Whiskey Glasses

Seeing the world through whiskey glasses instead of facing the truth of an ex moving on.

Whiskey Glasses is a defining single by American country singer Morgan Wallen, originally written by Ben Burgess and Kevin Kadish in 2015. First appearing on his 2018 studio album, If I Know Me, it was released as the third single from that album. Pitched to Wallen for recording with producer Joey Moi, the track initially surfaced in the summer of 2018 and exploded into a massive hit throughout 2019, just one year after the album's release. The song remains a cornerstone of Wallen's early discography, celebrated for its specific narrative about using alcohol to avoid the pain of a broken heart.

Quick Facts

Artist: Morgan Wallen
Album: If I Know Me
Released: 30 July 2018
Genre: Country
Length: 3:54
Label: Big Loud
Writer: Ben Burgess; Kevin Kadish
Producer: Joey Moi

Lore & Background

The song originated during a 2015 writing session where Ben Burgess proposed the concept of 'whiskey glasses.' He shared the core line, 'I'mma need some whiskey glasses, 'cause I don't wanna see the truth,' which Kadish embraced. Together they shaped the theme around someone turning to drink after a bad break-up. A key moment in the song's creation came when Burgess recalled his father saying, 'Poor Pappy ... oh, pour your Pappy a drink' after drinking too much. This memory inspired the opening line, 'Poor me, pour me another drink.' Wallen later described the track as a 'sad song at its core,' asking producer Joey Moi to give it an energetic delivery to contrast with the melancholy lyrics.

Reader's Guide

Whiskey Glasses reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart dated June 8, 2019, after topping the Hot Country Songs chart. Its commercial success was significant; as of March 2020, it had sold 391,000 copies in the United States. On December 16, 2025, the RIAA certified the single 13× Platinum, making it Wallen's highest-certified single to date. Fans and critics alike summarize the track as an upbeat breakup song where the narrator uses whiskey to dull romantic pain. The song’s enduring appeal lies in this contrast: a high-energy delivery masking a raw admission of needing to forget the truth about a lost relationship.

Did You Know?

The opening line 'Poor me, pour me another drink' was inspired by writer Ben Burgess's father saying 'Poor Pappy... oh, pour your Pappy a drink'.
The music video for 'Whiskey Glasses' does not feature Hardy; Hardy appears in the music video for 'Up Down' instead.
The song was written in 2015 but did not become a hit until 2019, one year after its release on the album If I Know Me.