Drink You Away

"Drink You Away" was written by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley, Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon and James Fauntleroy. The song was produced by Timbaland, Timberlake and Harmon while Jones provided additional production. It was recorded the Larrabee Studios in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. Timberlake arranged and produced his vocals. Harmon provided keyboards for the song, while Ives played the guitar. The track was engineered by Chris Godbey and mixed by Jimmy Douglass, Godbey and Timberlake; for the process they were assisted by Alejandro Baima. The keyboards were provided by Harmon. It was sent to country radio in the United States on November 23, 2015, as the fourth and final single from The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 (2013).{{cite web | url=http://www.allaccess.com/country/future-releases | title=Country Future Releases | publisher=AllAccess | access-date=November 11, 2015}} Regarding the single release, Sony Music Nashville executive vice president, promotion/artist development Steve Hodges stated, "we received several requests from key programmers and we decided to get them a shortened version [of "Drink You Away"] so they didn't have to air the longer cut from the album," adding "our promotion staffs will not be actively working the single, we simply wanted to make the song easily accessible for country radio. Now they have it and can play it if they'd like" in an interview for Billboard.{{cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6762191/country-radio-justin-timberlakes-drink-you-away | title=Will Country Radio Take a Taste of Justin Timberlake's 'Drink'? | magazine=Billboard | date=November 12, 2015 | access-date=November 12, 2015 | last=Asker|first= Jim}}

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"Drink You Away" runs for a duration of five minutes and thirty-one seconds,{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-20-20-experience-2-of-2/id672509345|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008073341/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-20-20-experience-2-of-2/id672509345|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 8, 2013|title=The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 by Justin Timberlake|publisher=iTunes Store (US)|access-date=November 9, 2015}} while its radio edit lasts for four minutes and fifteen seconds. Chris Bosman of Time magazine described the track as a country-pop.{{cite magazine|url=https://entertainment.time.com/2013/10/02/justin-timberlake-overreaches-on-his-2020-follow-up/|title=Justin Timberlake Overreaches on His 20/20 Follow-Up|magazine=Time|last=Bosman|first=Chris|date=October 2, 2013|access-date=November 5, 2015}} On the other hand, Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune thought that it was a gospel-blues song,{{cite news|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-09-30/entertainment/chi-justin-timberlake-review-20130929_1_20-20-experience-wallrdquo-producer-timbaland|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003002949/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-09-30/entertainment/chi-justin-timberlake-review-20130929_1_20-20-experience-wallrdquo-producer-timbaland|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 3, 2013|title=Justin Timberlake, 'The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2' review|work=Chicago Tribune|last=Kot|first=Greg|date=September 30, 2015|access-date=November 5, 2015}} while according to The A.V. Club's Annie Zaleski it is a classic-rock "homage".{{cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/review/justin-timberlake-emthe-2020-experience2-of-2em-103532|title=Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience—2 of 2|work=The A.V. Club|last=Zaleski|first=Annie|date=October 1, 2013|access-date=November 5, 2015}} Kira Willis of Starpulse.com noted that "Drink You Away" is an "unabashed" Memphis soul song, "steeped in a gritty country riff."{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/Kira__Wills/2013/09/30/justin_timberlakes_the_2020_experience|title=Justin Timberlake's 'The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2' Review: Album Of The Year?|publisher=Starpulse.com|last=Willis|first=Kira|date=September 30, 2013|access-date=November 8, 2015|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085436/http://www.starpulse.com/news/Kira__Wills/2013/09/30/justin_timberlakes_the_2020_experience|url-status=dead}} Its instrumentation includes organ and acoustic guitar; elements of pop and rock music can be heard in the song's guitar.{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/justin-timberlake-20-20-experience-2-2-album-review-article-1.1468244|title=Justin Timberlake's '20-20 Experience 2 of 2': album review|work=Daily News|last=Farber|first=Jim|date=September 27, 2013|access-date=November 9, 2015}}

Lyrically, the song features references to several alcoholic drinks which can be seen in the lyrics, "I can't drink you away. I've tried Jack, I've tried Jim... Now, tell me baby, do they make a medicine for heartbreak."{{cite web|url=http://www.hitfix.com/news/justin-timberlakes-the-2020-experience-2-of-2-track-by-track-review|title=Justin Timberlake's 'The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2': Track-by-track review|work=HitFix|last=Newman|first=Melinda|date=September 30, 2013|access-date=November 8, 2015}} Brad Stern of MTV News described it as a "plethora of alcohol references, and a whole lot of bluesy sorrow."{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2305546/justin-timberlake-the-20-20-experience-2-of-2-review-gifs/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229232810/http://www.mtv.com/news/2305546/justin-timberlake-the-20-20-experience-2-of-2-review-gifs/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 29, 2015|title=The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2: Track by Track Review... In GIFs!|publisher=MTV News|last=Stern|first=Brad|date=October 1, 2013|access-date=November 9, 2015}} According to Stacy-Ann Ellis of Vibe magazine, the song's lyrics continue the "druggy love analogy" which Timberlake started with some of the lyrical themes on The 20/20 Experience (2013) most particularly on, "Pusher Love Girl"; she noted that he is "trying to drown a bitter memory of her by opening up a bar tab and taking Tennessee whiskies to the head."{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/2013/09/review-leftovers-struggle-hit-spot-justin-timberlakes-2020-experience-2-2/|title=Review: Leftovers Struggle To Hit The Spot On Justin Timberlake's 'The 20/20 Experience — 2 of 2′|work=Vibe|last=Ellis|first=Stacy-Ann|date=September 30, 2013|access-date=November 8, 2015}} Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine described "Drink You Away" as a "honky-tonking" song on which the singer compares his love to alcoholism.{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/justin-timberlake-the-20-20-experience-2-of-2|title=Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2|work=Slant Magazine|last=Henderson|first=Eric|date=September 28, 2013|access-date=November 8, 2015}}

