I THREW AWAY THE ROSE
(Merle Haggard)

Merle Haggard & The Strangers - 1967
George Jones - 1967
Stonewall Jackson - 1967
Porter Wagoner - 1967
Conway Twitty - 1967
Charley Pride - 1967
Del Reeves - 1967
Cal Smith - 1968
Norma Jean - 1968
Carl Smith - 1968
Johnny Bond - 1970
Lorrie Morgan - 1994

Also recorded by: 
Hank Snow; Ernest Tubb; Hank Williams Jr.



 
Once I lived the life of wine and roses
And I drank a lot back then for one concern
Success for me lay just around the corner
I thought my social friends would help me make the turn

But now I'm paying for the days of wine and roses
A victim of the drunken life I chose
Now all my social friends look down their noses
'Cause I kept the wine and threw away the rose

(Instrumental Break)

I stood and watched the bottle take command of me
The turn I made was not the one I'd planned
And I watched my social friends slip away from me
While I watched the bottle slowly take command

But now I'm paying for the days of wine and roses
A victim of the drunken life I chose
Now all my social friends look down their noses
'Cause I kept the wine and threw away the rose
'Cause I kept the wine and threw away the rose



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - October 2010)