EconGoneCountry

Supply and demand with a twang

Title: It Ain't My Fault

​Artist: Brothers Osborne 

Economic Concepts: Correlation vs. Causation  

Details: As economists stress in their research, correlation does not imply causation.  Just because two events occur at the same time, does not imply that one causes or has any impact on the other.  However, people often make this mistake which can lead to poor policy decisions.  A great example of this comes from Freakonomics who discuss previous assumptions about
the causes of Polio.  It was discovered that ice cream consumption was highly correlated with polio cases, which led some to believe that eating ice cream causes polio.  Link  

        In this song, the blame for bad events is pushed on to someone or something else instead of taking ownership for one's decisions.  "Blame the bar for the band, blame the band for the song.  Blame the song for the party that went all night long.  But it ain't my fault.  No it ain't my fault…You got the wrong guy.  I'm only guilty of a damn good time."  Since other events are correlated with the man's bad outcomes, he assumes that the other events cause his bad outcomes and that they are no fault of his own.       

Lyrics: 
Blame the whiskey on the beer
Blame the beer on the whiskey
Blame the mornin' on the night
For whose lyin' here with me
Blame the bar for the band 
Blame the band for the song
Blame the song for the party that went all night long

But it ain't my fault
No it ain't my fault
Mighta had a little fun
Lotta wrong I'd done
But it ain’t my fault

Blame the heart for the hurtin'
Blame the hurtin' on the heart
Blame the dark on the devil
Blame the devil on the dark
Blame the ex for the drinkin'
Blame the drinkin' for the ex
Blame the two for one tequila's for whatever happens next

But it ain't my fault
No it ain't my fault
Mighta had a little fun
Lotta wrong I'd done
But it ain't my fault

I got my hands up 
I need an alibi
Find me a witness who can testify
You made a mistake
You got the wrong guy
I'm only guilty of a damn good time
No it ain't my fault

Blame my raisin' on my name
Blame my name on my raisin'
Blame my lack of knowing better on public education
Blame smoke on the fire 
Blame fire on the smoke
Blame the fight on the bouncer that couldn't take a joke
But it ain't my fault

I got my hands up 
I need an alibi
Find me a witness who can testify
You made a mistake
You got the wrong guy
I'm only guilty of a damn good time

No it ain't my fault
No it ain't my fault
No it ain't my fault​