HitFix's Melinda Newman gave "Drink You Away" an A grade and called it "the best" and "the most captivating track" on The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2, "with potential to be '2 of 2's'" "Mirrors". Similarly, Stern of MTV News thought that the song was one of the biggest surprises and one of the most impressive tracks on the album. Lewis Corner of Digital Spy labeled it as a "highlight" on the album and encouraged Timberlake to further explore the "Tennessee swagger" present on the track.{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/music/album-reviews/review/a519638/justin-timberlake-the-2020-experience-2-of-2-album-review/|title=Justin Timberlake: 'The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2' - Album review|publisher=Digital Spy|last=Corner|first=Lewis|date=September 30, 2013|access-date=November 9, 2015}}

PopMatters' Brice Ezell called the song a "hat trick" on the album and also described it as one of its most "weirdest" and "successful" moments. According to him, the way Timberlake lists the beverages in the lyrics it's an unorthodox style for the singer and in addition it differs musically from the rest of the material on the album, however, "for whatever reason, though, it works". He also noted that the song would suit better on a Montgomery Gentry LP.{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/175560-justin-timberlake-the-20-20-experience-2-of-2/|title=Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience (2 of 2)|work=PopMatters|last=Ezell|first=Brice|date=September 30, 2013|access-date=November 9, 2015}} Kory Grow of Rolling Stone described it as a "a big genre-bending, feel-good sing-along that really actually does feels good."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/rihanna-to-tlc-ranking-the-american-music-awards-performances-20131125?page=3|title=Rihanna to TLC: Ranking the American Music Awards Performances|magazine=Rolling Stone|last=Grow|first=Kory|date=November 25, 2013|access-date=November 9, 2015}} Jason King for Spin called the song "organ-laced" and thought it was "a surefire hit, a country twanger lifted to heaven by Timberlake’s quilted, hermetic harmonies."{{cite web | url=http://www.spin.com/2013/09/justin-timberlake-20-20-experience-2-of-2/ | title=Justin Timberlake Attempts to Wow Us Again on 'The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2′ | publisher=SpinMedia | work=Spin | date=September 30, 2013 | access-date=November 11, 2015 | author=King, Jason}}

Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork Media thought that "his heartbrokenness falls flat" on the song which he further described as "plastic blues" and compared it to the works of the American country singer, Kid Rock.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/18548-justin-timberlake-the-2020-experience-2-of-2/|title=Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2|work=Pitchfork Media|last=Dombal|first=Ryan|date=October 1, 2013|access-date=November 9, 2015}} Variety's Andrew Barker described "Drink You Away" as one of the "lows" on the album and compared it to the music of Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2013/music/reviews/album-review-justin-timberlake-the-2020-experience-2-of-2-1200686295/|title=Album Review: Justin Timberlake, 'The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2'|work=Variety|last=Barker|first=Andrew|date=October 1, 2013|access-date=November 9, 2015}} Stephen Carlick of Exclaim! concluded that the track, "relies too heavily on repetition".{{Cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/justin_timberlake|title=Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2|work=Exclaim!|last=Carlick|first=Stephen|date=September 28, 2013|access-date=November 9, 2015}}

Following Timberlake's performance at the Country Music Association Awards, for the issue dated November 21, 2015, the song sold 76,000 digital copies and appeared at number six on the US Hot Digital Songs chart.{{cite magazine|last1=Caulfield|first1=Keith|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6754084/chris-stapleton-soars-to-no-1-on-billboard-200-albums-chart | title=Chris Stapleton Soars to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart After CMAs | magazine=Billboard | date=November 8, 2015 | access-date=November 9, 2015}} It has since peaked at number 5.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/digital-songs/2015-11-28|title=Digital Music Chart: 2015-11-28 {{!}} Billboard|magazine=Billboard|access-date=March 26, 2016}} For the chart dated February 6, 2016, the song debuted at number 60 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart and climbed 38–36 on the Mainstream Top 40 radio airplay chart. The single is his 26th entry on the latter as a solo artist.{{cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6859149/justin-timberlake-first-hit-country-airplay | title=Justin Timberlake Lands First Hit on Billboard's Country Airplay Chart | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | magazine=Billboard | date=January 28, 2016 | access-date=January 28, 2016}} It has also peaked at number 17 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. As of May 2016, it has sold 609,085 copies in the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B011yK7wlnv9V1FiMW9acGNTbVE/view?pref=2&pli=1|title=Nielsen SoundScan Charts|publisher=Nielsen|access-date=July 11, 2016}}

