Days Of Wine And Roses

Album: This Is Henry Mancini (1962)
Charted: 33
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Songfacts®:

  • This was the theme song to the movie Days Of Wine And Roses, starring Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick, who play lovers struggling with alcoholism and self-destructive behavior. The title comes from a poem by Ernest Dowson that Remick recites in the film: "They are not long, the days of wine and roses: Out of a misty dream, our path emerges for a while, then closes, within a dream."
  • Henry Mancini was a popular composer of music and TV themes, and he won 5 Grammys for his work on the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, including Record Of The Year for "Moon River." He won the same award for this song, becoming the first performer to win 2 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France
  • Mancini's version is an orchestral instrumental. The most famous vocal version is by Andy Williams, who took it to #26 in the US.
  • The lyrics were written by Johnny Mercer, who also wrote the words to "Fools Rush In," "Hooray For Hollywood" and "Moon River."
  • Artist to cover this song include Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Perry Como, Ella Fitzgerald, Patti Page, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, Peggy Lee and Nancy Wilson.
  • The movie Days Of Wine And Roses was the inspiration for Bill Withers' hit "Ain't No Sunshine."

Comments: 6

  • Joe L Burke (all Rights Reserved) from Bradenton FlHere's my lyric to Mancini's music...
    The days of wine and roses
    Fade and drift away
    Into a yesterday
    Leaving the echos of a dream we used to share
    Entwined in our affair
    What were we doing there?
    The passing time exposes
    Passion that flamed and died
    We only smiled and lied
    Wishing for love that we pursued but never knew
    Oh, days of wine and roses, Adieu
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 20th 1963, "Days of Wine and Roses*" by Henry Mancini and his Orchestra entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #82; eight weeks later on March 17th it would peak at #33 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for 18 weeks...
    The song won Mr. Mancini {music} and Johnny Mercer {lyrics} an Academy Award for 'Best Original Song'...
    The week Mr. Mancini's version peak at #33, Andy Williams' vocal version was at #79 {See next post below}...
    * Though disturbing, the movie 'Days of Wine and Roses' was a great movie.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 10th 1963, Andy Williams' covered version of "Days of Wine and Roses" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #90; and seven weeks later on April 28th, 1963 it peak at #26 {for 1 week} and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
    And the week it was at #26 the record's A-side, "Can't Get Used to Losing You"*, was in its fourth week at #2 on the Top 100...
    Plus Henry Mancini's original version of "Days of Wine & Roses" was at #33 on the chart, and that would be its peak position...
    * The first two weeks "Can't Get Used to Losing You" was at #2, "He's So Fine" by the Chiffons was at #1; and for weeks 3 & 4 Little Peggy March's "I Will Follow Him" was in the top spot.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyBOY!!! did I goof; in my post below the song was "Moon River" that both Mr. Butler & Mr. Mancini peaked at #11 with...
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyHow could Song Facts forget about Jerry Butler's version; it reached #11 in 1961, interestedly Henry Mancini's instrumental version also peaked at #11 and it stayed in the Top 100 for 26 weeks!!!
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyNot only did this song win a Grammy but also the Oscar for Best Song at the 1962 Academy Awards!!!
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