The Days of Wine and Roses

For other uses, see Days of Wine and Roses (disambiguation).

The Days of Wine and Roses is the second record and the debut full-length album by American alternative rock band the Dream Syndicate. Produced by Chris D. (of the Flesh Eaters/Divine Horsemen), it was recorded in Los Angeles in September 1982 and released later that year on Chris D.'s Ruby Records, which was a division of Slash Records. It was released for the first time on CD in 1993. 2001 and 2015 reissues on CD featured different bonus tracks.

The Days of Wine & Roses
Studio album by The Dream Syndicate
Released	1982
Recorded	September 1982
Genre	Post-punk, jangle pop, Paisley Underground
Length	42:33
Label	Ruby Records/Slash (original release) Rhino Records (reissue) Rough Trade Records
Producer	Chris D.
The Dream Syndicate chronology
The Dream Syndicate (EP) (1982) The Days of Wine & Roses (1982) Medicine Show (1984)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[2]
Pitchfork	8.5/10^[3]
Q	^[4]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	8/10^[5]
Uncut	^[6]
The Village Voice	B+^[7]

The phrase "days of wine and roses" is originally from the poem "Vitae Summa Brevis" by the English writer Ernest Dowson (1867–1900):

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.

The album is ranked number 99 in Blender's 100 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums Ever.^[8]

Track listing

This is the track listing of the original release. Later re-releases have included bonus tracks from the earlier Down There EP, rehearsals, alternate takes, and the 1981 single recorded by 15 Minutes (a Steve Wynn collaboration with members of the Davis, California band Alternate Learning).

All tracks written by Steve Wynn except as noted.

Side One

1. "Tell Me When It's Over" – 3:27
2. "Definitely Clean" – 3:25
3. "That's What You Always Say" – 3:08
4. "Then She Remembers" – 4:03
5. "Halloween" (Karl Precoda) – 6:29

Side Two

1. "When You Smile" – 4:10
2. "Until Lately" – 6:50
3. "Too Little, Too Late" – 3:17
4. "The Days of Wine and Roses" – 7:22

Bonus Tracks (2001 Rhino Records reissue)

1. "Sure Thing" (Down There EP version)
2. "That's What You Always Say" (Down There EP version)
3. "When You Smile" (Down There EP version)
4. "Some Kinda Itch" (Down There EP version)
5. "Too Little, Too Late" (Rehearsal version)
6. "Definitely Clean" (Rehearsal version)
7. "That's What You Always Say" (15 Minutes)
8. "Last Chance For You" (15 Minutes)

Bonus Tracks (2015 Omnivore CD reissue)

1. "Is It Rolling, Bob?" (rehearsal recording)
2. "A Reason" (rehearsal recording)
3. "Still Holding on to You" (rehearsal recording)
4. "Armed with an Empty Gun" (rehearsal recording)
5. "Like Mary" (rehearsal recording)
6. "Outside the Dream Syndicate" (rehearsal recording)

Personnel

• Steve Wynn – guitar, vocals
• Karl Precoda – guitar
• Kendra Smith – bass, vocal ("Too Little, Too Late")
• Dennis Duck – drums

References

1. Deming, Mark. "The Days of Wine and Roses – The Dream Syndicate". AllMusic. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
2. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
3. Deusner, Stephen M. (June 24, 2023). "The Days Of Wine and Roses (40th Anniversary Expanded Edition) | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
4. "The Dream Syndicate: The Days of Wine and Roses". Q (182): 144. October 2001.
5. Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
6. "The Dream Syndicate: The Days of Wine and Roses". Uncut (52): 194. September 2001.
7. Christgau, Robert (December 28, 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
8. "Blender's 100 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums Ever". 14 November 2007. Retrieved July 22, 2018.