Merle Haggard

[fox69]

"Kentucky Gambler"

"Kentucky Gambler"


I wanted more from life, than four kids and a wife
And a job in a dark Kentucky mine
A twenty acre farm, with a shackey house and barn
Thats all I had and all I left behind.

But at gambling, I was lucky, and so I left Kentucky
And left behind my woman and my kids
Into the gay casinos, of Nevada's town of Reno
This Kentucky Gambler planned to get rich quick.

Kentucky gambler who's going to love your woman in Kentucky
Yeah and who's going to be the one to give her all she needs
Kentucky gambler, who's going to raise your children in Kentucky
And who's going to keep them fed and keep them shoes on their feet.

There at the gambler's Paradise, Lady luck was on my side
And this Kentucky gambler played just right
Hey, I wanted everything I played, I really thought I had it made
But I should have quit and gone on home that night.

But when you love the green backed dollar, sorrow always bound to follow
And Reno's dreams fade into neon amber
And Lady Luck, she'll lead you on, she'll stay a while, and then she's gone
You better go on home, Kentucky gambler.

But a gambler never seems to stop till he loses all he's got
And with a money-hungry fever, I played on
I played till I'd lost all I'd won, I was right back where I'd started from
Then I started wanting to go home.

Kentucky gambler, there ain't nobody, waiting in Kentucky
When I ran out, somebody else walked in
Kentucky gambler, looks like you ain't really very lucky
And it seems to me a gambler loses much more than he wins.

Much more than he wins.

 

[fox69]

"Last Letter"

"Last Letter"


Why do you treat me as if I were only a friend
And what have I done that has made you so distant and cold
Sometimes I wonder if you'll be contented again
Will you be happy when you are withered and old.

I cannot offer you diamonds or a mansion so fine
I cannot offer you clothes that your young body craves
But if you will say that you long to forever be mine
Think of the heartaches the tears and the sorrow you'll save.

While I am writing this letter I think of the past
And of the promises that you are breaking so free
But to this old world I'll soon say my farewell at last
I will be gone when you read this last letter from me...

 

[fox69]

"Leavin's Not The Only Way To Go"

"Leavin's Not The Only Way To Go"


Do the mornin's still come early, are the nights not long enough?
Does a tear of hesitation fall on everything you touch?
Well, it all might be a lesson for the hasty heart to know
Maybe leavin's not the only way to go

Maybe lyin' at your feelin's, grow accustomed to the dark
By mornin's light, it just might solve the problems of the heart
And it all might be a lesson for the hasty heart to know
Maybe leavin's not the only way to go

People reach new understandings all the time
Take a second look, maybe change their minds
People reach new understandings every day
Tell me not to reach, babe, and I'll go away

But do the mornin's still come early, are the nights not long enough?
Does a tear of hesitation fall on everything you touch?
Well, it all might be a lesson for the hasty heart to know
Maybe leavin's not the only way to go

People reach new understandings all the time
Take a second look, maybe change their minds
People reach new understandings every day
Tell me not to reach, babe, and I'll go away

But do the mornin's still come early, are the nights not long enough?
Does a tear of hesitation fall on everything you touch?
Well, it all might be a lesson for the hasty heart to know
Maybe leavin's not the only way to go

 

[fox69]

"Leonard"

"Leonard"


When Leonard finally came to California
He was twenty-one years old as I recall
He loved to write a song and pick the guitar
And he came to hang a gold one on the wall.

The town in which he lived is not important
But you'll know which town I mean by the time I'm thru
He soon became a famous entertainer
But Leonard was a name he never used

He was on his way to having what he wanted
Just about as close as one could be
Hey! once he even followed Elvis Presley
And he wrote a lot of country songs for me.

But he laid it all aside to follow Jesus
For years he chose to let his music go
But preaching wasn't really meant for LEONARD
But how in the hell was Leonard s'posed to know.

Well, life began to twist its way around him
And I wondered how he carried such a load
He came back again to try his luck in music
And lost his wife and family on the road.

[Spoken:]
After that he seemed to bog down even deeper
And I saw what booze and pills could really do
And I wondered if I'd ever see him sober
But I forgot about a Friend that Leonard knew.

Well, Leonard gave me lots of inspiration
He helped teach me how to write a country song
And he even brought around a bag of groceries
Hey! back before Muskogee came along.

Really I'm not trying to hide his showname
Or the town in which this episode began

[Spoken:]
Somehow I had to write a song for old Tommy
If just to see the smilin' faces in the band.

When Leonard finally came to California
He was twenty-one years old as I recall
And he loved to write a song and pick the guitar
And he came to hang a Gold one on the wall...

