- Joe Nichols’ second-ever No. 1 hit was almost never released.
- His record label was worried “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” might offend people.
- The singer fought back, knowing it’d be a big hit. He was right.
Without Joe Nichols, we might never know that “tequila makes her clothes fall off.” And that’s exactly what his record label at the time wanted. The song is fun and lighthearted, but the powers that be worried it might offend people — to the point that they didn’t want him to release it.
“There were a lot of women at the label that were offended, and they thought a lot of other women would be offended,” Joe tells the Taste of Country Nights syndicated radio show. He was asked to meet privately with someone at the label — sans managers — who apparently told him: “‘This would kill your career.’”
The lyrics are tame enough, but the subject matter would have pushed boundaries on country radio in 2005, when it was released as a single.
“Them pantyhose ain't gonna last too long / If the DJ puts Bon Jovi on / She might come home in a tablecloth / Yeah, tequila makes her clothes fall off,” he sings in one verse, elaborating later in the song that this unnamed woman would certainly lose an earring in her drink and leave her jacket in the bathroom if she consumed too many tequila drinks.
Joe stood by his song, retorting to the label that “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” was a hit and he knew it. He recalls apologizing to anyone who might have been offended, but that, “If you listen to the song, it’s not offensive.”
“Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” was the first single released from his III album and would become a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, proving that Joe’s intuition was spot on. It even charted in the Top 40 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100!
Twenty-one years later, Joe is promoting a new single called “Say La V,” a play on the French phrase “c’est la vie.” It’s the first taste of a new album he expects to deliver in early 2027. “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” remains one of his biggest and most memorable hits, and he still plays it live in concert.
Joe has tour dates through the end of this year, with shows booked throughout the Northeastern United States in August before he returns to his home state of Texas in September.
Amanda Hensel Jermstad is a skilled writer based in Austin, Texas. She spent 14 years as Editor-in-Chief of Taste of Country, where she led coverage of the artists, stories and trends shaping country music. With a career deeply rooted in the genre, Amanda has built a reputation for sharp editorial insight and authentic storytelling. Outside of work, she’s a proud mom of three.
