The Have Nots
by X

Album: Under The Big Black Sun (1982)
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Songfacts®:

  • This one is a good 'ol drinking song typical of many Irish odes, but these bars are in the Los Angeles area, where X are from. So did the band really imbibe at places like the Beehive Bar and the Zircon Lounge? In a Songfacts interview with John Doe from X, he called this a "kind of a working man, drinking song" and explained that many of the bars they did indeed visit, but not all. Added Doe, "Most of them, the ones that we did visit, are closed. (laughs) They've gone the way of all good things."
  • X lead singer Exene Cervenka shares the songwriting credits to their songs with John Doe, and surprisingly, it was Exene who came up with the lyrics for this one even though it was sung by John.

Comments: 1

  • John from Los AngelesIf we were going to write this song based on bars that still exist in LA, I think we would include: Frolic Room, Alibi Room, Drawing Room, Chez Jay and King Eddy's.
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