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Topic: Favorite Hag tune? (possible to have only 1?) |
Dave Burr
From:
League City, TX
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 1:12 pm |
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I've been listening to one of my Hag boxsets this week (Untamed Hawk) and I arrived at a question for myself. Is it possible to have an absolute favorite Merle Haggard song? I can't seem to arrive at just one. This particular box set has just about everything that was recorded by Merle from 62 to 68. There were so many incredible songs that were never released as singles. Some of my favorites fall into that category. I am talking about a man whose body of work spans from 1962 to 2002. Would you have to pick a favorite from each decade?
IMHO there has never been (before or since), a voice better than Merle's was from the mid 60's to the early 70's. I won't even mention his songwriting ability, because that could be another thread in itself.
Back to my initial question... Is it possible to have one favorite Merle Haggard song?
Respectfully,
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Dave Burr
Remington Sustainmaster SD-10 3x4
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Red Kilby
From:
Pueblo, CO, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 1:19 pm
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Well I don't know about others on the Forum, but my favorite Hag tune from the 60's is "The Bottle Let Me Down" with Ralph Mooney and James Burton doing awsome lead licks.
My favoite from the 70's would have to be,
"Always Wanting You" I have always loved that tune, incidently that song Merle wrote for and about Dolly Parton.
My favorite from the 80's would have to be "Lets Chase each other around the room tonite" great song.
Lets here your favorites, by decade
By the HAG<<<<<<<<<<. |
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Paul Graupp
From:
Macon Ga USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 1:34 pm
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| I'll Never Swim Kearne River Again. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 1:39 pm
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"If We Make it Through December"
That really hits close to home up here in the Land of Sky Blue Water.
Uff-Da: 
Erv |
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Ron Page
From:
Penn Yan, NY USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 2:11 pm
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The short answer is NO!
Red's got a good idea -- one for each decade.
I have a favorite album -- Live At Billy Bob's -- because it contains classics only better versions than the originals, IMHO.
A few favorites of mine are: Big City, Me and Crippled Soldiers, "Misery and Gin" and "Shelly's Winter Love". The latter was never a single.
Maybe another thread here, but I believe Merle should do more duets, particularly with female singers. He seldom did them with Bonnie Owens or Leona Williams. He did a dandy with Heather Myles, Jewel (okay, so his solo hit of "That's The Way Love Goes" was better). I'd love to hear him sing with Sara Evans. They both do killer versions of "You Take Me For Granted" and I know just the guitar player (GG) to play the lead. What is it that makes his duets so good?
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HagFan
[This message was edited by Ron Page on 17 January 2002 at 02:12 PM.] [This message was edited by Ron Page on 17 January 2002 at 07:10 PM.] |
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Joe Casey
From:
Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 3:40 pm
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Favorite Merle Haggard song? Actually it's one that never hit the charts for any stay."Here in Frisco".My most requested song for years thanks to great bands that kept the arrangement the same for me.I still get request when I show up in New England for the song.Thanks to Doc Peters and Jim Smith who worked out a killer twin solo on Guitar and Steel.As for all the other Merles Songs you might say the Hag kept me working over 20 years.
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CJC
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 3:56 pm
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One song, give me a break.
One that always touches my heart is Footlights. I simply love that song.
But then again, there are probably a hundred more I could choose.
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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 4:00 pm
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| "Sing a Sad Song".....period..... |
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Craig A Davidson
From:
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 4:02 pm
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No way for just one!
Sidewalks Of Chicago
Turning Off A Memory
What Am I Gonna Do(with the rest of my life)
Roots Of My Raisin'
Every Fool Has A Rainbow
The Way It Was In '51
Sorry guys I am a big Hag fan!
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1985 Emmons push-pull, Session 500, Nashville400, 65 re-issue Fender Twin, Fender Tele
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Larry Miller
From:
Dothan AL,USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 6:36 pm
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| "The Girl Who Made Me Laugh" from the 30th Album |
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Ken Lang
From:
Simi Valley, Ca
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 7:15 pm
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| Diana. |
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Ron Page
From:
Penn Yan, NY USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 7:18 pm
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It's pretty amazing to think that "My 30th Album" was released in 1974 or 1975. At that time there weren't all those collection releases either. I think only 1 "Best of..." and "Best of the Best of..."
