Haggard was born in Oildale, California, during the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled after the death of his father, and he was incarcerated several times in his youth. After being released from San Quentin State Prison in 1960, he managed to turn his life around and launch a successful country music career. He gained Read Full BioMerle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.
Haggard was born in Oildale, California, during the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled after the death of his father, and he was incarcerated several times in his youth. After being released from San Quentin State Prison in 1960, he managed to turn his life around and launch a successful country music career. He gained popularity with his songs about the working class that occasionally contained themes contrary to the prevailing anti-Vietnam War sentiment of much popular music of the time. Between the 1960s and the 1980s, he had 38 number-one hits on the US country charts, several of which also made the Billboard all-genre singles chart. Haggard continued to release successful albums into the 2000s.
He received many honors and awards for his music, including a Kennedy Center Honor (2010), a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), a BMI Icon Award (2006), and induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977), Country Music Hall of Fame (1994) and Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (1997). He died on April 6, 2016 — his 79th birthday — at his ranch in Shasta County, California, having recently suffered from double pneumonia.
Haggard's last recording, a song called "Kern River Blues", described his departure from Bakersfield in the late 1970s and his displeasure with politicians. The song was recorded February 9, 2016, and features his son Ben on guitar. This record was released on May 12, 2016.
Haggard endorsed Fender guitars and had a Custom Artist signature model Telecaster. The guitar is a modified Telecaster Thinline with laminated top of figured maple, set neck with deep carved heel, birdseye maple fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets, ivoroid pickguard and binding, gold hardware, abalone Tuff Dog Tele peghead inlay, 2-Colour Sunburst finish, and a pair of Fender Texas Special Tele single-coil pickups with custom-wired 4-way pickup switching. He also played six-string acoustic models. In 2001, C. F. Martin & Company introduced a limited edition Merle Haggard Signature Edition 000-28SMH acoustic guitar available with or without factory-installed electronics.
Mama Tried
Merle Haggard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
Was a lonesome whistle blowin'
And a young un's dream of growin' up to ride
On a freight train leavin' town
Not knowin' where I'm bound
And no one could change my mind but Mama tried
One and only rebel child
From a family, meek and mild
My Mama seemed to know what lay in store
Despite all my Sunday learnin'
Towards the bad, I kept on turnin'
'Til Mama couldn't hold me anymore
And I turned twenty-one in prison doin' life without parole
No one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried
Mama tried to raise me better, but her pleading, I denied
That leaves only me to blame 'cause Mama tried
Dear old Daddy, rest his soul
Left my Mom a heavy load
She tried so very hard to fill his shoes
Workin' hours without rest
Wanted me to have the best
She tried to raise me right but I refused
And I turned twenty-one in prison doin' life without parole
No one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried
Mama tried to raise me better, but her pleading, I denied
That leaves only me to blame 'cause Mama tried
The lyrics of "Mama Tried" by Merle Haggard and The Strangers talk about the rebelliousness of a young man in a family that was "meek and mild". The song starts with memories of the young man's dreams of leaving town to ride on a freight train without knowing where he was headed. Despite his mother's best efforts to raise him right, he ended up turning towards bad decisions. The lyrics show regret for the choices that led him to end up serving life in prison at the age of twenty-one, with nobody to steer him right but his mother, who had tried so hard to raise him properly.
The song tells the story of how the young man's father died, leaving his mother to shoulder a heavy load all by herself, working hard to give her son the best life she could. However, the son kept turning towards bad choices until he ended up in prison. The song ends on a poignant note with the realization that the mother's efforts to raise her son right had been in vain, and the blame for his fate lay entirely with himself.
Overall, "Mama Tried" is a moving tribute to the sacrifices mothers make to raise their children right, and the heartbreak they feel when their efforts go unrewarded.
Line by Line Meaning
The first thing I remember knowin'
The earliest memory I have is of knowing something.
Was a lonesome whistle blowin'
I recall hearing a sad, solitary train whistle.
And a young un's dream of growin' up to ride
As a child, I dreamed of growing up and riding a freight train.
On a freight train leavin' town
I wanted to leave town on a freight train, uncertain where I'd go.
Not knowin' where I'm bound
I didn't know where the train would take me, but it didn't matter.
And no one could change my mind but Mama tried
Despite my determination, my mother tried to convince me otherwise.
One and only rebel child
I was the only child in the family that acted out and defied authority.
From a family, meek and mild
My family was otherwise obedient and reserved.
My Mama seemed to know what lay in store
My mother had a sense of what the future held for me.
Despite all my Sunday learnin'
In spite of my religious upbringing and education, I still made poor choices.
Towards the bad, I kept on turnin'
I was drawn to trouble and continued down a negative path.
'Til Mama couldn't hold me anymore
My mother eventually couldn't control me or my actions.
And I turned twenty-one in prison doin' life without parole
I ended up in prison for life without the possibility of parole at the age of 21.
No one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried
Despite my poor decisions, my mother tried to guide me onto a better path.
Mama tried to raise me better, but her pleading, I denied
My mother tried to bring me up in a positive way, but I didn't listen to her begging.
That leaves only me to blame 'cause Mama tried
Despite my mother's efforts to help me, I am responsible for my own choices and consequences.
Dear old Daddy, rest his soul
My father has passed away and is now at peace.
Left my Mom a heavy load
My father left my mother with a lot of responsibility to manage on her own.
She tried so very hard to fill his shoes
My mother worked tirelessly to take over my father's role in the family.
Workin' hours without rest
My mother worked non-stop, without any breaks or rest periods.
Wanted me to have the best
Despite her struggles, my mother strived to give me the best life possible.
She tried to raise me right but I refused
Despite her best intentions, I rejected my mother's guidance and went down a negative path.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Merle Haggard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
HustlerMitch
This is country. This.. Not that lifted trucks and getting drunk all day shit.
Denis Lessard
these guys gave drinking it's start. who drank more than merle , willie, waylon, hank jr and senior. every generation has it's drinker and druggies
Headframe Hunters Mining & Exploration
Nothing wrong with lifted trucks...but you're right.
Heresy
i know, country these days is all about fucking tractors, and drinking moonshine and shit
TheArborphiliac
There's an important distinction, too. It used to be "Country & Western", and this shit is from Bakersfield, California; the West, not the South. There's great music from both regions but the popular scene latched onto "Country" and forgot entirely about "Western". It's a fucking shame.
Caleb Whittington
Lifted trucks are beast, drinking ain't.
anna pearson
who's here because Merle is just great and his music is worth listening to ?
Rhonda Boncutter
Oh, I have listened to Merle all of my life! I was my Dad's recorder changer! Sat and sang with my Dad for a few years! Dad loved Merle!
Rhonda Boncutter
Grew up on Merle! Record player was in the Kitchen~ Played Merle's songs for my Dad!
Rhonda Boncutter
I will ALWAYS love this song! Merle was my Dad's favorite!