Stories

Sing Me Back Home: The Music Of Merle Haggard, an all-star concert event taping at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee will take place on Thursday, April 6, 2017 in honor of what would have been Merle’s 80th birthday and the one-year anniversary of his passing. This star studded event just keeps growing! So in honor of the life of Merle Haggard, we have chosen some of our favorites for you to listen to. RIP AND HAPPY HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY... FOR FULL DETAILS READ: BLACKBIRD PRESENTS: SING ME BACK HOME...THE MUSIC OF MERLE HAGGARD (Sources: The Boot, Blackbird & YouTube) https://youtu.be/08-k0Un73dU "Sing Me Back Home" The warden led a prisoner down the hallway to his doom I stood up to say good-bye like all the rest And I heard him tell the warden just before he reached my cell 'Let my guitar playing friend do my request.' (Let him...) Sing me back home with a song I used to hear Make my old memories come alive Take me away and turn back the years Sing Me Back Home before I die I recall last Sunday morning a choir from 'cross the street Came to sing a few old gospel songs And I heard him tell the singers 'There's a song my mama sang. Can I hear once before we move along?' Sing me back home, the song my mama sang Make my old memories come alive Take me away and turn back the years Sing Me Back Home before I die Sing Me Back Home before I die https://youtu.be/jWkelzXneRA "Wine Take Me Away" Warm red wine you know that place where you take me some times Where my caress have wings and fly right off my shoulder Where I leave my cares behind and for a while find peace of mind Help me friend of mine wine take me away. Wine take me away where I can lose myself Take me where I won't even see the light of day It's my life and I wanna live it it's my will and I wanna give it Help me friend of mine wine take me away. When my life becomes a grime and when I'm weary and tired Then I'll tell myself I need a short vacation I gotta leave this lonely town and you're the quickest way I found Help me friend of mine wine take me away. Wine take me away where I can lose myself Take me where I won't even see the light of day It's my life and I wanna live it it's my will and I wanna give it Help me friend of mine wine take me away. Help me friend of mine wine take me away... https://youtu.be/n4AgZST_TG8?listPL1l71WFqYDtFlEa2eZYYNekNx-bG4Wb3h "Okie From Muskogee" We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee We don't take our trips on LSD We don't burn our draft cards down on Main Street We like livin' right, and bein' free We don't make a party out of lovin' We like holdin' hands and pitchin' woo We don't let our hair grow long and shaggy Like the hippies out in San Francisco do I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee, A place where even squares can have a ball We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse, And white lightnin's still the biggest thrill of all Leather boots are still in style for manly footwear Beads and Roman sandals won't be seen Football's still the roughest thing on campus And the kids here still respect the college dean WAnd I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee A place where even squares can have a ball. We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse And white lightnin's still the biggest thrill of all And white lightnin's still the biggest thrill of all In Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. https://youtu.be/2XYTSqC55DA?listPL1l71WFqYDtFlEa2eZYYNekNx-bG4Wb3h "Today I Started Loving You Again" Today I started lovin' you again And I'm right back where I've really always been I got over you just long enough to let my heartache mend Then today I started loving you again What a fool I was to think I could get by With only these few million tears I cried I should have known the worst was yet to come And the crying time for me had just begun Today I started loving you again I'm right back to where I've really always been I got over you just long enough to let my heartache mend Then today I started loving you again https://youtu.be/kmbOqORIvWM?listPL1l71WFqYDtFlEa2eZYYNekNx-bG4Wb3h "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink" Could be holding you tonight Could be doing wrong or start doing right You don't care about what I think I think I'll just stay here and drink Hey, putting you down, don't square no deal Least you'll know the way I feel Take all the money in the bank I think I'll just stay here and drink Listen close and you can hear That loud jukebox playing in my ear Ain't no woman gon' change the way I think I think I'll just stay here and drink Hurtin' me know don't mean a thing Since love ain't here, don't feel no pain My mind ain't nothing but a total blank I think I'll just stay here and drink https://youtu.be/fbEstJ98TcM?listPL1l71WFqYDtFlEa2eZYYNekNx-bG4Wb3h "Working Man Blues" It's a big job just gettin' by with nine kids and a wife But I've been