Last Glass Of Wine, 1st Single by Russ Ellis!

Ladies and gents, just in time for New Years Eve revelry, Berkeley Cat Records is very proud to announce the first single from Russ Ellis, “Last Glass Of Wine.” This is the first of a series of singles which will lead up to Mr. Ellis’ full album, “Songs From The Garden” in the Spring of 2020.

I was so thrilled to be called in to play guitar on this track, by Dave Ellis, Russ’s son and my longtime friend and UpTones bandmate. Dave produced the recording and we are sharing this mix via bandcamp to let the cat out of the bag!

-Eric Din

Liner notes from Russ:

While working on the Eliza recording, my son asked me whatever happened to the little ditty I used to sing that I had made up; now the first verse of Last Glass of Wine. He suggested that that could make a nice song, if developed. I went home and discovered that whatever door had been opened by “Eliza” was still open. It wrote itself. My New York raised step mother had fantasized about the West, cowboys, dude ranches, before she came West. She listened to country and western music. I heard a lot of Hank Williams and Leftie Frizzell in the 50’s.

Originally, I made up the ditty to make fun of my repeated failures to give up wine. Its transformation into something larger was easy.

 

LAST GLASS OF WINE

This is my last glass of wine
‏Gents and ladies, I feel fine

‏Big red devil out my door
‏I ain’t swearing off no more

‏So let’s drink to this last glass of wine

‏That is my last cigarette
‏Can I beat it? Better bet

‏Mama begged me not to start
‏Tryin’ to fix my weary heart

‏So let’s drink to my last cigarette

‏There goes my last love affair
‏Broken-hearted, but I don’t care

‏Love’s as fickle as thin air
‏Some folks find it anywhere

‏So let’s drink to that last love affair

‏Love’s the big addiction
‏It ought to be illegal
‏What it does to people just ain’t fair

‏Ain’t no illusion
‏You’re whupped beyond confusion
‏Messin’ up your castles in the air

‏So, this is my last glass of wine
‏All you people, I’m just fine

‏With them troubles out my door,
‏Won’t be swearin’ off no more

‏So let’s drink to this last glass of wine

Credits:

Lyrics by Russ Ellis
Music by Russ Ellis and Dave Ellis
Music performed by:
Dave Ellis with
Eric Din – Guitar
Jay Lane – Drums
Russ Ellis – Vocal

Cover art by John Dexter Ellis

© 2019 Zadell Music, ASCAP

Author: Berkeley Cat Records

We’re from Berkeley. We are cats. We make records.