With the next month’s country track album being the stone cold Merle Haggard classic “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive”, I thought that I would list my all time fave albums of my favourite country artist of all time (sorry Willie).
Let everyone know what your favourite albums are too so that any Merle noobs can brush up on their Hag.
- BACK TO THE BARROOMS (MCA, 1980)
The best album from the best period of Haggard’s career, in my opinion. Probably the most cohesive and thematic album of his canon, especially of his original stuff, this album is filled with great songs and there isn’t a dud in the bunch. One of the best country albums to get drunk to and sing along to as well, and if you can slow dance, and someone to dance with, then that is another point to this one. My copy is nearly worn out, but that doesn’t matter, just makes it better.
- SERVING 190 PROOF (MCA, 1979)
Another awesome array of drinking and thinking songs from the master of the genre in full flight. This one is sadder in tone and also in subject matter than Back to the Barrooms but it is no less full of great songs and superb production that really allows his great band to showcase their full array of talent. This albums starts of with one of my all-time fave Hag songs, “Footlights”, and really is only number two one the list because side B is a little less strong than side A, something that can’t be said for Barrooms.
- BIG CITY (EPIC, 1981)
Merle said goodbye to his MCA contract in 1981 but didn’t let that slow his roll, releasing this classic. Starting with the title track, which swings like a monkey on uppers, and follows up with another Haggard top ten all time song, “My favourite memory”, I would say this has my fave production of any of his albums, with string arrangements and a solid focus on piano that add to his storytelling without overpowering his songwriting skills. If you aren’t too fond of traditional country I would probably recommend this one as a good starting point to the Haggard catalogue.
- ROOTS VOLUME 1 (EPITAPH, 2001)
This one is a personal favourite of mine but probably isn’t for everyone. This is an album where Merle plays a bunch of his favourite songs in a very informal setting with simple production and a real live, one-take feel. This one just has an undeniable groove, just Merle having fun without the pressures of having to make a hit record. I don’t think that this is available on vinyl, but is definitely worth a stream or a download or CD. It’s proba
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Merle Haggard was the real deal. Grew up in a boxcar that his father converted to a house shortly before Merle's dad died. Had a troubled youth, rode the rails, spent most of the 50's in and out of jail. He did hard time in San Quentin for armed robbery. He was there on New Years Day 1959 when Johnny Cash had one of his early prison concerts, which inspired Merle to start playing in the band at San Quentin.
He released his first record in 1965, and had tons of hits in the 60's & 70's, with 38 #1 Hits. He had an amazing voice, and his songwriting is brutally authentic.
My personal favorite of his is Sing Me Back Home. It's about a prisoner on the way to the death chamber, asking a fellow prisoner to sing him a song that reminds him of his home and his family, before he is put to death. And it's based entirely on a situation Merle experienced first-hand.
Ironically, despite several of his singles lambasting hippies, and the anti-war movement (Okie From Muskogee & Fightin' Side of Me), he was very influential and respected by countercultural figures. The Byrds covered his song Life in Prison, a deep cut off his third album. Mama Tried & Sing Me Back Home were staples of the Grateful Dead's live setlist.
Bob Dylan said this about him: “Merle Haggard has always been as deep as deep gets. Totally himself. Herculean. Even too big for Mount Rushmore. No superficiality about him whatsoever. He definitely transcends the country genre. If Merle had been around Sun Studio in Memphis in the Fifties, Sam Phillips would have turned him into a rock & roll star, one of the best.”
I rarely see much talk about him nowadays, but in my book, he's one of the greatest country musicians of all time. Anyone else really appreciate his music?
