The Bottle Let Me Down

"The Bottle Let Me Down" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in August 1966 as the second single from the album Swinging Doors. The song peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles.^[1]

"The Bottle Let Me Down"
Single by Merle Haggard and The Strangers
from the album Swinging Doors
B-side	"The Longer You Wait"
Released	August 1, 1966
Studio	Capitol (Hollywood, California)
Genre	Country
Length	2:45
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Merle Haggard
Producer(s)	Ken Nelson Fuzzy Owen
Merle Haggard and The Strangers singles chronology
"Swinging Doors" (1966) "The Bottle Let Me Down" (1966) "The Fugitive" (1966)

Content

The song is about a man who could no longer find solace from binge drinking to relieve his grief over a lost love.

Chart performance

Chart (1966)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[2]	3

Porter Wagoner version

"The Bottle Let Me Down"
Single by Porter Wagoner
from the album The Bottom of the Bottle
B-side	"One Dime For Wine"
Genre	Country
Length	2:03
Label	RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)	Merle Haggard
Producer(s)	Bob Ferguson

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 146.
2. "Merle Haggard Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.