"Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)" is a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

song, made famous by singer

Loretta Lynn Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "Hey Loretta", "The Pill (song), The P ...

in early 1967. The song was Lynn's first number-one country hit. It is one of her best known songs and was included in all of her live shows. It was only the seventh solo female vocalist record to hit that position up to that time (the others being by Goldie Hill,

Connie Smith Connie Smith (born Constance June Meador; August 14, 1941) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her contralto vocals have been described by music writers as significant and influential to the women of country music. A similarity ...

, and two each by

Kitty Wells Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier for women in country music with her 1952 hit recording " It Wasn't God ...

and

Patsy Cline Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American singer. One of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, she was known as one of the first country music artists to successfully Cross ...

) as well as the first written by the woman herself (the song being co-written by Lynn and her sister

Peggy Sue "Peggy Sue" is a rock and roll song written by Jerry Allison and Norman Petty (according to the official record, though Buddy Holly is known to be a principal songwriter too), and recorded and released as a single by Buddy Holly on September 20, 1 ...

). The background vocalists on the recording are the

Jordanaires The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, V ...

About the song

One of Loretta Lynn's best-known compositions, "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin" is about an angry wife who is fed up with her husband coming home late every night very drunk and wanting to have sex. The song was based on Lynn's personal life; her husband is known to have been a heavy drinker. The song was the first of many controversial songs sung by Lynn, which also included 1972's "Rated X" and 1975's " The Pill". The song was considered very controversial for the time, but was ultimately quite popular. An album of the same name was released following the song's success, which also rose to the top of the charts. Released in late 1966, "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin'" didn't reach the top spot until February 11, 1967, overtaking Jack Greene's No. 1 hit from late 1966, " There Goes My Everything". The song was the first of 16 No. 1 Country hits Lynn would have over the course of her career. The song set the standard for Lynn's biggest success to come in the early 1970s. Thanks in part to the success of this hit, Lynn became the first female Country entertainer to win the CMA Awards' "Female Vocalist of the Year" award in late 1967. In 1970 "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin" was certified by the RIAA as a gold album making Loretta Lynn the first woman in country music to receive such an honor. In 2003, "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin'" placed at No. 47 on ''CMT's 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music''. In 2024, ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' ranked the song at #38 on its 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time ranking.

Chart performance

Cover versions

* One year later, following Lynn's success with the song, Lynn's brother, Jay Lee Webb recorded an answer song to "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin'" titled, "I Come Home A-Drinkin' (To a Worn Out Wife Like You)". Her brother's version of the song charted the country charts that year. *

Tammy Wynette Tammy Wynette (born Virginia Wynette Pugh; May 5, 1942 – April 6, 1998) was an American country music singer and songwriter, considered among the genre's most influential and successful artists. Along with Loretta Lynn, Wynette helped bring a ...

recorded a version for her late 60s album, ''

Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad ''Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad'' is a studio album by American Country music, country artist Tammy Wynette. It was released in May 1967 and contained ten tracks. The majority of the album was a collection of cover tunes Wynette recorded, includin ...

''. *

Gretchen Wilson Gretchen Frances Wilson (born June 26, 1973, in Pocahontas, Illinois) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She made her debut in March 2004 with the Grammy Awards, Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman", a number-one hit on th ...

recorded a version as part of the album '' Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn''. *

Jason Ringenberg Jason Ringenberg (born November 22, 1958) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and guitarist and the lead singer of Jason & the Scorchers. The band had several hits, including "Golden Ball and Chain" and a rock version of Bob Dylan's " ...

recorded a version with BR549 as part of the album All Over Creation.

References

{{authority control 1967 singles Loretta Lynn songs Tammy Wynette songs Gretchen Wilson songs Song recordings produced by Owen Bradley Songs written by Loretta Lynn Decca Records singles 1966 songs Songs about alcohol Feminist anthems