Alcohol

Emma’s lyrics from “Alcohol” are about growing up with her late alcoholic father.

| May 18, 2026

Songwriting and music have been my escapes for as long as I can remember.

With this in mind, I wanted to share the lyrics of the final chorus of one of my songs, “Alcohol”, that I wrote a decade ago about my experience of my now late alcoholic dad.

Father, is that you or is it just the alcohol talking?

Insomniac blues, I’m not as worthy as the endorphins,

You never loved me like you loved the bottle,

You only stopped abusing when the cider would call,

Father, is that you or is it just the alcohol talking?

Father, is that you or is it just the alcohol talking?

Father, I’ve lost you, now it’s just the alcohol talking.

Emma

To read more experience stories, please go to Support & Advice.

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Alcohol

Emma's lyrics from "Alcohol" are about growing up with her late alcoholic father.

Alcohol

Emma's lyrics from "Alcohol" are about growing up with her late alcoholic father.

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Songwriting and music have been my escapes for as long as I can remember.

With this in mind, I wanted to share the lyrics of the final chorus of one of my songs, “Alcohol”, that I wrote a decade ago about my experience of my now late alcoholic dad.

Father, is that you or is it just the alcohol talking?

Insomniac blues, I’m not as worthy as the endorphins,

You never loved me like you loved the bottle,

You only stopped abusing when the cider would call,

Father, is that you or is it just the alcohol talking?

Father, is that you or is it just the alcohol talking?

Father, I’ve lost you, now it’s just the alcohol talking.

Emma

To read more experience stories, please go to Support & Advice.

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Support & advice The Nacoa Helpline Coping with the death of a parent Become a member of Nacoa UK

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Experiences

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In the Blood

By Arabella Byrne and Julia Hamilton
Long Going

By Sophie Calon
Dear… A book of letters from the forgotten families of addiction

By Various authors
Parental Substance Use: Supporting School Aged Children

By Hannah Todman and Sarah Galvani (A BASW Practice Guide)
Twinkle, Twinkle Arti

By Danielle Slade
The 1 in 5 Documentary: A film about the forgotten children of alcoholics

By John Taylor

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