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Empty Bottles

from Honky​-​Tonk Opera by Railtown

/

about

We wrote this one at my friend and co-writer Heath Davidson's apartment up in Hendersonville . . . I brought the title out . . . There was a pretty much unknown band back in Ventura that had a song called, "Empty Bottles" and I always liked that . . . so I lifted the title! Mostly my music, and Heath helped me shape the lines.

The line about "It ain't good to drink alone" was inspired by Noel Haggard - Merle Haggard's son . . . I was out watching him perform one night at Barbara's - a little honky-tonk on Printer's Alley in Nashville (that's no longer there), and I was sitting alone at a table. Noel came over and sat down with me, saying, "It ain't good to sit alone" . . . mind you I wasn't drinking, but it struck me as a colorful line and action, so it stuck in my head. (Both Noel and Marty Haggard used to perform at that place, and I'd watch them till it closed). This song could take place anywhere, and it does!

But in my mind, it's in some club on Printer's Alley . . .

- Jeffrey Scott Stewart

lyrics

EMPTY BOTTLES

One by one they take their place
He likes to put them all in line
Each one leaves a bitter taste
In his mouth and on his mind

The waitress passes by and offers
To clear the table - but he stops her

Empty bottles fill his nights with haunting memories
Of friends who died too soon and love that let him down
Still he makes the most of every drop, and then he
Orders up another round
By now he must be losing count
Of empty bottles

He'll be here till closing time
No-one waits for him at home
He once told a friend of mine
It ain't good to drink alone

So he sits starin' at the labels
Of his friends across the table

Empty bottles fill his nights with haunting memories
Of friends who died too soon and love that let him down
Still he makes the most of every drop, and then he
Orders up another round
By now he must be losing count
Of empty bottles


Written by Jeffrey Scott Stewart and Heath Davidson
Copyright Blue Clover Music (ASCAP) / Low Places Music (BMI)

credits

from Honky​-​Tonk Opera, released March 4, 2009
All Instruments/Vocals by Jeffrey Scott Stewart

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

aka Jeffrey Scott Stewart Houston, Texas

Originally from Southern California, and now - after sixteen years of "seasoning" in Nashville, Tennessee - based in Houston, Texas.

Jeff has had his songs heard in movies, documentaries, television and radio from Australia to Seattle to Switzerland.

Live performances feature a wide variety of original music using guitar, tenor banjo, accordion, mandolin, violin, ukulele and harmonica.
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