Days of Wine and Roses – English Lyrics

• By: Frank Sinatra

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Frank Sinatra's classic interpretation of "Days of Wine and Roses" and explore the nuances of the English language through its rich lyrics. This song, originally the theme for a movie about love and alcoholism, offers a glimpse into complex emotions and timeless poetic expressions, perfect for English learners looking to expand their vocabulary and cultural understanding .

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
wine /waɪn/ A1	noun - an alcoholic drink made from fermented grapes
roses /ˈroʊzɪz/ A1	noun - plural of rose: a flower with a thorny stem and fragrant petals
laugh /læf/ A1	verb - to make sounds with your voice that show you are happy or think something is funny
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot
child /tʃaɪld/ A1	noun - a young human being below the age of puberty or full physical development
play /pleɪ/ A1	verb - to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.
meadowland /ˈmedoʊlænd/ B2	noun - land consisting of meadows
closing /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/ B1	adjective - coming to an end; final
door /dɔːr/ A1	noun - a hinged, sliding, or revolving barrier at the entrance to a building, room, or vehicle
lonely /ˈloʊnli/ B1	adjective - sad because one has no friends or company
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise in each twenty-four hours
discloses /dɪˈskloʊzɪz/ C1	verb - to make (secret or new information) known
passing /ˈpæsɪŋ/ B1	adjective - going past or by
breeze /briːz/ B1	noun - a gentle wind
memories /ˈmeməriz/ B1	noun - something remembered from the past; a recollection
golden /ˈɡoʊldən/ B1	adjective - of or like gold
smile /smaɪl/ A1	noun - a facial expression characterized by an upward curving of the corners of the mouth

Key Grammar Structures

• The days of wine and roses

  ➔ Possessive noun phrase

  ➔ Shows ownership or association of 'the days' with 'wine and roses'.

• Laugh and run away like a child at play

  ➔ Simile (like a child at play)

  ➔ Uses 'like' to compare the act of laughing and running away to a child's playful behavior.

• Through a meadowland toward a closing door

  ➔ Prepositional phrase of direction and movement

  ➔ Indicates movement through a place (meadowland) towards a specific point (closing door).

• The lonely night discloses

  ➔ Subject + verb (present tense)

  ➔ Expresses that 'the lonely night' is performing the action of revealing or showing.

• Just a passing breeze filled with memories

  ➔ Noun phrase with descriptive modifier

  ➔ Describes a wind ('breeze') that is temporary ('passing') and carries ('filled with') memories.

• Of the golden smile that introduced me to

  ➔ Relative clause modifying 'smile'

  ➔ A relative clause providing more information about 'smile' that introduced the speaker to someone or something.

• The days of wine and roses and you

  ➔ Coordination of multiple nouns/phrases

  ➔ Lists or groups together 'the days of wine and roses' with 'you', emphasizing their importance or connection.