Jamey Johnson：Meaning of Set 'Em Up Joe Songmeaning

The song Set 'Em Up Joe by Jamey Johnson is a tribute to the classic country music and legends like Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell. The lyrics describe a man spending his nights in a bar playing old records on a vintage Victrola, reminiscing about the past and drowning his sorrows with shots of whiskey. The chorus, "Set 'em up Joe, and play 'Walking The Floor'", refers to a popular song by Ernest Tubb, which the narrator requests to hear repeatedly. The narrator's love for traditional country music is shared by his "neon neighbors" who appreciate his choice of music. The song captures the essence of the traditional honky-tonk culture, where people sought solace in bars and music to forget their troubles. Set 'Em Up Joe is a nostalgic ode to classic country music and the Honky Tonks that helped define it.