Merle Haggard

[fox69]

"The Sidewalks Of Chicago"

"The Sidewalks Of Chicago"


The Levis that I'm wearin' have beeen good to me
They just won't admit they're growin' old
Though my shirt's made contact with the gutter, now and then
At least it keeps my body from the cold

Thank God, folks back home in Harland County
Can't see what success has done to me
Would you believe the kids in Harland High School
Voted me most likely to succeed

Now I'm walkin' on the sidewalks of Chicago
If I buy the bread I can't afford the wine
Now I'm walkin' on the sidewalks of Chicago
Wishin' I had lived some other time

I wasn't here too long before I met her
And then later she really swept me off my feet
And she stayed just long enough to make me love her
And now they're sweepin' me up off the street

My mama thinks I've really hit the big time
She's written ever day since I've been gone
But she doesn't know that 109 West Charolette
Is the address of the West Side Mission Home

Now I'm walkin' on the sidewalks of Chicago
If I buy the bread I can't afford the wine
Now I'm walkin' on the sidewalks of Chicago
Wishin' I had lived some other time

 

[fox69]

"The Sunny Side Of My Life"

"The Sunny Side Of My Life"


Oh, the sunny side of my life is the side you're living on
Grey skies never come when I'm with you
Good times hang around only when you're here at home
The sunny side of my life is here with you.

Standing at my window watching raindrops hit the ground
Countin' up the days you've been away
It's lonely here without you and the blues had got me down
Come on home and brighten up my days.

Oh, the sunny side of my life is the side you're living on
Grey skies never come when I'm with you
Good times hang around only when you're here at home
The sunny side of my life is here with you.

Sittin' on a park bench with the funnies in my hand
Trying hard to laugh at what I see
The sunny side of my life is shining somewhere else
Nothing's quite the way it ought to be.

Oh, the sunny side of my life is the side you're living on
Grey skies never come when I'm with you
Good times hang around only when you're here at home
The sunny side of my life is here with you...

 

[fox69]

"The Train Never Stops (At Our Town)"

"The Train Never Stops (At Our Town)"


For years I've tried to leave this poor man's valley
On a train that's on its way to richer ground
Where rivers never overflow and dreams cannot be drowned
But the train never stops at our town.

I'd like to buy a mansion for my darling
On a way upon a mountain look it down
I know there's a restless goal up there just waitin' to be found
But the train never stops at our town.

Failure has to find something to blame
And the only thing that's left is that old frame
The darkness of the night catches me crying
A whistle soon will blow a lonesome sound.

A spark of hope becomes a flame
Each time the train slows down
But the train never stops at our town
That old train never stops at our town...

 

[fox69]

"The Way I Am"

"The Way I Am"


Wish I was down on some blue bayou
With a bamboo cane stuck in the sand
But the road I'm on, don't seem to go there
So I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am

Wish I enjoyed what makes my living
Did what I do with a willin' hand
Some would run, but that ain't like me
So I just dream and keep on bein' the way I am

The way I am, don't fit my shackles
The way I am, reality
I can almost see that bobber dancin'
But I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am

The way I am, don't fit my shackles
The way I am, reality
I can almost see that bobber dancin'
But I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am

I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am

 

[fox69]

"The Way It Was In '51"

"The Way It Was In '51"


Sixty-Six was still a narrow two-lane highway
Harry Truman was the man who ran the show
The bad Korean war was just beginning
And I was just three years too young to go

Country music hadn't gone to New York City yet
And a service man was proud of what he'd done
And Hank and Lefty crowded every jukebox
That's the way it was in '51

There's so much about the good old days I'd love to tell
And there's folks around I know, still remember well
Slow dancin' close together when a ballad played
'Cause a thing called, 'Rock and Roll' was yet to come
It was a big year for a drive-in rest'rant, Carhop
And that's the way it was in '51

There's so much about the good old days I'd love to tell
And there's folks around I know, still remember well
Slow dancin' close together when a ballad played
'Cause a thing called, 'Rock and Roll' was yet to come
A big year for a drive-in rest'rant, Carhop
And that's the way it was in '51

Hank and Lefty crowded every jukebox
Oh Lord, that's the way it was in '51

 

[fox69]

"The Wild Side Of Life"

"The Wild Side Of Life"


You wouldn't read my letters if I wrote them
You ask me not to call you on the phone
But there's something I'm wanting to tell you
So I wrote it in the words of this song.

