Milk and Alcohol

"Milk and Alcohol", written in 1978 by Nick Lowe and John "Gypie" Mayo, reportedly retells Lowe's 1970s experiences drinking one too many Kahlúa-milk drinks at or after a United States concert by bluesman John Lee Hooker. However, while the song anonymously criticises Hooker ("Main attraction dead on his feet, Black man rhythm with a white boy beat"), ironically it was inspired by Hooker's own lyric about "milk, cream and alcohol".{{cite web|url=http://www.unionsquaremusic.co.uk/titlev4.php?ALBUM_ID=1195&LABEL_ID=22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604000318/http://www.unionsquaremusic.co.uk/titlev4.php?ALBUM_ID=1195&LABEL_ID=22|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 June 2008|title=John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker CD|date=4 June 2008|accessdate=11 August 2018}}{{YouTube|2BtUQbblCWo|Serves Me Right To Suffer – John Lee Hooker}}, 1969{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 1998| title= Guinness Rockopedia| edition= 1st| publisher= Guinness Publishing Ltd.| location= London| page= [https://archive.org/details/guinnessrockoped0000unse/page/128 128]| isbn= 0-85112-072-5| url-access= registration| url= https://archive.org/details/guinnessrockoped0000unse/page/128}}{{cite web|url=http://www.drfeelgood.de/fg_dick.htm#Kahlua|title=K is for ... Kahlua|accessdate=30 October 2008|last=Butterfield|first=John|date=8 February 2007|website=Drfeelgood.de|location=England|quote=Whilst in the USA in the 70's the Feelgoods took to drinking a cocktail made up of milk and alcohol. A certain Nick Lowe was also present having gone along for the ride. No need to say where the milk came from but the alcohol part of the cocktail was kahlua – Mexican coffee liquor with herbs and vanilla around 26% alcohol. Sparko drank the most of this concoction during the American stay but one night the lads took a trip to see John Lee Hooker in concert and having drunk many a milk and kahlua, their journey back was interrupted when the arm of the law stopped them. This story is told in the song "Milk and Alcohol" written by Nick Lowe and Gypie Mayo several years later.}} Toasted Almond, White Russian, and Brown cow are/were popular Kahlúa/milk drinks. The song was recorded in 1978{{cite book| first= Martin C.| last= Strong| year= 2000| title= The Great Rock Discography| edition= 5th| publisher= Mojo Books| location= Edinburgh| pages= 290–291| isbn= 1-84195-017-3}} and first appeared on Private Practice, an album by Dr. Feelgood that was released in October 1978. The heavy riffs on "Milk and Alcohol" were added by Mayo, a guitarist who replaced Wilko Johnson in 1978, after Johnson left the band as a result of an argument over the recording of Dr. Feelgood's fourth album, Sneakin' Suspicion (1977).{{cite book| first= Tony| last= Moon| year= 2002| title= Down by the Jetty| edition= 2nd| publisher= Northdown Publishing Ltd.| location= Borden, Hants| pages= 56–58| isbn= 1-900711-15-X}}

"Milk and Alcohol" was released as a single, on United Artists, in January 1979. The vinyl material of the single record was issued in the three colours of black, white and brown, with the white and brown meant to call to mind white milk and brown alcohol.{{cite book| first= Tony| last= Moon| year= 2002| title= Down by the Jetty| edition= 2nd| publisher= Northdown Publishing Ltd.| location= Borden, Hants| pages= 66 & 122| isbn= 1-900711-15-X}} The outline of a Kahlúa bottle appears on the record sleeve. The background around the bottle on the different record sleeves was varied to match the vinyl colour.

The song reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart in the same month it was released.{{cite news|date=14 January 2005|work=The Sentinel|title=30-something and still feeling good|page=35|accessdate=24 October 2008|url=http://moreresults.factiva.com/results/index/index.aspx?ref=THESEN0020050115e11e0000s}} The track reached number nine in the UK chart, and spent nine weeks in the listing.{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited| location= London| page= 162| isbn= 1-904994-10-5}} Capitalising on the notoriety the song brought, the band presented "Milk and Alcohol" live to audiences around the world in 1979, including in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Russia and the United States.

