The Yesterday’s Wine song is the title track of the 1971 album of the same name by Willie Nelson. This song later became a #1 duet for George Jones and Merle Haggard reaching the top of the Billboard Country Singles Music chart on October 9, 1982.
A Revival by George Jones and Merle Haggard
In 1982, “Yesterday’s Wine” found new life when country legends George Jones and Merle Haggard collaborated on a duet version. This rendition, released as a single from their album A Taste of Yesterday’s Wine, climbed to the top of the country charts, bringing the song the recognition it deserved.
Enjoy listening to both versions of this classic country tune below.
Yesterday’s Wine Song by George Jones and Merle Haggard
Compare the George Jones and Merle Haggard duet version to the original by Willie Nelson below.
Yesterday’s Wine by Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson’s Original Vision
The song is the title track of Nelson’s concept album Yesterday’s Wine. At the time of its release, Nelson was a burgeoning artist experimenting with the idea of crafting cohesive stories through albums. Yesterday’s Wine explores themes of life, mortality, and redemption, with the title track serving as its philosophical centerpiece. In it, Nelson takes on the persona of an “imperfect man,” reflecting on his past and the inevitability of aging. While the album received little commercial success upon release, it later became a cult classic. Nelson’s raw, introspective songwriting was ahead of its time, foreshadowing the “outlaw country” movement that would define much of his career.
“Yesterday’s Wine” was written by Willie Nelson.
Yesterday’s Wine Lyrics
Miracles appear in the strangest of places
Fancy me finding you here
The last time I saw you was just out of Houston
Let me sit down and buy you a beer
Your presence is welcome with me and my friend here
‘Cause this is a hangout of mine
We come here quite often to listen to music
And to taste yesterday’s wine
Yesterday’s wine, yesterday’s wine
Agin’ with time like yesterday’s wine
Yesterday’s wine, yesterday’s wine
We’re agin’ with time like yesterday’s wine
You give the appearance of one widely traveled
But lord, I’ll bet you’ve seen things in your time
Come sit down here with us and tell us your story
If it’s true you like yesterday’s wine
Yesterday’s wine, yesterday’s wine
We’re agin’ with time like yesterday’s wine
Yesterday’s wine, yesterday’s wine
We’re agin’ with time like yesterday’s wine
Remember to “share” the Yesterday’s Wine song with other classic country music fans!
