t have to listen to this track again . I’m already suspicious of anyone trying to make a living selling me stuff who still goes by the name ” Swindell ” .
Trigger …..I take consolation in the fact that there’s at least one other person on this planet who is as infuriated , frustrated , disappointed ,- nay … flabbergasted ( how’s that for ‘ your daddy’s ‘ exclamation of WTF ) at the general state of things as myself when THIS can get airplay . I didn’t think a common denominator this low even existed …much less in a culture considered civilized and …… educated ?? The race to the bottom has heated up . And here I was certain Aldean’s ‘Burnin it Down ( Up , Out …?? ) ‘ had won it and would surely hold the record for years . Guess I’m just ” outa touch ” . Maybe that Aldean song has actually become the new standard for palatable ? Or Sam Hunt’s crap ? ….
I like how the internet censors are an equal opportunity outfit , though . They let these guys record and post this shit to the WWW AND they let guys like you call it like you hear it , Trigger
…..hmmm . ” It was the best of times . It was the worst of times ” .
March 12, 2015 @ 1:14 pm
I will not listen to this song. I’ll just take your word for it. I try to avoid as much of this crap as possible, but I do have a question. Have these bro-country artists started using the words “bitches” and “hoes” in these songs yet? I wonder how long it will be before that starts happening.
March 12, 2015 @ 1:30 pm
I imagine a country song writer’s table goes something like this:
Writer #7: “We’re really stuck on a third verse here, fellas. Anyone got any ideas?”
Writer #12: “Just throw in something about the troops.”
Writer#16: “But it’s got nothing to do with the song…”
Writer#12: “Who cares? The rubes eat that shit up!”
Writer#4: “Brilliant!”
Wash, rinse, repeat.
It’s such a pervasive and trite sentimentality of modern country that it provokes and immediate eyeroll every time I hear it.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:34 pm
Nah. They don’t even bother to number them anymore…
March 13, 2015 @ 5:26 am
>slow clap<
Bravo, sir. Well done indeed.
March 12, 2015 @ 1:33 pm
Yeah. Blech. Looks like not being worth the whiskey is where it’s at for the ladies…otherwise you have to talk to Cole Swindell.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:11 pm
Also if that video played out in real life, I’m pretty sure my lady friends would be convinced he was into the guy in the leather jacket & the blonde chick was the last person holding out that he was straight. That’s exactly what it looks like.
March 12, 2015 @ 1:45 pm
“pipsqueaked rat-faced mealy-mouthed condescending sexist asshole”
Best description of Cole Swindell ever. Haha! Well done, Trigger.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:00 pm
I just hate that Christianity and the troops get casually tossed in like here, Blake Shelton’s Boyz and FGL’s How We Roll. (Both songs also name drop Bocephus by the way.) The troops are mentioned in Raise ‘Em Up. It just sounds forced and patronizing. If one is to record a song about the troops or about God, one should have a whole song about it. Travelin’ Soldier is the best song about soldiers I have yet heard. George Strait and Alison Krauss’s religious songs are also good examples.
March 13, 2015 @ 12:08 pm
Definitely agree.
It reminds me how Christianity was harmed when the Roman Empire made it the official religion of a corrupt, dying entity. In layman’s terms, the divine is being dragged down by the gutter. It is just a cheap way for the singers to show their “Christianity” (FGL are definitely not the boys to bring home to mama) and “patriotism” without devoting tracks to the topics.
March 17, 2015 @ 5:06 am
We do it because it sells records and all the suburban soccer moms and wannabe cowboys in their shined up Chevy Silverados (Gratuitous plug to satisfy advertising requirement from Chevrolet) eat it up! So there you have it. Oh by the way, Jesus saves and support our troops!!!
January 28, 2018 @ 2:58 am
Trigger, I dare you to try and argue with this man. He’s know a little about the music business. One of the best in the business, scott.
-co-writer of Whiskey
-Josh Martin
January 28, 2018 @ 10:57 am
Hey Josh,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here on this review.
I don’t think this is the real Scott Borchetta, though. 🙂
January 28, 2018 @ 12:32 pm
????????Got ya! Ps..I hope you do recognize my respect for your writing. I read some of your other critiques, if you will, and they were spot on. I just can’t publicly agree on which one(s) bc I need cute, ha.
I had to be somewhat biased on “Whiskey” though, I know you understand.
