Merle Haggard
 

A "Merle Hagard" appreciation "thread".

Post your favourite lyric(s) etc. here.

Here's one to start, from "Life's Railway To Heaven":

As you roll across the trestle,
Spanning Jordon’s swelling tide.
You’ll behold the Union Depot into which your train will glide.
There you’ll meet the superintendent,
God the Father, God the Son.
With a hearty joyous greetings:
"Weary Pilgrims Welcome Home"

Here(s) one from I Can't Stand Me, which on first viewing sounds like bad grammar, but Merle is taking a lesson in humility from Jesus in this song.

I personally think he's going a bit too far. Jesus probably would have called the song, I Have A Few Fault(s), But I'm Only Human.

Anyway, the lyric:

Oh when I look in the glass and see a grown man cry it makes me wanna hang my head
I used to feel real proud just to be alive but now I think I'd rather be dead

Family values in "The Roots of My Raising":

A christian Mom who had the strength, for life the way she did
Then to pull that apron off and do the Charleston for us kids.
Dad, a quiet man, who's gentle voice was seldom heard
Who could borrow money at the bank, simply on his word

Always waaaaanting youuuu, but never.. touching you..
Sometimes it hurts, just more than I can staaaand..

As I drove down old 65
I was cruising down that old grapevine
Well I must have been doing at least about ninety five
Right there on the side of the road all broke down
Well who do you think was a-standing around
But the greatest country singer alive

Chorus
Well I'll change your flat tire, Merle
Don't you get your sweet country picking fingers
All covered with oil
'Cause you're a honky I know, but Merle you got soul
And I'll fix your flat tire Merle

Well I hear you had an adventurous youth
Making love in a telephone booth
And I even hear you did a little stretch in jail
But now you got a big ranch house with a bar
And eight, nine, ten of them fancy cars
And every other week a cheque coming in the mail

[chorus]

Well I heard all them records you did
Making fun of us long-haired kids
And now you know we don't care what you think
'Cause Merle, if you're gonna call the world your home
You know you're gonna have to go out and get stoned
And it's better with a joint than a drink
I think
[chorus]

Back in '74 I won Male Vocalist of the Year at the CMAs....everybody said it was Merle's year, and they may have been right.

That son-of-a-bitch had a chip on his shoulder until we both did some songs for Bronco Billy. That was a good movie, I tell you what.

Yeah, I tried to buy him a drink once and he punched me out. Bastard.