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.
After Dark
Merle Haggard Lyrics
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Gamblers and musicians lovers and harlots all turn on
I bid a hearty good mornin' to the evenin' that beckons me on
And dares me to sleep while the night half of the world moves along
After dark when the lights turn on all over the world
Gamblers and musicians lovers and harlots all turn on
In Merle Haggard's song "After Dark," the singer reflects on the allure of the night and the different characters that come out when the lights turn on all over the world. The first two lines bring to mind the image of a bustling city at night, where people from all walks of life come out to play. The use of the words "gamblers" and "harlots" suggests a shady, almost sinful side to the evening hours.
The singer then bids "a hearty good mornin' to the evenin'" - a striking contradiction that implies he has been up all night and is greeting the morning hours as if they were his peers. He goes on to say that the night "beckons me on" and "dares me to sleep," suggesting that he is both captivated by and afraid of the seductive pull of the night. The final repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea that everyone, from the "gamblers" to the "lovers," is caught up in this alluring world after dark.
Overall, "After Dark" can be read as a celebration of the liberating, exciting aspects of nightlife, but also as a cautionary tale about the dangers of getting lost in it.
Line by Line Meaning
After dark when the lights turn on all over the world
As night falls and the lights turn on worldwide, the world awakens to activities that thrive in the darkness.
Gamblers and musicians lovers and harlots all turn on
Activities of all kinds come alive at night, including gamblers, musicians, lovers, and prostitutes.
I bid a hearty good mornin' to the evenin' that beckons me on
I greet the evening with enthusiasm, anticipating the excitement and adventure that awaits me.
And dares me to sleep while the night half of the world moves along
Despite the temptation to rest, the energy and liveliness of the world at night urges me to stay awake and experience its wonders.
Writer(s): merle haggard
Contributed by Alice P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jimmy Ray
on Carryin' Fire
I'm a co-writer on this song and the lyrics are not quite right here. Instead of the word high it should be higher. The last verse is A moth slowly circles the flickering candle, the fire is all it can see...