January 28, 2018 @ 12:34 pm
Correction * cuts, ha
March 12, 2015 @ 2:02 pm
This guy is perhaps the biggest Douche to arise in this dark disco-era of so called country music.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:21 pm
I bet it really chaps your ass that Cole is going to be the first male solo act to have 3 consecutive songs out of the chute as #1s in Mediabase history. I know “that’s what’s wrong with Country Music, blah, blah, f’in blah”. Each one of your song reviews of Cole’s is more and more condescending even as each single gets obviously and notably better. You might want to consider a large dose of valium over the coming years because this guy is going to be around for a while. The fact that you are so filled with hate and consumed with him only reinforces my beliefs.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:41 pm
“I bet it really chaps your ass that Cole is going to be the first male solo act to have 3 consecutive songs out of the chute as #1s in Mediabase history.”
Yes, it does.
Did someone say something about Valium?
March 12, 2015 @ 2:51 pm
Actually Ballgame, what’s wrong with Country Music is that people like you sing the praises of Cole Swindell because you can’t be bothered to put forth the effort to think critically about it. Were you to do so, you would join the rest of us sitting around and criticizing it for being shallow and misogynistic.
March 12, 2015 @ 3:06 pm
Actually, I agreed wholeheartedly with Trigger’s review of the latest Eric Paslay song. I just think the lengths he goes to in an attempt to discredit certain artists is shallow at least, laughable at worst.
March 12, 2015 @ 3:27 pm
Look Ballgame, you may completely disagree with my assessment of Cole Swindell, and that’s totally fine and I respect that. But don’t flatter either yourself or Cole in thinking that I am “obsessed” with him. Three song reviews in the span of two years is nowhere near obsession. I don’t even know if he would make it in the top 10 of most vilified artists around here. And I think I’ve proven over the years that I will write a positive review for an artist or song even if I have a negative track record with them if I feel it is warranted.
March 12, 2015 @ 8:59 pm
Hey Trigger did you say 2 guns up for this song?
March 12, 2015 @ 2:58 pm
Notably better? Damn. I assume you work for him. I’d get off this train. 3 years from now might as well be 300 if this is a notable improvement. Life’s too short to be cheerleading this douche.
March 12, 2015 @ 3:03 pm
I feel confident that he will be around three years from now. In that amount of time, do you think you trolls can come up with a catchy moniker for someone you hate other than “douche” or does Trigger insist that all of you use this tired term?
March 12, 2015 @ 3:29 pm
I didn’t use the term “douche” even once in this review, or in subsequent comments. Though I wouldn’t necessarily disagree with using it as a moniker for Cole 🙂 .
March 12, 2015 @ 3:53 pm
Dude, you are the one trolling this perfectly incindiery review. Douche isn’t a name it’s a noun, and I imagine music row is in the business of creating catchy monikers like Rock Cheater, or Stone Burglar or Coal Swindle. So keep your fingers crossed that he can still make shitty music for the next 3 years so you can keep making payments on your sea-doo or whatever. I’m just saying for me, life would be too short to hitch my cart to that wagon.
March 12, 2015 @ 3:53 pm
If Swindle was female you could accurately call him a ” ho ” for selling out like he has .Not that I have anything against ‘ ho’s’ making a living as ho’s…. as long as they aren’t singing THIS kinda crap while they’re working .
.
In the meantime , I think ‘douche’ works just fine in making the point about merchman’s attempts at making music . Just another half-written piece of Twangtown re-fuse polluting the environment while so many amazing attempts by REAL artists to beautify it go unheralded .
March 17, 2015 @ 5:03 am
Cole, come on now. You are not fooling anyone. We know that is you, so come clean and leave the message board so you can get to your board meeting with the Antichrist….i mean Scott Borschetta.
March 12, 2015 @ 2:32 pm
Wow. Really? What a steaming pile of shit THAT was to sit through!
But as much as I hate “songs” like that, I love that they bring out the best in Trigger. 😀
P.S. “I don’t care what his name is, because it is what it is…” Did he even bother to read over that once before hitting the studio?
March 13, 2015 @ 7:21 am
That line is awful. Lazy, stupid, terrible writing. Seriously, they couldn’t think of anything better than “it is what it is.” At least get a different word for the rhyme!
March 12, 2015 @ 3:59 pm
Just out of curiosity Trigger, do you feel the same way about Mike Ryan’s song of the same title (but different lyrics) that is doing pretty well on the Texas charts right now?
I’m no Cole Swindell fan, I still fail to see any redeeming qualities in him as an artist, but curious if you view the Ryan song the same way since the “message” of the song is somewhat similar.
March 12, 2015 @ 4:58 pm
The difference between the Mike Ryan song and the Cole Swindell song is the reason I consider the Cole Swindell version misogynist. And just for the record, I’m not saying that “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey” being misogynist is the primary or only concern about the song. Maybe I gave that one of many concerns too much credence by putting a reference to it in the title, but it shouldn’t be considered the primary argument against the song.