I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife
You gave up the only one who ever loved you
And went on back to the wild side of life.

The glamour of the gay nightlife has lured you
To the places where the wine and liquor flow
Where you waited to be somebody's baby
And forget the truest love you'll ever know.

I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife
You gave up the only one who ever loved you
Then went on back to the wild side of life...

 

[fox69]

"The Women Make A Fool Out Of Me"

"The Women Make A Fool Out Of Me"


I love the women I love 'em all the same
I love the women I love 'em all the same
But I don't love nobody well enough to change her name
The women make a fool out of me.

Hey my papa scolded me my mama she sat and cried
Yeah oh my papa scolded me my mama she sat and cried
I got too many women for any little boy my size
Yeah the women make a fool out of me.

When I'm in the parlor the girls think it's a treat
Yeah when I'm in the parlor the girls think it's a treat
Cause even in the winter time they turn off the heat hey
Women make a fool out of me.

Yeah I love the women Lord I love 'em all the same
I love the women I love 'em all the same
But I don't love nobody well enough to change her name
Here we go
The women make a fool out of me...

 

[fox69]

"The Worst Is Yet To Come"

"The Worst Is Yet To Come"


Such a little time has passed since you went away
Where are all these heartaches coming from
I can hardly stand the pain of missing you today
And I know the worst is yet to come

If there was something I could find to drive these tears from me
Then I'd go right out and get me one
I've already cried enough to fill the deep blue sea
And I know the worst is yet to come

There'll be all those sleepless nights when I'll just lay and cry
And the hours seem to have no end
There'll be days when it won't matter if I live or die
Wishing I could have you back again

If there was something I could find to drive these tears from me
Then I'd go right out and get me one
I've already cried enough to fill the deep blue sea
And I know the worst is yet to come

 

[fox69]

"There Ain't No Good Chain Gang"

"There Ain't No Good Chain Gang"


Bet it ain't a rainin' back home bet your sister's still on the phone
Bet mama's in the kitchen cookin' fried chicken wishin' that I hadn't went wrong
Oh, but mama don't you worry everything's gonna be alright
They're teachin' us a lot of new things in here.

There ain't no good in an evil hearted woman
And I ain't cut out to be no Jesse James
And you don't go writin' hot checks down in Mississippi
And there ain't no good chain gang.

Papa's readin' yesterday's mail wishin' that the hay was all baled
I bet that he's a wishin' we could go fishin'
Stead of me sittin' here in this ol' damned jail.

There ain't no good in an evil hearted woman
And I ain't cut out to be no Jesse James
And you don't go writin' hot checks down in Mississippi
And there ain't no good chain gang.

No, there ain't no kinda good in an evil hearted woman
And I ain't cut out to be no Jesse James
And you don't go writin' hot checks down in Mississippi
And there ain't no good chain gang...

 

[fox69]

"These Mem'ries We're Making Tonight"

"These Mem'ries We're Making Tonight"


If this night should last forever and we'd never have to face
What tomorrow would bring
Well if time stood still tonight I'd keep holding you tight
Throughout eternal flame
But this old world's gonna keep on turnin'
And the morning sun will soon be shining bright
And we'll always remember these mem'ries we're making tonight.

There's no one waiting up for me at home
And the one who should be missin' me don't even know I'm gone
So let's do all we can together the morning sun will soon be shining bright
And we'll always remember these mem'ries we're making tonight.

There's no one waiting up for me at home
And the one who should be missin' me don't even know I'm gone
So let's do all we can together the morning sun will soon be shining bright
And we'll always remember these mem'ries we're making tonight.

And we'll always remember these mem'ries we're making tonight...