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.
Cry Me A River
Merle Haggard Lyrics
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You cried the long night through
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
Now you say you're sorry
For being so untrue
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
You drove me
Nearly drove me out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember?
I remember all that you said
Said that love was too plebeian
Said that you were through with me and
Now you say you say love me
And just to prove you do
Come on and cry me a river
Cry me a river
You drove me
Nearly drove me out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember?
I remember all that you said
Said that love was too plebeian
Told that you were through with me and
Now you say you say love me
And just to prove you do
Come on and cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
Cry
Merle Haggard's "Cry Me A River" is a song about a former lover who now regrets leaving and is trying to win back the singer's affections. The song has a distinct sadness to it and portrays the singer's disappointment in the lover's previous actions. The title of the song, "Cry Me A River," is a phrase that is often used to dismiss someone's insincere or excessive apologies. Through the lyrics, the singer tells the lover that they can cry all they want to make amends, but it won't change the fact that the singer has already cried their fair share over the lover's past actions.
The song also highlights the singer's lingering hurt and frustration from the past. The lover had previously claimed that their love was too "plebeian," meaning unsophisticated or common, and had ended the relationship. Now, the lover claims to love the singer again, but the singer is skeptical of their intentions. The lyrics show how the singer is still affected by the lover's past words and actions and is wary of being hurt again.
Overall, "Cry Me A River" is a song that explores the complexities of romantic relationships and the lingering emotions that come with them, even after they have ended.
Line by Line Meaning
Now you say you're lonely
You're telling me that you feel alone
You cried the long night through
You spent the whole night crying
Well, you can cry me a river
If you want to cry, do it in your own time
Cry me a river
I don't want to hear your tears
I cried a river over you
I already shed my tears for you
Now you say you're sorry
You're apologizing for your mistakes
For being so untrue
For not being honest with me
You drove me
You pushed me to my limit
Nearly drove me out of my head
You almost made me lose my mind
While you never shed a tear
You didn't care enough to cry
Remember?
Do you recall what happened?
I remember all that you said
I can't forget the hurtful things you told me
Said that love was too plebeian
You claimed that our love wasn't good enough
Said that you were through with me and
You told me that you were done with our relationship
Now you say you say love me
You claim that you have feelings for me
And just to prove you do
You want to show me that you're sincere
Come on and cry me a river
Go ahead and cry, but I won't be there for you
I cried a river over you
I already displayed my feelings for you and it's your turn now
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Arthur Hamilton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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...