Posted on 01/13/2006 7:43:59 PM PST by Nasty McPhilthy
Who's Merle Haggard? Can anyone help me out here?
Ya Bum, you.
Great post. I like them both, but you hit the nail on the head.
Merle's '60s songs apparently do not represent his current politics. At a concert in Seattle about 5 years ago, he had a socialist-realist workers of the world unite sort of logo, and pretended to have forgotten the key conservative phrases of "Okie." What a crock. The audience sang the words over his mumbling attempt to disavow them.
Great post. I like them both, but you hit the nail on the head.
--no, you're beyond help--
I think there's a bit of overanalyzing going on here.
Cash was the liberal left rebel early on and became a conservative right thinker in his latter days. Haggard was a right conservative early and now a liberal left democrat now....go figure.
Merle = A coat pattern characterized by blotches of dark hair against a background of lighter hair. Haggard = well worn
This must be a used animal hide. I hope this helps.
I have never cared for Haggard very much. Just about every statement I have heard attributed to him in the last 20 years contradicts the values he sang of in Okie and Mama Tried.
Of course the Left loves him.
Ill fix your flat merle
Pure Prairie League
[G]As I drove down on sixty-five
I was [C]cruisin' down that old grapevine
[G]Must of been doin' at least about ninety [D]five
Right [G]there on the side of the all broke down
[C]Who do you think was a-standin' around?
But the [G]greatest country [D]singer alive [G]('cept for me)
Chorus:
[G]I'll fix you flat tire, [C]Merle
Don't you [D]get your sweet country pickin' fingers
All covered with [G]erl
You're a honky, I know, but Merle, you got [C]soul
And [D]I'll fix your flat tire, [G]Merle
I heard you had some adventures, you
Makin' love in a telephone booth
And I hear you even did a little stretch in jail
But now you got a big ranch house with a bar
And eight or nine, ten of them fancy cars
And every other week a check comin' in the mail; well
Chorus
I heard about all them records you did
Makin' fun of us long-haired kids
And now you know we don't care what you think
But 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 with a drink (I think)
Instrumental (same progression as verses)
Chorus
So, [D]I'll fix your flat tire, [C]Merrr[D]rrrrr[G]rle
[G] [G] [G] [D] [G]
Yeah, I knew Haggard had served time before. I just didn't know the details. Good post, NM.
I hate Nevada and it's occupants!
:) Hehe!
Cash was a good friend of Billy Graham. He and his wife sung at Billy Graham's crusades.
Johnny and Merle did it their own way, they weren't in competition, so why compare?
Haggard is politically pretty far left these days. He was a Kerry supporter. I don't recall Johnny Cash being actively involved in political issues, and he was always upfront about his religious beliefs. I would say Cash is less of a leftist than Haggard.
If you don't know then you are not into country music! As far as I am concerned Merle was much more patriotic then Cash ever was. Counter-culture songs? Since when is being for America being counter-culture?
Wish I could've seen the expression on Cash's face after that one...
Nice post....both great musicians who walked, crossed and ignored the line.....
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