Elvis and Merle Haggard , any connection?

Just listen to that intro of "Sing Me Back Home" - reminds us a little of WHICH song?

Sorry, I could only find this terrible re-recording and not the haunting original.

this one?

Haggard remains an interesting enigma: he put over "Fightin' Side of Me" and Guthrie's "Jesus Christ" with seemingly equal sincerity and intensity. Can't think of anyone else quite like him. So, he was not your average, ordinary country singer.

What Elvis might have thought of him really has nothing to do with his feelings about Elvis. I guess his feelings were much stronger.

A lot of people liked to think of Elvis as "country." Elvis wasn't one of them. Perhaps that's the source of the confusion. (If a "country" singer had a big pop hit, that usually got his attention. I guess "Okie" wasn't one of 'em.)

rjm

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There are certain things in life that I simply will not tolerate. Disrespecting The Hag is one of those things. If you're runnin' down Merle Haggard hoss you're walkin' on the fightin' side of me!

Just walk through those swingin' doors, find the jukebox and sit down on a bar stool. Carolyn will be there to meet you and in no time you'll be a branded man. Tonight the bottle will not let you down and you'll be gone on those silver wings in no time. If you don't believe me, just ask Daddy Frank -- but remember he's blind and mama can't hear you.

But she tried.

Yeah, thanks Johnny. Over here in Germany we have several copyright issues with youtube. I can't even watch the one you posted (and yes, I know what a proxy is ).

I love The Hag, he's done so many great and classic recordings. He's one of the very few artists that can touch my soul deep within.

Just take a look at the list of his #1 Country Hits:

1. I'm A Lonesome Fugitive (1966)
2. Branded Man (1967)
3. Sing Me Back Home (1967)
4. The Legend Of Bonnie & Clyde (1968)
5. Mama Tried (1968)
6. Hungry Eyes (1969)
7. Workin' Man Blues (1969)
8. Okie From Muskogee (1969)
9. The Fightin' Side Of Me (1970)
10. Daddy Frank (The Guitar Man) (1971)
11. Carolyn (1971)
12. Grandma Harp (1972)
13. It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad) (1972)
14. I Wonder If They Ever Think Of Me (1972)
15. Everybody's Had The Blues (1973)
16. If We Make It Through December (1973)
17. Things Aren't Funny Anymore (1974)
18. Old Man From The Mountain (1974)
19. Kentucky Gambler (1974)
20. Always Wanting You (1975)
21. Movin' On (1975)
22. It's All In The Movies (1975)
23. The Roots Of My Raising (1976)
24. Cherokee Maiden (1976)
25. Bar Room Buddies (with Clint Eastwood) (1980)
26. I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink (1980)
27. My Favorite Memory (1981)
28. Big City (1982)
29. Going Where The Lonely Go (1982)
30. You Take Me For Granted (1983)
31. That's The Way Love Goes (1983)
32. Someday When Things Are Good (1984)
33. Let's Chase Each Other Around the Room (1984)
34. A Place To Fall Apart (with Janie Fricke) (1984)
35. Natural High (with Janie Fricke) (1985)
36. Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star (1987)

and oll the other wonderful songs that didn't even make it all the way up to the top like "Swinging Doors", "The Bottle Let Me Down", "I Threw Away The Rose", "I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am", "Jesus, Take A Hold", "I Can't Be Myself", "Soldier's Last Letter", "Someday We'll Look Back" and so on... to name but a few. And there's also his great album tracks like "Huntsville" or "Sidewalks Of Chicago", two that just came to my mind.

Shelly's Winter Love and What Have You Got Planned Tonight, Diana? are two of the prettiest songs I've ever heard.

The latter brings on the chills.

Shelly's Winter Love and What Have You Got Planned Tonight, Diana? are two of the prettiest songs I've ever heard.

The latter brings on the chills.

Funny you mention it... it's been only a couple of months ago since I first heard the latter, sung by Johnny Cash and featured on his "Look At Them Beans" album. I immediately fell in love with it.
Some phrases remind me of Merle's "Natural High", another favorite of mine.

Offhandedly.

Oh, and I just stumbled over a connection:

Rob, if we keep up with these song title posts all our friends are gonna be strangers.

Nothing a little swim in Kern River can't fix, Pete.

And then we can chase each other around the room tonight.

Shelly's Winter Love and What Have You Got Planned Tonight, Diana? are two of the prettiest songs I've ever heard.

The latter brings on the chills.

Agreed, Rob. The first time I heard it, I almost cried.

When Merle's Grandma Harp died in the early 70's, my dad, (who worked for the local radio station in Harrison, Arkansas) was dispatched to interview Merle while he was in the area to attend the funeral. During their interaction, my dad asked him if he had met Elvis. He said he had and that he felt like Elvis had been rude to him and brushed him off during their meeting. My dad would mention that story to me occasionally as he was a big fan of both artists.

Hi dhornjr1, any idea when was this meeting? in the 60´s?

I've heard that, according to Merle's autobiography, he met Elvis once. Someone on the newsgroup AEK said the meeting was in Vegas but I haven't heard when they met. Apparently Elvis said to Priscilla, when introducing her to Merle, "he's a country singer honey". Something about the way it was spoken is said to have stung Merle.

Marty lacker confirmed they did meet and [Elvis] liked him but didn't actually listen very much to Merle's music.

If it was when he was still with Priscilla and being in Vegas, then this dates it to between 1969-1971. Do you think that Elvis maybe possibly just phrased the word, "country", in a way that Merle didn't like? That's my guess.

Nothing a little swim in Kern River can't fix, Pete.

And then we can chase each other around the room tonight.

No offence Rob, but I think I'll just stay here and drink.

Do what you gotta do, but you've got a friend in California who sure misses you.

Do what you gotta do, but you've got a friend in California who sure misses you.

Maybe I'll pay a visit when I get ramblin' fever.

OK, I see how it is. You just want to hang out with the farmer's daughter again.

Fine!

OK, I see how it is. You just want to hang out with the farmer's daughter again.

Fine!

What can I say? It's not love, but it's not bad.

I'll just sit alone again and mix misery and gin.

"misery and gin" , fantastic song!

If we keep on going, this thread will make it through December

It won't if we're not back in love by Monday.

It won't if we're not back in love by Monday.

Lol, what a thread!! Lucky we don't smoke marihuana in this forum!

Maybe not, but we have a few who certainly take trips on LSD.

Have you read their posts?

It won't if we're not back in love by Monday.

Why wait until Monday Rob? Today I started loving you again.

Well then, Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star!

Haggard is still making great music. "I am What I am" was my number 1 album in 2010.

Keith Richards, Jr.

Man, this thread gives me White Line Fever!