 

[fox69]

"Let's Chase Each Other Around The Room"

"Let's Chase Each Other Around The Room"


Let's chase each other 'round the room tonight
Let's play the games we played on our wedding night
To lock and bolt the door is only right
Let's chase each other 'round the room tonight

Seems like lately people love to play with fire
And the other games they play are just as bad
I'd rather stay at home and feel your burning lips
And play the kind of games that make me glad

Oh, let's chase each other 'round the room tonight
Let's play the kind of games we played on our wedding night
To lock and bolt the door is only right
Let's chase each other 'round the room tonight

Let's don't chase around and make each other weary
Let's keep all our love at home and out of sight
Let's leave everything like jealousy behind us
And let's chase each other 'round the room tonight

Oh, let's chase each other 'round the room tonight
Let's play the games we played on our wedding night
And to lock and bolt the door is only right
Honey, let's chase each other 'round the room tonight

 

[fox69]

"Let's Stop Pretending"

"Let's Stop Pretending"


Let's stop pretending the whole world is happy
And the wrong things we're doin' are right
Old faded blue jeans with a patch on the pocket
Won't wipe out what keeps us uptight.

This song I'm singin' won't be worth my time
If you don't understand what I mean
Let's stop pretending that pole cats don't smell
And dirty ole hatbands are clean.

We're all on vacation with no peace of mind
And really not havin' much fun
We need some noses back down on the grindstone
Cause we've got some work to be done.

Let's stop complainin' and face up to life
And weed out the bad seed we've sown
Let's keep in mind we're the home of the brave
For the sake of ole Glory alone.

Let's stop pretending we know all the answers
And bow down our thick heads and pray
Denying the problems we now have upon us
Won't keep them hard times away.

This song I'm singin' won't be worth my time
If you don't understand what I mean
Let's stop pretending that pole cats don't smell
And dirty ole hatbands are clean.

This song I'm singin' won't be worth my time
If you don't understand what I mean
Let's stop pretending that pole cats don't smell
And dirty ole hatbands are clean...

 

[fox69]

"Life In Prison"

"Life In Prison"


The jury found the verdict first degree
They swore I planned her death to be
I prayed they sentence me to die
But they wanted me to live and I know why
So I do life in prison for the wrongs I've done
And I pray every night for death to come
My life will be a burden every day
If I could die my pain might go away
Insane with rage I took my darling's life
Because I loved her more than life
My dreams for her will last a long long time
But I'd rather die than live to lose my mind
But I've got life in prison...
If I could die my pain might go away

 

[fox69]

"Life Of A Rodeo Cowboy"

"Life Of A Rodeo Cowboy"


Well, it really has been nice bein' with you
But I'm afraid that I've got to leave
As you know I'm a rodeo cowboy
And there's a rodeo down in Mesquite.

That's the life of a rodeo cowboy
Breakin' broncs or gettin' broke
That's the life of a rodeo cowboy
And that's the only life I know.

On the day you think your day is the big one
I'm walkin' away with all that they own
Then your lyin' hurtin' hearin' someone saying
Give him a hand that's all that cowboy is taking home.

Hot beer and cold stale hamburgers
Makes a meal sorta hard to enjoy
And it kinda makes you think of momma's chicken
Ah that's the life of a rodeo cowboy.

That's the life of a rodeo cowboy
Breakin' broncs or gettin' broke
That's the life of a rodeo cowboy
And that's the only life I know.

When your down and your really feeling sorry
Well you go for a drink in some bar
Then someone points at you and you hear him whisper
Over there stands a rodeo star.

That's the life of a rodeo cowboy
Breakin' broncs or gettin' broke
That's the life of a rodeo cowboy
And that's the only life I know.

That's the life of a rodeo cowboy
Breakin' broncs or gettin' broke
That's the life of a rodeo cowboy
And that's the only life I know...

 

[fox69]

"Life's Just Not The Way It Used To Be"

"Life's Just Not The Way It Used To Be"


Somehow things just never came together
Fate had different plans for you and me
Love used to be the most important thing in life
But life's just not the way it used to be

If lovin' someone all the way
Is gone for good with yesterday
Then what am I?
I'm just a fool who pays no mind
I'm out of step, out of time
And I wanna die

I'll love you so but I don't know the answers
And I know so well that you're in love with me
Love used to be the most important thing in life
But life's just not the way it used to be
No, life's just not the way it used to be

 

[fox69]

"Life's Like Poetry"

"Life's Like Poetry"


Life's like poetry but in my poem bay
until now there's always been a missing line.

Life's too short to hide the good thing you feel
And I find the morning after the best time to determine if it's real
Baby finding you gave my whole life reason and rhyme
But life's like poetry and in my poem bay
Until now there's always been a missing line.

Life's too short to think about right or wrong
And the only thing I wonder bout is where you've been so long
Baby finding you gave my whole life reason and rhyme
But life's like poetry and in my poem bay
Until now there's always been a missing line.

Life's like poetry but in my poem bay
Until now there's always been a missing line.

Life's like poetry and in my poem bay
Until now there's always been a missing line...