workin' man, dang near all my life but I'll keep workin' Long as my two hands are fit to use I'll drink my beer in a tavern Sing a little bit of these working man blues I keep my nose on the grindstone, I work hard every day I might get a little tired on the weekend, after I draw my pay Then I'll go back workin', come Monday morning I'm right back with the crew I'll drink a little beer that evening Sing a little bit of these working man blues Sometimes I think about leaving, do a little bummin' around I want to throw my bills out the window catch a train to another town I'll go back working, I gotta buy my kids a brand new pair of shoes I drink a little beer in a tavern Cry a little bit of these working man blues, here comes that workin' man Well, hey, hey, the working man, the working man like me I ain't never been on welfare, 'n that's one place I won't be I'll be working long as my two hands are fit to use I'll drink my little beer in a tavern Sing a little bit of these working man blues, this song for the workin' man https://youtu.be/A6c6eUeoa9Q?listPL1l71WFqYDtFlEa2eZYYNekNx-bG4Wb3h "It's All Going To Pot" Well, it’s all going to pot Whether we like it or not The best I can tell The world’s gone to hell And we’re sure gonna miss it a lot All of the whiskey in Lynchburg, Tennessee Is just couldn't hit the spot I gotta hundred dollar bill, friend You can keep your pills 'Cause it’s all going to pot That cackle-bobble-head-in-a-box Must think I'm dumb as a rock Readin' daily news While I'm kickin' off my shoes It's scarin' me outta my socks The Red Headed Stranger I'm not But buddy, let me tell you what If you ask ol' Will, he'll tell ya here's the deal Friends, it's all goin' to pot Well, it’s all going to pot Whether we like it or not The best I can tell The world’s gone to hell And we’re all gonna miss it a lot All the whiskey in Lynchburg, Tennessee Just couldn't hit the spot I gotta hundred dollar bill You can keep your pills, friend It’s all goin' to pot Well I thought I had found me a girl Sweetest little thing in the world But all my jokes went up in smoke When I caught her makin' eyes at Merle He said, sweet little honey With her eye on your money She's gonna take every penny you got I said she's never gonna get it 'Cause I've already spent it Merle, it's all goin' to pot It’s all going to pot Whether we like it or not The best I can tell The world’s gone to hell And we’re all gonna miss it a lot All the whiskey in Lynchburg, Tennessee Just couldn't hit the spot I gotta hundred dollar bill You can keep your pills, friend It’s all going to pot I gotta hundred dollar bill You can keep your pills, friend 'Cause it’s all goin' to pot https://youtu.be/Gv61zBZacpo?listPL1l71WFqYDtFlEa2eZYYNekNx-bG4Wb3h "Are All The Good Times Really Over" I wish a buck was still silver It was back when the country was strong Back before Elvis, before Vietnam war came along Before the Beatles and yesterday When a man could still work and still would Is the best of the free life behind us now And are the good times really over for good? And are we rolling downhill like a snowball headed for hell With no kinda chance for the flag or the liberty bell? Wish a Ford and a Chevy Would still last ten years like they should Is the best of the free life behind us now And are the good times really over for good? I wish coke was still cola And a joint was a bad place to be It was back before Nixon lied to us all on T.V Before microwave ovens when a girl could still cook, and still would Is the best of the free life behind us now Are the good times really over for good? Are we rolling downhill like a snowball headed for hell With no kinda chance for the flag or the liberty bell Wish a Ford and a Chevy Would still last ten years like they should Is the best of the free life behind us now And are the good times really over for good? Stop rolling downhill like a snowball headed for hell Stand up for the flag and let's all ring the liberty bell Let's make a Ford and a Chevy That would still last ten years like they should 'Cause the best of the free life is still yet to come And the good times ain't over for good https://youtu.be/MVRIelIAJn0 "That's The Way Love Goes" I've been throwing horseshoes Over my left shoulder I've spent most all my life Searching for that four-leafed clover Yet you ran with me Chasing my rainbows Honey, I love you, too And that's the way love goes That's the way love goes, babe That's the music God made For all the world to sing It's never old, it grows Losing makes me sorry You say, "honey, now, don't worry" Don't you know I love you too? And that's the way love goes That's the way love goes, babe That's the music god made For all the world to sing It's never old, it grows Losing makes me sorry You say, "honey, don't worry" Don't you know I love you too? And that's the way love goes, oh What's your favorite Merle Haggard song? Have you ever seen him in concert? He was one talented man! RIP And Happy Heavenly Birthday!