Mark Chesnutt – Brother Jukebox

“Brother Jukebox” is a song written by Paul Craft. It was originally recorded by Don Everly, one-half of The Everly Brothers, in 1977 and reached number 96 on the country singles charts. It was later covered by Keith Whitley on I Wonder Do You Think of Me and by Mark Chesnutt on his 1990 debut album Too Cold at Home. Released in November 1990 as the album’s second single, it became his first Number One country hit in the United States. It was also recorded by John Starling on his 1977 album Long Time Gone.

The song’s narrator tells of a man whose after being left by his lover (it’s unknown if she was his wife or girlfriend since the narrator said “since ‘she’ left me by myself”….) you’re (addressing “brother jukebox”, “sister wine”, “mother freedom” and “father time”) as the only family the narrator has got left in his life, his “new next of kin”, to spend any time with at all.

From the album Too Cold at Home
B-side “Hey You There in the Mirror”
Released November 26, 1990
Recorded 1990
Genre Country
Length 3:05
Label MCA
Songwriter(s) Paul Craft
Producer(s) Mark Wright

Mark Chesnutt – Brother Jukebox Lyrics

Brother jukebox, sister wine.
Mother freedom, father of time.
Since she left me by myself,
You’re the only family I’ve got left.

I go down to that same old cafe,
Where I try to wash my troubles away.
I’m still down, and I’m still all alone,
But it beats staying home all night long.

Brother jukebox, sister wine.
Mother freedom, father of time.
Since she left me by myself,
You’re the only family I’ve got left.

I go home and I climb that old stairway.
And I tell myself: “Tomorrow’s a new day.”
But I know I’ll just go down again,
And spend my time with my new next-of-kin.

Brother jukebox, sister wine.
Mother freedom, father of time.
Since she left me by myself,
You’re the only family I’ve got left.

Brother jukebox, sister wine.
Mother freedom, father of time.
Since she left me by myself,
You’re the only family I’ve got left.

You’re the only family I’ve got left.