Monday, March 27, 2006

The Fighting Side

If you remember earlier, I mentioned that the Wife and I had tickets to see Merle Haggard. We bought them the same time we bought the tickets to hear Beethoven's Ninth.

Well, last night was the Merle Haggard concert. We had better seats for Merle than we did for Ludwig.

The Wife and I had seen Merle Haggard before. And again, he put on a show for his fans. Not that I consider myself a fan; the Wife is, but I wouldn't be considered a fan. But I certainly do have a appreciation of many of his songs and for his impact on music. And last night, he showed why he's the star he is.

The River Center was packed with Merle Haggard fans of all ages. Some were older than us. Some were younger than us. But there were lots of them.

For many in the audience, the biggest applause was reserved for the line "We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse" from Okie From Muskogee.

For me, though, the highlight was when Merle Haggard told the audience of a song he "wrote during another war that was appropriate for this one." That's when he sang The Fighting Side of Me.


Verse 1:
I hear people talking bad about the way they have to live here in this country.
Harpin' on the wars we fight gripin' 'bout the way things ought to be.
I don't mind them switchin' sides and standin' up for things they beleive in,
When they're runnin' down our country man,
They're walkin' on The Fightin' Fide Of Me.

Chorus
They're walkin' on The Fightin' Side Of Me.
Runnin' down a way of life our fightin' men have fought and died to keep,
If you don't love it, leave it,
Let this song that I'm singin' be a warnin',
When you're runnin' down our country hoss
You're walkin' on The Fightin' Side Of Me.

Verse 2:
I read about some squirley guy
Who claims that he just don't beleive in fightin',
And I wonder just how long the rest of us can count on bein' free.
They love our milk and honey but they preach about some other way of livin',
When they're runnin' down our country man
They're walkin' on The Fightin' Side Of Me.

Chorus
They're walkin' on The Fightin' Side Of Me.
Runnin' down a way of life our fightin' men have fought and died to keep,
If you don't love it, leave it,
Let this song that I'm singin' be a warnin',
When you're runnin' down our country man
You're walkin' on The Fightin' Side Of Me.
That's a song you won't ever here the Dixie Chicks sing.

But then again, they ain't country. At least, not this country.

4 comments:

  1. Merle Haggard is just about the only country singer left that I enjoy listening to. And it's not just because we're cousins. He did a song many years ago called Grandma Harp. It's a true story; his Grandma Harp was my dad's great aunt. But he has a great life story as well. Glad you enjoyed the concert, Basil.

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  3. Not a country music fan but I like that song and the kicker about the DC! Clever!

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  4. Love hearing about this, that would be so neat to go to see Merle Haggard. Thanks for sharing about it.

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