MySQL syntax error for delete

[djbaxter]

What is wrong with this query?

DELETE FROM vbpmtext, vbpm, vbpmreceipt WHERE (vbpm.pmid = vbpmreceipt.pmid) AND (vbpm.pmtextid = vbpmtext.pmtextid) AND vbpmtext.dateline < $time

I am trying to run it from this PHP utility but it also gives me an error run from phpMyAdmin:

PHP Code:

<?php 

require ("global.php"); 
$time = time() - (90 * 24 * 60 * 60); 

 $query = "DELETE FROM vbpmtext, vbpm, vbpmreceipt WHERE (vbpm.pmid = vbpmreceipt.pmid) AND (vbpm.pmtextid = vbpmtext.pmtextid) AND vbpmtext.dateline < $time";
 mysql_query($query);
 print $query; 
?>

This version seems to work:

DELETE FROM vbpmtext, vbpm, vbpmreceipt USING vbpmtext, vbpm, vbpmreceipt WHERE (vbpm.pmid = vbpmreceipt.pmid) AND (vbpm.pmtextid = vbpmtext.pmtextid) AND vbpmtext.dateline < $time

in the sense that it doesn't generate a syntax error. Anyone see anything wrong with that?