The song is in the key of C major, and has a tempo of 168. Like many other Dr Feelgood songs, it has a shuffle feel and a short guitar solo after the second chorus.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

"Milk and Alcohol" was the band's fourth hit single in the United Kingdom, and their only top 10 single on the UK Singles Chart. For much of the 1970s, the musical world was perceived as being dominated by "fey glam-rockers and 15-minute Mellotron solos."{{cite news|last=Bungey|first=John|date=8 September 2001|work=The Times|title=Reissues and singles; Music}} When "Milk and Alcohol" was played in the pubs of Canvey Island in the late 1970s, the song came across as a radical departure that contributed to "a short, sharp shock of roots rock." For a while, the song led to some drinking both alcohol and milk while listening to Dr. Feelgood perform live.{{cite news|date=19 July 2001|work=The Times|title=Band not banned; How greedy local councils are killing live music}}

In April 1989, a re-recorded version titled "Milk and Alcohol (New Recipe)" was issued by EMI in both 7" vinyl ((EM 89) with "She's Got Her Eyes on You" as the B-side); and 12" vinyl ((12 EM 89) with "She's Got Her Eyes on You" and "Mad Man Blues" on the B-side).{{cite book| first= Tony| last= Moon| year= 2002| title= Down by the Jetty| edition= 2nd| publisher= Northdown Publishing Ltd.| location= Borden, Hants| page= 123| isbn= 1-900711-15-X}} Both songs were later released on the "Rarities" disc of their Looking Back compilation album.

In 1997, "Milk and Alcohol" continued to be played by the band while making the rounds of the world's pubs, clubs and concert halls.{{cite news|last=Somerville|first=Christopher|date=2 May 1997|work=The Times|title=The first no-quarter-century; Arts; Music; Profile; Dr. Feelgood|page=38}} However, by 2003, "Milk and Alcohol" was seen as a "forgotten gem".{{cite news|last=Cole|first=Paul|date=14 September 2003|work=Sunday Mercury|title=Play: CD Reviews — Driving Rock Anthems (EMI Gold) (Various)|page=43|accessdate=24 October 2008|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-107741846.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022050830/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-107741846.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 October 2012}} With the band continuing to present the song in concerts, the music community regained respect for the song. In 2005, the band's biggest hit was being called a "classic."{{cite news|date=27 May 2005|work=Plymouth Evening Herald|title=Feelgood time at the new half moon club|page=32|accessdate=24 October 2008|url=http://moreresults.factiva.com/results/index/index.aspx?ref=EVEHER0020050528e15r0000o}}{{cite news|date=2 June 2005|work=Torquay Herald Express|title=Doctor's orders at Half Moon|accessdate=24 October 2008|url=http://moreresults.factiva.com/results/index/index.aspx?ref=HEREXP0020050603e16200010}} In that same year, "Milk and Alcohol" was considered by the music magazine Q in its compilation of the top ten cigarettes and alcohol songs for the ultimate soundtrack to a drinking session, but lost out to the 1987 song "Nightrain" by the American rock band, Guns N' Roses.{{cite news|last=Barnes|first=Anthony|date=27 March 2005|work=Independent on Sunday|title=Singalong with Cigarettes and Alcohol ...|page=7|accessdate=24 October 2008|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/singalong-with-cigarettes-and-alcohol-530072.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/singalong-with-cigarettes-and-alcohol-530072.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}} Mayo's guitar performance on "Milk and Alcohol", which ranked as number four on a 2005 list of the top ten great British guitar heroes,{{cite news|last=Edwards|first=Mark|date=6 March 2005|work=The Times|title=Get on Down: Guitar heroes|page=23|accessdate=24 October 2008|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article417210.ece}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} was cited in that same listing for waking "a generation of guitarists up to the sheer power and energy" of the guitar.

More than four decades after reaching the UK's top ten, "Milk and Alcohol" continues to be a popular choice for the band during its concerts.{{cite news|date=20 September 2006|work=Carmarthen Journal|title=Feelgood factor at venue|page=45|accessdate=24 October 2008|url=http://moreresults.factiva.com/results/index/index.aspx?ref=CARMJO0020060921e29k0002f}}{{cite news|last=Cowen|first=Andy|date=5 May 2008|work=Birmingham Post|title=Culture: Doctor in the house|page=11|accessdate=24 October 2008|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-178606154.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022050844/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-178606154.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 October 2012}}{{cite news|date=21 May 2008|work=Gloucestershire Echo|title=Doctor left sub rooms audience feeling good|page=20|accessdate=24 October 2008|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16462743.html}}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite news|date=22 August 2008|work=Gloucestershire Echo|title=Rock around the docks|page=8|accessdate=24 October 2008|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-17054231.html}}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{discogs release|698334|Milk and Alcohol single release}}
• [http://www.drfeelgood.de/zmilkalc.htm Song lyrics at Drfeelgood.de]

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Category:1978 songs

Category:1979 singles

Category:Music in Southend-on-Sea

Category:Songs written by Nick Lowe

Category:Dr. Feelgood (band) songs

Category:Songs about alcohol

Category:Song recordings produced by Richard Gottehrer

Category:United Artists Records singles