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By: Paul S Cilwa |
Posted: 8/14/2026 |
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Page Views: 10 |
| Hashtags: #Music |
| A 1972 demo whose corny lyrics have aged, at last, into camp. |
| Estimated reading time: 3 minute(s) (499 words) |
Marian Robinson was a woman who—if I recall correctly—was introduced
to me by my Mom. Marian had an electronic organ and an ambition: she wanted to
write songs and sell them. She could play that organ, though not as well as I
could, but she absolutely could not sing, and she couldn't arrange. So that was
to be my job.
She had previously partnered with a neighbor, Tex Alexander, who had written the
words to what he was confident was a sure-fire country song. He was especially
proud of one couplet—It may have been a good year for the roses, and a
very good year for the wine—which he insisted was the thing that MADE
the song. Both halves were lifted straight off the radio: George Jones' "A Good
Year for the Roses" and Sinatra's "It Was a Very Good Year." Tex had welded the lines of two
hits together and considered the result his own best work.
I did the demo recording, which back then was what you needed in order to obtain
the copyright. And then I did essentially nothing with it for decades, for two
reasons. First, the recording kind of sucked—just my overdubbed voices and
that organ. Second, the words were really kinda corny.
But it's fifty-odd years later now. Thanks to Suno, the arrangement cleaned right
up. And thanks to the simple passage of time, the corny 1972 lyrics have aged
into camp. (Or whatever it is they call camp these days.)
I'm Only As Far As The Nearest Bar
Music by Marian Robinson · Lyrics by Tex Alexander · Arranged by Paul S Cilwa
If a new love you've found lets you down
Remember you still have my key
And I'll only be as far as the nearest corner bar
If you'll only come back to me
I know I did you wrong like they say in every song
And I'm sorry as sorry as I can be
But I'll only be as far as the nearest corner bar
If you'll only come back to me
Sitting here at the bar wondering where and how you are
And I remember you still have my key
So I'll only be as far as the nearest corner bar
If you'll only come back to me
It may have been a good year for the roses
And a very good year for the wine
But I can't think of one good thing that's happened
In this lonely life of mine
So if the going gets rough with your new love
Remember you still have my key
And I'll only be as far as the nearest corner bar
If you'll only come back to me
If you'll only come back to me
If you'll only come back to me
If you'll only come back to me