Wine And Older Country Music

Lawrence Lupkin · Post by **Lawrence Lupkin** » 30 Aug 2005 7:19 am

It always seems that the guy in the classic country ballad is turning to wine to ease the pain of whatever memory he wants to forget. Is this a generational thing? I'm having trouble picturing some cowboy in a rough and tumble honky tonk sipping a crisp Chablis or perhaps a nice French Beaujolais.

More likely it is some sort of fortified wine, correct? Was that more of a country music choice than whiskey or beer (which I know is mentioned a heck of alot)?

Was it cheaper?

Idle curiousity.

Thanks!
[This message was edited by Lawrence Lupkin on 30 August 2005 at 08:21 AM.]

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 30 Aug 2005 7:23 am

More likely,
Italian Swiss Coloney Vina De Tavola,
$1,42 a gallon.

Chased back with some Jack...

IF, your gonna punish yourself ... do it RIGHT!

But heck, Wine DOES ryhme with a lot of stuff.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 30 August 2005 at 08:24 AM.]

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 30 Aug 2005 7:41 am

And... don't forget that many old songs make reference simply to, "the bottle." That allows the listener to think the singer might be talking about the listener's favorite libation.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 30 Aug 2005 7:46 am

Boone's Farm
Thunderbird
Ripple
Earnst & Julio Gallo?
Mateuse

(spelling is close, even if no cigar

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 30 Aug 2005 9:11 am

When I was walking a beat in Seattle ages ago, I had the skid row beat; the bums would always hit us up for money to buy Muscatel,$.19 a gallon. Hamburger and a cup of coffee was $.25 then and I would always say come on body I'll buy you a meal but they would all refuse. CC

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 30 Aug 2005 10:13 am

Well, wine has always had a romantic and Biblical image, and it does rhyme well. But the wine poor folks and winos speak of is cheap, sweet, rotgut, fortified port, sherry and muscatel. Also, country people in the South make wine from wild muscadines and backyard scuppanongs, not to mention blackberries, peaches, pears, plums, watermelon, dandelions, and even corn cobs.[This message was edited by David Doggett on 30 August 2005 at 11:13 AM.]

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 30 Aug 2005 12:04 pm

Why does MSA put chess pieces on their fret boards?

Kenny Drake · Post by **Kenny Drake** » 30 Aug 2005 12:10 pm

Earnest, you really crack me up LOL.
Maybe because they wouldn't look right on the legs....

Leon Grizzard · Post by **Leon Grizzard** » 30 Aug 2005 12:27 pm

Isn't it usually "the wine" rather than "wine?"

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 30 Aug 2005 12:56 pm

"Also, country people in the South make wine from wild muscadines and backyard scuppanongs, not to mention blackberries, peaches, pears, plums, watermelon, dandelions, and even corn cobs."

That would be S-C-U-P-P-E-R-N-O-N-G-S, David. We country people in the South also use spell check, when we're not working off a batch of possum wine, to serve our guests!

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 30 Aug 2005 1:26 pm

I'm not sure scuppernong is in my spell check. And, um, I think I'll skip the opossum wine. Those critters are good with sweet taters and biscuits, but I think I'll stick with the scuppernongs for the wine.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 30 Aug 2005 3:22 pm

MD40/40 Orange Driver, Four Roses, Thunderbird, Gallo Port, hell..i have laid in the gutter with all of them....cheaper then Blatz...till i got a helping hand out of there, a clean shirt, and a hot meal. no brag..just fact.."now i'm walkin' on the sidewalks of Chicago...if i buy the bread, i can't afford the wine..now i'm walkin' on the sidewalks of Chicago..wishin' i had lived some other time"

Ben Slaughter · Post by **Ben Slaughter** » 30 Aug 2005 8:26 pm

I'm still trying to fit "Two Buck Chuck" into a modern version of the classic theme, but I just can't find the rhyme...

Sherman Willden · Post by **Sherman Willden** » 30 Aug 2005 9:05 pm

What's the word?!
Thunderbird!
Spread the word!

Tom Jordan · Post by **Tom Jordan** » 30 Aug 2005 9:59 pm

What's the price?
thirty twice

On the roof?
a fifth of vermouth

In my locker?
(buy a vowel?)...