The difference is Mike Ryan is saying that the whiskey is being wasted on trying to drown out the memory of a girl, where Cole Swindell is basically pegging the value of the girl herself as being less than the value of a few shots of whiskey. Where Mike Ryan is acknowledging his heartache, Cole Swindell is acting like his heartache doesn’t exist…even though he wrote and recorded a whole song about it. That’s why two songs that can seem like they’re basically the same can have completely opposite meanings.
March 12, 2015 @ 8:01 pm
Thanks for the reply Trigger, I understand your viewpoint on this issue. To be honest I did not think of the Cole Swindell song as being misogynistic, but I think the points you raised are in how it is valid ones.
In my opinion the Mike Ryan song is superior in just about every way, though the Cole Swindell song annoys me far more in how poorly written and performed it is than the subject matter.
March 12, 2015 @ 4:16 pm
I don’t see this as misogynistic at all. I just think it’s not as well executed as it could be. Depending on tone of voice and the emotion put into it this could either be a kiss off song or a sad one along the lines of “I’m Over You”. Swindell can’t seem to commit to either end of those and ends up with something lukewarm that doesn’t convey much emotion of any kind.
Chancey Williams did it much better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFWM8_QGFsE
March 12, 2015 @ 4:50 pm
The song was decent, but his acting in the video was beyond cringe worthy, he was trying to act too tough.
March 12, 2015 @ 4:52 pm
In bro-country terms telling a girl, she isn’t worth the price of whiskey is the equivalent of Toby Keith’s “How Do You Like Me Now?”
March 13, 2015 @ 8:20 am
Which is a most grievous insult.
March 12, 2015 @ 5:35 pm
I don’t really care for Cole Swindell and I don’t really care for his last three singles released so far. “Ain’t worth a whiskey is little better than his first two.
March 12, 2015 @ 6:59 pm
Anyway Cole Swindell is a Luke Bryan clone; what a moron.
March 14, 2015 @ 12:20 am
Of course he is. He’s from Georgia Southern, and grew up listening to Luke Bryan…then was around him while beginning his own career. Naturally he’s going to take after him.
March 14, 2015 @ 1:03 am
For the record, Cole Swindell was born in 1983, and Luke Bryan’s career began in 2007. Cole did not grow up listening to Luke Bryan.
March 14, 2015 @ 9:25 am
For the record, Luke Bryan was performing in Georgia long before he was signed to Capitol and releasing records.
March 12, 2015 @ 8:26 pm
I still don’t like song “Ain’t worth the whiskey” 2 guns down indeed you got that one right Trig.
March 12, 2015 @ 5:48 pm
The patriotic swoon in this song reminded me of the Chipp McCapp character on the show Parks & Recreation
March 12, 2015 @ 8:53 pm
Your comment about the “Support the troops” plot twist had me rolling. I was also wondering where in the blue hell that one came from when I heard the song.
March 12, 2015 @ 11:19 pm
I hate this song with a seething passion…………but I’m ultimately most disappointed with how many apologists have defended this song who otherwise panned his previous radio releases.
Let me make this clear: this is the country radio equivalent of Big Sean’s “I Don’t Give A F***”. In fact, I’m willing to put money down on the bet that Swindell and his fellow writers were tempted to put “b****” at the beginning of the song’s title initially, but couldn’t because………………….y’know…………….don’t want to alienate the soccer moms and families! 😉
And the sad part is that many have come to the defense of this song; likening it as one of the high points of an otherwise bad album because “Hey, he’s not singing about bro stuff!” and that he’s serious on this song and because it has a 90s rock-radio sound they can get behind.
I see no redeeming value in this whatsoever. This is actually worse than “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight”, and that’s saying a lot because it was already a VERY low bar! >=(
March 13, 2015 @ 9:46 am
I totally agree Noah, and I’ve been sitting her trying to figure out why there seems to be such a disconnect between people who find this song deplorable, and others saying it’s Swidell’s best work. I think it’s because the differences between what makes this a terrible song, and what COULD make it a decent song are so subtle. But in my opinion, this is what makes the song even worse, that it has potential and the premise itself is fine. It’s the way Cole uses it to severely undercut a woman instead of using the premise for wisdom. I think if you really dig deep down in what Cole Swindell’s trying to say here, you get this insight into a extremely selfish perspective that is almost scary to behold, and that’s why my reaction to this song was what it was.
March 13, 2015 @ 3:39 pm
If I was hard-pressed to choose one song off his debut album that I’d consider his “best work”……………..it would probably be “The Back Roads & The Back Row”……………and the reason why is NOT because it is good (it;’s still mediocre at best), but because it at least doesn’t hit you over the head in the obnoxiousness department and also sounds, dare I say, comparatively more toned-down than the rest of his material.
