Tequila by The Champs

I woke up this morning with Tequila on my mind. No, I don't mean I wanted to drink tequila. I had the 1958 number hit by The Champs on my mind. The song is primarily an instrumental. The word "tequila" is spoken three times in the song by the saxophone player. It turns out that Gene Autry's label, Challenge Records, had no hit singles. They pulled together some session players to try and create some hits for the radio.

According to Wikipedia:

Dave Burgess (born 1934), a rockabilly singer-songwriter from California who often recorded under the name "Dave Dupree" organized a recording session on December 23 in Hollywood. In the studio that day were Burgess on rhythm guitar, Cliff Hills on bass guitar, the Flores Trio (Danny Flores on saxophone and keyboards, Gene Alden on drums, and lead guitarist Buddy Bruce), and Huelyn Duvall contributing backing vocals. They gathered primarily to record "Train to Nowhere", a song by Burgess, as well as "Night Beat" and "All Night Rock".

The last tune recorded was "Tequila", essentially just a jam by the Flores Trio. There were three takes, and Danny Flores, who wrote the song, was also the man who actually spoke the word "Tequila!". Flores also played the trademark "dirty sax" solo. The song served as the B-side for "Train to Nowhere", which was released by Challenge Records on January 15, 1958. Duvall recalls that the record initially found little success, but, after a DJ in Cleveland played the B-side, "Tequila" skyrocketed up the charts, reaching #1 on the Billboard chart on March 28, 1958.

Give this fun little song a listen if you don't know it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdMTl9zHQ9Y  If you really want to see Pee Wee Herman dance to this song see this clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVKsd8z6scw

I used to be a heavy drinker. I developed alcoholism and admitted my dependency. I entered treatment through Alcoholics Anonymous and by the grace of God, I haven't had an alcoholic beverage since 1997.

Back in the days of boozing it up, I used to live in a lakeside apartment in Noblesville, Indiana. There was a bar stumbling distance from the apartment called the Sandpiper. I got to be a regular there. I wasn't married yet. I was in sales. at the end of my day, if I was in town, I went to the Sandpiper around 5:00 p.m. I always ordered a Miller Lite beer and a shot of Jose Cuervo tequila. Salt and limes were provided. The purpose, of course, was to get my buzz on fast. After a while, Gina, the bartender would have my shot of tequila and my beer sitting on the bar waiting for me at 5;00 p.m. I felt special and appreciated. How sad.

In college we used to drink tequila with the worms in the bottom of the bottle. we used to say if you swallowed the worm you'd hallucinate. Most of the time we either never got to the bottom of the bottle before we passed out. None of us ever hallucinated, but we did cheer on the one who ate the worm.

It tuns out the worm was an accident. The worm is a larvae of a moth that sometimes infests the blue agave plant from which tequila is distilled. The agave grows a pineapple-like fruit which is baked, brewed and distilled. In bottling sometimes a worm made it into a batch. As it turns out Mezcal is different from tequila. Mezcal is made from 100% blue agave, where as tequila can be mixed with other alcohol up to 49%. Putting the larvae in the bottle was a marketing gimmick intended to communicate that this is the real stuff first made by the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. In the US, that gimmick backfired as most consumers thought it meant a lower quality tequila.

Let this idea worm into your consciousness. Drinking to excess may seem fun, but it's hard on your body, brain and digestive organs. It's hard on relationships too. You are not your best when you are drunk. Under the influence I was totally into myself, my buzz, my good time. I hurt a lot of people in that condition. I did a lot of apologizing. It got old for everyone I knew.

The bible is not anti-alcohol.

The psalmist praises God for all His good creation.

He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
wine that gladdens human hearts,
oil to make their faces shine,
and bread that sustains their hearts. (Psa104:14-15)

The apostle Paul encourages his young pastor friend Timothy to drink a little wine to settle his stomach condition.

Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. (1Ti 5:23)

Wine was considered medicinal in the ancient days. Water was often polluted with microorganisms that made people sick. Grape juice and lightly fermented wines with low alcohol content were served as main beverages for meals. The original drink made from blue agave plants by the population of Mexico, prior to the Spanish conquest, was only 3% alcohol content.

And of course we all know the story of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding party. (Jn 2:1-11) It was the first of Jesus' miraculous signs that He is the Christ. Moses turned rivers into blood. Jesus turned water into wine. There's a new prophet in town, a prophet like Moses, but rather than curse the enemies of God, He is blessing the people with grace and mercy.

While the bible doesn't call for t-totaling, it is anti-drunkenness.

The writers in Proverbs warn us about drunkenness.

Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler;
whoever is led astray by them is not wise. (Prv 20:1)

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Those who linger over wine,
who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.

Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!
In the end it bites like a snake
and poisons like a viper.
Your eyes will see strange sights,
and your mind will imagine confusing things.
You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
lying on top of the rigging.
“They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?” (Prv 23:29-35)

 Even the apostle Paul warns about drunkenness.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph 5:18-20)

I belong to a Christian tradition that once demanded of its members a zero tolerance for any alcohol. Grape juice was served with Holy Communion, not wine. John Wesley built into the general rules of Methodist societies no drinking and no buying or selling of alcohol. His reason wasn't against alcohol itself. He had seen what drunkenness and dependency had done to his country. the society was rotting from within because of alcohol. It was a frivolous expenditure in his thinking. Money's spent for alcohol could be used for much godly work, like relieving the poor.

Here is a portion Wesley's general rules governing Methodist societies. These rules have been broken down to three simple rules: Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God.

There is only one condition previously required of those who desire admission into these societies: "a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins." But wherever this is really fixed in the soul it will be shown by its fruits.

It is therefore expected of all who continue therein that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

First: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind, especially that which is most generally practiced, such as:

...Drunkenness: buying or selling spirituous liquors, or drinking them, unless in cases of extreme necessity.

Read the entire rules here. http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5068507&ct=6466529&notoc=1

What are we meant for if Christ has claimed our hearts? We are not meant for drunkenness and the lack of self control it brings. In fact a fruit of living under the influence of the Spirit of Christ is self-control. (Gal 5:22-323) There is no down side or hang over from unity with Christ. It doesn't cost any money to praise God, to love Him and let His love fill you. Being filled with the Spirit doesn't harm your health. On the contrary, the Spirit gives life to your body. (Rom 8:11) The same power of life that conquered death and raised Jesus from the grave lives in you through faith.

So the next time you feel the urge to get your buzz on, try prayer, mediation and praise. Open your heart to the divine energy within you through your relationship with God through Jesus Christ. you may or may not feel a high, but keep at it. You will be taken from a life dragged down by stress and mortality to life lifted by love and grace. And as a side benefit...there are no worms. (Mk 9:47-48)

Dear God, save us from drunkenness and chemical dependency. As people in this country line up for recreational marijuana, and our liquor stores are busier than Your churches, awaken this nation to the truth. These choices do not lead to life. They only court death; physical, mental and spiritual death. Help us. Help Your church. God, teach America to bless You that You might once again bless America. Amen