“Drink A Beer” by Luke Bryan

Country music star Luke Bryan is no stranger to grief. The 42-year-old singer/songwriter has spoken openly about losing his brother, Chris, who died in a motorcycle accident when he was 26, and his sister Kelly, who died of unknown causes at the age of 39. And his touching performance of “Drink a Beer” at the 2013 Country Music Awards — which he dedicated to Chris and Kelly — confirms that his grief is still very much with him even today.

Written by Jim Beavers and Christ Stapleton, “Drink a Beer” is a poignant ballad about a man’s reaction to the sudden death of a friend. It begins with a simple declaration of shock and disbelief, the lack of prelude or context making the lyrics all the more powerful.

When I heard the news today,
I didn’t know just what to say,
So I just hung up the phone.  

Listening to Bryan sing that line, we can almost see the stunned incredulity on his face as he silently puts his phone down, unable to process what he has just heard.

In the next line, Bryan sings about doing what so many of us have done when confronted with news that we simply can’t comprehend — he puts one foot in front of the other while trying desperately come to terms with what he’s learned.

I took a walk to clear my head,
This is where the walking lead
Can’t believe you’re really gone
Don’t feel like going home.

So I’m gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer.

Credit: thatoregonlife.com

Not wanting to go home — not wanting to face familiar surroundings, is a common reaction to the shock of loss. I recall vividly when my dog Mopsy died. He had been my constant companion for 17 years, and after his death I stayed with friends for several days because I simply couldn’t bring myself to go home and face life without him. Even when I did go home, I couldn’t sleep in my own bed. The memory of my little friend sleeping next to me was just too much to bear. I think I slept on the couch for weeks.

“Drink a Beer” ends with Bryan painting a touching portrait of a man trying to connect with his old friend by revisiting the past.

So long, my friend
Until we meet again
I’ll remember you
And all the times that we used to
Sit right here on the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer

“Drink a Beer” is a simple song, with simple lyrics. But it conveys the raw nature of grief in a way that many much more poetic ballads fail to do. It would be a wonderful song to play at a memorial for a friend or loved one who loved country music, even if they weren’t a Luke Bryan fan.

Watch Bryan’s heartrending performance of at the 2013 Country Music Awards in the video below.