It’s sad when “Chillin’ It” looks comparatively decent to either this or his previous single in comparison, in the rearview mirror. I mean, I admitted when “Chillin’ It” first came out that its main sin was simply being the textbook definition of milquetoast, or lame…………….but it really wasn’t offensive at all, and at least Swindell looked like he was having fun and in a good mood in the video. Here, he just looks ugly and smug.
March 12, 2015 @ 11:24 pm
On a sidenote, Swindell looks like he just disposed of the body of the song’s subject in question and trying to lay low in the cover art! =P
March 13, 2015 @ 6:41 am
Look, the powers that be have created this ‘space’ in country music. An artist like Cole Swindell is filling that space. He is not one of the leaders of the pack, by any means. The opportunity is there and he took it. Good on him.
‘She ain’t worth the whiskey’ is a great title/theme for a country song. The Mike Ryan take on it is proof positive of that. Expecting the Swindell version to be able to handle the subject deftly, without setting off Trigger’s panty-twisting switch, is a fool’s errand.
Cole Swindell hasn’t earned the luxury of anybody giving him the benefit of the doubt. Not when he gloms together questionable bits and out-of-context pieces to build a sketchy song around what was actually a good starting point.
My standards continuing to be firmly in the low position, though, he wasn’t able to completely ruin the original idea–IMHO. I like the song enough not to change stations when it comes on. Which is pretty high praise these days.
Now it is off to the Blackberry Smoke show, and I don’t really expect my low standards to remain in place after being exposed to the greatness that is BBS.
I may have to yank out my car radio once and for all.
March 13, 2015 @ 9:21 am
“”˜She ain”™t worth the whiskey”™ is a great title/theme for a country song.”
I agree. But that’s not the title of this song, or a line from it. The title is, “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey,” and the line is “You ain’t worth the whiskey.” I’d almost guarantee you that title got shortened on purpose because it came across as too condescending to include the entire line.
I know these differences may seem subtle, but in my opinion, they’re huge in how the sentiment gets conveyed.
March 13, 2015 @ 8:58 am
Instead of calling country music bro country, metro country or country pop or country rap call it
March 13, 2015 @ 9:00 am
sorry about that I push wrong botton by mistake. What I meant to say is call today’s country:
GENERATION X OF COUNTRY MUSIC
March 14, 2015 @ 4:08 pm
anyway this song is pure dog crap.
March 14, 2015 @ 1:28 pm
The funny thing I’ve noticed about this song is girls are the ones playing it and singing along to it all the time likes he’s not worth the whiskey.
March 14, 2015 @ 3:10 pm
Awful Song!
Cole just needs to go down in the sewer and teach 4 turtles about martial arts.
March 17, 2015 @ 1:31 pm
I saw on Twitter a while back that Cole is now selling shirts with the “raise a glass to those saving our ass overseas” line on them.
March 19, 2015 @ 8:58 am
Hmm … I was discussing this song with a friend …
this is basically a party song … that in an effort to add substance, they added the storyline of a breakup and the patriotic shout out
March 19, 2015 @ 8:58 pm
US soldiers are not “saving our ass overseas.” Their work is nothing of the sort.
March 19, 2015 @ 9:03 pm
It amazes me that FGL and Swindell can become popular with such limited talent. Even though they’re not the slightest bit country and all of their songs sound the same, at least FGL’s songs are catchy. Swindell has a mediocre voice, doesn’t play guitar, and his singles have somehow climbed all the way to the top despite being weak songs. I truly don’t get it.
June 10, 2015 @ 8:55 pm
Ballgame is obviously within the targeted demographic for this bullshit excuse for country music. Also part of the Cole Swindell Tiger Beat following. It’s OK if you are gay dude, NTTIAWWT.
January 28, 2018 @ 12:42 pm
We couldn’t get into war details and tactics, so we truly went with a simple “toast” to them. We had to find another reason to drink to, and the troops came up. Trust me we almost didn’t put it in but I’m glad we did. One of Cole’s buddies was over there and We thought we do our own little tribute. It is what it is.
I’m sorry you are not one of the listeners who liked it, but we can’t win em all. Music would be boring if everyone liked the same lyrics, melody structure, tones, song structure, ect!
January 28, 2018 @ 12:43 pm
This is to Rj, respectfully.
November 19, 2015 @ 11:15 am
“It is an account of a man “done wrong” by a woman, but promises his whiskey-fueled night has nothing to do with drowning his sorrow, but celebrating things in life like “country songs,” which is ironic seeing how Swindell has yet to fucking sing one.”
I laughed way too hard at this line. So good.