Don't Tell Mama I Was Drinking

Album: Sunshine & Whiskey (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The title of this Buddy Brock, Kim Williams and Jerry Laseter written song alludes to the last words of a drunk truck driver after an accident. The track was previously recorded as "Don't Tell Mama" by Ty Herndon on his 1996 album Living in a Moment, Gary Allan on his 1999 CD Smoke Rings In The Dark and Doug Stone on his 2007 set My Turn.
  • Ballard recalled to Artist Direct how he ended up recording the tune: "I was over my publisher's on a Friday afternoon, about 5:30, having a glass of whiskey, talking deep, deep, back catalog songs that became lost and were never singles," he said. "He was playing some stuff, and he played it, it was written by Kim Williams, like 20 years ago."

    "A few people had cut it but it had never become a single," Ballard continued. "I never heard it. I never heard anyone do it. I thought, 'Wow, this is an incredible tune.' It sounded old school but it didn't matter. The song was amazing. I took a copy of it and thought, 'I had to have this tune,' and this was four years ago. I played it for my producer, for fun. He said, 'We should try and update this and make it your own and bring it to life.' So we horsed around with it, I sped up the tempo and worked on it. I knew we had to record it. The label thought it was a bit old school but I wanted to do it. We recorded it and I am so happy."

Comments: 2

  • Mark from Ocilla, GaTotally lost the song...I heard Buddy Brock sing it right after it was written. Leave it to Nashville to screw up a hit song...Should have left it "Old School".
  • Paul from Raleigh, NcSorry Frankie, your version just doesn't do the song justice. You made it all about the arrangement and production, not about the song.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

16 Songs With a Heartbeat

16 Songs With a HeartbeatSong Writing

We've heard of artists putting their hearts into their music, but some take it literally.

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Judas Priest

Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton talk twin guitar harmonies and explain how they create songs in Judas Priest.

Butch Vig

Butch VigSongwriter Interviews

The Garbage drummer/songwriter produced the Nirvana album Nevermind, and Smashing Pumpkins' Gish and Siamese Dream.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

David Bowie Lyrics Quiz

David Bowie Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

How well do you know your David Bowie lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.