What would Jimmy Buffett do?

We already know I love gin (the game, not the beverage). So is it a surprise to anyone I love drinking songs as well? I have no idea why, but I have a feeling it has something to do with my upbringing.

Recently CMT did homage to the 40 greatest drinking songs of all time, and I was surprised at how many of the songs I knew every word to. Those were just country songs; it didn't include songs like "Margaritaville," which is one of my all-time favorites.

I said it surprised ME, but my best friend just laughed at me and told me that I go around singing these songs all the time. Did I know that? Nope.

Then I looked back into my mind and realized that I am a drinking-song junkie.

Like the time a couple months ago I started singing "Gotta Get Drunk" to my American history teacher, trying to jog his memory to remember the Jones/Haggard classic. He looked at me like I was psychotic. Of course, he always looks at me like that.

There were other occurrences I can remember now that I probably should be embarrassed about. On the other hand, I've found a perfect way to get traffic to move: roll down on the windows and blare stuff like "Must've Been Drunk (When I Said I'd Stop Drinking)" by George Jones and Merle Haggard.

People move, trust me.

My computer background used to be a picture of good ole Buffett hanging out in Margaritaville. What does that say?

I'm not sure why I love drinking songs so much. As I said earlier, it could be my upbringing. I was raised listening to country music, especially George Jones. That probably had some effect, considering the Possum's history and battles with the bottle.

Another reason I believe I find them appealing is the general tone of all of these songs. They all have a common thread, that life is life, and life sometimes sucks. At the end of the live version of "Margaritaville," for instance, Jimmy says "but I know ... it's my own damn fault ... that's what the therapist says anyway ..." I also love the phrase from "Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink": "Ain't no woman gonna change the way I think/ Think I'll just stay here and drink." To me, that's the devil-may-care attitude I look for in everything I listen to.

I have too many favorites to name, but you get the drift of this. You know that phrase that used to be popular, "What Would Jesus Do?" I have another philosophy. Alan Jackson said it in the song "Five O'clock Somewhere": "what would Jimmy Buffett do?"

Emily Hendricks is a junior at Central High School.