"Drink You Away" also peaked at number 85 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart. In South Korea, following the release of the parent album, the song sold 2,358 digital copies{{Cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?serviceGbn=S1020&termGbn=week&hitYear=2013&targetTime=41&nationGbn=E|title=Gaon Chart - 2013.09.29 - 2013.10.05|publisher=Gaon Chart|access-date=November 11, 2015}} and peaked at number 96 on the Gaon Digital Chart.{{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/digital_chart/index.php?nationGbn=E¤t_week=41¤t_year=2013&chart_Time=week |title=Gaon Digital Chart |publisher=Gaon Chart |access-date=November 15, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101101338/http://gaonchart.co.kr/digital_chart/index.php?nationGbn=E¤t_week=41¤t_year=2013&chart_Time=week |archive-date=November 1, 2013 }}

File:Justin Timberlake - The 2020 Experience World Tour - Charlotte, North Carolina (cropped).jpg ]]

Timberlake performed "Drink You Away" for the first time at the 2013 American Music Awards held at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles; Rolling Stone's Grow ranked the performance at number five out of 16 performances that night. The song was part of the setlist of The 20/20 Experience World Tour (2013–15).{{cite news|url=http://nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/timberlake-kicks-20-20-experience-tour-barclays-center-article-1.1509258|title=Concert review: Justin Timberlake kicks off '20/20 Experience' tour with flirty gig at Barclays Center|last=Farber|first=Jim|date=November 7, 2013|access-date=November 9, 2015|work=Daily News|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183758/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/timberlake-kicks-20-20-experience-tour-barclays-center-article-1.1509258|url-status=dead}} Timberlake and Chris Stapleton performed the song together along with the latter's "Tennessee Whiskey" at the Country Music Association Awards on November 4, 2015.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/06/arts/music/justin-timberlake-shows-crossover-appeal-at-cma-awards.html?_r=0 | title=Justin Timberlake Shows Crossover Appeal at C.M.A. Awards | work=The New York Times | date=November 5, 2015 | access-date=November 5, 2015 | author=Rogiers, Katie}} Rolling Stone magazine praised it as "the best performance of the entire show",{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/2015-cma-awards-12-best-and-worst-moments-20151105/best-mic-drop-chris-stapleton-and-justin-timberlake-20151105 | title=2015 CMA Awards: 12 Best and Worst Moments| magazine=Rolling Stone | date=November 5, 2015 | access-date=November 9, 2015}} while The New York Times editor Katie Rogers highlighted Timberlake's crossover appeal. Entertainment Weekly declared it as one of the best performances of 2015 and wrote, "In an unapologetic display of talent, Nashville met Motown during country music’s biggest night for a hands-in-the-air, take-us-to-church mash-up that was everything you hope for from an all-star duet."{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/gallery/best-music-performances-2015/2411783_chris-stapleton-and-justin-timberlake-cmas|title=19 Best Music Performances of 2015|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=December 16, 2015|access-date=December 16, 2015}}

American country music artist Craig Morgan has performed the song at several of his concerts.{{cite web | url=http://theboot.com/drink-you-away-who-sings-it-best/ | title='Drink You Away' — Who Sings It Best? | work=The Boot | date=June 21, 2014 | access-date=November 9, 2015 | author=Thompson, Gayle}} David Fanning's cover of "Drink You Away" peaked at number 58 on the Country Airplay chart.{{cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/6087190/david-fanning/chart | title=David Fanning - Chart History | magazine=Billboard | access-date=November 9, 2015}}

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2.{{cite AV media notes |title=The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 |others=Justin Timberlake |year=2013 |type=booklet |publisher=RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment |location=New York City, NY}}

;Locations

• Vocals recorded and mixed at Larrabee, North Hollywood

;Personnel

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Justin Timberlake — vocals, mixing, production, vocal production, vocal arrangement, guitar
• Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley — production
• Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon — keyboards, production
• Chris Godbey — engineering, mixing
• Jimmy Douglass — mixing
• Elliot Ives — guitar
• Alejandro Baima — additional mixing

{{div col end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Drink You Away|artist=Justin Timberlake|type=single|region=United States|nocert=yes|salesamount=650,000|salesref=|access-date=July 11, 2016}}

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{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMlmLo8x6hY "Drink You Away"] on YouTube

{{Justin Timberlake songs}}

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Category:2013 songs

Category:2015 singles

Category:Justin Timberlake songs

Category:Songs written by James Fauntleroy

Category:Songs written by Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon

Category:Songs written by Justin Timberlake

Category:Songs written by Timbaland

Category:Country pop songs

Category:Gospel blues

Category:RCA Records Nashville singles

Category:Songs about alcohol