There could be instances when you have a deep thought. You could be wondering what time is it in other parts of the world. If you have a friend overseas, you might be thinking about what he/she is doing right now. Having different times is quite challenging since people do not follow the same time. If you are currently awake, some people on the other side of the world could be sleeping now. The exciting part of having different time zones is learning the cultures of others. Have you ever heard of the phrase, "Its 5 oclock somewhere?" Do you know what this phrase means?

The Meaning Behind It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere

If you never hear the phrase, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere," then you might be confused about what it means the first time you hear it. To help you, we're here to explain what it means and why people are using it.

Usually, school and office hours end at 5 o'clock. Meaning, it is the perfect time to get some rest or start your happy time. People use it as an excuse to drink alcohol even if it is not 5 o'clock. For example, if the time in California is 11am, and your friend invited you over for a drink. You didn't accept the offer because, for you, it's too early to get drunk. However, your friend tells you that it's 5 o'clock somewhere. Meaning, even if it's 11 am, it's already 5 o'clock somewhere in other parts of the world. Well, your friend is not wrong.

"It's 5 o'clock somewhere" has been an excuse for most people who want to get some rest after working for hours. It refers to the cocktail hour or happy hour even though it's not 5 o'clock yet. You could be thinking about which areas in the world are celebrating happy hour. 

 

Why the Phrase "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" Is Popular

The phrase, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere," is popular, but most people are confused whether it is because it is a traditional saying or because of the song about it. If you don't know about it, there’s a song entitled, "It's 5 O’Clock Somewhere." It was sung by Alan Jackson and was written by Jim "Moose" Brown Don Rollins. The song talks about the singer being tired of work. He wanted to drink despite its only half-past twelve. He said in the song that he doesn’t care about the time because it's five o'clock somewhere.

Here are the lyrics of the song:

"It's Five O’Clock Somewhere"

The sun is hot and that old clock is movin' slow,

And so am I.

Workday passes like molasses in wintertime,

But it's July.

I'm gettin' paid by the hour, and older by the minute.

My boss just pushed me over the limit.

I'd like to call him somethin',

I think I'll just call it a day.

 

Pour me somethin' tall and strong,

Make it a "Hurricane" before I go insane.

It's only half-past twelve but I don't care.

It's five o'clock somewhere.

 

Oh, this lunch break is gonna take all afternoon,

And half the night.

Tomorrow mornin', I know there'll be hell to pay,

Hey, but that's all right.

I ain't had a day off now in over a year.

My Jamaican vacation's gonna start right here.

If the phone's for me,

You can tell 'em I just sailed away.

 

And pour me somethin' tall and strong,

Make it a "Hurricane" before I go insane.

It's only half-past twelve but I don't care.

It's five o'clock somewhere.

 

I could pay off my tab,

put myself in a cab,

And be back to work before two.

At a moment like this I can't help but wonder,

What would Jimmy Buffett do?

 

Funny you should ask, Alan. I'd say,

 

Pour me somethin' tall and strong,

Make it a "Hurricane" before I go insane.

It's only half-past twelve but I don't care.

 

Pour me somethin' tall and strong,

Make it a "Hurricane" before I go insane.

It's only half-past twelve but I don't care.

 

He don't care.

I don't care.

 

It's five o'clock somewhere.

 

What time zone am I on? What country am I in?

It doesn't matter, it's five o'clock somewhere.

It's always on five in Margaritaville, come to think of it.

Yeah, I heard that.

You been there, haven't you?

Yes sir.

I seen your boat there.

I've been to Margaritaville a few times.

All right, that's good.

Stumbled all the way back.

1. Just wanna make sure you can keep it between the navigational beacons.

Between the buoys, I got it.

All right. Well, it's five o'clock. Let's go somewhere.

I'm ready, crank it up.

Let's get out of here.

I'm gone.

The Origin of the Traditional Phrase

It is quite hard to identify where the phrase originated. But when you research it, most answers point to the comedian Red Skelton. He was celebrating his 50th birthday by doing three shows at the Riviera Hotel. It includes a dinner show at 8 p.m. est, a midnight show, and the third show at 2:30 a.m. He was swamped at that time. Skelton said that “I don’t drink this early in the day, but what the heck, it must be 5 o’clock somewhere in the world.”

Some people believe that the phrase became famous because of Skelton. But the song also contributed to the popularity of the traditional saying. Besides, it is always used by those who want to make an excuse of drinking too early. But whether it is popular in your area or not, the phrase, “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” could be your valid reason to stop working for a while and do what makes you happy.