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.
Fool
Merle Haggard Lyrics
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Expensive polished marble are the steps up to the door
Vines are climbin' up to the roof top as if there's something they'd like to hide
People call it a Fool's Castle and I'm the fool that lives inside
The girl is gone that warmed the castle now it's dark the flame has died
It's a big house on a hilltop without love and without pride
People call it a Fool's Castle and I'm the fool that lives inside
She had what most girls only dream of
I gave her diamonds silk and satin I gave her everything but love
And with my giving I gave her nothing she wanted only to be by my side
Yes they call it a Fool's Castle and I'm the fool that lives inside
The girl is gone that warmed the castle
The lyrics to Merle Haggard's song "Fool" describe a big house on a hilltop with fine carpets, polished marble steps, and vines growing up to the roof. However, despite the appearance of luxury and grandeur, the singer is referred to as a fool who lives inside a "Fool's Castle." The girl who used to live in the castle has left, taking with her the warmth that used to fill the place. The singer had given her everything but love, and as a result, she had nothing that truly fulfilled her.
The line, "I gave her diamonds silk and satin, I gave her everything but love," demonstrates the idea that material possessions cannot fulfill a person's emotional needs. The singer believed that the girl was lucky to have everything she wanted, but in reality, she only wanted to be loved. The castle, with its expensive decor and opulence, becomes a metaphor for the emptiness that the singer feels inside. He has everything that he thinks will make him happy but is ultimately left feeling like a fool for not being able to give the girl the one thing that truly mattered.
Overall, "Fool" serves as a cautionary tale against the superficiality of material possessions and the importance of love and emotional fulfillment in life. The singer's misguided attempts to make the girl happy through material means ultimately leave him feeling empty and foolish.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a big house on a hilltop fine carpets on the floor
The house looks grand and extravagant from the outside with its luxurious furnishings.
Expensive polished marble are the steps up to the door
Even the entrance of the house is made up of high-end materials.
Vines are climbin' up to the roof top as if there's something they'd like to hide
The vines crawling up the roof give a sense of trying to disguise or conceal something within the house.
People call it a Fool's Castle and I'm the fool that lives inside
Despite the grandness of the house, people mockingly refer to it as a 'fool's castle' and the artist identifies himself as the foolish inhabitant.
The girl is gone that warmed the castle now it's dark the flame has died
The artist's love interest has left him, leaving the house devoid of happiness and warmth.
It's a big house on a hilltop without love and without pride
Despite the grandiosity of the house, it is empty of love and the singer cannot take any pride in living there.
She used to live here I thought she was lucky
The singer believed that his love interest was fortunate to live in such a grand house.
She had what most girls only dream of
His love interest had the material possessions that many women would be envious of.
I gave her diamonds silk and satin I gave her everything but love
The artist showered his love interest with material gifts but failed to give her the one thing she truly desired - his love.
And with my giving I gave her nothing she wanted only to be by my side
Despite the material wealth bestowed upon her, the one thing his love interest wanted and he failed to give her was his companionship and love.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: TOMMY COLLINS
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...