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.
Honky Tonk
Merle Haggard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't stand no light
I'm a honky-tonk nighttime man
I can't stand no light
I get my rest in the daytime
I make my running 'round at night
I had the blues this morning
Had the blues this morning
I had the blues all day today
But when the sun goes down
I'm gonna tuck my blues away, away that's what I said
Roy, tuck away
I mean my heart starts beatin'
And the sun starts sinking low
Lord, my heart starts beatin'
When that sun starts sinking low
When the shadows fall
I know it's time to go, go, Norm!
I'm a honky-tonk nighttime man
I can't stand no light
I'm a honky-tonk nighttime man
I can't stand no light
I get my rest in the daytime
I do my running 'round, 'round at night, all round
In Merle Haggard's song Honky Tonk Night Time Man, the singer declares himself as a creature of the night, more specifically a honky tonk nighttime man. He expresses his struggle with light, insinuating that light exposes him in a way he is not comfortable with. He claims to get his rest during the day and his energy during nighttime, thus making his running around. The lyrics suggest that he is not suited to the traditional day-to-day life; he finds solace and a haven in the dark hours.
This song embodies the classic framework of country music, describing the lifestyle of rural folks who live and love their trucks, beer, and women. Merle Haggard has a way of embodying the lives of the people he sings about and represents, making his music all the more authentic. The lyrics illustrate Merle's passion for the wildness of the nighttime and the promise of adventure that darkness brings. The song's melody and the singer's raspy vocals together create a mood that is quite evocative and a compelling portrayal of the honky-tonk lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a honky-tonk nighttime man
I am a person who thrives in the environment of nightclubs and bars
I can't stand no light
I am not fond of daylight, maybe because of my tiredness from the fun last night.
I get my rest in the daytime
I sleep during the day to prepare for another long night of being up and about.
I make my running 'round at night
I am lively and active at night, mostly in pubs and clubs, dancing and drinking the night away.
I had the blues this morning
I felt sad earlier today and remained unhappy throughout the day, and it wasn't until the night that I began to feel better.
Had the blues all day today
I felt sad and depressed for most of the day for no particular reason.
But when the sun goes down, I'm gonna tuck my blues away
As soon as it gets dark, I will forget about my worries and my sorrows, and I will immerse myself in the nightlife once again.
I mean my heart starts beatin', and the sun starts sinking low
When the sun sets, and the darkness sets in, I feel an overwhelming excitement that makes my heart race with anticipation of a lively and exciting night ahead.
Lord, my heart starts beatin', when that sun starts sinking low
My heart starts racing, and my energy levels start to rise as daylight fades, indicating the beginning of my night-time activities.
When the shadows fall, I know it's time to go
As soon as it gets dark, and shadows linger all around, I know it's time to head out for the nightlife to start.
I do my running 'round, 'round at night, all round
I am an all-nighter, active, and energetic during the night, especially moving around different clubs and bars to enjoy my time to the fullest.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MERLE HAGGARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thebluesrockers
Merle Haggard was born April 6 1937 He died 79 years later on his birthday.
He was born on a Tuesday.
This song song was also released on a Tuesday. 1973
Every Lynyrd Skynyrd album featuring Ronnie Van Zant, was released on a Monday. But every Lynyrd Skynyrd, studio Album featuring Johnny Van Zant, was released on a Tuesday.
Allen Collins, died on a Tuesday in 1990
Leonard Skinner, The school teacher who the band got their name from died on a Tuesday.
Gary Rossington, born on a Tuesday in 1951. He's also the one who wrote Simple Man. He wore a cross around his neck in his later years, and he died on Sunday.
@leebrown5368
Ronnie Van Zant loved Merle. Ronnie was a country singer , but he was fronting a southern rock band. I could see Merle singing some Lynyrd Skynyrd songs just as well as I could see Ronnie singing some of Merle’s . This is the perfect example. I love both versions.
@cforsberg5244
I think if the plane crash hadn't occurred, they might've morphed into a country band at some point, given the fresh blood and unreal talent Gaines injected into the band with his arrival. I'm a guitarist, and you can fake the blues if you're only "ok"...but you can't fake those kind of Danny Gatton/Albert Lee licks up and down the fretboard unless you're "top level"!
@lauradenton6985
Ronnie was in a league of his own RIP ❤️
@Taypee15
I'm goin' to ride this train Lord until I find out
What Jimmie Rogers and the Hag was all about
See I play this rock n roll and I think that's fine
But I want to go back a little further in time
@raymondfryar1533
Kinda heart warming in way.
@Nicholsd64
nobody can or could pick "just like Roy" he was my dad and there is none other like him
@baby69ization
Roy Clarke was your Dad Nicholas64 ? Everyone already knows but your Dad was/is a legend and i loved seeing him playing ! Cheers
@donnievick3076
He's talking about Roy Nichols, Merle's long time guitarist, not Roy Clark
@Joe_Hunt_Music
Isn't that the truth? Mr. Nichols was one of the classiest and most tasteful guitar players ever.
@dwightdeskins8052
when Lynyrd Skynyrd covered this song, Ronnie told Gary that his guitar "sounds like Roy" this is the guy he was talking about, right, Nicholsd64?