Tom

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 31 Aug 2005 4:05 am

" I'll match the man, behind the bar, for the jukebox.
And let the music take me back to Tennessee,
When they ask, "Who's the fool, in the corner, crying," I'll say, "the little old wine drinker, me."
Swiss Colony???

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 31 Aug 2005 4:15 am

MD4040 ?????
Is that double strength 20 20

Mogen David / Mad Dog 20 20,
is what I remember getting tipped with after a gig at The Gin Mill.
Sweeter than a sugar factory,
and bound to cause a slow morning after. YIKES!

Jeremy Steele · Post by **Jeremy Steele** » 31 Aug 2005 6:35 am

Most of the winos in NYC seemed to favor a libation called "Night Train - Express"...I used to see the bottles all over The Bowery, back in the day.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 31 Aug 2005 9:47 am

well i drank 2 bottles..yikes..sorry

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 31 Aug 2005 10:04 am

years back, i was a professional drunk. But i never could figure out what "Spo-Dee-O'Dee meant? as in Jerry Lee's "Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O'Dee. anyone know what it means. Ah memories..i recall drinking with a couple dudes..and wake up with my shoes, socks, belt, gone. and some big cop with breath worse then mine saying.."Move It Along" ya know...i always thought Half & Half was cream...why is it old wine gets better with age..but winos don't?[This message was edited by George Redmon on 31 August 2005 at 11:07 AM.]

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 2 Sep 2005 3:55 pm

I believe "Spodeeodee" is cultural slang for "Sporty O'Dee". Here's what I've heard...

Sam Pheard, a black comedian of the '30s and '40s whose nickname was "Sporty O'Dee" (pronounced "Spodeeodee") was once teamed with another black comedian named George Wiltshire in some movie shorts. Evidently, in one of them, Sam asked George what he was doing with a (wine) bottle he was holding, and George's answer was...

"Drinkin' wine, Spodeeodee".

Shortly afterwards, a blues musician named Granville "Sticks" McGhee wrote the song "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-dee-o-dee".

The rest is (hic) history!

Savell · Post by **Savell** » 2 Sep 2005 6:41 pm

I hate to admit this, but when I was trying to grow up, the bunch of us country fellers would go out on the town drinking. We could afford just enough hard drinks and beers to make us think about our pitiful nite out without the gals we really wanted to be out with. By that time we had spent all of our money on the pool table and had just enough between us to go by the ABC liquor store and get two or three huge bottles of cheap wine which we knew would finish us off down at the lake. When you're that poor, wine is not the choice source, but was always the ole faithful standby. You've never really been drunk unless you've been drunk on MD2020. To me, it kinda felt like being tied to set of helicopter blades right before you pass out.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 5 Sep 2005 9:21 pm

oh i have been really really messed up on MD20/20..it kinda feels like your head is in a vice..you take everything you can find, trying to get just a few moments of sanity..the pain starts in the chin..and goes all the way to your spine..you lay in bed..you puke..you sit up...you puke..you try to stand..you puke...you want to walk to the toilet..but you just can't get your legs to move, you are dizzy when you stand..and just can't seem to get your balance, every little noise every little squeek of the bed springs is deafning...you can't focus, the room spins..you pray for death quickly...your wifes starts to yell at you..and you contemplate suicide..nothing to mess with my friends..death in a bottle..all your bodily fluids, are strange colors, and clotty...you crawl because you just can't walk..have you ever had the flu? this stuff is 100 times worse...you keep repeating.."my god...oh my god"...it is death in a bottle...this stuff can hurt you...leave it alone...my god...please....leave it alone![This message was edited by George Redmon on 05 September 2005 at 10:37 PM.][This message was edited by George Redmon on 06 September 2005 at 10:13 AM.]

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 6 Sep 2005 8:01 pm

So, uh... do you recommend it George, or not?

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 6 Sep 2005 9:31 pm

Then the toilet seat wacks you in the back of the head, and next you realise how nice and cool the porcelin feels with your face pressed to it, but then that nasty wave starts back up, you know, the one deep in your guts. You want the hair of the dog that bit you, yes, Mad Dog 202020202020, but then you don't want it. Or do you? Naw, well maybe. Oh crap, Here comes that wave again--- Yeah leave it alone, boys. It's a bad detour. Sure makes for some good ole country tunes, though.