Lyrics:

1967
Writer(s): Merle Haggard

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

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

And 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