‘Alcohall Of Fame’ by Riley Green – Lyrics & Meaning

After a blowout year in 2023, the stage was set to see what Riley Green had up his sleeve in 2024. Almost a year to the day of the release of his lauded Ain't My Last Rodeo record, his newest project, Don't Mind If I Do, shares its release day with its creators birthday.

Tallying 18 tracks from one of the buzziest artists in country music, the Alabama native offers a mix of tunes we've already heard and newly minted hits-in-the-making that all celebrate Green's southern way of life and his pride in the power of country music.

A little past the halfway mark of Don't Mind If I Do lies a cheeky play on words titled 'Alcohall of Fame.' Changing its pace and keeping listeners on their toes, Green takes us through some of his alcohol-induced escapades.

'Alcohall Of Fame' starts off unassuming enough, seemingly moseying along as a fiddle and acoustic guitar play along to a tapping drum beat. Green's steady, nasally vocals come through as he stomps along through the first verse.

However, once we arrive to the chorus – and every chorus thereafter – the song completely changes its tune... or at least its pace. Graduating to an all out jam session, aided by a rollicking keyboard, feisty electric guitar and the rest of the makings of a full band, Green steams ahead as his word count nearly doubles.

This ebb and flow continues throughout the song, which perhaps reflects how our narrator gets more lively and reckless when alcohol is involved... but more on that in a bit.

"I’m from way out in the country
I ain’t got a lot of money
But I reckon I got everything I’m gonna need
Gas up my ol’ Chevy® and a cooler full of heavy
Yeah, I guess you could say I like the finer things
And I may never make an honor roll, but I can take you to a honey hole
And I can sit here fireside sipping on something with you all night"

As our singer steps up to the mic, he offers us a bit of an introduction, explaining that he's from way out in the boonies and doesn't have too many pennies to his name. However, he's just like any ole guy, gassing up his trusty pickup and tooling around with a cooler full of cold ones that'll keep him entertained for the night.

Continuing on, he makes mention of his lack of higher education, but explains that you can't be taught some of the things he's picked up over the years, like where the most valued hideouts for his country folk are.

"And I’m a member of the alcohall of fame
Whether whiskey, wine, beer, rain or shine
It don't matter what I drink
When I’m recognized ol’ Hank can write that speech I’ve gotta make
Under neon lights ‘til closing time I’ll have a place
In the alcohall of fame"

Now that the introductions are out of the way, our narrator gets into the nitty gritty, noting that he's a proud member of the "Alcohall of Fame," a cheeky play on words that means exactly what you'd think.

He doesn't discriminate when it comes to his spirits, happily enjoying everything from beer and wine to harder liquors and everything in between.

Though he hasn't been officially inducted yet, he makes mention that "ol' Hank," referring to the famous Hank Williams who was infamously a drunk, will be there to help him with his acceptance speech. Until then, though he'll be camped out under the neon lights at his local watering hole, waiting for his crowning moment in the Hall of Fame.

"I drink a case of Busch Lighty almost every single Friday on a crappy catching Tracker with a Mercury
I can drink a cold Modella on a stranger’s Winnebago watching Senior take a lead on a Talladega turn three
I'm a legend in the local bar, I’m shootin’ pool and throwing darts
And I may not get a trophy, but you’re gonna get to know me from a raising hell"

Name dropping alcohols and famous brands galore – including Busch Light, Modelo, Mercury and more – he references a montage of country-esque activies, like watching Nascar, fishing and hiding out at his local bar.

He explains that he's somewhat of a local legend, but we're not sure that's necessarily a good thing!

"And I’m a member of the alcohall of fame
Whether whiskey, wine, beer, rain or shine
It don't matter what I drink
When I’m recognized ol’ Hank can write that speech I’ve gotta make
Under neon lights ‘til closing time I’ll have a place
In the alcohall of fame
In the alcohall of fame"

When touching on the inspiration behind ‘Alcohall of Fame’, Riley Green reflected, “I think ‘Alcohall Of Fame’ sounds like it should have been a song 100 years ago. It's fun when you stumble across an idea that nobody's thought of yet. I had the title written down and it took several records for me to cut it. I had already started playing it live a few times and people started to request it a little bit. It's a fun, beer-in-the-air song”.

“I’m from way out in the country
I ain’t got a lot of money
But I reckon I got everything I’m gonna need
Gas up my ol’ Chevy® and a cooler full of heavy
Yeah, I guess you could say I like the finer things
And I may never make an honor roll, but I can take you to a honey hole
And I can sit here fireside sipping on something with you all night

And I’m a member of the alcohall of fame
Whether whiskey, wine, beer, rain or shine
It don't matter what I drink
When I’m recognized ol’ Hank can write that speech I’ve gotta make
Under neon lights ‘til closing time I’ll have a place
In the alcohall of fame

I drink a case of Busch Lighty almost every single Friday on a crappy catching Tracker with a Mercury
I can drink a cold Modella on a stranger’s Winnebago watching senior take a lead on a Talladega turn three
I'm a legend in the local bar, I’m shootin’ pool and throwing darts
And I may not get a trophy, but you’re gonna get to know me from a raising hell

And I’m a member of the alcohall of fame
Whether whiskey, wine, beer, rain or shine
It don't matter what I drink
When I’m recognized ol’ Hank can write that speech I’ve gotta make
Under neon lights ‘til closing time I’ll have a place
In the alcohall of fame
In the alcohall of fame

Yeah, some say it’s a problem but it ain’t
I’m just trying to get my name
In the alcohall of fame

I’m a member of the alcohall of fame
Whether whiskey, wine, beer, rain or shine
It don't matter what I drink
When I’m recognized ol’ Hank can write that speech I’ve gotta make
Under neon lights ‘til closing time I’ll have a place
In the alcohall of fame
Alcohall of fame”

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