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.
Gone With the Wind
Merle Haggard Lyrics
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The story was told at the big picture show
There was cheatin' and lyin' and livin' in sin
They called the movie, "Gone With the Wind"
You were miss Scarlet, the bell of the ball
I was Rhett Butler and we had it all
I wish we could go back and live it again
And I'm not a hero, I am what I am
Frankly my dear, I still give a damn
Going out, Civil War is raging again
And just like Clark Gable, honey I'm gone with the wind
And I'm not a hero, I am what I am
Frankly my dear, I still give a damn
Going out, Civil War is raging again
And just like Clark Gable, honey I'm gone with the wind
Yes, just like Clark Gable, I'm gone with the wind
The lyrics of Merle Haggard's Gone With The Wind use an extended metaphor comparing a love story to the plot of the famous movie of the same name. The first verse sets the scene, describing how the story was told at the big picture show, with all the elements of a classic Hollywood melodrama: cheating, lying, and living in sin. The second verse focuses on the two lovers in this story, with Haggard calling his partner "miss Scarlet", referring to the character played by Vivien Leigh in the movie. He compares himself to Rhett Butler, the dashing rogue played by Clark Gable who ultimately wins Scarlett's heart. Haggard wishes they could go back and relive their own love story, but acknowledges that it is gone with the wind, just like the movie's main characters.
The chorus of the song takes its inspiration directly from one of the most famous lines in cinematic history: "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn". Haggard twists this iconic phrase, putting his own spin on it by saying "Frankly my dear, I still give a damn". This suggests that despite the fact that their love story has come to an end, Haggard's feelings for his partner still remain. The final verse brings the metaphor to a close, with Haggard comparing himself once again to Clark Gable's character in the movie. He declares that just like Gable, he too is "gone with the wind", implying that his own love story has ended in heartbreak and tragedy.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, just like in the movies a long time ago
The song relates to a story much like the ones in the movies.
The story was told at the big picture show
The movie was shown on a big screen for the masses to enjoy.
There was cheatin' and lyin' and livin' in sin
The story in the movie had acts of unfaithfulness, lying, and immoral behavior.
They called the movie, "Gone With the Wind"
The name of the movie was "Gone With the Wind".
You were miss Scarlet, the bell of the ball
The person being addressed in the song is referred to as "Miss Scarlet", who was the most attractive and charming person at the event.
I was Rhett Butler and we had it all
The singer refers to himself as Rhett Butler, a fictional character from the movie, who had everything one could ever ask for.
I wish we could go back and live it again
The singer wishes to go back in time and relive the good moments again.
But honey our love it's gone with the wind
The singer laments that his love has vanished and is no more.
And I'm not a hero, I am what I am
The singer is not pretending to be someone else, and he is being honest about who he really is.
Frankly my dear, I still give a damn
The singer still cares about the person being addressed, despite the difficulties they had faced before.
Going out, Civil War is raging again
The singer talks about the Civil War, which is a reference to the battles they had before.
And just like Clark Gable, honey I'm gone with the wind
The singer likens himself to Clark Gable, who starred in the movie, and implies that he is now gone with the wind, like the title of the movie.
Yes, just like Clark Gable, I'm gone with the wind
The singer repeats the previous line to emphasize that he is truly gone with the wind, like the character in the movie.
Contributed by Lila 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...