Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Filipinos love music. We love to sing and dance, even when we can’t do either—or both—well. We also love to drink, and we like to incorporate both by drinking and going all out rocking the mic at a karaoke bar. Along that vein, there have been songs written about the intoxicating liquid. We’ve compiled a list of OPM songs that are about alcohol and drinking. Granted, maybe most of them were written while the bands were under the influence. “Alkohol” by Eraserheads Let’s kick off the list with one of the iconic bands in the country. Often drawing comparisons to The Beatles, The Eraserheads wrote a song entitled “Alkohol” from their second album, Circus in 1994. The song details the more unsavory effects of consuming alcohol and the different kinds of drunks that you encounter. Not a glowing recommendation for drinking, that’s for sure. It’s more like a warning than an endorsement, but coming from the E-heads, it still sounded like a lot of fun. “Laklak” by Teeth From their self-titled debut album released 1995, Teeth came out with one of their best-selling and most memorable songs. Definitely one of the rock anthems of the mid-‘90s, kids were singing this song even before they knew what any of it meant. It’s a song that progresses from the first taste of alcohol to going a little overboard with it, getting to the point of asking for drinking money from the grandmother. Not a cool thing to do, but that’s the point of the song. At least get off your ass long enough to get a job so can pay for your own booze. “Inuman Na” by Parokya ni Edgar From their fourth album Gulong Itlog Gulong (English translation: Roll Egg Roll) that came out in 1999, this classic song about drinking with your friends has been a staple in every barkada drinking session. You know you had someone in your group (or maybe it was you) who would bring out the guitar and you guys had a sing-along, with blending and back-up vocals and all that jazz. It’s a song that evokes low-key drinking sessions with cheap beer and great company. It also references the Filipino drinking ritual of tagay—drinking from a communal glass that is being passed around. The video even features Philippine treasures such as the late great Master Showman German “Kuya Germs” Moreno, and advocate against smoking Yosi Kadiri. Good times. “Sige” by 6CycleMind This is from the band’s debut album Permission to Shine from 2003. It’s song about drinking with your friends. Reminiscing about the good times, trying to forget the bad. It’s very catchy and one of those songs that are great to belt out at karaoke. Also the video might make you thirsty, as it’s from the point of view of someone going through good and bad times holding a cold glass of beer that never seems to get empty. Props to the band declaring their love for each other with a toast at the end of the vid. “Beer” by Itchyworms From their sophomore effort Noontime Show released in 2006, this song has a retro feel that harkens to a slow jam of the ‘70s or ‘80s ballads. It’s about heartache, lost love and unfulfilled plans. And of course turning to beer to drown the sorrows to the point of getting intoxicated enough to ask what he really wants: the beer or his former sweetheart’s love. The beer man, choose the beer. Beer won’t leave you brokenhearted, maybe just hungover. You also might enjoy watching the tongue-in-cheek video that parodies beer commercials. “Alak, Sugal, Kape, Babae, Kabaong” by Radio Active Sago Project This is from their 3rd album TMANSMFKPR* (Tangina Mo Andaming Nagugutom sa Mundo Fashionista Ka Pa Rin) from 2007. This litany of things that we are addicted to (and where we will eventually end up) set to a jazz-punk-soul beat is a groovy piece. What else can you expect from the eight-piece ensemble that plays a mad combination of different musical styles that tackle a range of topics from mundane musings to current issues and politics with a hefty dose of humor and irony. It’s interesting to note that these songs were released within a period of over a decade (1994-2007). It could be that the music climate at the time was conducive to making songs about alcohol. It was also a time when bands were formed by dudes in college who just wanted to jam and jamming over drinks was the norm. Whatever the reasons, it’s great that we are left with these musical alcohol-inspired gems.