A song about the battle of sobriety ironically makes you want to slam a beer…
Marcus King might have dug deep into his emotions, showing off a more soulful side of his sound on his last record, Mood Swings. But he’s making sure fans know that he still know how to shred on a southern rock ballad with his latest single “Honky Tonk Hell.”
“Honky Tonk Hell” is the kind of song that makes you want to light up a cigarette and start a bar fight in the best way possible.
If you’ve seen Marcus King and the Marcus King Band on the road recently, there is a high chance you’ve witnessed this song live. In fact, King has been teasing this song for over five months, building up the anticipation and leaving fans practically drooling for more. Or at least that’s been my experience. I witnessed King lay down this rip-roaring track in October of 2024 in a show in Texas, and I have been infatuated with it since.
From the gritty intro to King yelling into the microphone:
“Somebody raise some hell one time!”
This clip has lived rent-free in my head.
@whiskeyriff 📍: Dallas, TX @Marcus King // whiskeyriff.com #whiskeyriff #marcusking ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff
“Honky Tonk Hell” transports listeners back to Carolina Confessions era of Marcus King Band. The song has a steady build-up with a subtle chug from the electric guitar leading fans into a groove before King brings in a horn section and a wicked steel lick.
The studio version is a little more polished than how King presented the single on stage, but that’s a common thread with Marcus King live. He’s loud and he knows how to rock. However, the complex melody keeps listeners engaged, and the scaled-back studio cut of the song allows the New Orleans blues flair to shine brightly.
The narrator questions whether anyone still cares about him after he’s given up his wild lifestyle, and he contemplates going back to his late-night lifestyle of partying and playing rock and roll music. King calls the song an anthem for anyone battling sobriety:
“‘Honky Tonk Hell’ is an anthem for anyone out there like myself who have struggled with the permanence of sobriety – those who fear the thought they will never again howl at the moon. This song for me serves as a reminder to take it all one day at a time.”
Here’s a look at the lyrics:
“Heaven knows I miss my late night livin’
They’re getting along without me as far as I can tell
Maybe I’ll go back to doing that voodoo
Lord knows I do so well
Sang a little rock and roll music
Raise a little honky tonk hell
Oh, everybody seems to think I changed since I quit drinkin’
Dropped all my bad habits and started back thinking
When I jump off the wagon honey would you catch my fall?
If I hollered out your name would you hear me call?”
On Mood Swings, King opened up greatly about his addiction and mental health struggles. He’s also spoken candidly in the past about how he’s given up drinking, and before that, he was living the fast life on the road, doing drugs and drinking himself to death. However, the moment he met his now wife, Briley King, everything changed for him, and he got his life back on track and worked to better himself.
While King seems to be thriving in life, I’m sure he has some stories, and this narrative feels like what he might have experienced in the early days of his journey to better himself and address his demons. No matter what inspired this song, it’s a certified heater. Every part of “Honky Tonk Hell” itches my brain just right.
This one needs to be turned ALL the way up.
Marcus King Tour Dates
May 9—Grand Junction, CO—Avalon Theater
May 10—Morrison, CO—Red Rocks Amphitheatre*
May 11—Wichita, KS—The Cotillion Ballroom
June 6—Nashville, TN—CMA Fest
June 12—Manchester, TN—Bonnaroo
June 13—La Grange, KY—Showbarn Sessions
August 1—Mammoth Lakes, CA—Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza
August 14—Park City, UT—Park City Song Summit
August 15—West Valley City, UT—Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre†
August 16—West Valley City, UT—Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre†
August 23—Charleston, SC—Marcus King Band Family Reunion Festival
August 24—Charleston, SC—Marcus King Band Family Reunion Festival
August 31—Aspen, CO—Jazz Aspen Snowmass Festival
September 5—Madison, IN—Unbroken Circle Festival At Bicentennial Park
September 12—Lincoln, NE—Pinnacle Bank Arena‡
September 15-21—Seattle, WA—Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea Alaska
September 25—Green Bay, WI—Resch Center§
September 26—Milwaukee, WI—Fiserv Forum§
September 27-28—St. Louis, MO—Evolution Festival
October 2—Detroit, MI—Little Caesars Arena§
October 3—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena§
October 9—Indianapolis, IN—Gainbridge Fieldhouse§
October 10—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena§
October 11—Cleveland, OH—Rocket Arena§
October 25—Birmingham, AL—Legacy Arena at The BJCC‡
*with Kaleo
†with Chris Stapleton
‡with Cody Johnson
§with Eric Church
