Daddy was a Cajun, raised on Southern land
And so my kinfolks tell me, was a street-fightin' man.
Well, they rushed him down to see the doctor
"Hey doctor, won't you check his head?"
The only thing that was wrong with him
Was Johnny Walker's Red
He drank ole poison whiskey
'Til it killed him dead.

It happened back in the bayou many years ago
Satan came to take him and he did it real slow
Well, they rushed him back to see the doctor
The doctor just shook his head,
"Twenty years of rotgut whiskey
Done killed the poor man dead."
He drank ole poison whiskey
'Til it killed him dead.

Take a tip from me, people... brothers can't you see
Ain't no future in ole poison whiskey.
They're gonna rush you down to see the doctor,
The doctor's gonna shake his head.
The only thing he's gonna tell ya
"Stop drinkin' Johnny Walker's Red
Don't drink poison whiskey, don't you drink it boy.


Lyrics submitted by magicnudiesuit

Poison Whiskey Lyrics as written by Ronnie Van Zant Edward C. King

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Poison Whiskey song meanings
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  • +2
    My Interpretation

    Johnny Walker isn't the Devil...it is merely the SYMPTOM of a much larger problem, which is a lack of understanding...a locked and frightened mind. People drink excessively to forget...forget the pain and suffering that they simply won't let go of...and that is a prison that the "ole poison whiskey" is not the cause...again, merely the symptom.

    Ronnie was/is a genius who intuitively saw the bigger picture in everything...the ultimate message of the song is to take back the control of your life...don't hand it over to painful thoughts about the illusory past...focus in the now and see the beauty of life, love and family right in front of you...if you do this, then EVERYTHING will change for the better, and crutches like "rot gut whiskey" will no longer seem relevant!

    Peace and Love to all!

    CharlieFreakon March 22, 2017   Link

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