Back then they'd have 1 or 2 singles released from an album; 3 was a rarity. Nowadays, it's not uncommon to see 4 singles released from an album. Not that it's good or bad, just an observation. I often find my favorites are not the singles.
So Ricky did it. Just one! Do we count his, since Hag didn't pen that tune?
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HagFan
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Steve Feldman
From:
Central MA USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 8:03 pm
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| Sing Me Back Home |
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Ron Whitworth
From:
Yuma,Ariz.USA Yeah they say it's a DRY heat !!
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Posted 17 Jan 2002 8:25 pm
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Hello Everyone;
I sing a LOT of Merle's songs & it is almost impossible to pick just one..But one that would be very high on my list was on a "B" side of one of his records..It's title is "Someone Told My Story in a Song"...This is a great honky-tonk;beer bottle throwin'; fist fighting country song & a lot of fun to sing..Also because it was'nt one of his more popular songs it really grabs people's attention-makes them turn & look at the band & we love doing the song too.......Ron |
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Ernie Renn
From:
Brainerd, Minnesota USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2002 3:39 am
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I have so many favorite Hag songs, it's not easy picking ten, let alone one. Misery and Gin, Every Fool Has a Rainbow, Someday When Things Are Good, If We Make It Thru December, etc... I did listen to Honky Tonk Night Time Man for quite a while when it came out. I still can't play the guitar solo that Roy Nichols played on it. He was amazing!
One thing that has always made me think:
quote:
From "Daddy Frank":
"Mama couldn't hear the pretty music,
but she read our lips and helped the family sing..."
I'll bet that was interesting...
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My best,
Ernie
The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com
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Ron Page
From:
Penn Yan, NY USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2002 2:02 pm
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Ron,
An cool thing about "Someone Told My Story In a Song" is that it's Merle writing a song about Merle writing a song...
"The writer must have seen the way you done me
For he told it all and never missed a line
He told of swingin' doors and a jukebox
And he even knew I almost lost my mind..."
A clear reference to "Swingin' Doors".
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HagFan
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Anne Marie O Keeffe
From:
Co.Waterford,Ireland.
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Posted 18 Jan 2002 5:16 pm
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| I love most of them but "If I Could Only Fly" gets me every time. |
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Frank Estes
From:
Huntsville, AL
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Posted 19 Jan 2002 10:49 am
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"Workin' Man Blues" if I had to pick only one.
Our band plays it a lot too. I try to do it like Roy on my Tele and as I would expect Mike Johnson would do (on his worst night) on steel. |
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Ron Shepard
From:
Easthampton, MA, USA
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Posted 20 Jan 2002 10:57 am
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| One of my favorites is "Big City" love the steel in it! |
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 21 Jan 2002 10:55 am
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"The Way I Am" is my favorite.
------------------
 Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E7, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6) |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 21 Jan 2002 11:27 am
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Thats the way Loves goes...no wait...Big City....no wait..Mama Tried...oh wait...Sing Me Back Home....I mean "Ramblin Fever"..What I Meant to say was "Snowball Headed for hell"
There , I picked one..
TP |
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Ron Page
From:
Penn Yan, NY USA
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Posted 22 Jan 2002 11:54 am
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| Quote: |
| One of my favorites is "Big City" love the steel in it! |
Ron, if you haven't heard the live version of Big City on "Live at Billy Bob's TX", you need to. All of the original plus more steel fills in 2nd verse.
I much prefer most all cuts on that CD to their original. Seriously! Suspend disblief for awhile an listen to 'em.
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HagFan
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Tim Harr
From:
Dunlap, Illinois
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Posted 22 Jan 2002 1:45 pm
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Farmer's Daughter
Branded Man
Fugitive
Swingin Drawers |
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Neil Hilton
From:
Lexington, Kentucky
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Posted 22 Jan 2002 1:50 pm
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Dave, you're on the money with Haggard's vocal qualities - however, I think his very best came after the "early 70's" as you kind of reference as that being in-his-prime -
I think Hag's vocal delivery is absolutely amazing from the '78-'81 period, when in his early 40's - specifically the albums "Serving 190 Proof", "The Way I Am", and "Big City". I love so many Haggard songs, hard to pick just one - but purely for his vocal delivery, many cuts from these 3 albums just blow you away. Listening to the song "Driftwood" thru a good set of headphones is a prime example - he is truly one of a kind. |
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Eddie Lange
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 22 Jan 2002 4:58 pm
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Holding Things Together
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The Young Steelkid |
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