"Yesterday's Wine" | ||||
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Single by Willie Nelson | ||||
from the album Yesterday's Wine | ||||
B-side | "Me and Paul" | |||
Released | October 23, 1971 | |||
Recorded | May 3, 1971 | |||
Studio | RCA Studio B (Nashville, Tennessee) | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 3:15 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Willie Nelson | |||
Producer(s) | Felton Jarvis | |||
Willie Nelson singles chronology | ||||
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"Yesterday's Wine" | ||||
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Single by Merle Haggard and George Jones | ||||
from the album A Taste of Yesterday's Wine | ||||
B-side | "I Haven't Found Her Yet" | |||
Released | August 7, 1982 | |||
Recorded | May 17, 1982 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 3:15 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Willie Nelson | |||
Producer(s) | Billy Sherrill | |||
Merle Haggard singles chronology | ||||
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George Jones singles chronology | ||||
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"Yesterday's Wine" is the title track of the 1971 Willie Nelson album Yesterday's Wine . The track was written by Nelson, and it later became a number 1 duet for George Jones and Merle Haggard in 1982.
"Yesterday's Wine" was released as a single by RCA in the fall of 1971. Its parent album, which opened with a peculiar existential dialogue featuring Nelson and contained songs with philosophical and spiritual themes, confounded the label, with the singer later lamenting, "I think it's one of my best albums but Yesterday's Wine was regarded by RCA as way too spooky and far out to waste promotion money on." [1] Although it was perhaps the LP's most accessible track, and has since become regarded as one of Nelson's finest compositions, "Yesterday's Wine" limped to #62 on the Billboard country survey. RCA appeared to realize its folly five years later Jerry Bradley included it on the Wanted! The Outlaws compilation after Nelson's popularity had exploded. The song, a tale of two old friends meeting up unexpectedly in a bar after many years, was a perfect fit for the outlaw-themed record.
In 1982, Merle Haggard and George Jones recorded a duet of "Yesterday's Wine" which became a #1 single, remaining so for one week and spending a total of ten weeks on the chart. [2] The song inspired the title of their first duet LP, A Taste of Yesterday's Wine , and was a natural fit for the two singers, who were often singled out as two of the finest interpreters of pure country music and had both battled many personal demons over the course of their respective careers.
Chart (1971) | Peak position |
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US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [3] | 62 |
Chart (1982) | Peak position |
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US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [4] | 1 |
Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 5 |
Merle Ronald Haggard was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.
"Pancho and Lefty", originally "Poncho and Lefty", is a song written by American country music singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Perhaps his most well-known song, Van Zandt recorded his original version of this song for his 1972 album The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. The song has been recorded by several artists since its composition and performance by Van Zandt, with the Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard version selling the most copies and reaching number one on the Billboard country chart. In 2021, the Townes Van Zandt version was ranked number 498 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Kickin' Out the Footlights...Again is a studio album by American country music artists George Jones and Merle Haggard, released in 2006.
Waylon is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released in 1970 on RCA Victor.
Wanted! The Outlaws is a compilation album by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser, released by RCA Records in 1976. The album consists of previously released material with four new songs. Released to capitalize on the new outlaw country movement, Wanted! The Outlaws earned its place in music history by becoming the first country album to be platinum-certified, reaching sales of one million.
Ladies' Choice is an album by American country music artist George Jones, released in 1984 on the Epic Records label. It was composed largely of duets with female artists.
A Taste of Yesterday's Wine is a duet studio album by American country music artists George Jones and Merle Haggard, released in 1982. They are backed by Don Markham and Jimmy Belken of the Strangers. The album includes the song "Silver Eagle", written by Gary Church, also of the Strangers. This was their first album together; their next album together, Kickin' Out the Footlights...Again, did not come until 24 years later in 2006.
David Lynn Jones is an American country music singer-songwriter. Between 1987 and 1994, Jones released four studio albums. He also charted four singles on Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. His highest charting single, "Bonnie Jean ," peaked at number ten in 1987.
Big City is the thirty-third studio album by American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by the Strangers, released in 1981. It was his debut on the Epic label after ending his association with MCA. Big City peaked at number three on the Billboard Country Album charts and number 161 on the Pop Album charts. It is an RIAA-certified Gold album.
Yesterday's Wine is the 13th studio album and a concept album by country singer Willie Nelson. Nelson had been recording for RCA Victor since the early 1960s, and had released no significant hit records. By 1970, his recordings had reached mid-chart positions. Nelson lost the money he made from his song-writing royalties by financing concert tours that were generally unsuccessful and unprofitable. In addition to problems with his music career, Nelson had a troubled personal life. He had divorced his wife, Shirley Collie, and his Tennessee ranch had been destroyed by a fire.
Willie Nelson and Family is the twelfth studio album by American country music singer Willie Nelson, released in 1971.
"I Always Get Lucky With You" is a song written by Merle Haggard, Freddy Powers, Gary Church, and Tex Whitson. It was first recorded by Haggard on his 1981 album Big City and then covered by American country music artist George Jones in April 1983 as the second single from the album Shine On. The song was Jones' ninth and final number one on the country chart as a solo artist. The single stayed at number one for one week and spent thirteen weeks on the country chart.
"Swinging Doors" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in February 1966 as the first single and title track from the album Swinging Doors. The song peaked at number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles.
"C.C. Waterback" is a song recorded by American country music artists Merle Haggard and George Jones. It was released in December 1982 as the second single from the album A Taste of Yesterday's Wine. The song reached #10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The song was written by Haggard.
"Half a Man" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Willie Nelson. The song was released as the A-side of the single for his second Liberty Records album, Here's Willie Nelson. Despite receiving mixed airplay for its content, the song became a sales success, peaking at number twenty-five on Billboard's Hot Country Singles and number twenty on Cashbox's country singles.
Walking the Line is an album by American country music artists Merle Haggard, George Jones, and Willie Nelson, released in 1987.
Heart to Heart is a duet album by Merle Haggard and Leona Williams with backing by the Strangers, released in June 1983 on Mercury Records. It reached number 44 on the Billboard Country music chart.
Seashores of Old Mexico is a studio album by Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. It is a sequel to their enormously successful 1983 duet album Pancho and Lefty and was released in 1987. They are backed by The Strangers. The only charting single was a cover of a 1979 Blaze Foley song, "If I Could Only Fly", which peaked at number 58 on the 1987 Billboard Hot Country Songs singles chart.
Django and Jimmie is the sixth and final collaborative studio album by American country music artists Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. It was released on June 2, 2015, by Legacy Recordings. The album was Haggard's final studio album prior to his death of pneumonia in April 2016, 10 months after its release.
"It's All Going to Pot" is a song written by Buddy Cannon, Larry Shell and Jamey Johnson. The song was recorded by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard featuring Johnson. It was released on April 20, 2015, as the single to the album Django & Jimmie.